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The Washington Fish and Wildlife Commission will consider adopting a three-year package of statewide hunting seasons and rules during a public meeting scheduled April 3-4 in Olympia.
The commission, which sets policy for the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW), will meet both days at 8:30 a.m. in Room 172 of the Natural Resources Building at 1111 Washington St. S.E.
Hunting seasons under consideration include those for deer, elk, moose, bighorn sheep, mountain goat, black bear, cougar and small game in 2009, 2010 and 2011.
Commissioners also will consider proposed revisions in special seasons and hunting restrictions; opportunities for terminally ill and disabled hunters; landowner hunting permits and damage-prevention permit hunts; trapping seasons; big game and wild turkey auctions, raffle and special-incentive permits; special closures and game management unit boundary descriptions; non-toxic shot requirements; and hunting equipment restrictions.
The commission is scheduled to take action on the three-year hunting plan April 4, the second day of the public meeting. Proposals now before the commission are posted at wdfw.wa.gov/wlm/game/seasonsetting/index.htm on the WDFW website.
Several of those proposals reflect changes made in response to public testimony at the commission's meeting last month in Ellensburg, said Dave Ware, WDFW game manager. No further public testimony is scheduled on the three-year hunting plan at the April 3-4 commission meeting.
The proposals, developed after extensive public involvement, are based on the 2009-15 Game Management Plan, available at wdfw.wa.gov/wlm/game/management/2009-2015/.
On the first day of the meeting, the commission is scheduled to take action on two proposed land transactions and will receive briefings from WDFW staff on issues ranging from the state's aquaculture industry to illegal marijuana growing on public lands.
A meeting agenda and background materials are posted on the commission's website at wdfw.wa.gov/commission/meetings.html.
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