OLYMPIA — The state Fish and Wildlife Commission will take public comments on proposed changes to state hunting rules for deer, elk, upland birds, and other game species during a public meeting March 20-21 in Moses Lake.
State wildlife managers also will update the commission on the status of wolves in Washington and actions the department took in 2014 to implement the state’s Wolf Conservation and Management Plan.
The commission, a citizen panel appointed by the Governor to set policy for the state Department of Fish and Wildlife, will convene at the Moses Lake Civic Center, 401 S. Balsam St., in Moses Lake. The meeting is scheduled to begin at 8 a.m. both Friday and Saturday.
A complete agenda for the meeting, including scheduled public comment periods, is available at http://wdfw.wa.gov/commission/.
Proposed changes to state hunting rules for 2015 are available for public review at
http://wdfw.wa.gov/about/regulations/development.html. Proposals include:
•Maintaining the current 4-point antler restriction for white-tailed deer in GMUs 117 and 121, or allowing hunters to take “any buck.”
•Doubling the amount of spring bear permits available in northeast Washington.
•Extending the hunting season for pheasants in eastern Washington through Martin Luther King Jr. Day.
•Adding two days to the modern firearm season for mule deer.
•Limiting or banning the use of bait to hunt deer and elk.
In other business, shellfish managers will provide a briefing on proposed season changes for clams and oysters on 20 Puget Sound public beaches. The commission will also take public comments on those proposals.
The commission is scheduled to make final decisions on statewide hunting seasons and Puget Sound clam and oyster seasons in April.