New Fish and Wildlife licensing system easy to use

The new licensing system for purchasing hunting and fishing licenses is easy to use. This website is also used to buy special hunting permits applications and submit hunter reports.

I have been the group leader for our group of four, meaning the person who puts in for all our permits and buys all of the licenses. I also submit most of the hunt reports.

This is a new system, just a few months old, but it is a pleasure to use. If you have trouble setting up your username and password, just call Fish and Wildlife and they will assist you through the process.

The reason people should not touch or be friendly with wildlife

State wildlife managers are evaluating the behavior of 11 young deer at a licensed wildlife rehabilitation center in Thurston County, where they euthanized three fawns and an elk calf last week after finding those animals had become habituated to humans.

Many of the deer and other animals that wind up in rehabilitation facilities are removed from the wild by people who mistakenly believe they have been abandoned by their parents.

Habituated wildlife can also pose a threat to public safety, citing the example of a habituated buck deer that gored two people during a marathon run in Davenport, Wash., last month.

State regulations and national wildlife rehabilitation standards direct wildlife managers to euthanize habituated animals rather than release them into the wild.

The situation at the facility could have been avoided if the rehabilitators had limited human contact with the animals, weaned them sooner, and released them into the wild in accordance with state guidelines.

Proposed regulations a source of concern

Fish and Wildlife is seeking public comment on proposed simplified fishing regulations of freshwater species. Public comments will be accepted through Nov. 30.

There are a bunch of proposals, too many to include here, but here are a few examples: Chumming: Eliminate the prohibition of chumming and allow it statewide.

Eastern brook trout: Standardize fishing regulations for eastern brook trout statewide by requiring no daily limit and no minimum size.

Eliminate pan fish special limits: Remove daily limits for pan fish species, such as bluegill and pumpkinseed, on specific waters.

When fishing for trout with bait: Eliminate provision that states all trout caught are counted as part of the daily limit whether kept or released.

Public testimony: The public will also have the opportunity to provide testimony on the proposals during the Washington Fish and Wildlife Commission’s meeting Dec. 8 and 9 in Olympia.

Your comment: Go to the Fish and Wildlife website and click on fishing. Then click on comment on policy proposals. There you will be allowed to comment on each proposal.