Brown Bear Snaring

[J in AK]

http://www.adn.com/2011/03/11/175122...own-bears.html

I am popping my popcorn, have at it boys....

[martentrapper]

Yea, glad to see it. Increasing opportunities to take bears is good. Hope they get to sell the hides too.

[AlpineEarl]

Pathetic. What a stupid decision. This BOG has made poor judgment, ineptitude and ignorance the key stone of their tenor.

[bushrat]

We've hit a new low at ADFG, absolutely unbelievable that they would support this.

[Akres]

Much to be learned by this. Hopefully lessons learned can and will be put to good use throughout the state. There will always be naysayer's with any new initiative, don't know why...but some folks refuse to acknowlege reality and prefer to dwell in fantasy. Thumbs UP to the BOG on this one!

[33outdoorsman]

They allow bear snaring now in unit 16, but not even a general season for brownies on the KP... hmm. I don't really like this because currently there is 2 brown bears a year in unit 16. If the moose hunters can't get out there and get those two bears by standard hunting methods then they don't really deserve the moose.

[Hayduke]

I'm sure they came to realize that there is no way to keep browns out of the snares and just compounded an already questionable decision.

[spoiled one]

Why not just allow same day airborne permits for the browns like they did for the black bears and allow baiting for the brown bears? I suspect that this was brought up and was voted down by BOG.

[twodux]

Much to be learned by this. Hopefully lessons learned can and will be put to good use throughout the state. There will always be naysayer's with any new initiative, don't know why...but some folks refuse to acknowlege reality and prefer to dwell in fantasy. Thumbs UP to the BOG on this one!

The lesson learned from this board is........... Don't do your job of managing, find a scapegoat, then nuke 'em. They had a lot of options to use before even considering that they didn't try. Raise bag limits and hunting time. Allow non guided non residents to hunt bears in this unit.

One way or another, hunters will pay for this rash decision.

[squab]

FanFreakingTASTIC!!!! it is about time, somthing like this came about! Now maybe baiting will be allowed in other areas of the state!

[hiline]

I'll cheer when they actually set a season, I don't think there will ever be a general season. I think the whole thing was a political cop out.

[Amigo Will]

It would be better if hunters had to fill a predator tag before useing meat tag. I'm also thinking if Anchorage still had 50,000 folks liveing there all would be well

[pike_palace]

About time. 16 has been a brown bear haven for the last decade.

[twodux]

About time. 16 has been a brown bear haven for the last decade.

Then you'd think people would be clamoring to hunt them there. Especially if regs were relaxed. Make it easier for people including non res and I'm sure they will come.

[pike_palace]

Then you'd think people would be clamoring to hunt them there. Especially if regs were relaxed. Make it easier for people including non res and I'm sure they will come.

You would "think" wouldn't you. But then again, why go there? Sure, lots of bears, but not lots of big ones, who wants to spend the $$$ to hunt 9' brown bears? Why not go where you have a shot for a 10' bear?

Hard area to hunt too. Very thick forest and not as appealing as say the AK Pen or Kodiak. Not much access either. Has all the makings of good brown bear habitat. Salmon to eat, thick forest, not many people, practically zero hunting pressure... the browns have had it easy. Too easy. These snaring regs will quickly eliminate some of them and actually give the entire unit, not just a pocket here and a pocket there, a chance to solidfy the moose population.