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Washington State Register, Issue 11-12 WSR 11-11-013 WSR 11-11-013 sortium of landowners that includes the owner of a previous PERMANENT RULES LHP, the 4-O Ranch. DEPARTMENT OF Proposed deer and elk hunting on the Grande Ronde FISH AND WILDLIFE Vista LHP include: [Order 11-86—Filed May 6, 2011, 5:01 p.m., effective June 6, 2011] Landowner permits: Seven deer permits (three point minimum) and twenty-three elk permits (eleven bull and Effective Date of Rule: Thirty-one days after filing. twelve antlerless). Purpose: WAC 232-12-424 Public conduct on lands Public Special Permits: Three 3-pt minimum deer per- under cooperative agreement with the department— mits, six youth only antlerless deer permits, six bull elk per- Unlawful acts. mits, and twenty antlerless only elk permits. Purpose of the Proposal and its Anticipated Effects, The split of landowner and public deer and elk hunting Including Any Changes in Existing Rules: The department opportunity is within the guidelines established in Commis- is recommending creation of a new WAC that will regulate sion Policy C6002. public conduct on lands under cooperative agreement. Reasons Supporting Proposal: This proposal increases Examples of regulated activities include violating posted public deer and elk hunting access to private land in Asotin safety zones, quality hunting site rules, and driving vehicles County. in areas that have been posted closed to motorized vehicle WAC 232-28-331 Game management units (GMUs) travel. The new rule will allow enforcement of private lands boundary descriptions—Region one. access rules that are mutually agreed to by the landowner and Purpose of the Proposal and its Anticipated Effects, the department. Including Any Changes in Existing Rules: Game manage- Reasons Supporting Proposal: When the fish and ment units are used to help distribute hunters and manage wildlife commission adopted chapter 232-13 WAC, the defi- segments of deer and elk populations. This proposal will nition of "department land" was modified to exclude private clarify game management unit boundaries for hunters and lands. While this change was necessary to effectively imple- reduce space required for publicizing the rules, thereby ment chapter 232-13 WAC, the unintended consequence was reducing expenditures. that the department lost its ability to enforce public access Reasons Supporting Proposal: Simplifies and clarifies and conduct on private lands under agreement. As a result, a unit boundaries for deer and elk hunting. new rule addressing the use of private lands under agreement WAC 232-28-332 Game management units (GMUs) is needed. boundary descriptions—Region two. WAC 232-28-273 2009-2011 Moose, bighorn sheep, Purpose of the Proposal and its Anticipated Effects, and mountain goat seasons and permit quotas. Including Any Changes in Existing Rules: Game manage- Purpose of the Proposal and its Anticipated Effects, ment units are used to help distribute hunters and manage Including Any Changes in Existing Rules: The proposed segments of deer and elk populations. This proposal will WAC amends seasons for moose, bighorn sheep, and moun- clarify game management unit boundaries for hunters and tain goat. Winter surveys indicate moose populations are sta- reduce space required for publicizing the rules, thereby ble. The department recommends minor permit level adjust- reducing expenditures. ments in two moose hunt areas based on recent survey Reasons Supporting Proposal: Simplifies and clarifies results. All bighorn sheep populations that currently are unit boundaries for deer and elk hunting. hunted either meet or exceed population objectives. The WAC 232-28-333 Game management units (GMUs) department recommends minor permit level changes (from boundary descriptions—Region three. 41 to 48) based on the population thresholds in the game Purpose of the Proposal and its Anticipated Effects, management plan (2008). Mountain goat populations are sta- Including Any Changes in Existing Rules: Game manage- ble in all hunted populations. Changes in permit levels are ment units are used to help distribute hunters and manage based on annual survey counts and tend to be conservative segments of deer and elk populations. This proposal will given the sensitivity of goats to overharvesting. The depart- clarify game management unit boundaries for hunters and ment recommends status quo permit levels in all areas, except reduce space required for publicizing the rules, thereby reducing the permit level from 5 to 3 in the Goat Rocks- reducing expenditures. Tieton River population management unit due to recent sur- Reasons Supporting Proposal: Simplifies and clarifies vey counts. unit boundaries for deer and elk hunting. Reasons Supporting Proposal: Permit level changes WAC 232-28-334 Game management units (GMUs) are based on the population thresholds in the 2009-2015 boundary descriptions—Region four. Game management plan. Purpose of the Proposal and its Anticipated Effects, WAC 232-28-295 Landowner hunting permits. Including Any Changes in Existing Rules: Game manage- Purpose of the Proposal and its Anticipated Effects, ment units are used to help distribute hunters and manage Including Any Changes in Existing Rules: The landowner segments of deer and elk populations. This proposal will hunting permit (LHP) program is designed to increase hunter clarify game management unit boundaries for hunters and access to private lands and to help some landowners address reduce space required for publicizing the rules, thereby long-standing elk damage issues. The department recom- reducing expenditures. mends adding one new LHP cooperator in Asotin County - Reasons Supporting Proposal: Simplifies and clarifies Grande Ronde Vista. The Grande Ronde Vista LHP is a con- unit boundaries for deer and elk hunting. [ 1 ] Permanent WSR 11-11-013 Washington State Register, Issue 11-12 WAC 232-28-335 Game management units (GMUs) would hasten population expansion and improve the boundary descriptions—Region five. general health of the deer population. Purpose of the Proposal and its Anticipated Effects, Including Any Changes in Existing Rules: Game manage- Reasons Supporting Proposal: The proposal provides ment units are used to help distribute hunters and manage general season hunting opportunity for deer consistent with segments of deer and elk populations. This proposal will population and harvest objectives while addressing property clarify game management unit boundaries for hunters and damage concerns. reduce space required for publicizing the rules, thereby WAC 232-28-355 2010 Deer special permits. reducing expenditures. Purpose of the Proposal and its Anticipated Effects, Reasons Supporting Proposal: Simplifies and clarifies Including Any Changes in Existing Rules: This is the third unit boundaries for deer and elk hunting. year of the 2009-11 hunting season "rule-package" and as WAC 232-28-336 Game management units (GMUs) such, few changes are recommended. Changes during "off- boundary descriptions—Region six. years" are mainly to address crop and property damage prob- Purpose of the Proposal and its Anticipated Effects, lems; changes in population levels due to environmental con- Including Any Changes in Existing Rules: Game manage- ditions or disease outbreaks; and to balance harvest levels ment units are used to help distribute hunters and manage with established population objectives. segments of deer and elk populations. This proposal will The major changes in the recommended deer permit lev- clarify game management unit boundaries for hunters and els are to address: reduce space required for publicizing the rules, thereby • Calendar date adjustments; reducing expenditures. • White-tailed deer declines in northeast Washington Reasons Supporting Proposal: Simplifies and clarifies GMUs 101-121; unit boundaries for deer and elk hunting. • Mitigation of property damage situations; WAC 232-28-337 Deer and elk area descriptions. • Add some quality mule deer permits in northeast Purpose of the Proposal and its Anticipated Effects, Washington GMUs; and Including Any Changes in Existing Rules: Boundary • Add antlerless deer permits in the Mission and Sat- adjustments are being proposed to better address current deer sop GMUs (251 and 651) consistent with population and elk damage issues. objectives for those areas. Reasons Supporting Proposal: The proposed rule amendment provides the means to reduce wildlife damage Reasons Supporting Proposal: The proposal provides issues and direct deer and elk damage hunts by adjusting elk special hunting permit opportunity for deer and elk consistent area boundaries. with population and harvest objectives while addressing WAC 232-28-351 2009-2011 Deer general seasons property damage concerns. and definitions. WAC 232-28-356 2010 Elk special permits. Purpose of the Proposal and its Anticipated Effects, Purpose of the Proposal and its Anticipated Effects, Including Any Changes in Existing Rules: This is the third Including Any Changes in Existing Rules: This is the third year of the 2009-11 hunting season "rule-package" and as year of the 2009-11 hunting season "rule-package" and as such, few changes are recommended. Changes during "off- such, few changes are recommended. Changes during "off- years" are mainly to address crop and property damage prob- years" are mainly to address crop and property damage prob- lems; changes in population levels due to environmental con- lems; changes in population levels due to environmental con- ditions or disease outbreaks; and to balance