ODFW News: 2009 Big Game Regs to be Adopted 10/10/08

[Pete]

October 3, 2008

Commission to adopt 2009 big game regulations

SALEM, Ore. – The Oregon Fish and Wildlife Commission will meet Friday, Oct. 10 to adopt the 2009 Big Game Regulations and consider proposed changes to the state’s Landowner Preference program.

The meeting is scheduled to take place beginning at 8 a.m. at the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife Commission Room, located at 3406 Cherry Ave., N.E., Salem. The agenda for the meeting is posted on ODFW’s Web site at: www.dfw.state.or.us/agency/commission/minutes.

The Commission will receive a draft copy of the 2009 Oregon Big Game Regulations, which spells out next year’s season dates, bag limits, open areas, youth hunting opportunities and other regulations. The draft rules were developed by ODFW staff and presented at 23 public meetings around the state last spring. Additional public testimony about the proposed hunting regulations will be accepted at the upcoming Commission meeting.

Commission members will also consider a staff proposal recommending the minimum acreage for participation in the Landowner Preference program be raised to 640 acres from the current 160-acre minimum. Under a state law implemented by the Oregon Legislature in 1982 to mitigate big game depredation on private property, landowners with parcels of 160 acres or more are eligible to receive deer and elk tags. Staff has recommended raising the limit to 640 acres to discourage the practice of dividing large blocks into multiple 160-acre parcels and other abuses. Staff has also recommended increasing the maximum number of tags available to landowners with 20,000 or more acres.

The Commission will address several other topics at the Oct. 10 meeting, including the following:

• Proposed management plans for the E.E. Wilson and Columbia Basin wildlife areas

• A request for a fish passage waiver at Smith River Dam submitted by the Eugene Water and Electric Board

• Eight proposed fisheries restoration and enhancement projects costing a total of $228,352

• New proof of residency procedures ODFW license agents must follow before issuing resident hunting and fishing licenses

• Rules related to the sale of licenses and tags over the Internet and via fax and mail order

• A planning update from the Sauvie Island Wildlife Area

The Commission is the policy-making body for fish and wildlife issues in the state. The seven-member panel meets monthly. Agenda item exhibits may be accessed on-line through the ODFW Web site at www.dfw.state.or.us/agency/commission/minutes or by calling the ODFW Director’s Office at 800-720-6339 or 503-947-6044.

[KingSlew]

Originally Posted by Pete

Commission members will also consider a staff proposal recommending the minimum acreage for participation in the Landowner Preference program be raised to 640 acres from the current 160-acre minimum. Under a state law implemented by the Oregon Legislature in 1982 to mitigate big game depredation on private property, landowners with parcels of 160 acres or more are eligible to receive deer and elk tags. Staff has recommended raising the limit to 640 acres to discourage the practice of dividing large blocks into multiple 160-acre parcels and other abuses. Staff has also recommended increasing the maximum number of tags available to landowners with 20,000 or more acres.

Sounds like that will screw the little guy. I thought the minimum was 40 contiguous acres, when did that change or did it? I think maybe it just applies to the east side. Do you know?

635-075-0001
Eligibility
A landowner as defined in OAR 635-045-0002 and immediate family as defined in OAR 635-045-0002, owning 40 or more contiguous acres are eligible to receive landowner hunting preference tags for controlled antlerless deer, western Oregon buck deer, western Oregon elk, and eastern Oregon antlerless elk hunts and emergency hunts occurring on their property. To be eligible to receive landowner hunting preference tags for controlled eastern Oregon buck deer, eastern Oregon bull elk, either-sex elk hunts, and doe/fawn pronghorn antelope hunts (pronghorn antelope with horns shorter than ears), occurring on their land, a landowner shall own 160 or more contiguous acres. For controlled hunts see OAR Divisions 067, 068, 069, 070, 071, 073, and Emergency Hunts in OAR Division 078. Tags issued to landowners are in addition to the number of tags issued to the public and authorized in OAR divisions 067, 068, 069, 070, 071, 073, and 078, except as described in OAR 635-075-0020.

[Rank Amateur]

Heck I knew a bio that was giving tags to people who had a accumalation of 40 acres, when I pointed out it was supposed to be contiguous he argued with me.