Public can comment on new draft of proposed Game Management Plan

OLYMPIA – A new version of the draft 2015-21 Game Management Plan for Washington state will be available for public comment for one month, starting Oct. 17.

The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) will consider comments on the revised plan received through Nov. 17, before recommending a final plan for adoption by the Washington Fish and Wildlife Commission.

The revised final draft, available at wdfw.wa.gov/conservation/game, is designed to guide the state’s game-management policy over the next six years.

Dave Ware, WDFW game manager, said the revised plan includes a number of changes proposed by the public during the initial 30-day comment period and during a public hearing held Aug. 8 by the Washington Fish and Wildlife Commission. Key issues addressed by those changes include predator/prey relationships, deer and elk predation, and wolf, cougar and bear management, he said.

“These changes were significant enough that we wanted to give the public another chance to comment on the plan before we recommend it to the commission,” Ware said.

The commission, a citizen panel appointed by the governor to set policy for WDFW, is scheduled to consider adoption of the plan during a public meeting in December.