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CLEAR Temp: 61 °F Wind: NNE at 4 mph Tuesday, August 12, 2003 SECTIONS Home Page Local News Sports Business Obituaries Life Opinion - Politics AP News Weather Classified Archives Site Map EXTRA HomeLife Magazine W3 Magazine Jobs @ Mail Tribune Tempo A & E Oregon CarZone Wellness Connection Real Estate Newspaper in Education Prime Times Outdoor Journal Personals Movie Times TV Times E The People CLASSIFIEDS Find a Car Find a Home Find a Job Find Everything E SOUTHERN OREGON Automotive Communities Entertainment Publications Recreation Calendar ABOUT US FAQ What's New Advertise Home Delivery Classified Ad Contact Us Media Kit Email Story to a Friend July 31, 2003 Bears get more attention By MARK FREEMAN Mail Tribune The hunting season for black bears opens Friday statewide, but don't look for the woods to be flooded with hunters stalking bruins. Despite a record number of black-bear tags sold last year, Oregonians are just barely getting excited about going into the woods after a healthy black bear population. Almost 9 out of 10 bears shot in recent years by licensed hunters with bear tags were the prize of those stalking deer, elk or other species during hunts scheduled for later this fall. Hunters say they carry the bear tag just in case they stumble upon a bruin while hunting and decide to shoot it. But that's changing, according to the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife survey that shows a slight increase in hunters actually looking for bears. Advertisement In 2000, 91 percent of bears killed were felled by deer or elk hunters who carried an $11.50 bear tag just in case the opportunity arose. In 2001, 89 percent of the bears fell to guns loaded for deer or elk. Harvest for the 2002 season was not available from the ODFW. The five-month general black-bear season runs through Dec. 31 in Western Oregon and Nov. 30 in Eastern Oregon. Tags are available through Oct. 3, the eve of the general black-tailed buck season for rifle hunters in Western Oregon. Mark Vargas, an ODFW biologist, says most early-season bear hunting is done at high elevations where bears are feeding on grasses and insects while they wait for huckleberries to ripen. Often, it’s archers on pre-season scouting trips who carry rifles on the off-chance that they see a bear, Vargas says. Spring chinook salmon angling closes for the season tonight in the upper Rogue River. The annual Aug. 1 halt to salmon angling upstream of Gold Ray Dam allows wild chinook to spawn without hassle from anglers. Waters downstream of Gold Ray Dam remain open to chinook fishing, and the entire Rogue from the mouth to the Cole Rivers Hatchery deadline remains open to steelhead and trout fishing. Strong ocean conditions helped create a larger than average run this year over Gold Ray Dam into the upper Rogue, where all spring chinook are bound. Through July 7, ODFW has counted 32,694 fish traveling through the dam’s fish ladder. That already eclipses the all- time average of 31,533 chinook and puts the run on pace to pass the 10-year average of just shy of 35,000 chinook. Oregonians who plan on buying hunting tags, commercial licenses or other fish and wildlife permits ought to head down to the local sporting goods store quickly or potentially face frustration next month. ODFW is moving its headquarters from Portland to Salem this summer, and the move includes the relocation of its massive Point of Sale computer-licensing system beginning Sunday. The agency plans to shut down its statewide computer network at 9 p.m. Sunday and keep it down through midnight Wednesday. During that time, hunters and anglers will not be able to buy recreational fishing and hunting licenses, angling harvest tags, big-game tags, game-bird validations, commercial fishing licenses, fish-dealer licenses, furtaker licenses and a host of other ODFW-issued permits at sporting goods stores. The various licenses and permits will be available Aug. 7, provided no unforeseen glitches occur, according to Doug Juergensen, ODFW's information systems administrator The dates of the computer move were chosen because they pose the least inconvenience to big-game hunters. However, pronghorn, bighorn sheep and antlerless elk hunters whose seasons start Aug. 9 or Aug. 16 are urged to buy their tags before the computers are shut down. People caught in the change can buy hand-written tags at ODFW district offices like the one at the Denman Wildlife Area. Hunters arriving from out of town who need to purchase a tag during the shutdown must go to an ODFW district office to obtain a hand-written tag. While big-game hunters might get caught in the pinch, Oregon's anglers will get a break by the computer shut-down. The ODFW will not require that anglers have an angling license or harvest tag Monday through Wednesday, making those days a second version of June's annual Free Fishing Weekend. And just like during Free Fishing Weekend, all other regulations related to fishing seasons and angling gear restrictions remain in effect during the three days. The agency is moving its headquarters to Salem under orders from the 2001 Oregon Legislature. The cost will be covered by the sale of the agency's current headquarters. Reach reporter Mark Freeman at 776-4470, or e-mail [email protected] Printer Friendly Version Email Story to a Friend Subscribe Archive: Click to Search Mail Tribune Home Local News | Sports | Business | Obituaries | Life Opinion - Politics | AP News | Archives | Site Map E Southern Oregon | Classified Copyright © 1997-2003 Mail Tribune. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms & Conditions Website Feedback A D V E R T I S E R S SPECIAL SECTIONS Rogue Valley Auto Finder Rogue Valley Job Finder --> Rogue Valley Home Finder Joy Magazine Homelife Magazine Tempo Real Estate Showcase Food for Thought Hike of the Week Wellness Connection Outdoor Journal Moving to Southern Oregon? Volunteer Openings Prime Times