Lower populations prompting concern among big-game hunters.

Byline: Mike Stahlberg / The Register-Guard

Oregon hunters have plenty to worry about, what with deer diseases, predation by a growing population of cougars and the prospect that wolves migrating here from Idaho will soon be competing for game.

But our worries pale in comparison to northern Washington's, where there's growing unease over grizzly bears.

Residents are upset over a British Columbia proposal to move 25 grizzly bears into the North Cascades, near the Washington-B.C. border.

Stevens and Okanogan counties recently adopted resolutions urging B.C. officials to drop the bear-relocation proposed by the province's North Cascades Grizzly Recovery Team.

Commissioners said they fear that the Canadian bears would wander across the border into Washington, where they would be likely to kill livestock and wildlife - including mule deer whose populations have been dwindling.

There is also concern that the ferocious grizzlies might attack rural residents and outdoor enthusiasts.

``We don't want them in our back yard,'' said Ferry County Commissioner Mike Blankenship.

Meanwhile, even without predation from backyard wolves or grizzly bears, Oregon's big-game populations are in decline.

This is underscored by the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife controlled hunt tag allocation proposals. The number of controlled tags available for most deer and elk hunts would decrease under proposals to be outlined Friday before the Oregon Fish and Wildlife Commission.

ODFW biologists will recommend 165,000 controlled hunt tags be authorized for 2003. Last year, the commission authorized 172,510 tags.

The recommendations are based on changes in wildlife populations, fawn and calf survival rates, habitat changes, disease, and - in some areas - the number of agricultural or property damage complaints.

State wildlife biologists want the number of antlerless deer tags reduced by 4 percent. The reasons cited: last year's drought conditions, mortality from the ongoing "deer hair loss syndrome" epidemic and low fawn recruitment.

Under their proposal, elk tags would decline by 5 percent overall, with a 3 percent increase in Roosevelt elk tags partially offsetting an 8 percent drop in Rocky Mountain elk tags.

The outlook is brighter for bighorn sheep and pronghorn antelope. With those populations on the rise, biologists propose issuing 15 percent more sheep tags and 5 percent more antelope tags.

Several regulation changes are under consideration for 2004. Among them are proposals to add three new bighorn hunts, one new Rocky Mountain goat hunt and one new pronghorn antelope hunt.

There is also a proposal to make the general season archery hunts in the Maupin, Silver Lake, Hood and Biggs wildlife management units "either sex" rather than one buck.

Also under consideration is a permanent rule change related to importation of deer and elk parts from out of state. The proposal, which could take effect this fall, is aimed at protecting native deer and elk from chronic wasting disease, which has stricken herds in several other states and provinces.

Other possible changes include an increase in the cougar harvest quota and a 500-tag increase for spring bear hunts in southwest Oregon.

Hunters who would like to comment on the 2003 tag allocations or on the 2004 big-game regulations can still do so. Public meetings are scheduled for 7 p.m. Monday at Chemeketa Community College, 4000 Lancaster Drive N.E., Salem and 7 p.m. Tuesday at ODFW's regional office in Roseburg, 4192 N. Umpqua Highway. The commission's public hearing will be June 6 in Pendleton.

Finally, ODFW officials are urging hunters to apply for their controlled hunt tags as soon as possible to avoid long lines and the possibility of overloading the computer network as the May 15 application deadline approaches.

Mike Stahlberg can be reached at [e-mail].