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Proposal would require predator mitigation if ungulate herds drop 25% below 10‑year average; scientists and stakeholders disagree
Summary
Senate Bill 5960 directs Washington Fish and Wildlife to designate ungulate populations "at risk" and initiate predator mitigation after a 25% drop below a 10‑year rolling average; sponsors and rural stakeholders urged action while conservation groups and WDFW scientists warned the bill ignores recent predator‑prey research and may be costly or impractical.
A Senate bill would require the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) to designate an ungulate population as "at risk" and begin predator‑management actions within 60 days if the population falls 25% or more below its 10‑year rolling average.
Sen. Shelley Short, prime sponsor of SB 5960, said the bill aims to restore balance for rural communities reliant on hunting and timber and to give the department clearer direction when localized declines occur. "It's not about one or the other, it's about all of it," Short said, describing concerns about declining deer and elk in parts of northeastern and southeastern Washington.
The staff overview described mitigation options in the bill…
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