Anyone with experience in this? It has not happened yet but I'm curious what the grey area is like.

We live in a rural area, 2 acres that buts up against properties on the other side of a small valley that probably total another 20-30 acres that is not ours, but is cut off from the property owners by a creek, so it goes completely undeveloped. The bottom of our property is separated by those patches of property by an old logging road that's overgrown and is basically just a dirt trail.

I put up a trail cam when we started hearing more coyote hanging out on the trail. So far I have caught a ton of coyote but recently started catching several black bear on the trail. Male and female.

The upper 1/3 of our property is fenced in, and inside the fenced back yard we have a decent sized chicken coop that is fully fenced.

If I were to catch the bear approaching the fenced back yard area but it has not entered the fence itself, can I shoot it just by virtue of being on the property and having livestock?

I understand that if I shoot a bear I am legally obligated to contact WDFW. My main concern is if they would say that since the bear was not actively damaging property, but only posing a potential threat, it may not be a good shoot.

I think you answered your own question. Unless that bear is a threat or you have a tag, don’t shoot it.

"It's coming right for us!"

I have encountered bears on my property a few times. I mostly see their rear end as they run the other direction at high speed.

This is the answer.

You don't get to shoot animals just because they are there, even if they are on your property. To take a bear on your own property out of season, you better have documentation of damage, and/or danger, along with permission from WDFW. Even then you will not be allowed to keep it. When you report the kill they will come get it.

Does a deer eating my tulips count as damage?

Bears I don't mind at all. Deer are just giant forest rats.

Unless the bear or bears are aggressively threatening you I wouldn’t consider shooting. It’s rare for black bears to want to hurt a human. I’d rather deal with an out of season nuisance bear with a non lethal option. Dealing with fish and game officers in WA is a pain in the butt. They are looking for any excuse to pinch somebody. I’d rather deal with 20 nuisance bears on my property vs one pita F&G officer.

We are pretty fortunate here. I’m friends with one of our local officers but I’ve seen him get pretty gung ho before. His partner is over the top and crawls up peoples ass with a microscope. It’s real bad during dear and elk season when they loan us additional F&G officers from the west side. I realize there are some real shitbag hunters out there that need to be held accountable. Don’t invite the man in your life. Especially regarding game. When everything is by the book they are often desperately trying to dig for some technical minute detail to get you on. Very often they themselves don’t have a firm grasp on the law. I’d get a big can of pepper spray or other non lethal deterrent. If it’s legal to harvest bear near your house during bear season and you want to utilize the resource maybe ask your neighbor if you can hunt that draw, get a tag and take one between Aug 1st and Nov 15th.

RCW 77.36.30 is the relavant code for depreditation.



There are exemptions, et al, and you get to make some fun decisions like when you catch a bald eagle about to eat one of your prize ducks.

The law is probably mum on if the bear runs across the road and it gets run over by a vehicle.

"Honey, we need to go buy a side-by-side!"

I drove down 522 near the Brightwater plant one morning and saw a black bear on the shoulder, dead. I can only imagine the damage done to the vehicle that hit it.

Wait till August and get a tag.  Or do what you want but don't tell anyone/ post about it.  Unless it's actively eating you, I sure as fuck wouldn't report it to wsfw. Not in this state.  

2 acres for most county isnt legal to shoot on, if you call in to get a problem bear tag they are going to laugh at you as you dont have a problem bear. they would bring a trap bait it till they caught it or it high tails it out of there, if they have a trap open and around your area. but you shoot a bear as you described and your probably going to have some trouble.

Where is this rule? I believe there's only two conditions:

1. You're not in an area designated no shooting, and

2. The bullet doesn't and can't leave your property

Kitsap County Statute – 10.25.
(b) [The discharge of firearms is prohibited] [o]n any parcel of land less than five acres in size. In summary of the Kitsap statute, a person may not shoot within 500 feet from a shoreline, in certain locations, and if the person's piece of land is less than five acers in size.

Got this one yesterday. The AAA battery* on the north side of the house went active. I'd like to reiterate how much I hate fucking flying rodents.

*Military speak for 'shooting randomly into the sky'

Wait until the fucking grizzly bears start showing up.

Bears are assholes.

Incentive to finish setting up my G20 for dangerous wildlife defense.

I don't live in Kitsap County and several neighbors on identical lots shoot regularly

this was a response to another. but planning on shooting on the edge of 2 acres onto someone elses property and across a road if you miss, is usually never legal.WAC 332-52-145
Firearms and target shooting. (b) Persons shall not shoot within, from, along, across, or down roads or trails.