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Text Box: Dear Prospective Non-Tribal Bear Hunter: Thank you for contacting the Quinault Indian Nation concerning bear hunting on the Quinault Indian Reservation. The Quinault Indian Reservation is approximately 200,000 acres of forested lands that stretch from sea level along the Pacific coast to above 2,000 feet in the North Boundary Area in the Olympic Mountains. The Quinault Indian Reservation is located in the Southwest corner of the Olympic Peninsula of Washington State. The Quinault Indian Reservation has not been open to non-tribal hunting since established by the Treaty of Quinault River of 1855. Chitwhin means black bear in the Quinault language. The Quinault people identify closely with the Chitwhin. Naming their high school mascot, newspaper, and themselves as Chitwhins. Historically black bear were traditionally hunted for food and their pelts by the peoples of the Quinault Nation. Due to the current lack of intense hunting by the people of the Quinault Indian Nation and the abundant high quality habitat, you'll find black bear numbers on the Quinault Indian Reservation the highest anywhere in the Northwest. Black bear populations on the Quinault Reservation are comparable to those found in Southeast Alaska and British Columbia. Tribal hunters, hunt for meat and usually take a "fat" bear for food. Each year black bears over 300 pounds dressed weight are harvested by Quinault hunters. Bears over 500 pounds, with pelts squaring over 7' have been reportedly harvested. In recent years annual tribal harvest averages less than 10-15 black bears per year. This has allowed the black bear population to swell to near carrying capacity, with many bears reaching old age. There are near optimum habitat conditions for black bear on the Quinault Indian Reservation. The abundant sockeye, Chinook, silver and chum salmon runs of the Quinault, Raft, Salmon, Queets, and Clearwater rivers provide abundant food for black bears during the fall spawning season. Also, the Quinault Indian Nation does not use herbicides on the forest harvest units. This creates dense stands of salmon berry, evergreen huckleberry, salal, crabapple, cascara, and elderberry that provide abundant fruit crops for the black bear to fatten on each fall. There are thousands of acres of naturally occurring wetlands or "prairies" and 100's of miles of riparian stream bottoms that produce excellent spring grazing for black bears on the Quinault Indian Reservation. Dominant boars usually stake out the best of these prime spring grazing areas forcing smaller bears and sows with cubs into lesser quality upland habitats. There, these smaller bears feed heavily on the spring cambium layers of conifer trees. Bear damage to conifer trees by girdling the tree while feeding on the cambium layer is wide spread on the Quinault Indian Reservation. Quinault Reservation bear pelts are predominantly the black color phase and are prized for their condition. Some bears may have brown muzzles and or white star breast patches. Brown color phase bears are very uncommon. The spring hunt is designed to be early to allow for the harvest of large boar bears while their pelts are prime before rubbing begins. Black bear on the Quinault Indian Nation Reservation can be very large for the species. Preliminary population estimates indicate a black bear population exceeding 4 bears per square mile. The Quinault Reservation is over 300 square miles in size. The fall hunts are when the bears start to get very heavy, and have very thick pelts, and are about to go into hibernation in December. We hope you enjoy your hunt on the Quinault Nation Reservation. Quinault Indian Nation Non Tribal Black Bear Hunting Information Season: Spring season is March1– June 15, 2008. Fall: August 1-November 30, 2008. 2008 Tags: Unlimited bear tags will be sold this year. Tags are good for the spring and or fall hunt. Unsuccessful spring hunters can use their tag in the fall hunt if they desire to re-book with a guide. Cost: Each tag is $250.00. Release Form: All non-tribal hunters must sign and return the attached release form prior to the hunt. Application: Send application and tag fee (Cashiers Check made out to: Quinault Indian Nation) to: Fishing and Game Office ATTENTION: Dora Department of Natural Resources Quinault Indian Nation PO Box 189, Taholah, Washington 98587 For Hunting Information: Call: 360-276-8211 ext 372 ask for Dora Quinault Indian Nation Bear Tag Application NAME: ______________ PHONE #: - - ___ BIRTHDATE: / / \ GUIDE:_________________________________________________ Address: Email: ____________ street city state zip code Number of Tags: $250.00 each = $ Total Amount check check ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ RELEASE, WAIVER AND CONSENT TO JURISDICTION In consideration of being permitted by the Quinault Indian Nation to participate in bear hunting activities on the Quinault Indian Reservation, the undersigned hereby covenants not to sue and the undersigned and his or her heirs releases, waives and discharges the Quinault Indian Nation, its officers, agents, employees or its authorized hunting guide (hereinafter referred to as 'releases') from all liability to the undersigned for any loss or damage and any claim or demands on account of injury to the undersigned or undersigned’s property or resulting in death of the undersigned, whether caused by the negligence of the releases or otherwise, while the undersigned is in, on, or about the Quinault Indian Reservation. The undersigned hereby agrees to indemnify and save and hold harmless the releases and each of them from any loss, liability, damage or cost they may incur due to the presence of the undersigned in, on or about the Quinault Indian Reservation whether caused by the negligence of the releases or otherwise. The undersigned hereby assumes full responsibility for and the risk of bodily injury, death or property damage due to the negligence of releases or otherwise while in, on or about the Quinault Indian Reservation. The undersigned further expressly agrees that this Agreement is intended to be as broad and inclusive as is permitted by the laws of the Quinault Indian Nation and that if any portion thereof is held invalid, it is agreed that the balance shall, notwithstanding, continue in full legal force and effect. The undersigned further expressly agrees that the Quinault Indian Nation Tribal Court shall have exclusive jurisdiction over any lawsuit or claim regarding this Agreement or the subject matter of this Agreement and expressly consents to the personal and subject matter jurisdiction of the Quinault Indian Nation Tribal Court. The undersigned agrees and acknowledges that this Agreement does not in any way constitute a waiver of the sovereign immunity of neither the Quinault Indian Nation nor any other of the releases and that it shall not be interpreted by any court or jurisdiction as a waiver of sovereign immunity. The undersigned agrees and acknowledges that nothing in this Agreement or this Agreement itself constitutes a waiver of the sovereign immunity of the Quinault Indian Nation or releases and further agrees that no oral representations, statements or inducement apart from the foregoing written agreement have been made. I HAVE READ THIS AGREEMENT, UNDERSTAND ITS CONTENTS AND AGREE TO THE ABOVE. I ALSO UNDERSTAND THIS AGREEMENT WAS ENTERED INTO ON THE QUINAULT INDIAN RESERVATION. Dated this _________ day of ___________________________, 20__ _________________________________________________________________________ Signature Guides Each tag holder must book with a registered Quinault Indian Nation tribal guide before hunting on the Reservation. Guides were selected from tribal hunters for their hunting experience. Most guides have also been or are currently salmon and steelhead fishing guides. Each guide has a specific guiding concession on the Quinault Indian Reservation. Guide rates are set by each guide. Guiding cost of bear hunts may vary based on services provided (lodging, meals, meat and trophy processing, fishing trips and transportation), length of hunt, and quality of animal taken. Prospective hunters are encouraged to contact the guides. Let the guide know specifically what services you need and the type of hunt you are expecting. Communication is important to ensure a successful rewarding hunt. Camping by non-tribal hunters is not allowed on the Quinault Indian Nation Reservation. Approved hunting Methods All non-tribal bear hunts will be conducted from tree stands or ground blinds near baiting sites. Baiting bear is allowed by registered tribal guides. Non-tribal hunters must be in the company of tribal guide registered with the Quinault Indian Nation or their designated assistant at all times. Spot and stock method of hunting and the use of hounds are not approved. Non-tribal member non-tag holders are not allowed to enter the Quinault Indian Reservation nor participate in the bear hunt. Exception: Minors (between the ages of 13-18) must be accompanied by an adult when hunting. Hunting Safety Certification: Minors (between the ages of 13-18) must provide a copy of a Hunting Safety Certification in order to receive a tag. Firearms: Rifles: .243 caliber or larger, Pistols: .41 Magnum minimum, Shotgun: 12 gauge with slugs Archery: Longbow, recurve bow, or compound bow with at least 45 lbs of pull at 28" minimum arrow length. Tagging: Within 24 hours of a non-tribal tag holder killing a bear, the guide and the tag holder are required to take the bear to the QIN QDNR office. Biological samples (tooth, hair, and blood) will be taken and the hunter will receive a transport tag for removing the bear from the Reservation. Hunting Hours: Authorized hunting hours for big game are one-half hour before sunrise to one-half hour after sunset. Bear Galls: Bear gut remains are not to be transported from the Reservation. Bear galls are the property of the bear tag holder and are to remain with the bear during transport. It is a violation of Quinault Indian Nation Tribal law and the laws of Washington State to sell bear galls. Common Violations and Prohibited Hunting Methods 1. Don't have a loaded firearm in or on a motor driven vehicle (includes ORV's). 2. Have on your person when hunting valid and appropriate licenses, tags and permits. 3. Immediately attach your tag to the animal you have killed and remove the tag notches that indicate the month and the day the animal was killed. 4. Hunting under the influence of intoxicating liquor or drugs is prohibited. 5. Hunting big game with the aid of an artificial light or spotlight is prohibited. 6. Using aircraft to spot, locate or report the location of wildlife for the purpose of hunting, or hunting of big game on the same day you are airborne, except regularly scheduled commercial flight, is prohibited. 7. Hunting with dogs is prohibited. 8. It is unlawful to shoot at wildlife with a firearm across or along the maintained portion of a public highway. Quinault Indian Nation Black Bear Guides