Update | Proposed deer hunting at Turtleback Mountain and north shore preserves

After a series of public meetings and additional community input, the Land Bank Commission will discuss delaying the proposal and exploring ways to continue seeking public input during the May 15 commission meeting.

||| FROM SAN JUAN COUNTY COMMUNICATIONS |||

The Conservation Land Bank has proposed limited deer hunting on Turtleback and North Shore Preserves for this coming season. After a series of public meetings and additional community input, the Land Bank Commission will discuss delaying the proposal and exploring ways to continue seeking public input during the May 15 commission meeting.

About the Hunting Proposal 

The proposal involves allowing hunting for three weeks in October on an area in the northeast portion of Turtleback, and a tribal hunt on Turtleback and North Shore during the first two weeks of November. 

• The public hunt proposes to allow one party of up to two hunters per day to utilize that 200-acre area of the Preserve via the north trailhead entrance and required hunters to reserve their day through the State’s registration system. 
• The tribal hunt proposes to allow one party of up to two hunters on the same area of Turtleback as well as North Shore Preserve with each registration covering a two-day period from November 1-18. While trails on Turtleback would remain open, North Shore would be closed for the tribal opening in November. The proposal also specifies minimum buffers of 100 feet from trails and adjacent properties. Buffers could be wider where necessary to ensure safety.

Purpose of the Hunting Proposals

The goal of the proposal is to help reduce herbivory by deer which can decimate many species of plants as well as the birds, insects and other organisms that depend on them. Deer have no natural predators in the Islands, and hunting would help keep the population in check to avoid resurgence of the Adenovirus Hemorrhagic Disease (AHD) virus.

Additionally, the islands have a long history of hunting, extending back many hundreds, if not thousands of years. Hunting provides a cultural connection to the land, particularly for indigenous people who retain treaty rights to hunt and fish in the San Juans.

Public Input

The Land Bank invited participation at two public meetings over a period of one month and provided an additional three weeks to submit comments. We received over 80 comments. An overview as well as the entire catalogue of comments are now posted on our website: sjclandbank.org/deer-hunting-on-conservation-land-bank-preserves. We have also noted the petition opposed to hunting on Turtleback. 

Next Steps

The Land Bank will be reviewing the comments this week, noting the many questions and suggestions provided, and following up with our partners, Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, and the Northwest Indian Fisheries Commission. This has been an enriching experience for staff and for the Commission to see the level of interest and passion on the subject, both in support and opposition. Thank you to all that have weighed in on the management proposal for these natural areas.

At its next meeting on May 15, the Land Bank Commission will discuss delaying a decision on the hunting proposal to allow for continued conversation and refinement as well as more fully exploring the rationale that guided the initial idea.

This meeting will take place in Friday Harbor at the Mullis Community Senior Center from 8:45am – 11:10am and will have a virtual option for attending, as always. While the comment period on the proposal ended on April 20, there will be an opportunity for limited further input, as well as materials categorizing the written and verbal comments received.

About San Juan County’s Land Bank    

San Juan County’s Land Bank, funded by a 1% real estate excise tax paid by purchasers of property at closing, acquires and preserves areas in the county that have environmental, agricultural, aesthetic, cultural, scientific, historic, scenic, or low-intensity recreational value. Their offices are located at 328 Caines Street, Friday Harbor, WA 98250. For more information about San Juan County’s Land Bank, visit www.sjclandbank.org.