WAITSBURG – After a brief consideration of limiting access to the city's watershed, the Waitsburg City Council heeded the advice of local Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) representatives and voted to join the WDFW "Feel Free to Hunt" program which will both keep the watershed open and protect the city from liability.

City Administrator Randy Hinchliffe explained that he city's watershed – about 800 acres along the north fork of Coppei Creek – has historically been open to hunting. Concerns about potential liability to the city and possible contamination of the city's water source led the council to explore the idea of limiting access to the area.

Walla Walla-Columbia County Private Lands Biologist Corrie Hadley explained that by enrolling in WDFW programs, the city would be covered under WDFW liability insurance. The WDFW offers four private lands access programs: "Feel Free to Hunt," "Register to Hunt," Hunt by Written Permission," and "Hunt by Reservation."

"After discussing this we feel the best option would be 'Feel Free to Hunt.' It's worked in the past and we think if it's not broke, why fix it'" Hadley said.

"The surrounding landlords are all in our access program," she added. "Enforcing trespassers would be a nightmare – there's no way you could do it."

WDFW Conflict Specialist Scott Rasley explained that the area was too small to set up a permit system and that hunters would be unable to follow injured animals from the neighboring "Feel Free to Hunt" areas into the watershed.

Rasley said he had a "soft spot" for the watershed after moving to the area in 1986 and meeting the late Red Mohney, who took him for a drive to the watershed and explained that it was a favorite spot for local kids.

"It's a big youth draw and I remember Red really pushed that. It's close enough that they can run up after school and hunt before it gets dark," he said.

City Council student representative Stuart Walsh agreed, saying that he knows high school students that hunt the watershed before and after school because it's so close.

Courtesy Photo

The Dept. of Fish and Wildlife will soon post signs similar to this along the city's watershed.

Rasley said there hasn't been an issue with hunting having a negative impact on the watershed and that the bulk of the hunters are from Dayton, Waitsburg, and Prescott. He said that by trying to limit the access to written permission only, the city would have to hire someone to handle all the phone calls from people who may or may not actually end up hunting there.

The council unanimously approved partnering with WDFW in their "Feel Free to Hunt" program. Once a contract is signed, the department will take responsibility for posting appropriate signage on the property and the city is protected against liability for unintentional injuries.