Safer Trails
- Hikers in orange vests on the Pratt River trail.
As the number of people using Washington’s backcountry trails has increased, so have the interactions between hunters, target-shooters and hikers. The August 2008 shooting of hiker Pamela Almli by a 14 year old hunter on Sauk Mountain spurred an outcry from hikers around the state. WTA had been hearing reports of uncomfortable and threatening encounters with target-shooters over the past several years. In the aftermath of this incident, we received an outpouring of stories and comments detailing hikers’ experiences and concerns when sharing wildlands with hunters and target-shooters. The November 1st death of Juan Rojas Cortez, a beargrass gatherer in the Gifford Pinchot, by a Vancouver hunter out for elk added to the sense of urgency surrounding this issue.
The young hunter who fatally shot hiker Pamela Almli on Sauk Mountain has been found guilty of second degree manslaughter and was sentenced to 30 days in juvenile detention.
Advocates continue to work to prevent similar tragedies from occurring in the future. Yet, despite intense efforts by WTA and hikers, a bill to set a minimum age at which children may hunt unaccompanied was never brought to a vote in the legislature.
Unfortunately, during the 2009 session the legislation failed because the House and Senate could not agree on an age limit of 14 or 16. So, currently a hunter as young as 10 (or even younger) can legally hunt without adult supervision in Washington state. This issue did not come up for vote in 2010.
Some progress has made to curtail unsafe target shooting. In 2009 the Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie (MBS)National Forest instated a temporary ban on target shooting in a narrow corridor along Highway 90 and the South Fork of the Snoqualmie River. In May 2010 the MBS proposed making this closure permanent along with an additional ban in the Middle Fork that would include forest land from FS 56 to the Middle Fork and Tayloer River ending at the Dingford Creek Trailhead. The agency has sited several near miss incidents and the need to reduce public hazards in this high use recreation area.
WTA continues to push its Safer Trails campaign in the 2010.
Washington Trails Association's Position
In response to these increased conflicts and member concerns, WTA is working to make Washington trails safer for all users. WTA is pursuing several avenues to improve the safety of hikers and other recreationists on public lands. Specifically, we will:
- Advocate for legislation that will set the minimum age for handling a firearm unaccompanied at 16 years old.
- Work with the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) to develop a more user-friendly and understandable way to educate hikers and other outdoor recreationists about hunting areas and seasons. This would include WDFW creating online and print resources that easily outline this information for the non-hunting public.
- Advocate for rules that prohibit target shooting on public lands without an appropriate backstop, such as an earthen berm. WTA will also lobby for regulations that would prohibit shooting across roads and trails.
- Lead an extensive education campaign that will focus on hikers’ responsibility for their own safety: knowing when and where they might expect to encounter hunters and how to dress for safety during hunting season. WTA utilizes our magazine, TrailNews e-mail newsletter, the Signpost blog and website to disseminate this information. Additionally, we provide safety orange pack covers for sale in the WTA store.
What you can do:
Report Irresponsible Target Shooting. WTA has created this form in an effort to help land mangers better track illegal shooting. If you encounter what you believe to be illegal or irresponsible gun use while on trail, please provide us with the information.
Please contact your state elected officials and let them know that you support legislation that does the following:
- Sets the minimum age that youth can hunt unaccompanied at 16.
- Requires the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) to create and distribute user-friendly information on hunting areas and seasons.
- Sets uniform standards for signage of hunting areas during hunting seasons, so that hikers are better-informed as to where they will encounter hunters.
Educate fellow hikers on guidelines for safe hiking during hunting season.
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