Wildlife Department may buy 3,600 acres in Klickitat County

OLYMPIA — The state Fish and Wildlife Commission will have a public hearing and decide Friday on a proposal to buy 3,600 acres in the Simcoe Mountains of Klickitat County.

The land would be incorporated into the Klickitat Wildlife Area. The hearing tentatively is scheduled at 4:20 p.m.

The commission will convene at 8 a.m. Friday and Saturday in Room No. 172 of the Natural Resources Building, 1111 Washington St. S.E.

Commission members also will consider a proposal to restrict antlerless deer hunting in northeast Washington.

The Department of Fish and Wildlife is asking for a reduction in the antlerless whitetail deer harvest in response to concerns about deer populations affected in 2015 by blue tongue disease, a virus commonly spread by biting gnats.

In April, the commission reduced the number of hunting says for antlerless deer for youth, seniors and hunters with disabilities. Now the commission is being asked to limit hunting opportunities for archery and muzzleloader hunters in northeast Washington.