Store hours  Mon-Fri 9-8, Sat 9-7 and Sun 9-6

Early morning sport window is open every day at 7 am

SW Washington Land Access Coalition

1/18/08:  We are concerned about timberland around Mt. St. Helens being sold to private investors.  There is a lack of information available to us.  We are "hearing" that the DNR was offered the land and did not pursue it.  We are "hearing" that our government officials knew that the land was for sale two years ago and had a fund that was set aside for this kind of purchase and did nothing about it.  We are "hearing" about the California Wine Growers Association purchase of 11,000 acres near the Toutle River.  We are trying to get some answers!

Our general consensus is that private property is just that - -  private - - and can be bought and sold.  Our challenge is to find a way to satisfy private landowners and keep the traditional timberlands available for recreation to the general public.

12/15/07:  Weyerhaeuser has informed us that as of 12/17/07 that the St. Helens Tree Farm will be closed to motorized access.  Special elk hunts will be opened to those hunters via combinations or keys to the locks.

We are in need of volunteers to check gates in the 529 Game Unit (between Toutle and Chehalis).  My understanding is there are 18 gates that need to be checked in the evening from 12/17 thru 12/31.  If anyone that has had the PUD Training Class and would like to volunteer, call Dean Pyzik at (360) 915-3475.  I will have more details soon.

So far the program has been working well.  80% of Weyerhaeuser's North Tree Farm was open for the entire Elk Season.  Hunters seemed happy (other than the unseasonably nice weather) and Weyerhaeuser reported few problems.

There is still a need for volunteers for late muzzle loaders, archers, and special permits.  Call Dean Pyzik (DFW) at (360) 915-3475  if you can help out - - but remember, you have to attend a training class first!!

10/3/07:  Currently we are working on additional elk hunting opportunities for muzzle loading season (10/6 - 10/12).  We are concentrating our effort on 10/8 thru 10/12 because Weyerhaeuser is planning to have the gates open for the weekend.

If you want to get involved  please e-mail: bobs@landaccess.info  We need your e-mail address, phone number, address and if  you have had CORT Training, DFW Training, or Weyeraeuser training.

Important Telephone Numbers:

Emergencies ...................................  Call 911

Forest Fire Reporting Only.............. 1 800 562-6010

County Sheriff's Office:

            Cowlitz County........................Kelso..........(360) 577-3092 (Office)

             Lewis County.........................Chehalis.....(360) 740-1105 (Emergency)

                                                                                  (360) 740-1441 (Emergency)

                                                                                  (360) 748-9286 (Business)

               Skamania County................Stevenson..(509) 427-9490 (Office)

               Clark County.........................Vancouver..(360) 397-2366 (Office)

                                                                                   (360) 606-9839 (Emergency)

               Wahkiakum County.............Cathlamet....(360) 795-3242 (Office)

Washington State Patrol: (Emergency calls only)..1 800 283-7805

Fish and Wildlife Enforcement.................................(360) 577-2050                                                                                    (Through non emergency local state patrol dispatcher)

Poaching Hotline.........................................................1 800 477-6224

Weyerhaeuser Security (Threat of Bodily Harm!!)...1 800 458-0274

For the official access information call the Weyerhaeuser Forestry Hotline which is available 24 hours a day, 7 days per week.            At 1 866 636-6531  Note:  you really should listen to the entire message for the "rules" but once you understand them, a quick way to get to our information is to select #2, then select #2, then select #5.

We can not stress enough that this is a trial program with Weyerhaeuser.  If we abuse this privilege - - we will loose our "foot" in the door for land access!  Our understanding with Weyerhaeuser is that the South West Washington Land Access Coalition will monitor Weyerhaeuser Timberland the weekends that the gates at the 1901, 1910, and 1600 are open.  We will do this in a completely non-confrontational manner and we will monitor the gates without the aide of Weyerhaeuser's Security,  unless it is a matter of potential bodily injury.  That means be out by one hour after daylight or sleep at the gate!

For those of you who have gone out on the "test" weekends, I hope you have had as much fun as I have - - - it really feels like the "good old days".  If this program is successful, Weyerhaeuser has indicated a willingness to allow special permit holders to hunt Monday thru Friday during their eligible hunts this fall and winter on non-active logging timberland.  Again, our Coalition must monitor the usage of Weyerhaeuser's Timberland and everyone must follow the letter of the "laws" - - - not limited to, but especially staying away from active logging operations, being safe, and not calling their Security.

3/11/07:  We are dedicated to enhancing the general public’s access to private timber land and DNR land for - hunting – fishing – camping – and general outdoor recreation.

We are currently working with the DNR, Timber Companies, your State Legislatures, County Commissioners, The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, and several local sport clubs to reverse the current trend of closed land.

We believe that outdoor recreation is a part of the fabric of our community in Southwest Washington and we are not willing to allow this be taken from us.

Through Eyes in the Woods, we train sportsmen and sportswomen, in non confrontational ways to report anyone violating game laws or vandalizing private property.  We have trained over 300 sets of “eyes” and continue to hold classes in Bob’s Sporting Goods annex - - the class is called CORT (Crime Observation and Reporting Training) and is taught by a Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife agent and is done in one, two hour training session.

Our Land Access Coalition is relatively new, but we feel we have already made an impact.  We attended the DNR pre-scoping meeting in October of 2006 and we were included in their formal scoping meeting in spring 2007.  Our position is that much of the DNR land (that is land that YOU own!) is land locked by private timber companies.  Access can be denied at there choosing.  Grants for things like camping enhancements are not available for land locked DNR land unless permanent easements are granted by that timber company.  The Coalition also held a “town hall” meeting on February 20, 2007.  We invited the timber companies, WDFW, sport clubs, legislators, media, and the general public.  Somewhere between 150 and 200 people showed up.  Representatives were there from Weyerhaeuser, Fibre, The Campbell Group, several people from DFW, The Daily News, The Columbian, and representatives from the County Commissioners, and a lot of you hunters.  We feel the meeting was a positive first step, but we need to keep moving forward.

GET INVOLVED!!!!  Sign our petition, take the next Eyes in the Woods class, sign up for a work party, and donate a few bucks!

This will only work if we all participate in a solution.