Cougar overharvest. . . didn't know this was the problem!!

[deerhunter_98520]

Didnt you hear there over harvesting of wolves also

[AKBowman]

Thats laughable...whether hunters kill 10% or 35% percent of the population. They have absolutely no clue how many cats are wondering around this state, especially the west side. Their are entirely too many thats for sure.

[woodywsu]

Canada.  The guy is a nut

Where do these wingnuts come from

[bearhunter99]

Thats laughable...whether hunters kill 10% or 35% percent of the population. They have absolutely no clue how many cats are wondering around this state, especially the west side. Their are entirely too many thats for sure.

 

How would they ever get an accurate census of the population to begin with?  They going to go tree to tree with a deer haunch on their back saying "here kitty kitty"   

[deerhunter_98520]

You guys are thinking of the wrong cougars...or maybe they were 

[CAMPMEAT]

You guys are thinking of the wrong cougars...or maybe they were 

...............Buckmark comes to mind then !!!

[Humptulips]

"WSU’s Rob Wielgus, director of the Large Carnivore Conservation Lab, lead the population viability analysis that was used in the Washington Wolf Conservation and Management Plan." - WSU

More details on the cougar study.
http://wsm.wsu.edu/s/index.php?id=592

I cut this quote out of the article you posted.
"He explains that although cougars don't live in packs, they do have contact with others of their kind. The interactions between adolescents and adult males help teach the youngsters what is and isn't appropriate prey, and what is and isn't acceptable behavior."

So he is saying that adult male cougars spend time with adolescents and teach them acceptable behaviour? This is false and flys in the face of everything we know about cougar habits. Young cougar stay with their mother until full grown and do all the teaching. The only contact an adult male has is to fight or mate.

Besides that I would really like to know what "appropriate prey" means to a cougar.

He also says that reported cougar complaints are down. Perhaps it is because it is such a waste of time that people are not reporting anymore. I know that is how it is here.

A friend of mine had her donkeys attacked by a cougar. She reported and WDFW sent her a brochure on living with wildlife. They eventually shot the cougar, probably illegally. Do you think she will bother to call again? Nope! The next year when a cougar was killing her chickens and ducks she didn't bother to call it in. What's the use she told me.

[Battle Ready]

Yet another educated dumb ass!

[Kc_Kracker]

next WDFW will make a antler-like rule for cats, "adolecents only- with 0-2" pekker, over 2" must not be killed

[pianoman9701]

As I read what this regulation will do, I'm not sure we have much to worry about. Most of our units don't reach the 14% havest (+/_ 2%) because we're not using hounds. The problem animals will be taken out or authorized to be taken out regardless of harvest. What am I missing? It must be something.

[xXLojackXx]

This is funny that they concluded theres been an "over harvest" of cats. Those same (well from the same school) students/professors came to my unit that I hunt to count cat tracks, to survey a projected population. Long story short, they had to call everyone back to the vehicles because they saw too many cat tracks and ruled it was "unsafe" to be out looking for them  Would have been a school funded hunting trip if I was in that program 

[Kowsrule30]

A couple areas I hunt are crawling with cats.... To the point where you can come across a new kill site almost everyday and hear them talking to each other very often......

[BOWHUNTER45]

since when has there been less cougars all of a sudden? it seems more and more people are getting them on trail cams and having them in areas they normally wouldnt be, i know in alot of areas that residents are seeing more all the time and they are only getting more use to being so close to humans...or am i missing the point of this?

Good point Predator Pro .. maybe you guys who are getting pictures of all these cats should start flooding the Dept . With them ...but then again they may outlaw trailcams since they are collecting more evidence than they are 

[Kc_Kracker]

shhhhh dont give them ideas 

[HuntNFish]

"WSU’s Rob Wielgus, director of the Large Carnivore Conservation Lab, lead the population viability analysis that was used in the Washington Wolf Conservation and Management Plan." - WSU

More details on the cougar study.
http://wsm.wsu.edu/s/index.php?id=592

Just another reason to not be a WSU Cougar