Emergency Opener for Cougar - Can we talk WDFW into it?

[flysar]

In the units where the Cougar quota was not met, probably 85% or more, seems reasonable that WDFW would create an emergency opener to help manage their own harvest objectives; reasonable but probably not likely!

How many folks have chance encounters when turkey hunting?

[NoImpactNoIdea]

In the units where the Cougar quota was not met, probably 85% or more, seems reasonable that WDFW would create an emergency opener to help manage their own harvest objectives; reasonable but probably not likely!

How many folks have chance encounters when turkey hunting?

I would love to bag a big cat but I dont think it will happen any other time than general season.

[mulehunter]

My friend Micah was calling in a turkey for while and he heard something behind him and tree. he doesnt want spooky turkey but he have funny feeling so decide to roll over floor with shot gun and sudden Female 100lbs at 5 feet Micah pull trigger up air she ran away then at 50 yds she stop look at him and walk away.  He was Scare at first when he saw her face at 5 feet.     it happen last year during turkey season.

[pianoman9701]

What's the emergency? Once a habitat is at carrying capacity, male cougars will cull their own surplus adolescent males. Females will have fewer kittens. Cougars are not like coyotes and wolves. Each needs a certain amount of space to live and will defend its territory. The only repercussions will be the occasional encroachment into more civilized areas by the adolescent males and a human-cougar conflict. These are normally handled by professionals when they pop up.

I believe a few human-cougar conflicts, quite possibly resulting in the killing of a tree-huggers child or pet "fluffy", will be good for an overall  attitude adjustment regarding the use of hounds for hunting in this state. I would be against an emergency season on cougars.

[BOWHUNTER45]

Exactly ....that will never happen ...in fact they want to save the cougars not kill them ...we think of them as a predator that eats our deer but they obviously see it differently  we have obviously lost the brains of our older counter parts as far as management goes 

[WAcoyotehunter]

I would support it if hounds were an option.  I hate the current system.  I wonder how many of the cats killed in WA this season were actually mature animals?

[flysar]

I used the term "Emergency" as WDFW uses it for closures because of the potential impact on Cougar and Big Game Animal numbers.

WDFW set Cougar harvest "quota's" based on sustainable objectives of the state. Seems reasonable that any number over that would be detrimental to Cougar survival (over crowding, malnutrition) and sustainable big game levels... management!

After Dec 31st the season should be opened for permit Hound opportunities along with the current non-permit boot hunts to meet harvest objectives... hunters get more opportunity which also generates more revenue for WDFW.

[bigtex]

This would be like saying we should open up deer season after the season ended because not enough deer were taken..Never going to happen.

[pianoman9701]

I used the term "Emergency" as WDFW uses it for closures because of the potential impact on Cougar and Big Game Animal numbers.

WDFW set Cougar harvest "quota's" based on sustainable objectives of the state. Seems reasonable that any number over that would be detrimental to Cougar survival (over crowding, malnutrition) and sustainable big game levels... management!

After Dec 31st the season should be opened for permit Hound opportunities along with the current non-permit boot hunts to meet harvest objectives... hunters get more opportunity which also generates more revenue for WDFW.

This will never happen without a voter initiative allowing hounding again. Hounds will only be used in an on-call baisis

[bigtex]

I used the term "Emergency" as WDFW uses it for closures because of the potential impact on Cougar and Big Game Animal numbers.

WDFW set Cougar harvest "quota's" based on sustainable objectives of the state. Seems reasonable that any number over that would be detrimental to Cougar survival (over crowding, malnutrition) and sustainable big game levels... management!

After Dec 31st the season should be opened for permit Hound opportunities along with the current non-permit boot hunts to meet harvest objectives... hunters get more opportunity which also generates more revenue for WDFW.

This will never happen without a voter initiative allowing hounding again. Hounds will only be used in an on-call baisis

The legislature could allow hounds again, but I don't know which is more likely to happen, it passing the legislature or the voters 

[HUNTINCOUPLE]

Good luck with this idea.

[Huntboy]

I believe a few human-cougar conflicts, quite possibly resulting in the killing of a tree-huggers child or pet "fluffy", will be good for an overall  attitude adjustment regarding the use of hounds for hunting in this state. I would be against an emergency season on cougars.