WDFW loves their new cougar management plan.

[steen]

This makes me want to barf!  First not everyone kills an adult male lion, second not every cougar vs. cougar encounter ends in a dead cougar ( most don't),  third hunting does in fact reduce the cougar population especially if dogs are used!!!!!!

[KFhunter]

I couldn't believe they closed 105 for the second half of the season last year - pissed me off.

[Kain]

I couldn't believe they closed 105 for the second half of the season last year - pissed me off.

Well they had to close down some units or the whole new system would have been seen as a big waste of time.  Which of course it is. 

[KFhunter]

I couldn't believe they closed 105 for the second half of the season last year - pissed me off.

Well they had to close down some units or the whole new system would have been seen as a big waste of time.  Which of course it is.

exactly the impression I had 

So I had to go across the river and hunt 101



Stupid crap like this pisses me off to no end.   NE WA has so dammned many Cougars I'm hitting em with my car.

[Kain]

I couldn't believe they closed 105 for the second half of the season last year - pissed me off.

Well they had to close down some units or the whole new system would have been seen as a big waste of time.  Which of course it is.

exactly the impression I had 

So I had to go across the river and hunt 101



Stupid crap like this pisses me off to no end.   NE WA has so dammned many Cougars I'm hitting em with my car.

Prior to them to making a bunch of ridiculous changes in 2008 we had a season that ran from August to March with two tags.  Average harvest, including the pilot program, was 200 cats per year.  WELL below their current harvest guidelines.   The vast majority of cats are taken during general deer and elk seasons.  Extending the season year round would result in very few additional kills.  They know all of this but refuse to extend the season or allow additional tags. 

Then they claim it is science based strategies. 

Oh well, very few hunters were vocal enough to get anything done about it and now they are taking this same garbage to wolf management. 

[CAMPMEAT]

Olympia is the most POT smokin' city of Washington State, doncha know !!

That answers a lot right there.

[snowpack]

exactly the impression I had 

So I had to go across the river and hunt 101



Stupid crap like this pisses me off to no end.   NE WA has so dammned many Cougars I'm hitting em with my car.

I was talking to lady that delivers newspapers over here and she sees lots of cougars and nearly hits a few each year with the car.  I guess when you're like the only vehicle cruising the roads from about 2am to 5 am you get to see lots critters.  A few years back it was rare to just see even one cat during the year along the paper route. 

[huntnphool]

The only result this is going to have is cats shot and left.

[KFhunter]

exactly the impression I had 

So I had to go across the river and hunt 101



Stupid crap like this pisses me off to no end.   NE WA has so dammned many Cougars I'm hitting em with my car.

I was talking to lady that delivers newspapers over here and she sees lots of cougars and nearly hits a few each year with the car.  I guess when you're like the only vehicle cruising the roads from about 2am to 5 am you get to see lots critters.  A few years back it was rare to just see even one cat during the year along the paper route.

ayup

I see em night all the time, usually coming up out of someone's back yard or out of a small neighborhood.

(especially the russian communities  )

[Harborhunter]

Their management plan is an absolute joke.  There is no reason why there should be harvest guidelines in my opinion, and i don't see why bear and cougar can't start at the same time...Or cougar season could go year round for that matter.  I doubt it would effect the population that much.  Maybe more people would buy cougar tags, which would make the department more money.  And we all know they like to make money. 

[mulehunter]

I gave up.  I am Glad to sent my hound over to MT to chase lions all the times!!  Go Blackberry!

WDFW. 

[Houndhunter]

 

[bearpaw]

If hunters do not unite to oppose this and similar moves by WDFW there will be no hunting left, anyone can see the end goal of this planned study from the beginning, end hunting. 

[buckfvr]

Seems as though WDFW is running for the end zone...............we, the apprx 4%, are of no consideration to wdfw. 

I agree......going to be stuff left in the woods to rot......cats, bears, wolves........doesnt have to be this way, but we are in the way of their desired outcome......move over hunters, you are about to be replaced and obsolete.

[Kain]

Unfortunately there is already HUNDREDS of cats being left to rot in the woods.  They are just being killed by other cougars. 

Around 750 new kittens survive their first year in WA.  Since populations are at, or over, carrying capacity population are staying pretty stable in undeveloped areas.  That means that for every new cat that enters the population one dies.  750+ cats being killed and hunters are taking around 150 of them.  If hunters were allowed to harvest up to 10% of the population it would not have any impact on total population or age structures.  WDFW know all this but is pandering to the predator lovers. 

Totally backwards thinking and a complete waste of a resource.  Like letting trees burn in forest fires instead of logging them.  It is also a financial drain on a cash strapped state.  Not only are they losing revenue, from cougar hunters and reduced ungulate opportunities, they are having to pay for more human/cougar conflict issues as cougars try to expand into developed areas.