hounds and cougars article

[outdooraddict]

article in the socialist-review tody about proposal to involve hounds again for cougars

http://www.spokesman.com/stories/2019/jan/23/three-washington-bills-deal-with-cougars-hounds/

[wheels]

hope 5100 gets in

[Stein]

The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife remains neutral on SB 5100, according to Becky Bennett, a spokeswoman for the agency’s enforcement program.

Why are they neutral here?  Do they not have science and data and game management objectives they could use to form an opinion?

Yet another way the department refuses to go to bat for hunters, even when the science supports it.

[Bucks2Ducks]

The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife remains neutral on SB 5100, according to Becky Bennett, a spokeswoman for the agency’s enforcement program.

Why are they neutral here?  Do they not have science and data and game management objectives they could use to form an opinion?

Yet another way the department refuses to go to bat for hunters, even when the science supports it.

What a joke, scared of some backlash. Can't imagine WDFW not wanting to have more options available to properly manage the wildlife. Who's paying their salary?

[bearpaw]

article in the socialist-review tody about proposal to involve hounds again for cougars

http://www.spokesman.com/stories/2019/jan/23/three-washington-bills-deal-with-cougars-hounds/

   good one...

Lands Council opposes both, another big green group that loves predators!

It would be nice to see something for WA resident hound owners to keep dogs trained. Our local legislators will be working to get a hunting season, but even a Pursuit Season which I'm sure they will also support would be helpful. The only reason our dogs are any good is because we hunt them in Idaho. Several years ago we quit helping WDFW for the most part, I'm not going to help WDFW when all they do is keep taking away from hunters!

The most recent activity I've been told about by WDFW is that they were trying to catch lions with their Karelian Bear Dogs in an area that has been having a lot of lion sightings around homes, a woman's dog treed a lion in her yard so she called WDFW, they came and darted it, collared or tagged it, and turned it loose, that neighborhood is pretty upset over it being turned loose right there.

[bornhunter]

WDFW remains silent on everything controversial. Remeber them on tribal hunting issues a few years back.

[WAcoyotehunter]

I don't like that they talked to the lands council but none of the groups supporting it. 

[time2hunt]

https://www.capitalpress.com/ag_sectors/livestock/washington-cougar-bill-allows-training-by-vetted-houndsmen/article_9148a3b6-20bb-11e9-8393-474e251e0758.html


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[bearpaw]

time2hunt thanks for the link. It will be interesting to see what WDFW comes up with if it passes. I know there are a few guys who still have dogs that would probably like to participate in a reasonable program.

[Alan K]

In another plus for the Humane Society, the bill would give the Fish and Wildlife Commission more leeway in not using dogs to pursue one or more cougars in areas with public-safety problems. The law currently says the commission "shall" authorize using dogs when there is no practical alternative. The bill would change "shall" to "may."

Another way for HSUS to go after WDFW when they do go after cats... With WDFW's record of not having any spine, I can see them no longer going after cats unless it kills someone.

HSUS dangling training out there in exchange for gutting the language that actually makes WDFW take care of the problem cats. 

[SpurInSpokane]

So I know nothing about nothing, and am well aware.
But requiring training and additional vetting of houndsmen sounds like raising the barrier to entry more than trying to enable houndsmen to train. It would be great to have a bill supported by, say, actual houndsmen that proposed something that would really help them. Maybe I'm being too consipratorial?

[Stein]

So I know nothing about nothing, and am well aware.
But requiring training and additional vetting of houndsmen sounds like raising the barrier to entry more than trying to enable houndsmen to train. It would be great to have a bill supported by, say, actual houndsmen that proposed something that would really help them. Maybe I'm being too consipratorial?

WDFW is just trying to keep their options open, they have already written hunters off and are looking at what they have to do to keep their ability to hunt with hounds.  Keep quiet, throw them a bone and probably promise something in return in yet another backroom deal.  There are how many articles about dogs and kids getting attacked?  We are probably close to someone actually thinking we should literally release the hounds again such that HSUS goes to their willing partner in WDFW and knocks it back down.

[bearpaw]

I'm hoping we see some changes with the new director, he came and spoke here in Colville, folks who were able to attend said he sounded better than the previous failure of a director, but so far it seems like mostly lip service and business as usual! Hopefully he will try to make changes, but I'm not holding my breath!

I think HSUS is only supporting Pursuit and hoping they can influence the parameters of the program because they are worried something is going to eventually be done so they might as well try to have some influence in how it's done. The only reason WDFW is even remotely in favor is because they look pretty inept when they have nobody capable to respond to cougar attacks. I did help a rancher friend last summer who had a cougar killing calves, but only because WDFW had noone else to respond. Otherwise I'm not helping WDFW until they make some changes.