Klickitat Sheriff Swears in Hound Hunters to pursue Cougars & Bears

[wolfbait]

I was talking with one of our local Vets the other day, and his assistant said a cougar killed a deer just out of town in someones front yard, they called WDFW, WDFW told them "we don't handle those type of situations anymore". 

I wonder if WDFW are trying to pull out of the mess they created with their poor to no predator control programs?

[bornhunter]

If that truly is what was said and is wdfw's new policy, then their budget should be able to be reduced as they are not having to provide that service. I think a call in to thier office would be in line here to see if that is their policy now.

[bearpaw]

Best news of the day. Increasingly the liberals controlling WA politics don't care how much property is destroyed or how many people are harmed by predators, their only concern is perpetuating and increasing predator populations. Predator control will have to be done locally if it is done at all.

[jackelope]

I was talking with one of our local Vets the other day, and his assistant said a cougar killed a deer just out of town in someones front yard, they called WDFW, WDFW told them "we don't handle those type of situations anymore". 

I wonder if WDFW are trying to pull out of the mess they created with their poor to no predator control programs?

That's not their policy according to the director a few months ago.

https://www.capitalpress.com/ag_sectors/livestock/wdfw-director-when-in-doubt-remove-the-cougar/article_d718cee0-57cd-11e9-9ff6-7b48a2be2ffe.html

"When in doubt, remove the cougar"

http://livingsnoqualmie.com/did-washington-state-fish-and-wildlife-internal-directive-lead-to-killing-of-snoqualmie-valley-cougar/

http://chewelahindependent.com/wdfw-director-talks-predator-management-deer-elk-populations-in-recent-visit/

"COUGAR ENFORCEMENT
 With recent cougar attacks on livestock in the Chewelah area, The Independent asked Susewind about how enforcement policies would be carried out with a problem cougar. He urged people to call if they are concerned about an animal, and WDFW will send an officer out.

Enforcement, however, is not black and white, and there is no blanket policy on what the officer will do. It can be a gray area and each situation can be different.

“The worst thing I could do is give a black and white directive,” Susewind said. “I feel the best person to make the call is the person in the field.”

Some local groups in Stevens County want either hounding or some sort of lethal response after a depredation by a cougar. Susewind said that officers make assessments and can decide to chase and harass cougars with hounds, but every situation is different. Overall it’s a judgement call by their trained officers.

Overall public safety is the focus of WDFW, Susewind said"


https://wdfw.wa.gov/species-habitats/living/dangerous-wildlife/response


WDFW response to dangerous wildlife complaints












Some conflicts with dangerous wildlife species are inevitable as humans continue to expand into habitat traditionally occupied by black bear and cougar. When those conflicts occur, people often call WDFW offices for assistance.

The WDFW Enforcement Program is responsible for responding and assisting the public regarding solutions to complaints about dangerous wildlife. WDFW policy directs agency employees to respond within specific timeframes and with certain responses depending on the urgency of the incident.

These responses are summarized below.

Situation 1: Cougar or black bear depredation on livestock resulting in the loss of animal

Response: WDFW enforcement officer response within 24 hours, with the authority to:
•Euthanize the offending animal, or
•Immobilize, mark, and relocate offending animal one time only.

Situation 2: Cougar or black bear exhibit behavior that constitutes an 'urgent human safety concern'

Response: Immediate response by WDFW enforcement officer with the authority to:
•Euthanize the offending animal, or
•Immobilize, mark, and relocate the offending animal one time only.

Situation 3: Cougar or black bear attack on a human


Response: Immediate response by WDFW enforcement officer.
•Euthanize offending animal.
•Submit tissue samples to State Health Department for rabies test.

Although attacks on humans are rare, WDFW is prepared to respond based on established protocols.

[Boss .300 winmag]

🤔

[pianoman9701]

"Some conflicts with dangerous wildlife species are inevitable as humans continue to expand into habitat traditionally occupied by black bear and cougar populations continue to explode unchecked. When those conflicts occur, people often call WDFW offices for assistance."

Fixed it for you, Director Susewind.

[jackelope]

"Some conflicts with dangerous wildlife species are inevitable as humans continue to expand into habitat traditionally occupied by black bear and cougar populations continue to explode unchecked. When those conflicts occur, people often call WDFW offices for assistance."

Fixed it for you, Director Susewind.

Really it's probably a little bit of both. I wouldn't cross the part out that you crossed out. The addition is accurate.

[KFhunter]

Why would wdfw care that a cat took out a deer? Proximity to people? Urban area?

Sent from my SM-G965U using Tapatalk

[jackelope]

Why would wdfw care that a cat took out a deer? Proximity to people? Urban area?

Sent from my SM-G965U using Tapatalk

You're right. I skipped right over the part about it being a deer. What would they even do in the first place? I guess if the cougar did something that would classify it as a dangerous cougar, that's one thing. Seems to be a cougar just doin cougar stuff.

[bigskyhounds]

These cats are showing up everywhere. A friend of mine recently had a call from the bus driver. Thank God his kids were late to the bus stop as the driver watched a cougar walk up their driveway. The response from wdfw was don't feed the deer and they weren't going to doing anything unless someone or something was threatened or attacked. This is in the Clayton area where traditionally cats arent seen.

Over population of predators with the combination of incredibly low numbers of ungulates has driven these predators far and wide. It's moved beyond just overall health of our herds to a public safety issue that we shouldn't have to face. (Woman treed by wolves, kid attacked by cougar in Leavenworth)

The Stevens county sheriff doesn't want to follow in the footsteps of klickitat because he feels wdfw will and can do their job of managing predators. The bottom line is that if wdfw was doing their job we wouldn't have these depradation issues and lions wouldn't be showing up in colville city limits or collared wolves on the tracks in blue creek

[jstone]

We need the politics from king county and all the west side out of eastern Washington. I grew up in Wenatchee it was awesome to be a kid there. I want to go back in 6 years BUT they need to keep the west side politics out of the east side

[jrebel]

We need the politics from king county and all the west side out of eastern Washington. I grew up in Wenatchee it was awesome to be a kid there. I want to go back in 6 years BUT they need to keep the west side politics out of the east side

Wenatchee is rapidly becoming King County.   I can't wait to get out and I have only lived here for about 10 years.  In that 10 years it has gone down hill.   

[jstone]

That sucks

[pianoman9701]

Good on the Sheriff for taking the initiative.  Sadly it won't take anything more than a phone call to shut the whole thing down.  If WDFW chooses to take that action they would be well within their rights as the WDFW agency to do so, as well as to seek prosecution of the Sheriff's deputized hound hunters. 

Everyone has a lane they are suppose to operate in, and the Sheriff's lane isn't game control.  Maybe thats something they would be willing to allow the county to take on, but as of now it's not part of the duties and responsibilities of the Sheriff's office.

The sheriff is the highest LE official in Klickitat. He's the one who allows WDFW LE to operate within his county. He's also the responsible party for any of his deputies' actions. The duty of the sheriff is to protect his constituents. If that means killing wildlife which has threatened the safety of those constituents, that falls under the duties and responsibilities of the sheriff's office. Since the sheriff has made these statements, I see zero indication that anyone feels he's abused his position and pursued dangerous wildlife in a reckless manner.

[birddogdad]

Good on the Sheriff for taking the initiative.  Sadly it won't take anything more than a phone call to shut the whole thing down.  If WDFW chooses to take that action they would be well within their rights as the WDFW agency to do so, as well as to seek prosecution of the Sheriff's deputized hound hunters. 

Everyone has a lane they are suppose to operate in, and the Sheriff's lane isn't game control.  Maybe thats something they would be willing to allow the county to take on, but as of now it's not part of the duties and responsibilities of the Sheriff's office.

The sheriff is the highest LE official in Klickitat. He's the one who allows WDFW LE to operate within his county. He's also the responsible party for any of his deputies' actions. The duty of the sheriff is to protect his constituents. If that means killing wildlife which has threatened the safety of those constituents, that falls under the duties and responsibilities of the sheriff's office. Since the sheriff has made these statements, I see zero indication that anyone feels he's abused his position and pursued dangerous wildlife in a reckless manner.

i can say first hand the the deer population over past 5 years there has evaporated and my crew has seen more cats in that time than the previous 15 years there!