Scaring cougars for science: Research in northeast Washington looks at effective

[bearpaw]

this is a good read....

Scaring cougars for science: Research in northeast Washington looks at effectiveness, long term impacts of hazing
https://www.spokesman.com/stories/2020/mar/05/can-cougars-change-research-in-northeast-washingto/

[Onewhohikes]

that should really help in them putting a dent in the deer and elk population. NOT

[Bango skank]

that should really help in them putting a dent in the deer and elk population. NOT

Nobody puts more of a dent in the lion population than bart.  He saves more ungulates than the rest of us combined.

Granted, he does have better legal means and permission than the rest of us 

[Onewhohikes]

Point being you can scare the cougars all you want but they are still going to hit the ungulate population what Bart does or doesn't do

[Bango skank]

Point being you can scare the cougars all you want but they are still going to hit the ungulate population what Bart does or doesn't do

Yeah, but he whacked 68 last year in stevens, p.o., lincoln and spokane counties, so if hes also collaring some and letting them go, im not gonna complain.

Besides, the collaring hazing thing was never meant to protect our herds.  Its meant to see if chasing cats makes them more inclined to avoid people and cause less problems.

[Skyvalhunter]

Point being you can scare the cougars all you want but they are still going to hit the ungulate population what Bart does or doesn't do

Exactly 100% correct, sure he does a great job in the NE but what about the rest of the state theres still a problem there also.

[Bango skank]

Point being you can scare the cougars all you want but they are still going to hit the ungulate population what Bart does or doesn't do

Exactly 100% correct, sure he does a great job in the NE but what about the rest of the state theres still a problem there also.

Id really be interested to see data from the last few years showing the number of statewide depredation kills by gmu or county. 

[Bango skank]

Point being you can scare the cougars all you want but they are still going to hit the ungulate population what Bart does or doesn't do

Exactly 100% correct, sure he does a great job in the NE but what about the rest of the state theres still a problem there also.

Most of the state is still open, and its already march.  Looks like we are not doing enough ourselves.  No new closures in almost 2 months i believe.  Cant be many hunters out there actually attempting to fix the problem.

https://wdfw.wa.gov/hunting/regulations/big-game/cougar

[Skyvalhunter]

Problem is the state cant figure out a count and until then its hard to get a round about depredation number. Everyone that runs any amount of trail cams for the past 10 years can tell you that cougar siting's on cam went from rarely to a cougar on every cam now. Which is a 10 fold increase in population not just because they developed a desire to get their picture taken.

[Bango skank]

Problem is the state cant figure out a count and until then its hard to get a round about depredation number. Everyone that runs any amount of trail cams for the past 10 years can tell you that cougar siting's on cam went from rarely to a cougar on every cam now. Which is a 10 fold increase in population not just because they developed a desire to get their picture taken.

Not knowing the cougar population doesnt effect the states ability to keep track of depredation kills.  Im talking lethal removals of depredating lions.

[Skyvalhunter]

But it does have an effect on the quota set per GMU that hunters are allowed to harvest. That needs to be increased along with lengthening the season.

[Onewhohikes]

 

[Bango skank]

But it does have an effect on the quota set per GMU that hunters are allowed to harvest. That needs to be increased along with lengthening the season.

Yes, it does.  Go to the meeting in kennewick and tell the commission.  Pretty sure susewind will be there too.  Theyre not going to listen to us if we dont go talk to them.  This proposal to increase hunter harvest came about from the high number of people last year at the meeting in spokane that were raising hell about it.  They need to be overwhelmed by the number of people showing up and talking.  Wish it wasnt in tri cities, i dont know how many people will go there.

[hunter399]

I would be interested to know if the cat that was killed by a sheriff deputy was part of there study.It was wearing a collar.

Although this hazeing study is a nice concept.Its also a step towards not taking care of problem cougar.

[bigskyhounds]

That lion was not part of the program it had killed another persons dog year or so prior. Homeowners didn't want the lion euthanized so it was collared. I wonder how many other pets in that area went missing in the last year?

[nwwanderer]

With Bango, show up in the tri-cities, Kretz style pics, numbers and facts would be a +

[Bango skank]

That lion was not part of the program it had killed another persons dog year or so prior. Homeowners didn't want the lion euthanized so it was collared. I wonder how many other pets in that area went missing in the last year?

Actually it was part of the predator prey study.  The game warden on scene, against wdfw policy, decided not to kill it, and instead have it collared for the predator prey study.  That same game warden told me he thinks cougars are beautiful and people shouldnt kill them.  Hes also prevented lethal removal on prior livestock depredations and been threatening toward the livestocks owners.

[bigskyhounds]

That lion was not part of the program it had killed another persons dog year or so prior. Homeowners didn't want the lion euthanized so it was collared. I wonder how many other pets in that area went missing in the last year?

Actually it was part of the predator prey study.  The game warden on scene, against wdfw policy, decided not to kill it, and instead have it collared for the predator prey study.  That same game warden told me he thinks cougars are beautiful and people shouldnt kill them.  Hes also prevented lethal removal on prior livestock depredations and been threatening toward the livestocks owners.

Right. Not the hazing program though.
What is procedure when a landowner says they can't kill that cat? What kind of authority does an enforcement officer have. If lion is caught on the property or If started on their property and caught off of it can they remove it?

IMO someone with that sentiment and attitude towards the public should have no position in managing natural resources or policing people.

[WAcoyotehunter]

That lion was not part of the program it had killed another persons dog year or so prior. Homeowners didn't want the lion euthanized so it was collared. I wonder how many other pets in that area went missing in the last year?

Not sure about that...

We have been busy at it and got two more cats collared today in Spokane County.  So far the project is going really well and we are learning a lot!

Thanks for the share!

[dan11011]

Don’t know why people have to be so negative. Great article. I appreciate the effort being made to manage cougars. Thanks for sharing Dale, and good work Bart! 

[elkboy]

Don’t know why people have to be so negative. Great article. I appreciate the effort being made to manage cougars. Thanks for sharing Dale, and good work Bart! 

2x this for sure.  Thanks, Bart, keep up the good work! 
Side note, too bad those cougars wind up in the dump, both meat and hide.  I'd happily take one home if there were a program to reclaim the depredation kill.   

[idaho guy]

Good article wish I had Barts job

[bearpaw]

Don’t know why people have to be so negative. Great article. I appreciate the effort being made to manage cougars. Thanks for sharing Dale, and good work Bart! 

  I agree, no need for some to be so negative. At least they are trying to learn something good with this study. In some areas of Idaho the cats get hunted quite a bit, caught and released several times a season, my observation has been that the cats get far more evasive, I hope Bart's work can prove that concept to the state.

[trophyhunt]

Bart has a dream job, heck of a nice guy as well.