Cougar

[videoman]

Do you just target cougars when you are out hunting?  Or is it a by chance animal?

[gasman]

"No" because if i see a couger during Archery season, I will have a bow in habd already.

[whacker1]

Not if it is illegal to do so.  Not sure I understand your poll.  I would normally shoot a Cougar if I saw it by chance, but only if inside the regulations.  It would be awfully hard to get a game warden to seal your Cougar if it was during archery cougar season with a big .300 RUM hole.

[7mag.]

Wow, 3 people voted yes. You guys realize that it would be poaching right?

[Intruder]

Not if it is illegal to do so.  Not sure I understand your poll.  I would normally shoot a Cougar if I saw it by chance, but only if inside the regulations.  It would be awfully hard to get a game warden to seal your Cougar if it was during archery cougar season with a big .300 RUM hole.

I vote yes but with similar qualifications as above.

[BULLZ-i]

YES I WOULD IF COUGAR SEASON IS UP AND RUNNING.  BEAR AND COUGAR CAN BE HUNTED WITH BOTH ARCHERY AND MODERN EQUIPMENT DUING THE LEGA SEASON.

I DONT NORMALLY CARRY A RIFLE, BUT I HAVE ONE IN CAMP (whoops... damnit!!!)

[dirty.dan4]

No I wouldnt use a rifle.  My recurve will do just fine.

[oneezreiter]

Wow, 3 people voted yes. You guys realize that it would be poaching right?

   16/16 now.  Just because you don't agree with the law doesn't give you the right to break it.  Poaching is wrong/illegal, how could you ever justify it?  I can understand the desire, but come on people, when did we become "those guys"

[Sneaky]

No, because I value my hunting rights, however less cougars = more deer. If you 16 can get away with it more power to you.

[saylean]

I voted no. I would only shoot if it was legal and an ethical shot (ie, not on the run with a bow, clear of obstructions, etc)

[washingtonmuley]

Please explain the purpose of this poll.

[bearpaw]

hmmmmm.........I think this poll demonstrates how complicated the DOW has made hunting regulations in our state.

[BLKBEARKLR]

I don't think it is complicated maybe difficult but pretty much in black and white--- Archery season must take cougar with bow-- how is that complicated

[bearpaw]

That is exactly my point.

You appear to have recently viewed the new 2009 regulations, which (regarding cougar) are better than the last few years.

However, if you have not viewed the new 2009 Regulations this year then you would have been wrong with your answer. This in itself may explain some of the answers to this poll...........

For a few years anyone hunting the fall general season, anywhere in the state, could use any legal weapon during the entire fall general season. Then rules changed and for a few years if you were hunting in units you could only use the weapon on cougar for which your big game tag was valid for during those seasons. But in other areas of the state you could still use any weapon during the entire fall general season.

I tried to relay my general discontent to the right people about this situation over the last few years, and I will assume others did as well, because simplification has taken place. But for those who have not sat down and really read up on the current regs every year, they may not have even realized there were limitations to which weapon could be used, at which time, in which areas, because when they get their rifle bear tag they also are given a cougar tag, and I can tell you from much experience in this area that many agents selling the tags do not know the laws and they are telling hunters they can take a cougar while rifle hunting for bear in Sept. I contstantly have to explain to hunters (in the areas where it applied) that they could only use their cougar tag in Sept. if they were using archery equipment. If they were acustomed to laws in a different area they thought they could use a rifle anytime during the fall general cougar season.

I consider this to be too complicated when the people selling the licenses are telling the hunters to shoot bear in Sept with a rifle in the areas where it is not allowed.

Now, this year the entire state is more consistent and hopefully license dealers will get the facts straight.

Why my concern......there are numerous enforcement agents who purposely target the unsuspecting hunter.......they take advantage of JOE HUNTER who may not read all the fine print in the regs and who relies on what he is told when he purchases his license......to me this is not right.....but there are agents who write as many tickets as possible....they are not trying to help and advise basically innocent people to stay within the law.....they are instead looking to write tickets.

In my opinion, unless biology dictates otherwise, seasons should be as simple as possible for everyone to understand so that the average JOE HUNTER does not fall into the catch 22's...and a big fat wildlife ticket.

[boneaddict]

I'm surprised they didn't make bear archery only for the month of September as well.  Maybe they did, I have to admit I have't scrutinized the new regs yet.