Blues Elk Substantial Decline and the Root Cause

[Timberstalker]

Move them all to the same category as coyotes. Bear, cat wolf, all of them.  Once their numbers peter out (if they ever do), people will lose interest.

I'd argue that we couldn't kill enough cats unless we go to hounds. 

[Rainier10]

Move them all to the same category as coyotes. Bear, cat wolf, all of them.  Once their numbers peter out (if they ever do), people will lose interest.

I'd argue that we couldn't kill enough cats unless we go to hounds.

I think you’re right but year round no limit would help.

[KFhunter]

Move them all to the same category as coyotes. Bear, cat wolf, all of them.  Once their numbers peter out (if they ever do), people will lose interest.

I'd argue that we couldn't kill enough cats unless we go to hounds.

I agree, talked to Bango Skank other day he hasn't gotten one yet and has been hitting it pretty hard, he's the most consistent and successful mt lion hunter on this forum to my knowledge in the last 5 years or so.

[saylean]

If you listened to the wdfw commission meeting the wdfw stated only 11% of elk calves in the blues make it their first winter…
Cougar kill 70% of them.


Smith’s response: it’s hunters and pesticides


Every one of us need to get loud and pay serous attention to all this.

[gramps]

A comment about cougar numbers in the Blues:

This is for the 2018-2019 season and the data is from the WDFW.  This was posted in a thread about cougar numbers on this forum in Dec. 2018.

If one adds up the total harvest quota for the 4 Cougar management units it is 10 to 12 Cougar for all of the Blues.
As of 26 Dec 2018 the harvest for all of the Blues was 28 cougars....2.5 times the quota.  (the cougar season ended on 30 Dec 2018)  According to an employee of the WDFW, only one of the 28 cats was taken by someone who was specifically hunting cougar.    The rest were taken by Deer and Elk hunters.   This, to me, speaks to the population of Cougar loud and clear.

[KFhunter]

Move them all to the same category as coyotes. Bear, cat wolf, all of them.  Once their numbers peter out (if they ever do), people will lose interest.

I'd argue that we couldn't kill enough cats unless we go to hounds.

I think you’re right but year round no limit would help.

If you make it an exclusive draw, like spring bear, all the sudden everyone would want a tag. 

 

[hunter399]

Move them all to the same category as coyotes. Bear, cat wolf, all of them.  Once their numbers peter out (if they ever do), people will lose interest.

I'd argue that we couldn't kill enough cats unless we go to hounds.

I agree, talked to Bango Skank other day he hasn't gotten one yet and has been hitting it pretty hard, he's the most consistent and successful mt lion hunter on this forum to my knowledge in the last 5 years or so.

You really talked to old bango huh.
I see some of his posts on other platforms.
But don't really see him post here much,unless he changed his name on here or something.
I would of thought that he would be up front in line to attack this spring bear issue.
Anyway I leave it at that....

[Pathfinder101]

I hate to bring this up, but I think in order to re-institute hound hunting, there needs to be a referendum and a vote to reverse the referendum and the vote that passed in 1996, doesn't there? WDFW tried to hold a draw-only hound hunt for a few years (about 10 years ago? I seem to remember putting in for that draw a couple of times...?) and the state said it was illegal and stopped it. 

[elkchaser54]

https://nwsportsmanmag.com/blues-elk-in-crisis-but-not-for-some-fwc-members/

Inside this article they have the link to the WDFW presentation on the data I quoted.  Sorry for not posting this with my original post. I try to make sure my facts when quoted can be found.

[Seabass]

https://nwsportsmanmag.com/blues-elk-in-crisis-but-not-for-some-fwc-members/

Inside this article they have the link to the WDFW presentation on the data I quoted.  Sorry for not posting this with my original post. I try to make sure my facts when quoted can be found.

I read it…it’s disgusting! These are the most wretched kind of bureaucrats. They believe at a fundamental level that we should not be allowed to hunt.

[hunter399]

https://nwsportsmanmag.com/blues-elk-in-crisis-but-not-for-some-fwc-members/

Inside this article they have the link to the WDFW presentation on the data I quoted.  Sorry for not posting this with my original post. I try to make sure my facts when quoted can be found.

I read it…it’s disgusting! These are the most wretched kind of bureaucrats. They believe at a fundamental level that we should not be allowed to hunt.

I read it as well ,although I don't hunt there so.......
If they did predator hunting and reduced tags a bit more that would seem like a compromise.
I hate even reading this stuff ,cause they have to have five meeting about it before they do something. Can't they raise cat quotas now.

[Seabass]

I have never set foot in the blues, never applied for a tag, I don’t even elk hunt but this is disturbing. There are clearly at least 2 members of that committee who are blatantly opposed to hunting.

They too spring bear hunting and they will eventually take whatever it is that you’re into.

[andersonjk4]

Another reason to comment at the commission meeting tomorrow. Tell the commission that in light of the recent elk calf study the cougar quotas in the Blue Mountain units should be raised.

[meatwhack]

Another reason to comment at the commission meeting tomorrow. Tell the commission that in light of the recent elk calf study the cougar quotas in the Blue Mountain units should be raised.

Quotas in the blues should be removed all together.

[baldopepper]

Are the quotas ever filled?  Honestly don't know, but without hound hunting it'd be tough. Maybe need to start a go fund me account to fund a private, very large bounty on lions even if  it only helped make sure the quotas are at least filled. $3-4,000 bounty might get more out chasing em. Not sure of the legality.