So.....Are we having a Fall cougar season.

[trophyhunt]

They are going to count the 40-50 cougar kills that they know of from April till now, towards our season coming up.  They count car versus cat kills towards our quota 

[hunter399]

I was just trying to figure it all out.
On how many depredations with lethal removal.

Me thinks next year I'll be holding off on buying a tag.
Till I can see what units will open/closed before purchasing.

I was looking here .
But it done by county and not GMU. And really kinda a pain to figure it out.

https://pd20.communitydashboard.info:8000/DFW/Mapping

[deer_hnter]

Email just came out  :

Washington Fish and Wildlife Commission issues cougar and wolf decisions
OLYMPIA — The Washington Fish and Wildlife Commission met virtually on July 19 to discuss several carnivore topics including proposed changes to cougar hunting seasons and the state listing status of gray wolves.

First, the Commission delegated a rule making petition to establish a spring black bear depredation permit season to the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) director. The director will review the merits of the petition and decide whether to accept the petition to initiate rule making.

Next, the Commission approved changes to cougar hunting seasons. The new rule establishes the Washington cougar hunting season from Sept. 1 to March 31, sets a cap of 13 percent of each population management unit (PMU) using a specific statewide density, and includes all known human-caused cougar mortalities to determine when to close a PMU during the season.

The Commission incorporated an amendment in the cougar hunting rule to clarify that all known human-caused cougar mortalities contributing to the 13 percent cap will be counted between April 1 of the current year and March 31 of the subsequent year. Additionally, the Commission decided that, in PMUs that reach the 13 percent cap prior to the cougar hunting season starting on Sept. 1, the cap would be increased to 20 percent of the population to provide hunting opportunity in those PMUs. The Commission also directed staff to initiate rule making for the 2025-26 cougar hunting season.

Finally, the Commission decided against the staff recommendation to reclassify  gray wolves as a protected sensitive species in Washington. As such, gray wolves remain listed as state endangered in Washington. This vote does not impact the federal classification of gray wolves, which remain federally listed as endangered in the western two-thirds of Washington and federally de-listed in the eastern third. WDFW will revisit the state conservation status of wolves as part of a future periodic status review process, or sooner if the recovery objectives of the state’s Wolf Conservation and Management Plan are met within five years.

The meeting was recorded and will be made available on the Commission webpage so the public can watch at their convenience. Updated rule making documents related to today’s decisions will be posted on WDFW’s rule making webpage.

The Washington Fish and Wildlife Commission is a panel appointed by the governor that sets policy for WDFW. WDFW works to preserve, protect, and perpetuate fish, wildlife, and ecosystems while providing sustainable fish and wildlife recreational and commercial opportunities.

[MADMAX]

I’m out deer or elk hunting
I see a big cougar standing there
I have a cougar tag

Gee I wonder if we hit our 13%

Ah chit
It’s gone

Not likely

[CasterlyRock]

Hard to stomach. I hold hunting licenses in at least 7 other states and don't see anywhere near this level of hunter discrimination by their fish and game offices. All they do is reduce and restrict, at the detriment of the taxpayer, hunter, and the wildlife.

Let's not forget that we're boot hunting cougars here...

[ducks4days]

Its hard to figure out exactly when folks will just stop reporting their harvest, the line is probably different for everyone. This doesnt cross it for me but I would understand if it did for someone.

[hunter399]

Its hard to figure out exactly when folks will just stop reporting their harvest, the line is probably different for everyone. This doesnt cross it for me but I would understand if it did for someone.

Bear and cougar are required now I believe.
I agree though,not sure they need deer and elk reports.

[hunter399]

I’m out deer or elk hunting
I see a big cougar standing there
I have a cougar tag

Gee I wonder if we hit our 13%

Ah chit
It’s gone

Not likely

Pretty much...
I could see that happening at some point.

[MADMAX]

 
So you have no cell service and they send an email out to say the area your hunting in is closed now quota met

WTF ?

Stupid people making stupid rules

[hunter399]

So you have no cell service and they send an email out to say the area your hunting in is closed now quota met

WTF ?

Stupid people making stupid rules

I don't check my emails regularly anyway.
Definitely not in the fall.
So ya seems stupid.

[6haase6]

I don’t hardly get emails from them anyway. I get special hints e-mails and some crabbing ones now and then but other than that nothing. Never saw the email saying they made the decision on the cougar season.

[Threewolves]

I don’t hardly get emails from them anyway. I get special hints e-mails and some crabbing ones now and then but other than that nothing. Never saw the email saying they made the decision on the cougar season.

The e-mail on this came in my "other" e-mail. I should change this.

I am guessing wdfw is going to have the same call before you hunt system. Which I check before I go out. I don't make it a regular habit to call while I am out. How odd, my guess is the commission is trying to make it as jacked up as fishing regulations. I have the published regulations, but I have to call everyday just in case they changed something, then check your plan b. Or hope that when you get back home you are with in whatever time frame they give (3 days or whatever) to have it checked in.

NOW, What is 13%? one cougar from each gmu? Just as an example a gmu has 10 cougars and one gets killed, that's 10%. IS that unit shut down? A unit gets a cougar killed by a car 13 %, then goes to 20% how does this math work now?

[Limhangerslayer]

https://www.chronline.com/stories/washington-fish-and-wildlife-commission-oks-new-cougar-hunting-rules,346213


If you’re questioning if the quotas will hit, two already have this year🤦🏻. This is just since April and there isn’t even a season yet.  The greenies won a battle here for sure.  They need to be eliminated, they are an infection from the inside put there by Inslee.  But getting them out is going to be hard and if so they will be replaced with another.

[Joel Doss]

Warning this will prob upset some but I feel it needs to be said. Also I've made it to 50 & never had social media of any kind so not a professional keyboard wizzard. Did offer a little help once here on a G.River watershed elk tag but quickly realized lots of people that had a friend of a friend or had spent a week deer hunting in there somehow knew much more than me after years of following dogs over most of the area so I decided I'd stick to looking at the cool pics. Thank you to the guy that posts those great M.Deer pics every year (boneaddict?) & a few very knowledgeable elk hunters that chime in very rarely.
  I watch people bicker about what's considered baiting, argue over wolves when they don't & never will have their livelihood impacted by them, shame someone for asking for help because they don't spend all day posting for a bunch of strangers, all while we lose more every day. Not many cared when it was just hounds, trapping & baiting but now it's EVERYTHING else.  I see people saying it's not wdfw it's the commission. Sure that's how it looks but only because wdfw has lost control & they dont like it. How well was it working out the last 30 yrs before this crazy commission went rogue? And before someone says be careful they are watching all I can say is what the hell has happened to this once great strong country!
 So back to this topic. As it stands we are prob screwed but the fastest way to make that happen is helping them accomplish the end game. I see some saying we need to work with the dept so we have a seat at the table, well that's just insanity & proven false! The predators are the end game for all other hunting & it's working. Anyone helping with depredation is guaranteeing success for these wdfw agendas. Will they figure out a work around? Probably, but if the trappers "work" with them on this crazy catch & release it's 100% going to work & if the hound guy goes & catches that cougar that's killing sheep because the cougar population has increased to the point he either gets killed by a big Tom or moves into my backyard well that's not just helping the commission it's taking the opportunity from everyone else to possibly get lucky while out deer hunting because you are essentially closing the season down before it opens! Its no big feat to catch a cougar under someones deck or in the barn, any well trained lab can do that. Im not much into trapping but i found beaver about as easy as raccon so let those beaver wash the roads out, don't take care of the problem cats they created & just maybe the general public will pay attention & start asking questions. Help them & you are part of the problem.
  Like I said I'm sure I'll glance at this in a few days & see what a jerk I am but don't worry I've got thick skin. God Bless & Happy Hunting
 

[Katmai Guy]

Absolutely spot on!