Cougar season closures

[Britt-dog]

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

I’m surprised we’re not already talking about this. The cougar season in 124, 127, & 130 was closed on October 1st. The quota was met before modern even started. 124 likely has a very high depredation take so there will be no hunting this season. Lots of guys were sold tags and may not even know they can’t use them. I predict a few people get jammed up over it. The commission is winning. 

PMU   Hunt Area   Hunting Season   Status
1   GMU 101   Sept. 1 - March 31   Open
2   GMU 105   Sept. 1 - March 31   Open
3   GMUs 108, 111   Sept. 1 - March 31   Open
4   GMU 113   Sept. 1 - March 31   Open
5   GMU 117   Sept. 1 - March 31   Open
6   GMU 121   Sept. 1 - March 31   Open
7   GMUs 124, 127, 130   Sept. 1 - March 31   Closed October 1

[Ridgeratt]

Isn't the cougar tag sold for the state and not just specific gmu's?

[Britt-dog]

Isn't the cougar tag sold for the state and not just specific gmu's?

Yes. There are a lot of people in these GMUs this weekend for the modern opener. Many will have no idea. Yes they are supposed to check. But many are un aware of the new system.

[Ridgeratt]

Cougar Hotline phone number. Toll Free

866-364-4868

Everyone carries a cell phone anymore. I've had it in my phone for several years.

[Loup Loup]

Regardless if you know the phone number. Regardless if you have cell service at your camp.
To have cougar season close one month into a seven month season is unsustainable.
These early closures show either how little season setters know about cougar populations.
Or, how they blatantly, in our faces, flaunt their “Wildlife management by Imagination”
Agendas.
Job security for the black ops houndsmen who are on the taxpayer funded payroll to kill nuisance cougars and throw them away.

[Britt-dog]

Loud Loup is correct. The commission’s agenda is to negate the hunter as part of the management system. The fact that the season is over before it ever started is the problem. Not whether or not someone was capable or even responsible for checking on the new quota system. The fact that 124 has such a high depredation take shouldn’t be a reason to shut it down, but rather open it to more liberal take.

[Ridgeratt]

The season quota's where set when unit 105 had a quota of 2 female cat's. It was hardly ever open after the 1st of the year. KFHunter and I live in the area and it was closed before either of us could have a chance to hunt in the snow.

[Rainier10]

117 met the quota and closed on October 15th

[Ridgeratt]

Just where are the quota numbers posted? They used to be in the game rules.

[Rainier10]

Just where are the quota numbers posted? They used to be in the game rules.

I was wondering that as well.

[Ridgeratt]

There is this but this makes no mention of just how many are allowed in the different gmu's. But this is sort of the WDFW skewing the books .

https://wdfw.wa.gov/hunting/management/game-harvest/2023/cougar

[javman]

Just where are the quota numbers posted? They used to be in the game rules.

I was wondering that as well.

Quotas are in the current version of the online regs:
https://www.eregulations.com/washington/hunting/cougar-general-seasons

[rackattack]

564 Battle Ground closed before it even opened.  Not sure what the original quota was.  Populated area and you cannot legally hunt them due to the game department meeting the quota on problem cats.  I got a big one on my camera the other night that I would love to get rid of.

[javman]

564 Battle Ground closed before it even opened.  Not sure what the original quota was.  Populated area and you cannot legally hunt them due to the game department meeting the quota on problem cats.  I got a big one on my camera the other night that I would love to get rid of.

564 quota is 1.

It changed to 1 in 2016.
In 2015 it was 2-3.
In 2014 it was 3-4 but that was combined with 568.

[Ridgeratt]

I have never understood why 105 had a quota limit of 2.