WDFW WTF?

[fair-chase]

Just needed to rant about what WDFW has done to the cougar season.

Cougar zones? you have got to be kidding me. Is WDFW really going to tell me that the management strategy for cougars in Forks, WA is the same as Vancouver, WA. Coulee City and Pullman. Lets face it WDFW has no idea how many cougars are in WA any more than they have a count on wolves. Ohh and there lack of field work to get a realistic idea has led to my season being shortend by 4 months! Did the price of my transport tags go down in relashionship to the season? HELL NO!!! Hound hunters, still getting the shaft. Yeah they get to put in for special apps. but what about the depridation hunts. From my limited understanding, these hunts are delegated by the responding officer, a complete game of favoritism. I can hear mamma calling now...Get your elk and deer hunting now while its still hot. The limited number of dog season permits, combined with not being able to harvest while bear hunting, shorter season, oh yeah and wolves. We are looking at the depletion of our herds in what 5-7 years? HEY WDFW WTF?

Well I got that out. Here is what I would like to see our reg's change to for next year.

General Cougar Season
Season opens same as prospective fall black bear
Each GMU has a quota (yes WDFW you actually have to do your homework on each GMU)
A 24/7 hotline would be activated. enter the GMU you wish to hunt and whala, tells you if the quota has been met
A 10 day grace period for hunters in the field after the GMUs quota has been filled
Still keep the 72 hr hide sealing requirement
If quota is not filled season closes on March 15 (same as small game)

Hound Hunts
Each prospective hound hunter can put there name on a rotating list. Responding officer must call down the list in order.
Hunters may either accept or decline the offer. Either way there name goes back to the bottom of the list.

Special permit hound hunts from Jan. 1 through March 15. Again WDFW must do there homework and allot the correct amount of permits for each GMU. WDFW must lean general season quotas SLIGHTLY conservative to allow for the later season hound hunts.


I know alot of this depends on WDFW actually doing there job, but what the hell. A guy can dream. Let me know what your thoughts are. If I get enough positive responses I might draft a real proposal and send it to the *&^%$#@s.

[phishisgroovin]

i like the lists above - EXCEPT
we should NOT be limited on HOW we select to chase a cougar. if i want dogs to tree it for me like in the 80's then i want my friends to come along with their Dogs.
if i want to sit on a draw glassing above and around other wild game looking for a cat, then i will do it that way.

Each Cougar. Bear, Coon, bob cat, whatever game animal - we should be able to hunt however we wish without some hippie tree humper telling us how to get our harvest in the sights. we pay for the harvest tag and we ought to be able to fill it at will - however WE wish to fill it.

[fair-chase]

Like your way of thinking. My only problem with dogs is if it overlaps other big game hunting. I know we all have to share the woods, just don't like the idea of a dozen hounds running around during deer and elk season. I would like to see the firearm restrictions go away so that I can take my weapon of choice. It just doesnt make any sense. I can hunt coyotes, bobcats and bears with any weapon, but a killing machine like a cougar, WDFW is going to tell me what I can use.

[wablkandtan]

just like in idaho hound hunting is shut down during big game seasons.  we need to have the biologists make the decisions in this state not the tree humping libs.