Bagged a Cougar last Night!

[PacificNWhunter]

Nice job!

[bowtech721]

good job on getting rid of him 

[7mmfan]

The game dept guys down there seem to have things figured out. I talked with Bolten last year while I was guiding on the Klick. I had a modern deer tag in my pocket but no time to hunt and saw a gut shot 3 pt up above Stinson laying along the river. I told him about it and he said if I could go in and get it he wouldn't have any problem with me putting a tag on it. I went back in the next morning in a down pour and it was gone. Hated knowing that animal was off suffering somewhere...

[Kain]

Nice.  Too bad you couldnt keep it.  I dont really understand the "no benefit from depredation".  I guess they dont trust their officers to determine it was a justifiable kill and would rather waste the animal than let it be used.   

[dirty24d]

Can u freeze the remains and set them back out when the season opens? may get another one that you  can keep.

[steen]

To bad you couldn't keep the cape and mount the cougar.  What a bummer about the goats.  I'm glad I don't have cougars nearby, we have two foals and a goat.

[flysar]

Nice.  Too bad you couldnt keep it.  I dont really understand the "no benefit from depredation".  I guess they dont trust their officers to determine it was a justifiable kill and would rather waste the animal than let it be used.

I think when it is a clear case like this, dead domestic animal and it clearly was shot on my property (I didnt go out hunting for it), it would be nice if they made an exception.

I can also see the flip side and wonder how many hours they might spend trying to prove that a cat was shot by some one trying to protect themselves or property so it makes sense that there is no personal incentive to kill a cat other than protection of self or property.

[Kain]

Nice.  Too bad you couldnt keep it.  I dont really understand the "no benefit from depredation".  I guess they dont trust their officers to determine it was a justifiable kill and would rather waste the animal than let it be used.

I think when it is a clear case like this, dead domestic animal and it clearly was shot on my property (I didnt go out hunting for it), it would be nice if they made an exception.

I can also see the flip side and wonder how many hours they might spend trying to prove that a cat was shot by some one trying to protect themselves or property so it makes sense that there is no personal incentive to kill a cat other than protection of self or property.

I agree.  Should be officer/biologist discretion.  They are going to do a investigation no matter what so I dont think that is really a concern.

[blacktailer]

Great story.  Thanks for the great story along with the pics. 

[SW Blacktail]

Nice job on the kill, I've got 2 free Nubians if you want them.

[yakimarcher]

 

[TheHunt]

Very nice job and very exciting.  You will remember that hunt for a long time. 

[Gumby98366]

Loved reading the story and seeing such great pics!
That thing was a BEAST!!!

[bucklucky]

Personaly , I think that the cougar should have been given to you. As far as Im conderned its waisting a big game animal if thats what the game department is doing with them. Perfectly fresh kill, the meat is good , it should be consumed. Fish and wild life needs to pull there head out of there ass and make some common sence calls with things like this. 

[MtnMuley]

I see your point Charlie, but I also gotta give WDFW credit on this one.  They let the guy kill a cougar out of season and even let him do it at night with aid of a spotlight (both punishible offenses).  It's nice to see them at least give him permission to remove the animal from his area -- which in the end, is the wanted result.