Cougar Seasons - Year Round/No Weapon Limits for Boot Hunters - Lets Change It!

[bobcat]

 From the presentation they did at the meeting on Saturday, my understanding is that from their data, it doesn't seem to matter how much or how little you hunt cougars, the population stays the same. 

[Kain]

That is the big question:  Is the reason for large numbers being taken in certain areas because there are large numbers to be taken? 

I think "large numbers" is also relative.  I mean there was only an average of 200 cats taken each year in the whole state.  That number included all methods of harvest from hounds to damage permits.  I think the idea of large number of cats being taken is based off flawed estimates in the first place.  200 cats is only 10% of the lowest estimates and I dont know a single person that believes there is only 2000 cats in this state.  Even with taking 200 cats per year the population estimates went up.

[stumprat]

and how in the hell do they know actual cougar numbers anyway, they do not. ask the WDFW how many cougars reside in the Cedar river and Tolt and Green river watersheds, substantial land areas that are off limits to hunters, combined with national park areas, There never was a shortage of cougars when it was legal statewide to hunt with hounds.The hunters ed specialist in Ephrata stated to me 3 years ago that 20 cougars reside within the city limits of Cle-Elum. missing your puppy??

How long ago was it legal statewide with hounds? When hound hunting was legal. Cougar permits were by drawing. With varying numbers of permits in different G.M.U.'s

That also included boot hunters.

[Kain]

Washington For Wildlife wants to tackle issues related to cougar management.  Joining up is FREE and would love to hear your ideas and get your support.  If you were waiting to see what the WFW was about before joining this is it.  The members decide what the goals are and then we work together as a group to get them done. 

A current poll to see what direction everyone wants to go in.  Please vote on any you like.
http://hunting-washington.com/smf/index.php/topic,77423.0.html

[steeleywhopper]

THe way I understood it, the weapon restriction was meant to help out the gamies.  Turns out they commonly caught a guy running around during deer or elk season with a deer rifle when he had already filled his tags. 
"Watcha doin'?"
 
"uh, Cougar huntin.."  He replies.
cant prove he wasn't..

Yea, so now instead we have guys running around with bows during archery deer, gamie says "are you deer hunting"? No, I don't have a deer tag but I'm cougar hunting. Same difference.. I  dont see how this rule benefits anyone.

[Jack Diamond]

and how in the hell do they know actual cougar numbers anyway, they do not. ask the WDFW how many cougars reside in the Cedar river and Tolt and Green river watersheds, substantial land areas that are off limits to hunters, combined with national park areas, There never was a shortage of cougars when it was legal statewide to hunt with hounds.The hunters ed specialist in Ephrata stated to me 3 years ago that 20 cougars reside within the city limits of Cle-Elum. missing your puppy??

How long ago was it legal statewide with hounds? When hound hunting was legal. Cougar permits were by drawing. With varying numbers of permits in different G.M.U.'s

That also included boot hunters.

Well excuse me, I was remembering 1965, and a houndsman by name of Cougar Martin who would hunt cougars and bear on our ranch every year, always successful too! I have personally only shot 2 cougars in my lifetime and I did not have a permit, livestock depredation.1970ish

[jackmaster]

i would be for huntn cougar and bear year around, but how would you keep from killing a momma that has youngans that are still to small to travel with her, if you want to fix it get hound huntn and baiting back, that way bear season can still open in august and close in december and cougar season could run from october to march again and thus taking the chance of killing a mom and letting her young starve to death, and those 2 methods are the safest and most efficient ways to take care of issues concerned by all 

[BOWHUNTER45]

i would be for huntn cougar and bear year around, but how would you keep from killing a momma that has youngans that are still to small to travel with her, if you want to fix it get hound huntn and baiting back, that way bear season can still open in august and close in december and cougar season could run from october to march again and thus taking the chance of killing a mom and letting her young starve to death, and those 2 methods are the safest and most efficient ways to take care of issues concerned by all 

 

[bearpaw]

i would be for huntn cougar and bear year around, but how would you keep from killing a momma that has youngans that are still to small to travel with her, if you want to fix it get hound huntn and baiting back, that way bear season can still open in august and close in december and cougar season could run from october to march again and thus taking the chance of killing a mom and letting her young starve to death, and those 2 methods are the safest and most efficient ways to take care of issues concerned by all 

 

As a longtime hound hunter (since 1976, and I still have hounds) I totally agree with this thought. In reality, the only way we can get hound hunting back is with a vote by the voters or by the legislators and we failed this year with the legislators.

In order to address the current situation, I think we should choose an option in the cougar poll and run with it.

[Kain]

i would be for huntn cougar and bear year around, but how would you keep from killing a momma that has youngans that are still to small to travel with her, if you want to fix it get hound huntn and baiting back, that way bear season can still open in august and close in december and cougar season could run from october to march again and thus taking the chance of killing a mom and letting her young starve to death, and those 2 methods are the safest and most efficient ways to take care of issues concerned by all 

I agree with the hound hunting but that is going to have to be a separate issue.  As far as killing a cougar with young cubs that can happen at any time as cougars do not have a set breeding season.  They can breed and have kittens anytime of the year.  With a year round season, dedicated cougar hunters might not be tempted to shoot the first cougar they see.

[bearpaw]

i would be for huntn cougar and bear year around, but how would you keep from killing a momma that has youngans that are still to small to travel with her, if you want to fix it get hound huntn and baiting back, that way bear season can still open in august and close in december and cougar season could run from october to march again and thus taking the chance of killing a mom and letting her young starve to death, and those 2 methods are the safest and most efficient ways to take care of issues concerned by all 

I agree with the hound hunting but that is going to have to be a separate issue.  As far as killing a cougar with young cubs that can happen at any time as cougars do not have a set breeding season.  They can breed and have kittens anytime of the year.

I agree with both of your comments Kain....

[jackmaster]

i agree kain but for the most part cats breed in late winter and early spring, but either way its the only way to minimize the damage to the young, i know there is no one on here that would like to have to kill youngans because they killed the mom so lets do are best to minimize it, therefore maybe the public would except it a little better

[Kain]

i agree kain but for the most part cats breed in late winter and early spring, but either way its the only way to minimize the damage to the young, i know there is no one on here that would like to have to kill youngans because they killed the mom so lets do are best to minimize it, therefore maybe the public would except it a little better

I agree no one wants to kill a female with cubs and it is already illegal.  I think it is important to point out the facts though.  There is no breeding/birthing season and it doesnt matter when the kittens were born as they are dependent on the mother for over a year.  So killing a mother with cubs in Oct still kills the kittens just as much as April.

[jackmaster]

completly agree 100% with ya kain, thats why if we could show the public that hound hunting and baiting are the most effective methods of hurtn a mama with babies, in the past when i hunted over bait and hunted with hounds i never made the mistake of killing a female, when you get to the tree or when a bear comes in on your bait if people just calm down and take a look around its pretty easy to tell female from male, and if it took a class to go through to be able to bait or use hounds again i would be all for it, hell i would even pay for the class

[Kain]

100% in favor of getting hound hunting back.  Until then boot hunting is what we have.  Cougars kill more kittens than hunters ever will.  Reducing their numbers will offset any accidental kitten deaths by hunters.