Meeting with Dr. Martolrello (WDFW Carnivore Specialist)

[Kain]

I am meeting with Dr Martorello on Friday to discuss the science behind the new cougar season they are proposing.  Is there any concerns or questions that you guys have that you want me to relay before you make up your mind on this new season?  Let me know and I will do  my best to get answers for you.

[pianoman9701]

Just like to see cougar restored to ending march 31st and having the weapons restrictions removed.

[Houndhunter]

Of course I would like the hound season back, but just having the Aug-Mar with no weapons restriction would be nice. And going back to a 2 tag limit, the odds of shooting one are slim enough, really all it does is give more money to the state

[ghosthunter]

Ask him if he supports having to use fake Cougars for his studies like hunter  ed instructors having to use fake guns.

[Kain]

I dont know if you guys have seen the latest season proposal but it would start Sept 1st and go to Dec 31st for the early season.  As long as the quota is not met a late season will be allowed to start Jan 1st and go until the end of March.  There would be no weapon restrictions or special permits

My concerns with this season is not really the length or an early/late season but how they come up with the quota for each unit.  Basically there is some new study out that says that cougar populations and male/female/age ratios remain stable as long as hunting harvest is kept below 12% of population.  Obviously this makes cougar population estimate critical in determining the quotas for each unit.  As far as I can tell from the 2011 status report they are still using the populations estimates from 2003.

Before our cougar season was stolen from us in 2008, hunter harvest of cougars averaged right around 200 cats per year.  With an estimated population of 2000 cats state wide that only reaches 10%.  If you take out the 45-50 cats taken by pilot hound hunters that put boot hunter harvest well below the 12% mark.  My questions are going to be why is our season not being restored to pre 2008 levels.  I dont have a problem with them shutting down a unit if too many cougars are taken from it but the odds are very slim that that will happen and they are making this season way more complicated than it really has to be.  They are making it much more restricted in length and number of permits than is necessary.  And they have not updated the estimated population in almost 10 years.

[KillBilly]

Kain, isn't there still a list of wants and wishes from the cougar committee?

http://hunting-washington.com/smf/index.php?topic=80186.0

http://hunting-washington.com/smf/index.php?topic=78275.0

[Kain]

Kain, isn't there still a list of wants and wishes from the cougar committee?

http://hunting-washington.com/smf/index.php?topic=80186.0

http://hunting-washington.com/smf/index.php?topic=78275.0

The link above was about the small game season but yes none those changes made it to the season setting process.  Unless you count the change to crow season which stole the month of Jan and added to Oct.  (If I read it correctly.) 

The cougar committee wanted a longer general season without permits and weapons restrictions.  It was a huge success getting it this far and it looks like we are getting almost everything we asked for. 

[pianoman9701]

That study I believe is from that WSU wacko professor the cougar guy spoke to us about in Centralia (or was it Chehalis). If I remember correctly, the cougar guy said the professor always quoted the lower number of 14% +/- 2%.

[fair-chase]

Kain, I am hoping to get an email out before the deadline to address some issues with the new (proposed) seasons. I am a strong proponent of the new proposed seasons however I still believe there are a couple of issues that need to be addressed.

1. Second Cougar Tags. Since there will be no "over harvest" due to the fact that cougars will be managed on an individual GMU basis, there is no reason why you could not allow a second cougar to be taken by a hunter. This will also alleviate some of the lost revenue from the now cancelled special permit category.

2. Points dispersion. Anyone having left over points in the cougar category should be allowed to move those points into any category he/she sees fit. Though I could be swayed either way wether or not to allow them to go into OIL tag categories.

3. GMU 105 quota seems far below objective. I would ask for someone to take a second look and justify why only 2 cougars should come out of that unit when it has been a historically high production unit.

4. Grace period. When shutting down an area for cougar hunting via internett or hotline there needs to be a grace period. Due to the nature of terrain and remoteness, hunters do not always have access to check in on a daily basis and therefore this would be inevitably setting someone up for failure as they could unintentionally "overharvest" a GMU. I suggested a 7-10 day grace period in my original proposal/suggestions but apparently it was not adopted.

[Kain]

Great stuff I will print it and bring it all up.

[bobcat]

2. Points dispersion. Anyone having left over points in the cougar category should be allowed to move those points into any category he/she sees fit. Though I could be swayed either way wether or not to allow them to go into OIL tag categories.

        


I do agree with the other three points.

[Curly]

I'd like to see them allow the use of a deer tag or elk tag for cougars.  Or just give out free cougar tags with the purchase of deer or elk tags.

But I know WDFW would never entertain such a suggestion, so I won't even suggest it to them.

[Kain]

I'd like to see them allow the use of a deer tag or elk tag for cougars.  Or just give out free cougar tags with the purchase of deer or elk tags.

But I know WDFW would never entertain such a suggestion, so I won't even suggest it to them.

I think they pretty much do this already.

Individual tags
Bear tag       $22
Cougar Tag  $22
Deer Tag      $42.90
Elk Tag         $48.40
---------------------------
Total            $135.30

Combo License for all four $93.50

[Curly]

I'd like to see them allow the use of a deer tag or elk tag for cougars.  Or just give out free cougar tags with the purchase of deer or elk tags.

But I know WDFW would never entertain such a suggestion, so I won't even suggest it to them.

I think they pretty much do this already.

Individual tags
Bear tag       $22
Cougar Tag  $22
Deer Tag      $42.90
Elk Tag         $48.40
---------------------------
Total            $135.30

Combo License for all four $93.50

What if you didn't want all 4?  For the first time ever last year I didn't buy a bear tag or cougar tag; I only bought deer and elk because of the crappy economy and trying to save money wherever I could. 

[Kain]

I'd like to see them allow the use of a deer tag or elk tag for cougars.  Or just give out free cougar tags with the purchase of deer or elk tags.

But I know WDFW would never entertain such a suggestion, so I won't even suggest it to them.

I think they pretty much do this already.

Individual tags
Bear tag       $22
Cougar Tag  $22
Deer Tag      $42.90
Elk Tag         $48.40
---------------------------
Total            $135.30

Combo License for all four $93.50

What if you didn't want all 4?  For the first time ever last year I didn't buy a bear tag or cougar tag; I only bought deer and elk because of the crappy economy and trying to save money wherever I could.

Deer and elk tag cost 82.50  for $11 more you get a bear and cougar tag.  That is about as good as your gonna get.  I hear ya about trying to save money though.  I cut waterfowl and pheasant out.