Seylor Vally Trash Runners two cat night

[inchtowntracking]

In one area on the north half my cousin ran into three different tracks in a two mile radius this winter and they didn't appear to be running together. I don't have a clue about sub adults getting killed. What I do know is every year I get calls all the time about cats coming and killing livestock. And when that one gets killed there is another to replace it a couple of months later. Our predator season is open year round.

[WAcoyotehunter]

Correct me if I'm wrong, (although I know of no instance), but cougars don't really overpopulate, they just extend their range into more populated areas. Where there are too many cats, the juvenile males are killed by the adult males. When an area reaches carrying capacity, 14% (+/- 2%) can be harvested with no ill effect, keeping the population stable. If the area in question is at carrying capacity and if these are two males, they most likely would've ended up dead anyway. Is it still cougar season?

You're right- theres a number of cats that can be killed and the effects are not felt as a population- That compensatory loss is in affect when there is a mature tom around killing subadults. If that's not the case (who knows if that's the case...) then killed cats can result in a lower population.  The Res there is BIG.  They could probably kill 15 cats and not see a difference.  If you killed a mature tom (the breeding tom) that was keeping the sub adults under control then you would likely see a larger, but younger population.  If you killed a few females, the tom would still kill sub adults, recruitment would be low, and the population would fall.  The 14% number is the one that researchers are trying to settle in on.  If you go over that number, it better not be on female cats or you'll be putting yourself out of business.  If the cats are killing livestock they need gone, male, female, or sub adult.

[inchtowntracking]

Likei said before I wish they still had a hound program for Washington. My cousin caught number sixteen Friday and hopefully last cat in that area. But just like last year it will have more cats in there by next fall.

[SkookumHntr]

Keep up the good work buddy!!

[bearpaw]

Until WDFW becomes a responsible management agency I hope inchtown kills every cat he catches and I hope they are mostly on the north half. The tribes are the only agencies with any sense in Washington. Take 75% of the cougar and coyotes out of Ferry County and you will see the deer herd prosper. 

There are too many cougar for our depressed deer populations, the mule deer especially are hurt by the current cougar and coyote populations. I have followed these cats all over Ferry, Stevens, and Pend Orielle counties as well as numerous other states and have found countless kills. I am convinvced by the number of mule deer kills I have found that cougar kill a higher number of mule deer than whitetail or elk when multiple species are present in the same area.

I don't think inchtown is hurting a thing and is actually performing a service by helping control predators that WDFW refuses to address.

The mule deer prospered in the 50's, 60's, and 70's because we had bounties on cougar back in the 50's. It's real simple, cougar eat all ages of deer and coyotes eat the offspring. No wonder we have no mule deer and even whitetails are struggling to recover after the winter kills.

[inchtowntracking]

Thanks bearpaw for the north half we are only allowed two cats a year up there but from where I live and do most of hunting is by the border. I think that is why we have new cats come in every year. That is the biggest reason I am not worried at all about ever running out of cats in my area. Next year I will be trapping to take out some more yotes too. Can turn on the foxpro and have them go crazy all around you. Way to many of those out there too. One predator that you didn't mention is bears, they do a number on deer population too. I read some wherethat they will take a cougars kill over and force them to take more deer too.