Post by: denali on September 26, 2012, 01:05:58 PM
Capital Press
Ranchers are questioning the logic behind a new rule that says killing fewer cougars will reduce livestock losses.
A Washington State University study found that by carefully controlling the number of cougars in an area their impact on livestock can be reduced.
As a result of the study, led by WSU Large Carnivore Conservation Laboratory Director Robert Wielgus, the state Department of Fish and Wildlife will change its cougar management program in January.
According to WSU, hunters will be allowed to kill only the number of animals that would be generated through natural reproduction.
Each of the state's game management units will have a quota allowing up to 14 percent of that area's cougars to be hunted, compared to the previous limit of 35 to 40 percent.
Once the limit is filled, cougar hunting will be suspended for the year in that unit. Hunters will be allowed to take their tags to other units that haven't reached the limit.
Jack Field, executive director of the Washington State Cattlemen's Association, said it's tough to understand the logic behind the new rule.
"I personally am having a hard time understanding how allowing populations to stay high reduces depredations long-term," Field said. "I personally don't buy it, but I'm not a wildlife biologist, so my opinion probably doesn't matter."
Previously, the department would remove high percentages of a cougar population in some areas, Wielgus said. That would cause adolescent male cougars to flood into the area. As a result, the chance of cougars and humans interacting increased.
Wielgus said a rancher's ability to protect his livestock will not be impacted. He expects the number of complaints of cougars preying on livestock or pets to drop with the new policy.
Field said he would prefer continued work on a hound pilot program that he felt would have properly conditioned the cougars to fear dogs and the possibility of being shot.
The cattlemen's association will make efforts to reinstate that program, Field said.
Field expects cougar numbers to go up and game animal numbers to go down.
"This strategy, coupled with wolf recovery, is going to lead to some dramatic impacts, and they're going to be all negative for livestock producers throughout the state," he said.
With the research project concluding, Wielgus expects the carnivore laboratory's focus to shift from cougars to wolves.
thoughts??
Post by: DoubleJ on September 26, 2012, 01:09:40 PM
Post by: huntnphool on September 26, 2012, 01:18:41 PM
Post by: grundy53 on September 26, 2012, 01:19:41 PM
Post by: Whitpirate on September 26, 2012, 01:21:29 PM
Little science..... big agenda.
Post by: pianoman9701 on September 26, 2012, 01:47:32 PM
Post by: sirmissalot on September 26, 2012, 01:51:59 PM
Must be some of that liberal math...
Exactly.
Post by: 50CalJim on September 26, 2012, 02:00:52 PM
Post by: pianoman9701 on September 26, 2012, 02:05:18 PM
What do you expect from a Wazzu Cougar. :DOH:
Hey, hey, hold on there buddy! There are a lot of good, conservative kids going to that school. Or at least they start out that way.
Post by: inchtowntracking on September 26, 2012, 04:42:21 PM
Post by: norsepeak on September 26, 2012, 09:43:56 PM
Post by: Special T on September 26, 2012, 10:01:26 PM
Post by: Kc_Kracker on September 26, 2012, 10:11:12 PM
Quote
Field said he would prefer continued work on a hound pilot program that he felt would have properly conditioned the cougars to fear dogs and the possibility of being shot.:tup:
The cattlemen's association will make efforts to reinstate that program, Field said.
Post by: Humptulips on September 26, 2012, 10:47:56 PM
Fewest possible deer, fewest possible elk and fewest possible hunters.
WDFW doesn't seem to have a clue how many cougar are out there either so how can they set these quotas accurately?
I'm not to worried about the wolves because when they get here there won't be anything for them to eat anyway!
Post by: mkcj on September 26, 2012, 10:58:54 PM
So if this is the way to go why don't they explain there theory behind there thinking or study. Instead of just a vague "as a result"?
Post by: RoyBoy on September 27, 2012, 12:29:57 AM
Must be some of that liberal math...
:yeah: that is the biggest pile of Bull manure i have ever read! :twocents:
Post by: bearpaw on September 27, 2012, 12:56:55 AM
A suspect a different biologist would guarantee much different study results and cougar management policy.
Post by: ICEMAN on September 27, 2012, 05:19:30 AM
Others theorize that when you kill off a bunch of predators, game stocks previously impacted seem to have a higher rate of survival.
Silly professor.
Now the big question is why the department would approve of his approach, yet fuel up a chopper and chase down and kill of a pack of wolves....
Post by: NW-GSP on September 27, 2012, 05:26:38 AM
I am aware that I went to the extreme but I do not see the logic
Post by: pianoman9701 on September 27, 2012, 05:31:56 AM
Post by: Skyvalhunter on September 27, 2012, 05:56:33 AM
Post by: pianoman9701 on September 27, 2012, 08:31:48 AM
Post by: Special T on September 27, 2012, 09:46:43 AM
Post by: pianoman9701 on September 27, 2012, 09:52:37 AM
Post by: Special T on September 27, 2012, 09:54:25 AM
Post by: bearpaw on September 27, 2012, 09:57:36 AM
Another point to be made here is that if increased hunting actually makes cougar populations increase, why limit hunting at all? Why not just have an open season on cougars and that'll make everyone happy, just like coyotes? The cougar lovers will have more animals to look at, the hunters will have more to shoot at. The only ones hurt would be the cattlemen, and I think they've given their preference - kill all you see. This should be an easy one to decide.
Excellent rationale....
Post by: denali on September 27, 2012, 09:18:29 PM
Recently I went to the region 3 WDFW meeting and a retired Bio blasted the department for their cougar numbers in the Blue Mountains, saying that the bios needed to put away their laptops and models and do real field work.
Today the dept. is chasing a cougar in Finley, we have had three news worthy incidents in the area within the last year.
At one time WDFW had a cougar habitat map on the cougar page, I can’t find it now, they probably pulled it down because they knew it was useless, according to the map we in the Basin would need to travel to heavily forested areas to be in cougar habitat.
The professor’s work has been picked up by anti hunting blogs and sites and has become the gospel for any form of predator management.
Post by: Kain on October 03, 2012, 08:25:41 PM
For most of the units hunters have NEVER harvested enough cougars to meet that number in the first place. Hunters would not reach this number even with unlimited tags and a year round season. Until hunters start getting more involved, this is the garbage we will continue to be handed.
(https://hunting-washington.com/smf/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi406.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fpp150%2FNaithankain%2FCougarHarvests4.jpg&hash=af4d1fc6d8d753ebb2942fde9257bc350cf45c3c)
Post by: Kain on October 03, 2012, 08:38:41 PM
Post by: Special T on October 04, 2012, 09:59:45 PM
Post by: Kain on October 06, 2012, 02:24:34 PM
Post by: Machias on October 06, 2012, 06:01:22 PM
When only a small handful of people question it they feel they can just ignore us. If they opened the season up like it should be they would be swamped by the anti hunters. Just proves they dont give a crap about sound science and sound management and they are definitely not on the side of hunters. :twocents:
:yeah: :bash: