Hunting Washington Forum

Big Game Hunting => Other Big Game => Topic started by: Eli346 on October 10, 2011, 06:17:33 PM

Title: Cougars
Post by: Eli346 on October 10, 2011, 06:17:33 PM: Cougars legal in Eastern WA during modern firearm.
Title: Re: Cougars
Post by: wadu1 on October 10, 2011, 06:46:35 PM: I think so; especially if they are spiriting crimson and silver; Go Dogs
Title: Re: Cougars
Post by: CAMPMEAT on October 10, 2011, 06:59:53 PM: Quote from: Eli346 on October 10, 2011, 06:17:33 PM
Cougars legal in Eastern WA during modern firearm.

Oh yes.
Title: Re: Cougars
Post by: Kain on October 10, 2011, 07:09:52 PM: Quote
WDFW NEWS RELEASE
Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife
600 Capitol Way North, Olympia, WA 98501-1091
http://wdfw.wa.gov/ (http://wdfw.wa.gov/)

October 10, 2011

Contact: WDFW Wildlife Program, (360) 902-2515

Deer hunters can also take cougar
when season opens around state

OLYMPIA - With the state’s most popular deer-hunting season set to start Saturday (Oct. 15), the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) is reminding hunters that cougars are also fair game anywhere in the state.

Under this year’s rules, deer hunters with a valid license and transport tag can take a cougar during the modern-firearms deer season in all 39 counties - including Okanogan, Chelan, Ferry, Stevens, Pend Oreille and Klickitat.

That’s a change from recent years, when general cougar-hunting seasons in those six counties were delayed to accommodate a pilot program that allowed hunters with special permits to track cougars using dogs.

In August, the Washington Fish and Wildlife Commission restored full general hunting seasons for those counties after the pilot program, in effect since 2004, expired.

"In those six counties, we’re back to relying on general hunts to manage cougar populations," said Dave Ware, WDFW game manager. "We can make that work, but it does present some different management challenges."

Ware said permit hunters using dogs generally took male cougars, while those who encounter cougar during general hunts - without dogs - are less likely to discriminate between the sexes. Under state law, it is illegal to kill spotted cougar kittens or adult cougars tending kittens.

Using dogs to hunt cougars was banned by a citizens’ initiative in 2006, but later allowed by the Legislature under a pilot program in counties reporting increasing conflicts with the big cats.

More than 100,000 hunters are expected to take to the field this month for the modern-firearms deer season that runs through various dates around the state. Cougar hunting is open through the end of the year, although few are taken outside of the major deer and elk hunting seasons, Ware said.
Title: Re: Cougars
Post by: Kola16 on October 10, 2011, 07:10:55 PM: Some places it opens the 15th and others the 29th for any weapon. Check the regs
Title: Re: Cougars
Post by: Eli346 on October 10, 2011, 07:17:04 PM: Kola16-The regs state what you said but they've been updated since August so all 6 eastern WA counties that were that way are now open. See post above. Good luck.
Title: Re: Cougars
Post by: Tman on October 10, 2011, 07:20:59 PM: There should be some dead kitty cats this season!! I'm betting that many hunters do not know that cougar regs are different than stated in the regs and can be hunted during the Modern season in conjuction with deer this year. Someone may let one walk!!! Gotta get the word out.
Title: Re: Cougars
Post by: Kain on October 11, 2011, 02:26:56 PM: I was surprised the WDFW actually posted this on Facebook. I left them a message thanking them for being proactive on predator management. :chuckle:

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10150327611391761&set=a.390652606760.166104.385127436760&type=1&notif_t=like (https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10150327611391761&set=a.390652606760.166104.385127436760&type=1&notif_t=like)
Title: Re: Cougars
Post by: dlaw on October 11, 2011, 02:52:27 PM: I got an email from them today noting the changes to the hunting regulations for Cougars.
Title: Re: Cougars
Post by: borntoslay on October 11, 2011, 03:03:56 PM: Smells like dog shat around here hahahahah
Title: Re: Cougars
Post by: saylean on October 11, 2011, 03:16:58 PM: WDFW WILDLIFE PROGRAM
Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife
600 Capitol Way North, Olympia, WA 98501-1091
wildthing@dfw.wa.gov

Dear Hunter,

This email is to inform you that the Fish and Wildlife Commission recently adopted changes to cougar seasons in Chelan, Okanogan, Ferry, Stevens, Pend Oreille, and Klickitat counties. Cougar season in these counties opens for "Any legal weapon" on Oct. 15, 2011 and closes December 31, 2011. Please visit http://wdfw.wa.gov/news/release.php?id=oct1011a (http://wdfw.wa.gov/news/release.php?id=oct1011a) for more information.

Sincerely,
Donny Martorello

Confirmed! Go get em boys and girls!
Title: Re: Cougars
Post by: asl20bball on October 11, 2011, 03:30:31 PM: Quote from: Kola16 on October 10, 2011, 07:10:55 PM
Some places it opens the 15th and others the 29th for any weapon. Check the regs

According to the "Corrections" the general season STATEWIDE now opens up on the 15th (rather than the 29th). So blaze away gents!
Title: Re: Cougars
Post by: the509hunter on October 11, 2011, 03:55:37 PM: no asl20bball is is only open in the areas specified in this email....This email is to inform you that the Fish and Wildlife Commission recently adopted changes to cougar seasons in Chelan, Okanogan, Ferry, Stevens, Pend Oreille, and Klickitat counties. Cougar season in these counties opens for "Any legal weapon" on Oct. 15, 2011 and closes December 31, 2011. Please visit http://wdfw.wa.gov/news/release.php?id=oct1011a (http://wdfw.wa.gov/news/release.php?id=oct1011a) for more information.
Title: Re: Cougars
Post by: bobcat on October 11, 2011, 04:01:43 PM: It says cougar is open on October 15th in ALL counties:

Quote

Under this year’s rules, deer hunters with a valid cougar license and transport tag can take a cougar during the modern-firearms deer season in all 39 counties - including Okanogan, Chelan, Ferry, Stevens, Pend Oreille and Klickitat.
Title: Re: Cougars
Post by: the509hunter on October 11, 2011, 04:17:15 PM: the radio must have said it wrong when i heard it cause they said those counties are the only ones with those changes sorry about that
Title: Re: Cougars
Post by: bobcat on October 11, 2011, 04:44:20 PM: Well- you're right, those counties were the only areas that changed to being open for cougar on October 15. Everywhere else, it was already scheduled to open on that day.
Title: Re: Cougars
Post by: the509hunter on October 11, 2011, 04:46:03 PM: oh ok now i understand thanks for clearing that up for me