Its comment times on the Regulations.... submit them
Here is what is proposed:
https://wdfw.wa.gov/sites/default/files/about/regulations/filings/2025/combined-25-04-101-ss-cougar.pdf Here is where to comment:
https://publicinput.com/2025sscougarMy comment... take it or leave it
"If Unclear Opposed as written and suggest the following changes to amend what is written.
Amend proposal for WAC 220-415-100 as follows.
The purpose of the proposed changes to this WAC are to specify the harvest caps for cougar harvest seasons by Cougar
Hunt Management Unit (previously PMUs), to specify what mortalities count towards the cap (harvest and conflict), and to
specify that the cougar hotline and website will be updated for closures weekly. Specifically, the amendments, if adopted as
proposed, do the following:
1. All cougars harvested over the age of 2yrs old count towards the total cougar mortality cap
2. Cougar hunting season will begin Aug 1 and end March 31 (starts the same day as Bear Season)
3. Only hunter harvest cougar mortality shall count toward the total cougar mortality cap
4. After January 1, the season shall close in a Cougar Hunt Management Units if or once the cap has been reached.
5. Closures will occur weekly on Thursdays throughout the harvest season. This will allow hunters to check closures prior to the weekend so they can hunt remotely without the need to verify if their hunt unit is open for cougar harvest.
Harvest framework: Harvest caps are limits set on cougar mortality by Cougar Hunt Management Unit. Cougar Data Analysis Units are large, population-scale areas in Washington being used to analyze mortality at the cougar population level rather than the Hunt Management Unit level. Caps are set using the following structure: In Cougar Data Analysis Units where the total cougar mortality exceeds 23% when averaged over the prior complete three-year period, the Cougar Hunt Management Unit within that Cougar Data Analysis Units that are over 23% receive a 16% cap until the next three-year season setting time period; the remaining Cougar Hunt Management Units receive a 23% cap. In Cougar Data Analysis Units where the total cougar mortality remains below 23% when averaged over the prior complete three-year period, the Cougar Hunt Management Units within those Cougar Data Analysis Units will receive a 23% cap. Caps will be reevaluated at the next
three-year season setting period"
Instead of just saying opposed or saying we have too many cougars I tried to change it to what my compromised rules for cougar hunting would be or what I actually think they should be
Science proved that the prior age maturity for counting allowed cougars to thrive in WA state
Science proved that going off hunter harvest and not total mortality allowed cougars to thrive in WA state
Science proved that have a general season until Dec 31 allowed cougars to thrice in WA state and always allowed for an opportunity to go try to find one
I was at and listened at the meetings when the bio's spoke about what sustainable take is and there is no question that 16% is sustainable and it could be as high as 23% possibly more. Harvest numbers clearly show in all game species how the population is doing. If opportunity doesn't change and hunters are taking too many animals then harvest rates eventually drop indicating over harvest. If opportunity doesn't change and hunters aren't taking enough animals the harvest rates will continue to climb. It was really interesting to see the graphs of cougar hunting with hounds, without hound hunting, and then stacked with human caused mortality. What they ignored is that it was almost stagnant the last decade. You could draw a straight line through the last 8-10 years and you would be +/- 20 cougars of that line. This indicates that the population WAS stable (not declining and really not growing either) and what we had in place was good. With this new proposal as written we may never be able to see that true date. The only date will be how many units are closed before they can ever open which is the goal. To get them all closed and make conflict killing the only management tool of cougars in WA like CA where more cougars are killed by conflict take now then when hunters were allowed to hunt cougars.
