Hunting & Fishing Cougar population increase - in Western States

[oregon]

The numbers of cougar in Oregon are getting dangerous. Their population is out of control since the no dog rule to hunt them or bear went into effect.

Washington is getting smart to reverse the silly rule:
http://www.grandviewoutdoors.com/predato...ing-with-hounds

There are many studies that have proved an adult cougar eats on average one deer a week or an elk every 1.5 weeks or something else that has lots of protein. And so many wonder recently where all the big deer went as well as why elk herds are not what they used to be.

An adult horse in the Portland Area was recently attached by a cougar and the owner says several horses in the area have been eaten:
http://www.kgw.com/news/local/Aloha-residents-fear-cougar-attacking-horses-118047424.html

Confirming what those of us in the woods already know. Recent personal example, a cougar has been seen by a teen at a friends house several times in past months and does not seem afraid of him. And hear more and more sightings of cougars usually difficult to see so there must be more than there were pushing them dangerously toward population centers. My cousin teaches gun safety courses and has for years as part of them asks how many have seen a cougar in the wild - it used to be maybe a few hands would go up now only a few hands stay down!

Some in Oregon are starting to wake up:
http://oregoncapitolnews.com/blog/2011/0...cougar-hunting/

Hope they change something in Oregon to allow cougar and bear populations to be controlled. Seems they need to allow at least bait and / or dogs again. Otherwise cougar will continue to eat all the deer, elk and other wildlife. Things worked better only a few short decades ago as evidenced by the deer and elk populations. Cougars also cause problems with pets, livestock, and people. They are not just cute kitty cats.

 

[_RJ_]

Re: Cougar population exploded in Oregon since no dogs

Interesting, cougar hunting is damn near all year round. Everyone in my family has tags and we fill them every year. Maybe because I wasn't exposed to it growing up, I don't see it a necessity to hunt with dogs or bait for that matter. Scout and stalk thats how I've done it my whole life and have always been successful. Perhaps more Oregonians should purchase tags and get out into the woods more often and the cougar population might go down.

My family owns cattle ranches on the east side of the state and we are no strangers to cougars, but to be honest we have more problems with eagles killing calves. Heck we even see wolves now on a fairly regular basis. Not too sure about your situation in Portland but maybe they will start eating the hippies and that could be a plus.

 

[oregon]

Re: Cougar population exploded in Oregon since no dogs

Thank you for your insight what works. Great job. We need more Oregonians like you. Have never shot a cougar. Here in the brush of the west it is hard to get close enough to even see them, so possibly different strategies may be needed. A friend has one by the house and they are ambush hunters in the brush so does not show itself in the day. Comfortable around people living with them in the woods is not good.

Eagles with calves can see that happening but had no idea.

Wolves for you also? Darn. Are you Northern or Southern in general. Just called a friend tonight about elk hunting in Idaho as was surprised when he spent much of the conversation educating me on Wolf and how they are endangered and are not being managed. Say maybe Oregon needs to pay ranchers like you for wolf loss like they do in Idaho... ha.

Here is more about what I learned about Wolf in Idaho tonight on the phone just shared with some other guys about elk outfitters in another thread at:

http://www.snipershide.com/forum/ubbthre...175#Post2467175

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: oregon</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Idaho elk report,

Just talked to my surveyor hunting buddy pilot friend with a bush plane and horses. He tells me wolf are a huge problem. Elk populations are down 60% because of the wolf. Said still there but not what it was 10 years ago. South of the Snake River not as effected. Also it is said elk population in the Sawtooth area better than some as wolves not as bad there as in other areas. The biggest wild area in the lower 48, the Frank Church River of No Return Wilderness is where he hunts elk but says people he goes with got skunked there last year. My buddy said would guide my boy and I in there if want to go as he would, but says chances not what they used to be. Many of the guide services all over Idaho are going out of business. He hunts around the Middle fork of the Salmon. Says elk population way down because of wolves.

Apparently this wolf thing is huge. In summary Montana, Nevada, and Idaho were trying to manage wolves and Wyoming would not play and had a shoot on sight law. So the Feds reacted by making wolves endangered. Now states with problems can not manage them anymore and their population is exploding. In the fall of 2009 there was an Idaho hunting season for wolf where tags were $16 and 170 were harvested. The wolves expanded quickly out of Yellowstone and are now a huge problem years later. With the wolves endangered people can not manage them so have taken over. The Idaho elk heards are scattered and hunting them is not the same with their populations down 60%. When asked him how to confirm elk problems he suggested I look at tags in Idaho purchased and tags filled. Is a common number used as the guides are going out of business and the state isn't making money on out of state tags because no one goes to ID anymore to hunt elk because the wolves eat them before we get to. Ranchers in some areas are paid to let the wolves eat their livestock.

My friend saw a big alpha male black wolf when alive. Said when shot over 200 pounds. It looked huge and scary very dominant when walking around. Told me to look for a pic as is over a guys shoulder down to the ground. Seems so strange almost like a bad joke.

Still need to do some more research. What used to be the best is not so NM may be looking better as don't think the wolves like it so much there. South of the Snake River less wolf problems and Sawtooth not as effected. But elk populations are down 60% since the wolf got to Idaho.
</div></div>

 

[aaronraby1]

Re: Cougar population exploded in Oregon since no dogs

think oregon is bad... try my state... ca... cant even shoot them!!

 

[oregon]

Re: Cougar population exploded in Oregon since no dogs

No cougar season in CA? What are they thinking? There will be more people vs cougar events in the news. We will see what happens when a few more people get munched on. Found a list of the people with cougar incidents in California happening more often at:

http://tchester.org/sgm/lists/lion_attacks_ca.html

For 76 years up to 1986, there were no known attacks in CA.

 

[aaronraby1]

Re: Cougar population exploded in Oregon since no dogs

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: oregon</div><div class="ubbcode-body">No cougar season in CA? What are they thinking? There will be more people vs cougar events in the news. We will see what happens when a few more people get munched on. Found a list of the people with cougar incidents in California happening more often at:

http://tchester.org/sgm/lists/lion_attacks_ca.html

For 76 years up to 1986, there were no known attacks in CA. </div></div>

and whats more stupid is that if you legally take a cat in another state, CA wont let you bring it in. i have talked to taxidermists and noone here will even mount one!

thanks for the website.

 

[oregon]

Re: Cougar population exploded in Oregon since no dogs

Recent cougar pride photographed in Central Washington. Wenatchee hunter catches eight big cats in one photo frame:

http://www.wenatcheeworld.com/news/2011/feb/18/cougar-pride-wenatchee-hunter-catches-eight-big/

http://www.king5.com/news/environment/Hu...-116450233.html

It scares me to see them hunt as a group in Central Washington. Cougar prides would be most active at night. The cougar I've ever seen or heard of here in Western Oregon are usually alone.

When predators not hunted for political reasons in western states, like the cougar and non-native Alaska timber wolf, run out of animals to eat in the woods - it will become interesting closer to town.

Personally feel, when going for a walk in the wilderness it is good to have a big enough gun to protect yourself and be practiced enough just in case. While a gun will not help if do not see it coming. Cougar are ambush hunters who often break the necks of elk hunting from the sides of game trails.

 

[aaronraby1]

Re: Cougar population exploded in Oregon since no dogs

something definitely has to be done...