Hiker of the Woods
Active Member
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Ever since the cougar bill to allow Oregonian?s in each of their own counties to vote if dogs should allowed to hunt cougars; I have been trying to think of another option that all of the public could compromise and get passed through the House and Senate. Both sides will find something they like and dislike but maybe agree enough to try something different on a sunset bill.
What if we still went with individuals voting in their own county and if passed say 10-20% of cougar habitat in county would be a cougar hunting reserve. There would not be any other restrictions other than no hunting cougars in this area. If someone?s dogs treed a cougar they would have to pull the dogs off the cougar or face extreme fines like any other poaching game violation. Several things would come into play on the percent/size and location of reserve in the county. The any cougar and quota could stay the same or another option is try and checker board the counties with having some any cougar and others male cougar harvest only.
The reserves would act as a source population that will increase population growth of the surrounding hunted area which have never been set in place before. People who care about Apex predators should enjoy that part of the plan. Hunters would enjoy knowing they would have the option to use dogs again to hunt cougars.
Price of tags, season length, and quota?s may have to change depending on how all this works out and what the cougar population does. ODFW could perform a study over 3-5 years to report back to the House and Senate to see if this plan should/could be extended.
What do you all think? Would it be worth giving 10-20% of land to be placed into cougar reserves to have the option and hunt cougars with dogs again or do we as hunters stay/become hard headed and not budge an inch even if it means no dogs for the next 50+ years? What are your thoughts?
What if we still went with individuals voting in their own county and if passed say 10-20% of cougar habitat in county would be a cougar hunting reserve. There would not be any other restrictions other than no hunting cougars in this area. If someone?s dogs treed a cougar they would have to pull the dogs off the cougar or face extreme fines like any other poaching game violation. Several things would come into play on the percent/size and location of reserve in the county. The any cougar and quota could stay the same or another option is try and checker board the counties with having some any cougar and others male cougar harvest only.
The reserves would act as a source population that will increase population growth of the surrounding hunted area which have never been set in place before. People who care about Apex predators should enjoy that part of the plan. Hunters would enjoy knowing they would have the option to use dogs again to hunt cougars.
Price of tags, season length, and quota?s may have to change depending on how all this works out and what the cougar population does. ODFW could perform a study over 3-5 years to report back to the House and Senate to see if this plan should/could be extended.
What do you all think? Would it be worth giving 10-20% of land to be placed into cougar reserves to have the option and hunt cougars with dogs again or do we as hunters stay/become hard headed and not budge an inch even if it means no dogs for the next 50+ years? What are your thoughts?