Oregon Cougars? Bears? Banned!?
 

I just read in the huntin fool in Oregon they've banned the hunting of mountain lions with dogs? and baiting for bears is also illegal?

Which is said to be having a bad affect on elk, moose, sheep numbers and trophy quality...

As I've read about many western states the predators are devastating populations, I think I've heard about predators hurting numbers and quality in just about every state, such as mulies or desert sheep in AZ or elk in Idaho/wyoming etc...

Now personally I don't want to hunt a mtn lion with dogs, just a personal choice, but I'm certainly not against another hunter doing it, as well I feel without hunters using dogs, the success odds have to just go way down, and therefore, way more mtn lions....

Not sure how long this ban in OR has been in effect, but I'm sure once they get out of control, and by out of control I mean, long after the affects on wildlife, and more of the sense....people being attacked while jogging etc....maybe something will be done to correct this.

Or am I missing something here?

RE: Oregon Cougars? Bears? Banned!?
 

Hello there, You are right! I live in Southern Oregon, and cougar hunting and bear baiting was banned quite a while ago and the cougar population has exploaded! Oregon Department of fish and wildlife now extended the season. It is cougar season all year long! You just cannot shoot a mom with cubs. Bear baiting I don't mind about cause bears don't harm much... I still hunt them though! I actually got one with my bow last year just hiking around! and yes their population is getting higher and higher every year. The blacktail deer are not doing to good cause the cougars kill about 2 a week! Andwith the population of cougars getting higher, it's not looking to good for the deer! Elk are pretty big animals, but a cougar can take one of them down to, so I would like it if they open the hunting cougars with dogs again! I wouldn't hunt them with dogs either, but a lot of other people would love to! Fish and game also has an additional tag that you can buy to, so you can shoot 2 a year and you have all year to do it! Still it is so rare to see a cougar that a lot of people don't get the chance to.

RE: Oregon Cougars? Bears? Banned!?
 

It's really interesting to me how the different states treat predators. Here in Nevada, mountain lion are essentially thought of as vermin...each resident can buy two tags per year until the harvestquotas are met. On top of that they can be hunted with dogs or even at night with a spotlight (as long as the spotlight is battery powered).

Fascinating stuff...thank god we don't have wolves here...

RE: Oregon Cougars? Bears? Banned!?
 

ya no wolves as of yet but have you seen the new outdoorlifemagazine article?wolves are coming back and the laws that were put in place to let them be hunted are not being allowed by certain judges . and they are pretty hard on elk,deer bison, and will kill man.

RE: Oregon Cougars? Bears? Banned!?
 

Well... The Fish and game have let a few wolfs go in Oregon, but I haven't heard of them comming back!?

Man thats crazy RaghornHS! I wish they would open that up here!:D

RE: Oregon Cougars? Bears? Banned!?
 

I feel for the rural outdoors men who live in states where game laws are passed based on the passions of the enviros in the big urban areas who want to sleep good at night thinking they saved some poor kitty cats and cuddly bears and wolves from mean old hunters.The more of their REI clad butts that get ate while trail running, the more chance of them changing their ways, but usually then they suggest spending millions to capture-spay-and neuter, or transplant predators, instead of making money from the sale of tags and license fees.

RE: Oregon Cougars? Bears? Banned!?
 

I wish it were like that to!

shoot shovel shutup

down in the steens mountains the cats have pretty much wiped out the deer,the cat hunting rocks down there and ya can get a second tag after you fill the 1st.

i had a game cop tell me that more than once