Cougar plan could go to Feds......

[Straydog]

This has the potential to complicate things in a big way, in my opinion....
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"Federal Wildlife Services officials believe they can take over the killing of cougars as part of a state damage study here without harming the predator's overall population or the rest of the environment. Having the so-called "government trapper" assume the role now filled by Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife employees might actually ease suffering of the targeted cougars and could curb the loss of "non-target" species because of the trapper's experience, a new study suggests."

Story here

[skein]

I've written and deleted this response three times. None of them are printable and none of them offered solutions.

They win again.

Skein

[skein]

Funny how they could pull that "study" out of the old file cabinet just when hunters started talking about becoming agents themselves. What a crock!

But then, let's see.... where's our study? Oh, I remember, there isn't one.

And yes, I'm guilty too. What have I done besides clench my fists and gripe? Not much.

Skein

[Maverick Maxcat]

Welcome to my world......I was just testifying to the Crook County Court last week to support increased funding for the Fed Animal Control program in this area. I believe the Feds are the only ones authorized to do predator control on Fed lands. They can also go on private land, with permission. The County contracts with them to control predators, because they are the only ones that can use hounds and follow cats anywhere they go. Private hound guys must stop if the cat leaves the private property with the damage complaint. Animal control is all these guys do, and they are very good at it. The best option is for the State to use private hunters to remove the cats, but until that is possible we need to support the Feds in every way possible. At least they'll get the job done!

[skein]

There ya go. Divided we fall....

HUNTERS SHOULD BE ELIGIBLE TO ACT AS AGENTS FOR PREDATOR AND DAMAGE CONTROL, AND SHOULD BE THE FIRST ONES TURNED TO.

PERIOD.

Skein

[baltz526]

couger catch and release program ( catch in deer and elk habitat, release in downtown eugene, salem, portland, ashland, bend) if they want to protect them, do it in their back yard not ours.

[Limbhanger]

I spoke to a reliable source about this and here are a few basic points to consider regarding the merit of the artical:

1. The artical is slanted and does not take in to account current laws regarding game management and jurisdiction in Oregon.
2. The feds do not have any jurisdiction over the management of "Game Animals" in Oregon. Wildlife Services is already contracted, but they are only used and directed by ODFW based on department needs and circumstances where game animals are concerned.
3. It does not appear that this threat holds any legal merit. It is a smoke screen to gain attention, make ODFW look bad, create doubt and a weak attempt to prolong reducing cougar numbers.

I apologize for speaking up before doing the research.

[Straydog]

I am going to watch this closely and see how it unfolds, rather than putting all my chips on one, albeit unnamed, "reliable source", or the news article.

I wouldn't throw in the towel, nor would I ignore this, just yet........

Given my knowledge of the writer of the aritcle, I am not about to buy that it was purposely slanted, for any reason.

[Limbhanger]

I dont think it was slanted by the writer purposefully. He simply did a report on what he was being told from the anti perspective and passed along their message. I agree we should watch this carefully and if an opportunity for public testimony presents itself we should take advantage of it.

[Straydog]

Originally Posted by Limbhanger

I dont think it was slanted by the writer purposefully. He simply did a report on what he was being told from the anti perspective and passed along their message. I agree we should watch this carefully and if an opportunity for public testimony presents itself we should take advantage of it.

I get ya, Limbhanger.

[Bill Monroe]

Mark Freeman doesn't slant anything...he is one of the nation's best outdoor reporters...He was told something, did his own homework (he always does) and reported what he learned.

[skein]

All the more reason to worry - or kiss it goodbye.


Skein

[loper]

Originally Posted by Limbhanger

...if an opportunity for public testimony presents itself we should take advantage of it.

Since the environmental assessment is open until April 16th for written comment, it appears that an opportunity for testimony already exists.

Wildlife Services has a legal obligation to produce the assessment under NEPA; if the environmental impacts are significant then an environmental impact statement would have to be produced. It certainly came across in the tone of that article that groups opposed to the lethal removal of cougars plan to force an EIS to be generated, thereby dragging out the process and further limiting the options of ODFW to implement the cougar plan.

Read the plan and send in your comments; I would guess that plenty of people and groups with opposing viewpoints plan to do so. Comments that are not part of the public record might as well not exist (as depressing as that may be).

[Rank Amateur]

I'm kinda wondering if sportsmen don't have a lawsuit themselves. It seems we have contary laws. One the dog ban which is allowing cougars to over populate and cause damage to other wildlife in the state and the statutes that direct ODF&W to manage game populations for the benefit of the public. This could force the issue, because the general public may not want the other animals to be reduced to low levels, many of them probably never envisioned that would happen, so while the dog ban was supported by a majority of the citizens, they may not support having other biggame population severely reduced. It would appear we have conflicting statutes and maybe the courts will have to decide the proper outcome. Of coarse ODF&W would have to be on board, but they do seem to be coming around to the fact that game populations are falling and that predation is a major player.

This could play into Skeins plan of using "qualified agents of the state" to bring the cougar and bear populations back into acceptable levels. Sportsmen certainly would have basis for a suit.

[BlacktailBowhunter]

Originally Posted by Bill Monroe

Mark Freeman doesn't slant anything...he is one of the nation's best outdoor reporters...He was told something, did his own homework (he always does) and reported what he learned.

Mark Freeman said, "Feds may take on cougar kills"

Maybe his headline isn't slanted, but it is definately misleading.

The Feds are already are killing cougars.

Right now ODFW employs wildlife services (The Feds) as their designated "agent" for cougar, bear, and furbearer management activities. The feds are not taking over anything, they are already contracted by ODFW and they have been used out of convenience because Wildlife Services has a government trapper in every county in Oregon. In addition, ODFW is using the Feds because of Hardy Meyers legal opinion. Otherwise, ODFW would have maintained the use of agents hired or volunteer.

In essence, the "government trappers" are employees of the ODFW.

The ODFW employee (not Federal Trapper) that took the three cougars 1 mile outside of the target area was given the wrong coordinance by the ODFW. Had the "government trapper" been used to take those 3 cats instead of the ODFW employee, he/she would have been given the wrong coordinance as well. If Freeman did his research, why did he not include that fact?

Fact: Per the Oregon wildlife policy, the ODFW has the obligation to manage the wildlife of Oregon for the optimum recreational and aesthetic benefit of present and future generation of Oregonians.

Fact: The Feds have no right to manage game mammals in the state of Oregon, and bear and cougar are considered big game.

Fact: An Environmental Assessment was done by Wildlife Services only because the ARA's threatened a law suit against the feds, because they were hired by ODFW to take animals outside of their jurisdiction i.e., private property damage complaints, and human threat cases, so in turn, for the continued use of the government trappers as agents of the ODFW, the ODFW requested a Environmental Assessment from Wildlife Services (the Feds).

Ther is far more to this whole agent use issue, but I don't have the time. We have a few people working on our side right now, and this is all I am going to write at this point.

As far as I can tell, Mr. Freeman is not that well researched and in my educated opinion, Freeman accidentlly slanted this article, by not including the necessary facts to give a realistic accounting of the relationship between the Feds and ODFW.

He makes it sound like ODFW screwed up and now the Feds need to get involved. Wrong!

[scottishsetter]

"The Feds have no right to manage Game Mammals in Oregon"....

But they DO...they have the right to eliminate the food via grazing...
With NO RECOURSE from ODFW.

You can not make M.O.s if you can not control HABITAT!

[Cohodependent]

This may sound a little crazy, but I am wondering if we should get every one we know who are hunters to go down and join the Sierra Club. If we were all members and attended their meeting and such, do you think that we might be able to influence the group much?

[BlacktailBowhunter]

Originally Posted by Cohodependent

This may sound a little crazy, but I am wondering if we should get every one we know who are hunters to go down and join the Sierra Club. If we were all members and attended their meeting and such, do you think that we might be able to influence the group much?

Interesting concept. If they go by majority vote, and we were actually that organized, then yes, I would say we could have a major impact.