Trapping cougars?

Cornbread · 11-29-2008, 10:52 AM

I have been looking through the Oregon trapping regulations and I can't find anything about cougars. Are we allowed to trap them and then tag them with a cougar tag or is trapping them off limits? Can anyone point me to the regs on this?

traks44 · 11-29-2008, 11:00 AM

I am not sure where you find it but I am pretty sure trapping cougars is illegal?

It it were legal this would probably be the best/easiest way of trapping cougars and snarring would be very effective I would venture to guess. I know some guys who run trap lines and they have atleast one cougar tear up one of their set-up's a year.

CombinationLicense · 11-29-2008, 11:01 AM

It's illegal to take any game mammal with a trap in Oregon - See page 36 of the big game regulations under "prohibited methods".

"CL"

baltz526 · 11-29-2008, 11:24 AM

that and how would you trap them

traks44 · 11-29-2008, 12:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by baltz526

that and how would you trap them

Snare them across logs over creeks would be my guess, they cross logs like all cats do, It would be very effective IMO!

traks44 · 11-29-2008, 01:22 PM

Actually, I think the goverment trappers may have this in their bag of tricks for getting cougars....

ORtrapper · 11-29-2008, 07:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by baltz526

that and how would you trap them

It wouldnt be overly difficult to trap them if you had big enough traps, but it is illegal to trap anything except furbearers and predatory animals.

Ben Hur · 11-30-2008, 08:19 AM

I like to use the largest size mice traps I can find and a can of cats meow. What am I doing wrong? Seriously though you can trap cougar just like bobcat with a snare and it could be very effective but not a legal thing to do. I don't know what people who trap bobcats do to avoid cougars, anyone willing to tell me how or what they do?

ORtrapper · 11-30-2008, 10:03 AM

presentation is everything.....small, rotten stinky bait in the right places is what catches bobcat. I have never caught a cougar but I think they prefer fresh meat in large quantities as they are not known scavengers. also much larger traps are needed for cougar and if one stepped in a bobcat trap it would most likely pull out of it.

Cornbread · 11-30-2008, 01:45 PM

I used to do government damage control trapping in AZ when I was in college. Cougars aren't hard to trap that is why I wondered if we could trap them here. I have my national certification deal but AZ used to use a pool of us who were registered, whoever was closest got the call. I think Oregon works differently but anyway snares work for them well as do the large legholds. They are kind of like bobcats in that they don't like pain so they won't jerk as hard against a trap as the canines will so you can anchor traps for them vice using drags or shock cords. They are curious as all heck so catnip sets as well as urine or bird wings hanging in a tree kind of stuff works for them. Gang sets on their own kills work best of all if you can find a carcass they have drug stuff over and are still feeding on. It's a moot point though if it's illegal here. They way you keep cougars out of your bobcat snares is the snares have too small of a loop for cougars to stick their head through. They are curious but not to the point of stupidity. I wonder what it would take to get ODFW to cross clasify them as both a furbearer and a game animal? It would be a pretty simple deal to put a big dent in their numbers by trapping them.

thefishslayer · 11-30-2008, 05:15 PM

we are NOT allowed to trap cougars. I talked to a goverment trapper on saturday and he traps yotes, bobcats, and cougars. Government trappers are the only ones who can trap cougars

lingcodmaster · 11-30-2008, 08:22 PM

trapping cougars is illegal and if you were to trap them you would use thick cable snares. one of my buddys does alot of trapping for bobcats and stuff. the neighbors have been seeing a couple cougars in the area and they have seen sign so they looked into trapping them but it is illegal so there went that idea. should be able to trap cougars but then again with snares that big you would probably accidentaly get deer, elk, ect so that would be bad. anyways have a good one.
brandon kind

goosebware1 · 12-02-2008, 02:39 PM

you need a trapping permit but i dont think you can trap cougars

Jellyhead · 12-02-2008, 02:50 PM

You can trap cougars with a special permit from the state if you are the landowner or acting as "agent". They must be causing damage to property or posing a public safety risk. This is the same process the timber company uses to snare black bears (also a game animal).

If you are planning on using footholds, nothing smaller than a #5 should be considered, and I would plan on at least 20-30lbs of pan tension to decrease the chance of any incidentals. Snares would be good, but I don't know how one would keep from killing any incidental deer because any breakaway device on a snare that would free deer will also free cougars.

I have not done this myself, just throwing some ideas out there based on trapline experience with other predators. They should be as easy to catch as a bobcat, especially if they are staying in one area.

Aaron

thefishslayer · 12-02-2008, 04:11 PM

deer dont get caught in footholds because they can just pull out, if you look at a deers leg, it straight all the way down to the bottom of the hoof, unless it is bending. SO, they can step in it and set it off, just not get caught

Jellyhead · 12-03-2008, 06:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by thefishslayer

deer dont get caught in footholds because they can just pull out, if you look at a deers leg, it straight all the way down to the bottom of the hoof, unless it is bending. SO, they can step in it and set it off, just not get caught

I understand that deer can easily pull out of a foothold, but they cannot pull out of a snare without a break away device, and belive me....deer get neck caught in snares. Deer do not walk around with they're heads up all of the time. Plus, I think "jump sticks" actually encourage them to duck into snares. Just some of my observations using snares with break-away devices.

One of my real peeves with the trapper education program, is the lack of good info on snaring. Snares are one of the most deadly and unforgiving devices to non-targets if not set properly with the correct break away for the length of snare and taking entanglement into consideration. They are also one of the most versitale and effective tools trappers have to target predators like coyotes. I would hate to lose this tool due to mis-use and high profile non-target catches due to trapper ignorance. None of this is addressed in the trapper ed. program, (sorry I got a bit off track)

Aaron

speedshooterxt · 12-03-2008, 08:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jellyhead

I understand that deer can easily pull out of a foothold, but they cannot pull out of a snare without a break away device, and belive me....deer get neck caught in snares. Deer do not walk around with they're heads up all of the time. Plus, I think "jump sticks" actually encourage them to duck into snares. Just some of my observations using snares with break-away devices.

One of my real peeves with the trapper education program, is the lack of good info on snaring. Snares are one of the most deadly and unforgiving devices to non-targets if not set properly with the correct break away for the length of snare and taking entanglement into consideration. They are also one of the most versitale and effective tools trappers have to target predators like coyotes. I would hate to lose this tool due to mis-use and high profile non-target catches due to trapper ignorance. None of this is addressed in the trapper ed. program, (sorry I got a bit off track)

Aaron

im pretty sure that when they use a jump stick they make it low enough that a deer cannot or will not go under it. If you do trap a cougar with a snare what would you do? the snares are indescriminate so whatever gets in them gets stuck, I would think you just couldnt keep it.

Jellyhead · 12-03-2008, 08:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by speedshooterxt

im pretty sure that when they use a jump stick they make it low enough that a deer cannot or will not go under it. If you do trap a cougar with a snare what would you do? the snares are indescriminate so whatever gets in them gets stuck, I would think you just couldnt keep it.

Speedshooter,

I'm just going to assume you have not set many snares......Deer get under low stuff... I am only saying that a stick laid over a trail (even quite low), in my experience, encourages ducking more than not having a stick over the trail.

If you are using a break away, that will release deer, you will release a lion, no problem. If one were to accidently catch one, you would leave it where it is and call odfw and osp to remove it for you. Taking big game animals using prohibited methods is illegal.

I really don't want this to get into a trapping ethics debate, and I'm sorry for bringing this up.

Aaron

Jellyhead · 12-03-2008, 08:42 AM

Just to clarify for the non trapping public,

A break away device on a steel cable snare is usually a small steel s-hook that connects the snare lock to the cable. It is the weak link in the snare. When a large animal (deer, cougar, livestock) is foot or neck captured, they have enough force to break the breakaway device and become free of the snare. Smaller animals (coyotes, etc.) cannot break the device and remain caught.

Length of cable, entanlement and anchoring methods all effect the release strength of the device. Anchoring to a springy sapling increases it, short snares increase it (unable to get enough of a lunge) and entanglement increase it (shortens snare by winding up on brush, etc).

The days of a piece of twine attached to a bent over sapling are over. Used effectivley snares are very efficient humane killing or restraining devices that if used correctly will hold targets and release non-targets.

Aaron

elkthumper · 12-03-2008, 10:11 AM

if i caught a lion, im sure as hell not gettin close enough to release it. hahahahaha

speedshooterxt · 12-03-2008, 10:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jellyhead

Speedshooter,

I'm just going to assume you have not set many snares......Deer get under low stuff... I am only saying that a stick laid over a trail (even quite low), in my experience, encourages ducking more than not having a stick over the trail.

If you are using a break away, that will release deer, you will release a lion, no problem. If one were to accidently catch one, you would leave it where it is and call odfw and osp to remove it for you. Taking big game animals using prohibited methods is illegal.

I really don't want this to get into a trapping ethics debate, and I'm sorry for bringing this up.

Aaron

I havent been around them much your right, I was just thinking that if it was only like 12-18" off the ground a deer would go around it rather than under, and probably a big cat as well. I have no clue about trapping I was just making a guess