Ifish Cougar Hunt - Results Of Phone Research

[skein]

Good, Moss, and thanks for putting out the effort. Keep us posted.

Skein

[Ras]

Great details. Keep 'em comin'!

Ras

[Ras]

WOW!

With all of the cat talk we have been having lately, I am surprised that no one has mentioned Bill Monroe's article yesterday regarding the Bighorn Sheep / Mt. Goat Management Plan. Of obvious interest is "tidbit" #5; "Cougars might have to be taken out of prime bighorn transplant locations."

Boy we could use more sheep in this state :grin:

Ras

[skein]

You ought to see the beautiful ram at the ODFW office in Baker City. It was a cougar kill, and there's not a hunter in Oregon who wouldn't have loved to have see that one on the mountain.

Skein

[Swamp Puppy]

ok, got started on some calling today. there will be more in the future, but here is what i have so far.

1st - none of the hunt zones have reached quota, or even come close for that matter. so we can hunt in any zone we want.

i have messages out to a few different biologists and actually talked to one out in LaGrande. his recommendations for the LaGrande area are as follows.

The Catherine Creek Unit would probably be the best bet in that area. concentrate efforts around Hess Cabin Rd which is just above the Catherine Creek State Park and also look around Mill Creek just above Moss Springs. Cats are in this area and with snow on the ground there is a good possibility of finding and tracking them.

other areas he mentioned are:

Cabin Creek
Looking Glass Creek
Fry Meadows

I was also told that if we called the day before or the day we arrive he would be happy to give us any "hot" information he has as far as recent sightings. example: he has a complaint from a local landowner about a cat on his property and the landowner wishes something done about it.

i tried the ODFW office in Bend, they are without a biologist until the 13th.

i left a message with Don Whittaker, who i am told is the main Bear and Cougar guy for ODFW.

more info to follow in the next few days...after i get through whacking a few more ducks this week.

[skeezer]

skien, what is it like hunting out of sweet home for cougar or bears ?

[Swamp Puppy]

ok, talked to the ODFW Biologist out of Prinville this morning. here is what he told me his choices would be for a cougar hunt.

Ochoco Unit:

-north slope of ochoco in the bridge creek wilderness

- SE corner around sunflower creek

-north fork of the crooked river

-crushed gravel ridge

Maury Unit:

- South side of the Prinville resevoir

Grizzly Unit:

-Mill Creek Drainage

according to him, all of these areas are wintering areas for the loca deer and elk populations. the cougars shouldn't be too far away.

[skein]

And those places are all well within striking distance for a weekend hunt. Way to go, M_3.5.

As far as Sweet Home is concerned, I've had a couple reports of big cats sighted just out of Crawfordsville - two of 'em traveling together. I think it's a huntable area, and can't wait to give it a try.

But right now I'm just a tad bit sidetracked.

I'm remodeling the kitchen, putting in new cabinets, window, sink, etc, and the drywall guys are coming Friday whether I'm ready or not - Yikes! So I've just been poking my nose in to Ifish to see what's new, and then back to the hammer and nails. Right now my mantra is "New cabinets by Thanksgiving." Ohmygod.

If I don't get done, it will be my hide hauled off to the taxidermist and nailed to the wall. [img]graemlins/1zhelp.gif[/img] It seems the cabinets have been sitting in my shop since July 1 (when I got my new boat) and the dishwasher's warrantee expired and it hasn't even been installed yet. I think my priorities have been just fine, but DipSeaDiver thinks she'd like her new cabinets before they get old. :grin:

Skein