USFWS Plan To Cull Lions in Oregon

[BigHornRam]

USFWS to 'strategically' kill cougars in bid to save plunging Hart Mtn. bighorn sheep population - KTVZ

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service announced Thursday it plans to "temporarily and lethally remove cougars" on the Hart Mountain National Antelope Refuge in southeast Oregon in an effort to stem a sharp decline in the California bighorn sheep population -- down about two-thirds in just four...

ktvz.com

 

[MarvB]

About time, this state is overran with them and the muley population reflects it. I think the last study put the population est statewide at 6,000-7,600 and last years harvest was like 350. Of tags issued the success rate was about 2%

 

[mtnrunner260]

Glad to see something being done for the benefit of sheep.
Hopefully the plan can continue through without being held up in protest until all the sheep are gone.

 

[BigHornRam]

Can hunters hunt cougars on the Hart Mountain National Refuge?

 

[MarvB]

Can hunters hunt cougars on the Hart Mountain National Refuge?

Not 100% sure, it’s been beat to death by OHA and other foundations over the years but not much had been done nor even clarified.

The refuge regs only state this:


Last year at the KFalls OHA banquet, this was discussed (see the attached letter):

LETTER TO THE EDITOR: Hart Mountain bighorn sheep populations

Hart Mountain bighorn sheep populations

www.heraldandnews.com

So once again it’s been a bit of analysis/paralysis by ODFW

 

[rtraverdavis]

I'm glad to see some action being taken. But, it's also hard not to dwell on the silliness of taxpayer dollars being used to pay for something that hound-hunters would themselves gladly pay for and take care of if it were legal...

 

[David658]

Yep, hound hunters. Not legal in OR, but the solution and precisely how the USFW folk will get it done.

 

[SAJ-99]

Anything being done about the habitat issues?

 

[longrunner]

No cat hunting on Hart as of a couple years ago. This and juniper removal projects would do a great deal of good. I found multiple cat kill deadheads when I was there.

 

[BigHornRam]

Anything being done about the habitat issues?

Little bit it appears.

Hart Lake Restoration and Juniper Removal Sept 27-30 - Oregon Natural Desert Association

onda.org

Hart Mountain | SageSTEP

www.sagestep.org

 

[SAJ-99]

Little bit it appears.

Hart Lake Restoration and Juniper Removal Sept 27-30 - Oregon Natural Desert Association

onda.org

Hart Mountain | SageSTEP

www.sagestep.org

The dates on those are a little depressing.

I think if it gets to the point you need to cull lions, you have a bigger problem. I like the concept of hound hunters participating, but you can't have dozens of hunters running hounds in the same area. The image in my head is mostly mass confusion- for hunters, lions, and sheep. But there needs to be some solution or 70yrs of work for sheep will be gone.

 

[rtraverdavis]

I like the concept of hound hunters participating, but you can't have dozens of hunters running hounds in the same area. The image in my head is mostly mass confusion- for hunters, lions, and sheep.

The point about hound hunters is that chasing cats with hounds is illegal in Oregon. If that were not the case, we would have the ability to more effectively manage their population year in, year out. Not like some one-time, momentary "fix" to help sheep, only to let things slide back to status-quo in the ensuing years.

 

[SAJ-99]

The point about hound hunters is that chasing cats with hounds is illegal in Oregon. If that were not the case, we would have the ability to more effectively manage their population year in, year out. Not like some one-time, momentary "fix" to help sheep, only to let things slide back to status-quo in the ensuing years.

I got that point. I was imagining if they allowed it for 30 or whatever days to assist in the fix. I see the mortality quota is 970 and a/o Oct 31 actual was 350, with 45% of that being natural. Those numbers look like somebody can't count lions very well. Not sure how that quota has changed over the years, but when USFWS comes it to cull lions, it seems something is messed up.

 

[BigHornRam]

The point about hound hunters is that chasing cats with hounds is illegal in Oregon. If that were not the case, we would have the ability to more effectively manage their population year in, year out. Not like some one-time, momentary "fix" to help sheep, only to let things slide back to status-quo in the ensuing years.

I didn't know that is where Oregon is at with lion hunting. Sorry to hear that. Best of luck with this.

 

[mtnrunner260]

With the resources in the sheep hunting world it sure seems doing more than two days of volunteer juniper removal would be possible.
-not making any claims of knowing the entirety of the operation.

 

[BigHornRam]

With the resources in the sheep hunting world it sure seems doing more than two days of volunteer juniper removal would be possible.
-not making any claims of knowing the entirety of the operation.

Being a NWR, I would imagine getting authority to cut encroaching juniper would almost be as difficult to obtain as getting authority to hunt cougars there. Same with treating cheatgrass. Bureaucracy is the problem, not funding the restoration work.

 

[FI460]

I didn't know that is where Oregon is at with lion hunting. Sorry to hear that. Best of luck with this.

We lost hounds for both bear and cougar in 1994. It was a close heartbreaker of a vote.

 

[longrunner]

A start would be to allow big game tag holders to incidentally take cats. Yes, success and numbers would be low and likely not make a big difference. Allowing cat hunters in select portions of the refuge (westside escarpment) during the off season would be another. Don't want a rodeo, limit numbers by a lottery. None of this would cost a lot of staff time or monies for the refuge.