The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) is briefing the Fish and Wildlife Commission on proposed amendments to statewide cougar hunting regulations, followed by public hearings starting at 6:00 pm in Olympia and Spokane on Friday, July 18.

Cougars and other predators play a critical role in maintaining healthy ecosystems. Unfortunately, the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife's cougar management policies and priorities are not based on sound science and use a shotgun approach of extremely liberal hunting to deal with a few "problem animals."

WDFW's excessive cougar hunting policies in some Game Management Units have resulted in mortality/kill levels of mature males and females and kittens that are unacceptable, unsustainable, and scientifically indefensible.

Conservation Northwest has developed a list of problems with current and proposed cougar management. For example, recent research has shown that heavy hunting pressure, by disrupting the natural territorial order maintained by dominant animals, may actually lead to more adverse human/cougar encounters. We've also crafted some specific solutions for cougar management, including a return to a more conservative, limited permit hunt based on maintaining stable populations, age, and sex structure and shortening the cougar season to winter only to enable hunters to determine whether they are hunting females with kittens.

Cougar rules briefing and public hearing

Meeting times

Friday, July 18, starting at 6:00 pm

Meeting locations

Natural Resources Building       
1111 Washington Street SE
1st Floor, Room 172
Olympia, WA 98501-1091

Department of Fish and Wildlife
Region 1 Office
2315 North Discovery Place
Spokane, WA 99216-1566

Read Cougars in Chaos from High Country News