Protect Cougars in Oregon

[Nora Cook]

I get updates from the HSUS to see what is going on and I got this today..


http://action.humanesociety.org/site/Me ... v_id=24264

[greasemonky]

there are to many cougars in this state they need to let us hunt them with hounds and do some population control!!!!

[007pennpal]

Nora, its says Humanesociety, what else would we expect from them? I can't believe how retarded people can allow themselves to become.
Sean

[brian j cerelli]

so is there anything we should be doing....before this meeting

[mike martell]

this next monday march the 7 th at 3 pm in room hr c the legislature is planning on hearing three house bills....hb 2337, hb 3326, and hb 3428. these will need a two thirds majority to pass and advance. thank you nora cook for posting the hsus link. these people are what they are....we have fact based science on our side. if hsus has the will to try and convince the liberal side of our elected officials we can easily support how we must reduce the population of cougars to balance out the rapidly declining deer and elk herds that are suffering at the hands of predation.

i have also used the wolf as a strong argument and have all along into why we must reduce cougar populations. we have a pretty even split in salem and i'm not worried about those who are already on board. we just need to convince the minority liberal side. FORGET BEING A HOUND HUNTER FOR A FEW DAYS...PLEASE....THIS IS THE PRESERVATION OF OUR BIG GAME MAMMALS.... ALL OF THEM...THIS IS SCIENCE BASED GAME MANAGEMENT AND WE ARE A MANAGEMENT TOOL FOR THE COMMISSION..... i have made salem aware by design the alternative methods of removal and all cost associated for both bear and cougar.... they got it....

oregon elect governor kitzhaber sent me a letter confirming he is very aware of these issues... i will continue to work on additional legislative changes in the weeks to come. keep writing letters to all our state representatives.... send district 17 representative sherrie sprenger a thank you letter for being the first to step up and propose legislative changes....she is a true patriot and fighter for our rights.....please remember as sportsmen and sportswomen....we are the only tried and cost proven effective management tool.

thank you, mike

[mike martell]

Two Oregon House Committees to Hear Three Pro-Gun Bills Each

Please contact members of both House committees today!



A number of pro-gun, pro-hunting bills are on the move in the Oregon House of Representatives and are scheduled for committee consideration early next week.



On Monday, March 7, the House Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee will hear House Bill 2337, House Bill 3326, and House Bill 3428 in Room HR C at 3:00 p.m.



HB 2337 would require the State Department of Fish and Wildlife to recommend rules to the State Fish and Wildlife Commission regarding the creation of a pilot program that would allow persons to use dogs to hunt or pursue cougars.



HB 3326, introduced by state Representative Jim Weidner (R-24), would allow the use of dogs to hunt cougars during the final three months of the general cougar hunting season if the State Fish and Wildlife Commission determines that the harvest quota for a particular hunt zone might not be met.



HB 3428, introduced by state Representative Sherrie Sprenger (R-17), would direct the State Department of Fish and Wildlife to create a pilot program that would allow persons hunting or pursuing cougars to use dogs.



Please contact members of the House Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee and urge them to support HB 2337, HB 3326, and HB 3428. Contact information for this committee can be found here.



On Tuesday, March 8, the House Judiciary Committee will hear House Bill 2797 in Room 343 at 1:00 p.m. The House Judiciary Committee will also hold a Work Session to discuss House Bill 2787 and House Bill 2792.



HB 2797, introduced by state Representative Kim Thatcher (R-25), would describe "readily accessible" for purpose of prohibition on possessing a readily accessible, concealed handgun within a vehicle, when that vehicle is a snowmobile, motorcycle or all-terrain vehicle.



HB 2787, sponsored by state Representatives Jeff Barker (D-28) and Kim Thatcher, would prohibit a public body from releasing information that identifies the holder of or applicant for a concealed handgun license.



HB 2792, also sponsored by state Representative Kim Thatcher, would provide nonresidents who are authorized to carry concealed a handgun in another state with the same protections provided to persons with an Oregon Concealed Handgun License.



Please contact members of the House Judiciary Committee and urge them to support HB 2797, HB 2787, and HB 2792. Contact information for the House Judiciary Committee can be found here.

[Nora Cook]

Mike,

Thank you for posting the info on the bills.....

[mike martell]

yesterday in salem conference room c our state representatives listened to testimony in favor and opposition of three new house bills.....well as you would expect the anti's turned our in full force, thanks to all the pro hunting groups who turned out to testify....i think our side did the best job of presenting fact based testimony for the legislature to advance these three house bills forward. we will end up modifying one or all of the house bills in the near future....i look forward to adopting this legislation.

special thanks to three of our finest state representatives.....rep. sprenger and rep. clem and rep. weidner for introducing this legislation on behalf of all oregon sport hunters....but more importantly, on behalf of wildlife management.... the national rifle assoc, the rocky mountain elk foundation, oregon bow hunters assoc, oregon hunters assoc,the oregon cattlemans assoc, ousda, individuals who had taken the time out from our daily schedules to make a difference. please if i missed you i'm sorry....thank you!

we listened to a lot of emotions opposing this legislation.....emotions are the problem in game management....we have science and facts on our side and the very thought of not passing this critical legislation will surely spell disaster for oregons ungulate species in the near future... not to mention over time the cougar will also disappear. i'm confident in this legislation passing....simply put right always prevails and we have common sense representation in salem and i applaud those who are willing to risk their careers for what is right....thanks to all who had taken the time to send in the e-mails to salem....we are being listened too.


mike martell

[Nora Cook]

Thank you Mike for the fast up-date.... Very much appreciated....

[U.R.E.]

And thank you Mike for your clear and factual testimony. I watched and listened VERY close. I agree that we have a chance this time if we plan well and not get emotionally involved ourselves.

We need to watch what we say on the web.......they are watching us close.

[bluedogs]

what is the e mail address to contact them at? can someone post it here thanks

[mike martell]

been getting a lot of e-mails/pm's asking for information about who to contact in salem with the proposed legislation pertaining to the three house bills introduced on monday.
they are h.b. 2337, h.b. 3326, h.b. 3428

safe to say the wording of each is in the infant stages at best and will be under further review. please show your support by contacting your home district representative for your area. and then contact the sponsors of these critical management bills.

i just received a direct e-mail from rep. sprenger's office stating her office had many opposition folks submit input and it does help when the sponsor of the bill receives favorable input. this via rachel kloor.

please remember....when addressing our opposition folks we must respect the position they hold. even though we disagree with them this is how change will come about....we must conduct ourselves in a manner that rises above the emotions....this is democracy in action and will surely be a tough battle....we have fact based science and the best interest of our animals at heart...unlike our opposition folks. if they just thought about what we are doing compared to doing nothing but allow mother nature to sort this out i suspect they would join in a heart beat for this cause....

this legislation is to direct the odfw in the form of a mandate to implement a cougar management pilot program. basically we would replace the federal government in doing the cougar removals at a level that meets management objectives for each game management unit state wide or as determined by odfw based on data compiled from complaints, sightings in close proximity to public places and actual sustained damage caused by cougars..

we....this being all of us are the best management tool available to the department and the selling points are as follows.....without a proper balance of cougar our ungulate species are with out a doubt destined for depletion, this legislation is for the benefit of the cougar as well. simply put once herd levels drop to the point they no longer can sustain the cougar then disease and starvation will surely follow.

with the over population of cougar i have no more porcupines around my area.....our skunk population is also dwindling, some would think of this as a great thing....i like having a proper balance of all animals and these house bills will begin the recovery of many of the big and small game mammals in oregon.

these are management bills and need to be handled as such. we are the best management solution for the job. not to mention when it comes to cost savings. each administrative cougar removal cost about 3 k each. our legislators are placing a lot of faith in the sport hunter and we will not let them down.

thank you....

rep.sherriesprenger@state.or.us

rep.brianclem@state.or.us

rep.jimweidner@state.or.us

[bluedogs]

ok i just got done writtin all them telling them that i support the house bills, i also threw in there that i know there are any who are agiast them and i hope there opions dont get them dw as they are doin the right thing to preserve our wildlife. thanks for all the info ihope everyone writes them

[bluedogs]

Any updates on this ??? Havnt heard anything in a while is there a site I can go to to keep updated about it