WA hound hunting bill passes
Posted: Fri Feb 22, 2008 5:35 pm
from the Wenatchee World
http://wenatcheeworld.com/apps/pbcs.dll ... 99427/1001
Bill on hunting cougars with dogs passes House
By K.C. Mehaffey
World staff writer
Posted February 22, 2008
OLYMPIA -- The state House of Representatives passed a bill Tuesday that would extend by three years a pilot program that allows limited hound hunting for cougars in Chelan, Okanogan and other counties.
STORY TOOLS
House Bill 2438 initially tried to make hunting cougars with dogs permanent in counties where human encounters with the big cats warrant.
The modified bill now extends the state's study of how hound hunting season of a specified number of cougars impacts the number of cougar complaints and encounters with humans.
The extended pilot program would include Chelan, Okanogan, Ferry, Stevens and Pend Oreille counties, which were involved in the first four years of the study. Other counties could be added to to the extended program.
After passing 66-29, the bill now goes to the state Senate for consideration.
Animal advocacy groups say they'll push hard to convince the Senate not to pass the bill.
"These cougars are shot randomly, whether or not they've ever been involved in a conflict," said Lynn Sadler, executive director and CEO of the Mountain Lion Foundation, a national nonprofit group dedicated to the protection of cougars.
Sadler said some experts on mountain lions believe that hunting the big cats with dogs actually increases the likelihood of conflict, because the more human-wary older cats get taken by trophy hunters, while the younger ones, which are more likely to be problem cougars, get left in the gene pool.
Inga Gibson, Washington State director for the Humane Society of the United States, said there's no reason to gather three more years of data, while continuing to kill cougars, which in some areas are experiencing significant population declines.
She said the bill goes directly against the will of voters, who passed Initiative 655 in 1996 to prohibit hound hunting.
She said the law already allows the state to issue permits to hunt down problem cougars, and her group supports other ways to prevent conflicts, including a more aggressive education program on living with mountain lions.
Rep. Joel Kretz, R-Wauconda, said he preferred his original bill, which made hound hunting permanent, but he's hopeful this compromise will pass the Senate.
"I think we've got a decent shot, but the animal rights groups have a lot of money," he said.
Without this bill, Kretz predicts that cougars in his 7th District will become more numerous, and bolder, until the state is again dealing with a huge problem.
"We had cougars at bus stops and following kids to school. Frankly, if this doesn't pass, we're going to lose a kid, and the blood will be on the hands of the legislators who didn't do all they could to protect them," he said.
K.C. Mehaffey: 997-2512
mehaffeywenworld.com
http://wenatcheeworld.com/apps/pbcs.dll ... 99427/1001
Bill on hunting cougars with dogs passes House
By K.C. Mehaffey
World staff writer
Posted February 22, 2008
OLYMPIA -- The state House of Representatives passed a bill Tuesday that would extend by three years a pilot program that allows limited hound hunting for cougars in Chelan, Okanogan and other counties.
STORY TOOLS
House Bill 2438 initially tried to make hunting cougars with dogs permanent in counties where human encounters with the big cats warrant.
The modified bill now extends the state's study of how hound hunting season of a specified number of cougars impacts the number of cougar complaints and encounters with humans.
The extended pilot program would include Chelan, Okanogan, Ferry, Stevens and Pend Oreille counties, which were involved in the first four years of the study. Other counties could be added to to the extended program.
After passing 66-29, the bill now goes to the state Senate for consideration.
Animal advocacy groups say they'll push hard to convince the Senate not to pass the bill.
"These cougars are shot randomly, whether or not they've ever been involved in a conflict," said Lynn Sadler, executive director and CEO of the Mountain Lion Foundation, a national nonprofit group dedicated to the protection of cougars.
Sadler said some experts on mountain lions believe that hunting the big cats with dogs actually increases the likelihood of conflict, because the more human-wary older cats get taken by trophy hunters, while the younger ones, which are more likely to be problem cougars, get left in the gene pool.
Inga Gibson, Washington State director for the Humane Society of the United States, said there's no reason to gather three more years of data, while continuing to kill cougars, which in some areas are experiencing significant population declines.
She said the bill goes directly against the will of voters, who passed Initiative 655 in 1996 to prohibit hound hunting.
She said the law already allows the state to issue permits to hunt down problem cougars, and her group supports other ways to prevent conflicts, including a more aggressive education program on living with mountain lions.
Rep. Joel Kretz, R-Wauconda, said he preferred his original bill, which made hound hunting permanent, but he's hopeful this compromise will pass the Senate.
"I think we've got a decent shot, but the animal rights groups have a lot of money," he said.
Without this bill, Kretz predicts that cougars in his 7th District will become more numerous, and bolder, until the state is again dealing with a huge problem.
"We had cougars at bus stops and following kids to school. Frankly, if this doesn't pass, we're going to lose a kid, and the blood will be on the hands of the legislators who didn't do all they could to protect them," he said.
K.C. Mehaffey: 997-2512
mehaffeywenworld.com
