"No American beast has been the subject of so much loose writing or of such wild fables as the cougar."

This observation was made by a leading American out-doors-man and conservationist in the late 1800's, none other than our 26th President, Teddy Roosevelt.

HB 2337, HB 3326, HB 3428 TO KILL COUGAR WITH HOUND DOGS ARE IRRESPONSIBLE PLANS THAT STEAL FROM THE VOTERS WILL, HARM OUR ECOSYSTEMS AND SUPPORT BLACK MARKET POACHING OF WILDLIFE PARTS AND COUGAR CUBS!

HB 2337, HB 3326, HB 3428 is not about public safety and livestock safety. From 2005 to 2010 we had a public safety program with a mandatory kill of 3000 cougar a year on top of the changes ODFW made after M18, a Bill passed by Oregonians who TWICE voted to ban hunting cougar with hounds.  ODFW has never held to the letter of the law regarding Measure 18 and instead started the public safety kill program and extended hunting seasons with reduced tags which enable folks to kill more cougar without dogs than before Measure 18 with dogs.   Last Legislative session we passed Bill 2971 that allows hound-hunting of cougar.  If you can pass the criminal background check, have no animal abuse issues and have not violated any ODFW hunting rules, you can hunt cougars with dogs.  If you cannot pass the requirements and if you hunt cougar with hounds you have committed a Measure 11 violation, which here in Oregon can put you in jail for awhile.  Not enough hunters were willing or could pass these requirements, so now hunters want to remove all responsible restraints and overturn Measure 18 to kill cougar with hounds. 

Poaching is out of control in Oregon.  Poaching deer or elk or cougar exceeds the legal kills of each species.  There are not enough law enforcement to curb poaching.  The only tool we have to help our law enforcement are the M11 constraints and the requirements of HB 2971.  The NRA supports HB 2337 as a Sports Hunting Bill that rolls back the Measure 11 criminal charges and the restraints HB 2971 offer.  HB 2337, HB 3326, HB 3428 are irresponsible Bills that supports prolific poaching issues, animal abuse and ODFW violations that cost Oregonians millions of dollars and administrative costs and contributes to the $100,000,000 annual Black Market poaching issues in California.  ODFW has no sustainable cougar plan.  Only Bills to kill them. 

In 1994 ODFW picked an arbitrary number to start their computer cougar population model.  The arbitrary number was not supported by any scientific facts confirming this was a sustainable population for Oregon's cougar, or even a correct population count to begin with.  It was a political decision, not a decision based on sound science.   This arbitrary number model system has caught the attention of famous biologists such as Dr. Jane Goodall and prestigious communities such as the Smithsonian who have written about ODFW's flawed cougar management plan as being a very bad plan.  California has only 4000 to 5000 cougar and according to their Fish and Wildlife officials their cougar population is declining in-spite of decades of a no hunting policy and a mandatory open space program for wildlife.  Washington State uses much the same plan that ODFW is using, minus the 3000 mandatory public safety kill program that did not work and expired in 2010.  Their cougar population has plummeted like a rock.  Oregon's cougar population has also declined as evident in the need or longer hunting seasons to meet the quota ODFW has promised hunters.  But Oregon's cougar numbers are so low that the actual cougar population count is inconsistent with ODFW's arbitrary computer population count. If ODFW is completely comfortable with their plan, why are they unwilling to have an outside unbiased peer review conducted?  It took approximately 34 years (1960 to 1994) for cougar to rebound from a population of 200 to 3000.  It is not possible for a cougar population to triple or even double in a lesser amount of time (1994 to the present) while under siege from a more aggressive hunting program(s) with less open space than their social structure requires. We don't have 6000 cougar.   Yet ODFW continues to claim their arbitrary computer numbers are correct.  However they are killing more cougar than before Measure 18.  in addition, more cougar are poached than legally killed.  We are paying ODFW valuable tax dollars for a conducting a seriously flawed program and this is not right.  We could use this money for schools rather than poor wildlife management!  Washington's cougar killing program, which ODFW has copied, has caused their cougar population to drop dangerously.  They may have only 1600 left.  California has only 4000 to 5000 cougar and according to their Fish and Wildlife department, their cougar numbers are declining. For decades California has banned cougar killing.  California has more open spaced dedicated to wildlife yet fewer cougar than Oregon, which has for the last 17 years been killing their cougar for Sports or poaching in record numbers.  Oregon does not have 6000 cougar and ODFW cannot with any reliable science support those numbers.  That is why they cannot hit their target mark.  We don't have the cougar population to support it. 

ODFW did not even know that record numbers of mule deer were being poached until they found out by accident while doing another study on them.  ODFW does not know how many cougar we have either.  How can we allow our Government to implement such a ridiculous plan?

It appears that ODFW's (Oregon Department of Fish & Wildlife) real policy is to make Oregon's cougar extinct. 

According to Mountain Lion Foundation:  Oregonians need to ask two questions regarding their cougar:

1.  If killing 6,762 cougars over a 44-year time (1918- 1963) period once almost wiped out the cougar population in Oregon, why does ODFW believe  that killing 7,468 cougars over the past  43-years (1963 -1948) of regulated cougar hunt hasn't produced similar results?

2.   Washington has the same cougar hunting restrictions, as well as analogous cougar hunting policies, without the additional administrative removal plan. Washington's policies and actions have resulted in a significant reduction in their cougar population.  Why does ODFW believe that similar results are not taking place in Oregon?

Oregon needs an outside unbiased peer review of their cougar population and the policies that impact them.  We need to be assured that our votes for M18 are being honored before this irreplaceable resource, the cougar, disappears.  Don't support politicians who support trickery, poor management policy and animal abuse to over turn M18 and kill cougar with hounds!

HERE ARE ALL THE EMAIL ADDRESSES TO OUR STATE SENATORS AND REPRESENTATIVES.  PLEASE, EMAIL THEM NOW AND TELL THEM TO VOTE NO! ON ALL THE ABOVE BILLS!  LET THEM KNOW THE WORLD IS WATCHING!!  Thank you!!

Kindest regards,

Jayne Miller, Director OreCat.org 

rep.chrisgarrett@state.or.us, ruthanne.lidman@state.or.us, rep.gregmatthews@state.or.us, rep.bencannon@state.or.us, andrea.hand@state.or.us, rep.katieeyrebrewer@state.or.us, jenn.baker@state.or.us, sen.RichardDevlin@state.or.us, laura.jannsen@state.or.us, rep.shawnlindsay@state.or.us, rep.chrisharker@state.or.us, rep.jimweidner@state.or.us, rep.vickiberger@state.or.us, rep.timfreeman@state.or.us, rep.brianclem@state.or.us, rep.vicgilliam@state.or.us, rep.patricksheehan@state.or.us, sen.davidnelson@state.or.us, jordan.conger@state.or.us, rep.cliffbentz@state.or.us, rep.mattwingard@state.or.us, rep.andyolson@state.or.us, rep.kimthatcher@state.or.us, rep.nancynathanson@state.or.us, sen.alanbates@state.or.us, debbie.a.miller@state.or.us, rep.paulholvey@state.or.us, rep.julesbailey@state.or.us, erik.kancler@state.or.us, rep.tinakotek@state.or.us, rep.saragelser@state.or.us, patrick.sieng@state.or.us, repgar@aol.com, rep.bettykomp@state.or.us, rep.valhoyle@state.or.us, rep.tobiasread@state.or.us, Rep.DennisRichardson@state.or.us, rep.jasonconger@state.or.us, rep.bradwitt@state.or.us, rep.deborahboone@state.or.us, rep.davehunt@state.or.us, rep.lewfrederick@state.or.us, rep.margaretdoherty@state.or.us, rep.peterbuckley@state.or.us, rep.johnhuffman@state.or.us, rep.mattwand@state.or.us, sen.markhass@state.or.us, rep.wallyhicks@state.or.us, rep.jeffbarker@state.or.us, rep.markjohnson@state.or.us, rep.michaeldembrow@state.or.us, rep.jeffersonsmith@state.or.us, alex.tinker@state.or.us, sen.ginnyburdick@state.or.us, rep.mitchgreenlick@state.or.us, betsy@betsyjohnson.com, sen.betsyjohnson@state.or.us, rep.marynolan@state.or.us, rep.waynekrieger@state.or.us, rep.philbarnhart@state.or.us. rep.mikemclane@state.or.us, rep.jimthompson@state.or.us, rep.kevincameron@state.or.us, rep.salesquivel@state.or.us, rep.brucehanna@state.or.us, rep.billkennemer@state.or.us, rep.bobjenson@state.or.us, rep.mikemclane@state.or.us, rep.julieparrish@state.or.us, rep.gregsmith@state.or.us, rep.sherriesprenger@state.or.us, rep.jimthompson@state.or.us, rep.genewhisnant@state.or.us, rep.terrybeyer@state.or.us, rep.mitchgreenlick@state.or.us, rep.arnieroblan@state.or.us, rep.mikeschaufler@state.or.us, mikeschaufler@comcast.net, rep.carolyntomei@state.or.us, sen.jasonatkinson@state.or.us, sen.leebeyer@state.or.us, sen.suzannebonamici@state.or.us, sen.brianboquist@state.or.us, sen.ginnyburdick@state.or.us, sen.petercourtney@state.or.us, sen.richarddevlin@state.or.us, sen.jackiedingfelder@state.or.us, sen.chrisedwards@state.or.us, sen.tedferrioli@state.or.us, sen.larrygeorge@state.or.us, sen.fredgirod@state.or.us, sen.markhass@state.or.us, sen.betsyjohnson@state.or.us, sen.jeffkruse@state.or.us, sen.lauriemonnesanderson@state.or.us, sen.rodmonroe@state.or.us, sen.frankmorse@state.or.us, sen.davidnelson@state.or.us, sen.alanolsen@state.or.us, sen.floydprozanski@state.or.us, sen.dianerosenbaum@state.or.us, sen.chipshields@state.or.us, sen.brucestarr@state.or.us, sen.christelfer@state.or.us, sen.chuckthomsen@state.or.us, sen.joanneverger@state.or.us, sen.dougwhitsett@state.or.us, sen.jackiewinters@state.or.us