ODFW Considering New Rules For Cougar, Bear Hunting

ENVIRONMENT 

By Pete Springer

Portland, OR  February 8, 2008 4:40 p.m.

The Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife is expected to approve new rules that will change who can hunt cougars and bears with dogs in Oregon. Pete Springer reports.

The 2007 Legislature authorized Fish and Wildlife to hire contractors or use volunteers to hunt bears and cougars on the Department’s behalf.

The bill has been controversial because Oregon voters approved a ban in 1994 on using dogs for sport hunting of bears and cougars.

However, that initiative did allow exceptions for the use of dogs by wildlife agents, though it did not make clear who could designate those agents.

Brian Vincent, with the wildlife protection organization Big Wildlife, objects to the new rules, and says there are non-lethal alternatives to deal with predators.

Vincent points to ranchers in southern Oregon who now put their livestock into barns at night instead of leaving the animals out when predators are most active.

Brian Vincent: “Other farmers and ranchers have used guard dogs or guard llamas as a matter of fact.  And those tend to keep predators away.”

Big Wildlife has a pending federal lawsuit challenging the new rules.

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