Legislation watch
2008 House Bill 2438: Making permanent a pilot project that allows for the use of dogs to hunt cougars
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- Introduced by Rep. Joel Kretz, (R-Wauconda) (R) on January 14, 2008, this bill would make permanent the hunting of cougars with dogs.
- Referred to the House Agriculture & Natural Resources Committee on January 14, 2008.
- Substitute offered in the House on February 4, 2008, to specify that all new cougar hunting seasons intended to address cougar populations must be designed consistent with the game management plans developed by the WDFW, and allows the WDFW to consider scientific information from sources other than the Washington State University when establishing cougar seasons.
- The substitute passed by voice vote in the House on February 19, 2008.
- Referred to the House Rules Committee on February 5, 2008.
- Amendment offered by Rep. Brian Blake (D) on February 19, 2008, extending the cougar hunting pilot program an additional three years, instead of making the program permanent. The amendment passed by voice vote in the House on February 19, 2008.
- Referred to the House Agriculture & Natural Resources Committee on January 14, 2008.
- Passed 66 to 29 in the House on February 19, 2008.
Who Voted "Yes" and Who Voted "No" - Received in the Senate on February 21, 2008.
- Referred to the Senate Natural Resources, Ocean and Recreation Committee on February 21, 2008.
- Referred to the Senate Rules Committee on February 29, 2008.
- Amendment offered by Sen. Darlene Fairley, (D-Lake Forest Park) (D) on March 4, 2008, to establish that this pilot program does not affect the lawful trapping or killing of wildlife in emergency situations. The amendment failed by voice vote in the Senate on March 4, 2008.
- Amendment offered by Sen. Rodney Tom (D) on March 4, 2008, requiring that any hunting of cougars with the aid of dogs must be done in response to documented depredation, public safety, or property protection complaints that have been verified as cougar related by the Department of Fish and Wildlife. The amendment failed by voice vote in the Senate on March 4, 2008.
- Amendment offered by Sen. Rodney Tom (D) on March 4, 2008, to require the Department of Fish and Wildlife to submit a peer-reviewed report showing a reduction in human-cougar interactions as a direct result of hunting cougars with the aid of dogs and that the Commission approve the report before the Department can authorize any additional hunting seasons. The amendment failed by voice vote in the Senate on March 4, 2008.
- Passed 31 to 18 in the Senate on March 4, 2008.
Who Voted "Yes" and Who Voted "No" - Signed by Gov. Christine Gregoire on March 13, 2008.
Comments
1) Re: Cougar vs Humans by 5salive on February 10, 2009No what needs to happen is the return of homesteading to spread out and have an easier life then you don't need to worry about the economy anymore than Dannel Boone did. I used to live in an area that had cougars and bear etc. I just lived fine with them and had little kids as well. A good dog or dogs will keep them away, you don't need to kill them to control them.
If the human entity would STOP taking up all the wildlife land and TOTALLY encoaching into the habitats of all the animals we wouldn't need to hunt them. The loss of deer/elk wildlife is not due to the cougars, it is due to loss of habitat, disease, and overhunting! Check out the sciences on this before blaming the cougars for what the humans have done. The Big Developers in this state are the promoters of loss of habitat, and overcrowding of our neighborhoods, roads, and Wilderness areas!
I believe we have an emotional issue that should not be voted on that way.We need to look at science for a change.We have extremists on both sidesthat are unwilling to consider science and biology as a tool.Consider the fact that humans and lions can and need to survive on this planet together.How do we do that? We rely on profesionals that have collected data from numerous field studies,some are ongoing,that can give us an insight into how we humans and lions can all live and thrive on this planet.For sure,as our human populations grow wildlife habitat will steadily decline,but as of 2008,decisions must be made on current realities. Ya a few lions need to be harvested each year,both east and west sides,the question is, do we use this system to do it? I SAY YES.The WDFW needs to continue to gather data so that we dont overharvest.please read a new report by Liza Gross.very insightful.ploS-NO PLACE FOR PREDATORS.
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