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ATTENTION: The Fish and Wildlife Commission has not yet adopted the 2007-08 pilot cougar hunt rule. WDFW will recommend the rule to the Commission in November 2007. The only expected changes are calendar date adjustments. Summary Caution: Emergency regulation changes may occur while seasons described in this pamphlet are in effect and will supersede information contained herein. Area news media will be informed of changes as they occur.
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Cougar
Hunting Seasons and Rules COUGAR
HUNTING SEASON WITH THE AID OF DOGS Kill Quotas: The new cougar season uses a kill quota system, where hunters may hunt and kill cougar until the allotted numbers of cougar have been killed from each hunt zone or March 31, 2008, whichever occurs first. Kill quotas start September 1 and include all cougar killed during seasons with and without the aid of dogs, as well as depredation permits, landowner kill permits, and WDFW kills. Cougar Permit Season: Cougars may be hunted from December 1, 2007 until the female zone quota has been killed, the total zone quota has been killed, or March 31, 2008, whichever occurs first (EXCEPT the season opens January 1, 2008 in GMUs 101 and 204). Pursuit-Only Season: If either the total cougar zone or the female zone quota is reached prior to March 31, 2008, cougar may be pursued with dogs in all or portions of that zone until March 31, 2008. Hunters selected for a kill permit may participate in a pursuit-only season. If a quota is reached, the Department will also issue pursuit-only permits to hunters drawn at random from the unselected pool of applicants. Hunters may not kill cougar during a pursuit-only season. Quota Hotline: All cougar hunters must call the cougar quota hotline within 24 hours prior to each day hunting cougar to determine if the zone quota has been reached and the zone is closed.
Harvest Report: Hunters who harvest a cougar must notify the department within 24 hours of kill (excluding legal state holidays) and provide the hunter’s name, date and Game Management Unit of kill, and sex of animal. The raw pelt of the cougar (with proof of sex naturally attached) must be sealed by an authorized department employee within five days of the notification of kill. Any person who takes a cougar must present the cougar skull in such a manner that teeth and biological samples can be extracted to an authorized department employee at the time of sealing. Please call a regional office to make arrangements to have a cougar checked. License/Tag Required: A valid big game hunting license which includes cougar as a species option is required to hunt cougar. A second cougar transport tag/license may be purchased to take a second cougar. Bag Limit: Two (2) cougar during the 2007-2008 hunting season. However, permit holders may not kill a second cougar in a hunt zone until January 15, 2008. It is illegal to kill or possess spotted cougar kittens or an adult cougar accompanied by spotted kittens. Who May Apply: Anyone who is a Washington resident and owns dogs capable of tracking and baying a cougar. If a quota is not reached in a hunt zone by January 15, then the Department will issue permits to additional hunters (hunters will be drawn at random from the unselected pool of applicants and must be a resident of one of the five counties). Dog Handlers: Up to three dog handlers may accompany a permittee while hunting or pursuing cougar; "accompany" means the dog handler and permit hunter must be in the physical presence of each other at the time dogs are released from a leash or unrestrained or starting a cougar track. Once dogs are in the act of tracking a cougar, the permit hunter and handler may separate, but work together while listening to locate the dog(s). However, the permit hunter and handler must be in the physical presence of each other if the handler is at a treed cougar. Transporting a dog(s) in a motorized vehicle or walking a dog on a leash is not pursuit. Each permit hunter will be issued three dog handler ID cards and vehicle placards, and each dog handler must have these in their possession while participating in a cougar hunt. How to Apply: Permit applications may be purchased at any hunting and fishing license dealership, by calling toll-free 1-866-246-9453, or online at fishhunt.dfw.wa.gov. Permit applications go on sale starting August 6, 2007. The cost of an application for a special hunt permit is $5.48. Once an application is purchased, there are two ways to submit an application for a cougar permit. You may either call the toll-free permit application submission telephone number 1-877-945-3492 or visit the Internet website at fishhunt.dfw.wa.gov. See page 72 in the 2007 Big Game Hunting Seasons and Rules pamphlet for more information on how to apply. Application Deadline: Midnight, September 19, 2007. Notification: Individuals selected will be notified by October 4, 2007 by telephone or mail. Individuals selected for a permit will be required to have a veterinarian sign an affidavit verifying the selected individual owns dogs. Failure to return the signed affidavit to the Department within 15 days of being notified will result in forfeit of the permit. Permits may not be sold or reassigned by the hunter. Contact Information
Disqualifications: A permit will not be issued to any person who has been convicted of unlawful use of dogs under RCW 77.15.245 within the five year period prior to December 1, 2004. Any person issued a permit who is subsequently convicted of any wildlife offense while participating in a pursuit-or-kill or pursuit-only season, or who violates any condition of the permit, will have the permit revoked and will be ineligible to participate in the remainder of the pilot program. Hunter Training: Successful applicants must complete a training program prior to participating in a permit season with the aid of dogs. The training program is comprised of printed materials on cougar sex identification, species identification (i.e., lynx, bobcat, black bear, and grizzly bear), and hunt season rules. Individuals selected for a cougar permit must sign and return an affidavit indicating they read the materials. Hunter logbook: Hunters are required to maintain a daily data logbook for each day they hunt cougar and the logbook must be in their possession while hunting cougar. Permit hunters must mail the logbook to WDFW-Cougar hunt, 600 Capitol Way North, Olympia, WA 98501-1091 by April 10, 2008. Permit Only Seasons
COUGAR HUNTING SEASON WITHOUT THE AID OF DOGS Attention Hunters: General cougar season in Chelan, Okanogan, Ferry, Stevens, and Pend Oreille counties has changed.
License/Tag Required Bag Limit
Hunting Method COMMONLY ASKED QUESTIONS
For more information, please contact:
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