BigGameHoundsmen.com

This was just sent to our elected officials in Salem Oregon, Sadly most hound hunters think nothing of the latest trend. First California, Oregon, Washington and now Montana wants to classify a cougar as a predator. The spin from our Game Department is simple, Boot hunting is still allowed..... My letter to Salem below,
Greetings,
I'm at a loss over legislation being passed that favors Government sponsored hunting over sport hunting in Oregon.

2007 brought H.B. 2971 for approval and passed by both house and senate members, from there this legislation was signed into law by the Governor. Remember this bill? ODFW was authorized to use sport hunter assistance to remove over populated cougar. ODFW rejected this new law and decided to hire USDA Government hounds instead. The removal of 101 cougar cost over 310 thousand dollars sparking a huge debate. This in turn prompted Representatives Clem, Weidner, Sprenger to sponsor what ended up being H.B. 2237. Needing a two thirds majority to pass in the house and senate, This legislation would have given ODFW the authority to implement a cougar management pilot program and was passed in the legislature and never sent for a vote on the senate floor.Privately owned hounds were strongly rejected as a management tool. What did ODFW do? Hired USDA Government hounds to kill cougar for the commission. Mandates show USDA being required to kill all cougar treed over government hounds to include females and kittens. This practice was prohibited by sport hunters for ethical reasons. Being now Called predators, enables ODFW to dump cougar like trash.

Now ODFW in need of funding to provide to USDA, Select politicians sponsored H.B. 3636. The context of this bill is to ask sport hunters to fund USDA with the removal of predators. Passed by one hundred percent of both house and senate and signed by Governor Kitzhaber who rejects sport hounds for both bear and cougar but supports mandated killing by government officials. Conveniently our big game mammals are now being called predators. also condemned by passage of measure 18 was black bear hunting with hounds. Based on the inhumane treatment to animals was the 1994 claim. What does ODFW-USDA use as a replacement management tool? Mechanically fired cable snares set over rank bait to attract bear to locations bears are peeling trees on corporately owned lands. Keep in mind the voter rejected the use of bait to attract as well.

Reports from USDA indicate from 2005-2009 USDA agents snared 744 black bears, 346 were males. 172 were females. 226 were under 18 months old and either cubs or juveniles. 42 were called unknown since they were baby cubs that were clinging to the momma sow, shot and dumped for fear of public out cry since they probably weighed under 20 pounds. ODFW refuses to open their books for an audit of funding. My source indicates fifty percent was funded by the land owner and the balance by either tax payer dollars or sport hunter dollars. What happened to the ODFW priority mandate to implement a black bear management plan from way back in early 2000?

Overview, Oregonian voters rejected the use of hounds for bear and cougars by hunters, Provisions are now in place to secure Government hounds to replace privately owned hounds. Hounds have been replaced by snares set over rank baits to attract bears to certain locations, Definitely more inhumane but according to ODFW, Sport hunters can't compete with snares are the more efficient solution to a hound. Sport hunters were prohibited from killing sow bears with cubs for ethical reasons, Snares catch every bear passing through thinking they are getting a hand out. This is going public and will not be tolerated by Oregonians.

Sincerely, Mike Martell
Sweet Home Or.

the problem is world views. the leftist, statists claim that the government is the solution, whereas right minded individuals know that the private citizens will handle the same problem for less money. Here in Montana, we pay hundreds of thousands of dollars every year to the fish, wildlife and parks dept (fwp) to handle our problem bears. If our founding fathers were still in charge, our hound hunters would pay $20 each for a hound hunting permit and another $20 for a bear tag to condition the bears of Montana that anytime they get near humans, those mean @$$ dogs chase em hard, pulling hair until eventually, the bears learn that people mean trouble. So our choice here is to pay the fwp to handle the problem bears, instead of raising revenue by charging hunters to take care of problem bears.

mike,

you are right, we are next. the others states with bear and lion hunting will eventually follow. it is all part of the BIG plan to eliminate all hunting. hunting requires guns, and an armed society is an endangerment to a controlling government.

the term "money talks and bullshit walks", should be remade to "money talks and more money talks louder".

we all need to start acting and quit bellyaching.