BigGameHoundsmen.com

This season's numbers aren't ready yet but i was able to get last season's take county by county for anyone interested:Douglas county had the largest harvest with 40 hunters taking 149 bobcat followed by Lane county where 24 hunters took124 cat .The other western county's were as follows :Coos-13 hunters took 74 cat -Linn-28 hunters took 45 cat-Lincoln -10 hunters took 44 -Jackson-22 hunters took 37 -Curry-5 hunters took 23-Tillamook-13 took 23-Clackamas-11 took 15-Benton-7 took 13-Polk-7 took 8-Marion -8 took 8-Clatsop-10 took 8--Washington -5 took 7-Columbia-6 took 7-Yamhill-10 took 6-Josephine -9 took 5 and last is Multnomah county where 1 hunter took 0 cats. Again this is western Oregon and hunters only DOES NOT include the trappers harvest numbers.

These numbers seem higher than 3 years ago. I would be curious if there are more hunters now or if there are more cats to be harvested.

Mic O'Brien

Hunter numbers are down from 3 years ago by 84 hunters but the total harvest was only off by 6 cat.The number taken 3 years ago (hunters only) was 602 cat,last year 596 were killed .Remember ODFW is still working on this years harvest numbers.The one thing i thought was strange was houndsmen took more bobcat than the trappers did(on the west side).

The total hunters are skewed aren't they. If I hunt 5 counties then it will show 4 extra hunters. Last year I hunted 2 counties this year 5.

I don't think that would do it because you have to report each county you catch cat in .What might skew the numbers is the guys who buy a license to trap and hunt cat.I've been trying to find out how many do that but can't get a answer .That might really skew the numbers.

I've talked this over with dad and he feels we need to have more self control and we ALL should know when its time to shut up about what we as individuals do. He remembers when there was no license for bear. Then they went to $1.00 tags but unlimited. Then next thing they knew they were $10 and had a limit. And now today it's forbidden.

Mic O'Brien

Oregon hunters I have been monitoring these cat numbers posts as a lurking spectator and notice that there are a lot of mixed opinions on the subject. I truly believe with all the mixed opinions these topics should be moved off the main forum for the entire world to view to a more private section like the Members Only section. Maybe even the Cage so it could be discussed even more openly. HSUS and other likeminded groups actually pay internet trolls for useable propaganda to help aid in their battles.

I’m not an Oregon resident but know what it feels like to have my bobcat hunting season stripped from me because of Special Interest Groups and other citizens that didn’t approve of the hound hunting lifestyle. Why not play it safe and move any thread that has to do with wildlife management harvest data or opinions of wildlife management & numbers to a less viewable section of the site.

Very well said Charlie.

Guys,This is all public information,nothing really controversial here but i'm with you,publicly anyway.If you want to discuss anything further PM me or give me a call at 541-315-1937--Robin

CRA wrote:Oregon hunters I have been monitoring these cat numbers posts as a lurking spectator and notice that there are a lot of mixed opinions on the subject. I truly believe with all the mixed opinions these topics should be moved off the main forum for the entire world to view to a more private section like the Members Only section. Maybe even the Cage so it could be discussed even more openly. HSUS and other likeminded groups actually pay internet trolls for useable propaganda to help aid in their battles.

I’m not an Oregon resident but know what it feels like to have my bobcat hunting season stripped from me because of Special Interest Groups and other citizens that didn’t approve of the hound hunting lifestyle. Why not play it safe and move any thread that has to do with wildlife management harvest data or opinions of wildlife management & numbers to a less viewable section of the site.

Charlie, sure a lot of facts to what you say, however these numbers are obtainable by anyone who wants to make the effort. Going to a members only section in my opinion would not prevent Specials Interest Groups from getting the information discussed there. The cage would be a little harder to obtain the information, but sure they can get that information as well. I do feel as hounds men we would benefit by supporting a recommendation to the folks who set the fur bearing regulations to limit the number of bobcats each licensed person can harvest legally in western Oregon. I fail to see what rights as a group we are losing. I would hope we are sending a positive message that we are sincere about assuring the future generations have bobcat to enjoy pursuing, if they so chose. I do not expect the majority of the state association will support this & life will continue on if they don/t. I have no problem with nonresident licensed hunters, but it would be unrealistic to believe the loss of hunting rights by our neighbor states will not put added pressure on the bobcats in western Oregon & make it difficult to get accurate kill records. Al

I am hesitant to write anything because I don't want to offend anyone. Those numbers are very interesting. I would be real currious to see the trapping numbers for the same areas. My bitching and complaining comes from frustration. I hear of these huge numbers of cats bein trapped and hunted in the same areas where your numbers are showing little harvest numbers for hunting. I have been trying to mentor new hunters the same way I had drilled into my head about (saving seed). There are some good young guys who are the future of this sport and whom are letting almost all cats go. Like I said in earlier post 1 out of 20 and one guy only caught 5 and took one. It's real hard for me to sit here and preach conservation and hear how some don't care. They bought a license from state. And so on. That's fine. U did. But if everybody took all they wanted. The little places we have left to hunt would take a while to recooperate. I don't think the cat population is hurting but I do believe with everyone pushed into tight quarters the areas still accessible are getting hunted out. I myself had a great year. Started slow cause the local cats got whacked early but when breeding time came I had no trouble. I had to hunt large roadless areas but I don't mind. Hope I didn't offend anyone. I sometimes have a hard time computing what my little brain has to say.

Jake, I think you are starting to realize that you can't believe everything you hear. Just like the counties I hunt , the numbers don't add up. I know what I take. But what some take do not add up to the harvest records. I personally had a rougher season this year but I don't blame it on cat numbers being down. It had to do with issues me and the dogs were working out.

By the end of season, I think we figured each other out and found some good pockets of cats.

Well ok, after reading this post I can't keep my mouth shut any longer. I was asked what makes me mad. Jake and others being afraid to voice there opinion is what makes me mad. They are calling for conservation and sportsmanship. Dewey Walton comes on and says I make 28,000 a year killing bobcats. What part of this are we supposed to take to the cage? By the way I'll respond to no one in the cage! How about a commercial bobcat killers license? Out of state hunters welcome, sportsmen only. One bobcat per year, open pursuit. My feeling is if we end up losing bobcat hunting it won't be because of sport hunters. If this offends you then I made my point. Ol' Curt Give me a call some time (541) 258-5468 (541)570-2863

any one know last years numbers over east?

I highly suggest anyone who has complaints with the system to come to the OUSDA convention next month. You will have all the time in the world to talk and have your opinion heard. Don't bring this up on a public forum at all. Last year this topic was brought up at the convention and I heard only a few people voicing opinions of this. If you cannot go there, make a written statement and send it with someone who is going.