Nebraska Begins Hunting Cougars

[Still Waters]

How much does it cost to be the first person to hunt a mountain lion in Nebraska? $13,500.

The state's Game and Parks Commission unanimously approved a cougar-hunting season earlier in July, and the last of 102 permits were claimed on October 16. Beginning on January 1, hunters will pursue the state's 22 big cats, to the celebration of Nebraska farmers and the dismay of wildlife conservationists.

http://www.outsideon...ng-Cougars.html

[travelnjones]

They should just move them here, mountain lions are cool. and if they got a jogger or two that is a win in my book.

Edited October 31, 2013 by travelnjones

[Novella]

While I don't like the idea of hunting for sport, I understand the necessity of keeping a population from being ridiculously too many.

However, this is infuriating to me and bears great similarity to the wolves of America.

I live in Maryland and rumors have flown in my area ever since I can remember about cougars living in our forests.

Yet still, these creatures are totally elusive and no one has proved it yet. (With many personal encounters, but there's never any real evidence.)

I digress...if the population of the big cats isn't many, I don't really see the point to hunting them.

Once again, humans suck.

Once the entire species is extinct, I only hope that these under-evolved humans feel satisfied with the innocent animals' rotting corpses on their walls.

What an abomination.

[Gatofeo]

Hunting laws are designed to control a species' population, not endanger it.

Comparisons to the Passenger Pigeon and Bison are apples vs. oranges. Those depredations were done before game laws were instituted. In fact, they were instituted because of their slaughter.

Game departments are not funded by their states, in most instances. They are dependent upon fishing and hunting licenses, fines, game permits and other game-related taxes.

Since the 1930s, there has been a federal tax on ammunition sold in America. The money goes to game departments. I'm uncertain, but I believe that a portion of firearms sales also finds its way to game departments.

Those who detest modern hunting are getting a free ride on the backs of the very hunters they abhor. None of their money supports programs that benefit wild animals.

And incidentally, game programs also benefit non-game species by the score.

As an Idaho reporter years ago, I did a report on hunters who came together to plant natural flora around a number of ponds, so wild animals could use it for food and shelter.

I didn't see a single non-hunter there, though the event was heavily advertised around the region. It was nothing but hunters who stood in the cold rain, dug along muddy banks, and planted trees, shrubs and green plants.

As for cougars, wolves and bears they are predators who can be dangerous to humans on occasions. Cougars are sharks with fur, not some cute, fuzzy creature on a poster.

If the game department can raise significant funds for other programs, and to patrol areas to catch poachers, by allowing a special hunt that doesn't adversely affect a species -- bully for it!

I've lived and spent a lot of time in the outdoors of Washington state, Idaho, Montana and Utah. I have yet to see a cougar in the wild, in decades, but I've seen plenty of tracks. Cougars and bobcats are notoriously secretive, expert at hiding from view. If you don't see any, that doesn't mean they're not there.

As for wolves and bears. Both will attack and kill humans if they feel threatened (the threat doesn't have to be real, by the way, only perceived as such by the animal), or are hungry.

They didn't gain their reputation for ferocity on looks alone. They're wild animals, not poodles or Whinny who happen to live in the wild.

I doubt there are many cougars in Maryland. But out West, they are prolific. I'm sure that Nebraska can afford to allow a few cougars to be killed, without affecting its population, to raise money that can be used for the benefit of all species.

Your insensitivity to humans killed by cougars is abominable. How insensitive would you be if it were a family member of friend?

Better yet, how about we feed the retarded, blind, handicapped and elderly to bears and the big cats?

Would you support that?

As I recall, the world had a war about 70 years ago against such an attitude that some humans were expendable.

[redhen]

From the article; "Today, less than two dozen cougars comprise the state's breeding population, and many say that's not enough to justify a hunting season."

Am I missing something? Did I read that wrong? Less than 24 cougars in Nebraska, and the state issued 102 permits? That sounds like plan for extinction to me?

"The decision wasn't a surprise," wrote Pete Letherby in an op-ed for High Country News. "The nine commissioners were appointed by a like-minded governor who leans over backward to please the state's agriculture interest, which demands that any potential threat to their livestock and corn—however minuscule or exaggerated—must be eliminated."

Yeah, that sounds about right.

"Whenever people say "We mustn't be sentimental", you can take it they are about to do something cruel. And if they add, "We must be realistic", they mean they are going to make money out of it."

- Brigid Brophy

[Papagiorgio]

From the article; "Today, less than two dozen cougars comprise the state's breeding population, and many say that's not enough to justify a hunting season."

Am I missing something? Did I read that wrong? Less than 24 cougars in Nebraska, and the state issued 102 permits? That sounds like plan for extinction to me?

"The decision wasn't a surprise," wrote Pete Letherby in an op-ed for High Country News. "The nine commissioners were appointed by a like-minded governor who leans over backward to please the state's agriculture interest, which demands that any potential threat to their livestock and corn—however minuscule or exaggerated—must be eliminated."

Yeah, that sounds about right.

"Whenever people say "We mustn't be sentimental", you can take it they are about to do something cruel. And if they add, "We must be realistic", they mean they are going to make money out of it."

- Brigid Brophy

I thought I had read it wrong at first, but... "Beginning on January 1, hunters will pursue the state's 22 big cats".

There's only 22 cougars in the state. How big of a nuisance could they be?

I guess the state making 1.3 million dollars is more important.

[travelnjones]

I am pro gun but no interest in hunting. I don't want to kill anything, well except canadian geese. Those b******* are everywhere and they make a mess. We should have a hunt and a big homeless goose feed. You can say meat is murder but in this case its revenge!

[supervike]

They are being hunted because they will kill livestock, horses, pets, and possibly people.

Yeah, it's bad, but this isn't a species that was destined to live side by side with man.

[Bavarian Raven]

They are being hunted because they will kill livestock, horses, pets, and possibly people.

Coming from an area with a high cougar population... they cause little harm/damage despite their numbers. 22 big cats cannot be doing that much harm to the farm animal population...

[WhispersInTheAttic]

Never liked hunting to begin with: I think it's a shame for anyone to be doing it. But I knew the day would come when people starting killing other creatures out there. Know there's nothing I can do about it but I think it's a shame that people have to kill animals for a sport. This is just how I feel though personally cause I love all creatures, even the ones that scare me. I've never been found of hunting in general.

[redhen]

. Know there's nothing I can do about it but I think it's a shame that people have to kill animals for a sport.

Costa Rica passed a law in their congress (a unanimous vote!) last year banning sport hunting. It was the result of a public initiative, with 177,000 signatures calling for the ban.

“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed, citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.” -- Margaret Mead

[supervike]

Coming from an area with a high cougar population... they cause little harm/damage despite their numbers. 22 big cats cannot be doing that much harm to the farm animal population...

How do you determine 'not that much harm'?

If it's the family dog, or the prized horse?

A cougar was shot and killed in my state (which is right next door to Nebraska). It is not illegal to do so here. (no license needed)

There have been claims that the DNR has brought them in as a way to control the deer populations.

I cannot say I'm a huge hunting advocate, but I'm also not anti-hunting by any means either. It seems to me that having cougars/mountain lions in a farm state is vastly different from them being in some of the more wide open and wild areas, like Colorado or Montana.

Edited November 6, 2013 by supervike

[Mentalcase]

22 in that particular part of the state. The article is faulty.

[Piney]

Western Nebraska, at least in the Sandhills (which should be protected) has now been divided up into "hobby ranches" now owned by "suburban refugees" with their Cowboy Outfitter Wranglers and Italian made Colt copies bought from Dick's. They are probably most of the clowns who bought the permits.

A critter problem can be easily solved with a bonded pair of Great Pyrenees. Nothing goes near my stock and the coyotes even stopped skulking my cats after I moved in Sean and Ebilin. I watched Ebby run a coyote over then swing around and bite it's head in half. But everything else around just smells those two and stays away.

A big problem now in the country is these people who move from the suburbs latch on to this "redneck" culture and try to act like a bunch of country bumpkins not realizing that we real country people as a rule don't act that way.

I agree with redhen. and my advice is watch your stock better, put your cats and dogs in at night and remember a cougar won't go after a person unless people p***ed it off first.