Advertising

The Seattle Times Company

NWjobs | NWautos | NWhomes | NWsource | Free Classifieds | seattletimes.com

Local News


Our network sites seattletimes.com | Advanced

Originally published September 10, 2007 at 12:00 AM | Page modified September 10, 2007 at 2:07 AM

Print

Cougar encounters rise and fall as rules for hunting change

Much about cougars remains a mystery. They are scarce, extremely elusive and far-ranging animals, with adult males typically staking out...

Seattle Times Olympia bureau

Much about cougars remains a mystery. They are scarce, extremely elusive and far-ranging animals, with adult males typically staking out more than 150 square miles of territory.

Cougar population estimates for Washington range from 2,400 to more than 3,000. Roughly half of the state is potential cougar habitat, though thousands of acres of habitat are lost or modified each year.

In 1996, Washington residents overwhelmingly approved Initiative 655, which outlawed hunting cougars and bears with hounds.

The number of confirmed cougar encounters statewide, averaging about 250 a year before the ban, soared to more than 900 by 1998. More recently they have dropped off but still average about 350 a year.

Amid the rising reports of cougar problems — and two nonfatal attacks on children in northeastern Washington in the late '90s — political pressure mounted in Olympia.

Since then, state wildlife managers have dramatically expanded cougar-hunting seasons, and in 2003 the Legislature approved a pilot project to once again allow hound-hunting for cougars in northeastern Washington.

The number of cougars shot annually is actually higher now than before I-655.

Copyright © 2007 The Seattle Times Company

More Local News headlines...

Print      Share:    Digg     Newsvine

advertising

UPDATE - 09:46 AM
Exxon Mobil wins ruling in Alaska oil spill case

NEW - 7:51 AM
Longview man says he was tortured with hot knife

Longview man says he was tortured with hot knife

Longview mill spills bleach into Columbia River

NEW - 8:00 AM
More extensive TSA searches in Sea-Tac Airport rattle some travelers

Advertising

Video

Marketplace

 
Most read
Most commented
Most e-mailed
 
 

Most viewed imagesMore

Advertising