Great news for those who value wildness, ecological diversity, and sound science (rather than hysterical fearmongering).
We just got an email from Predator Defense saying that HB 4119, the bill to repeal the twice-passed citizen initiative which bans cougar hunting with dogs, is dead in the 2012 Oregon legislative session.
GREAT NEWS!
GOVERNOR KITZHABER HAS INFORMED REP. SPRENGER, THE SPONSOR OF THE BILL HB 4119 TO REPEAL MEASURE 18 AND BRING HOUND HUNTING OF COUGARS BACK, THAT HE HAS NO INTENTION OF SIGNING IT!
PLEASE CONTACT THE GOVERNOR AND THANK HIM FOR STEPPING UP TO THE PLATE FOR OREGON VOTERS AND COUGARS.
http://governor.oregon.gov/Gov/contact.shtml 503-378-4582
This and you are ridiculous. I live in rural Oregon and the evidence we see of a huge cougar population is everywhere.. They leave scratches on many of the landings in the woods. The number of all wildlife is greatly reduced, as evidenced by the reduced number of road kills compared to twenty years age. They are often being seen in or near towns. Several years ago one was hunted down after a school bus driver spotted one on an embankment above a group of school kids. A friend of mine shot one on a landing that was stalking his puppy right in front of him. The cats have lost their fear of us and somebody is going to get hurt. How would Portlanders like it if trapped cougars were released downtown? Multnomah County imposed this on us and it's gone too far.
Posted by: MIchael Plotycia | August 19, 2012 at 07:17 AM