VOTE: YES – Died In Committee
Status (overview) of bill: https://olis.leg.state.or.us/liz/2019R1/Measures/Overview/SB340
This bill allows cougar hunting with dogs with sportspac license during an annual 30-day statewide season.
Personal Choice and Responsibility
Purchaser of a sportspac license may use dogs to hunt cougars only if the purchaser obtains a special tag. The department may not charge the purchaser of a sportspac license an additional fee for the special tag.
Fiscal Responsibility
Includes cougar as a tag in sportspac license at no additional charge, but it will net Oregon money that it spends to control cougars and pay out loses to livestock.
Limited Government
Since 1994 when voters passed a measure prohibiting use of dogs to hunt black bears and cougars, the state has struggled to contain the population of cougars and bears. An area of concern for livestock ranchers, wildlife professionals and public safety. there are more than 6,600 cougars in Oregon. The numbers are high enough that the apex predators pose a serious risk to livestock, as well as other wildlife populations. Allowing the use of dogs to hunt would help control the population and geographical spread of cougars through selective harvest and conditioning the animal’s to view humans as a possible threat and not prey.
What’s the buzz?