Cougar Protection?

[KahrHeart]

I'm SURE this has been discussed before.
We have a cougar issue...and a difference in opinions on what is legal or not legal.

If you have livestock, do you have to wait until your stock is attacked before you can legally kill a cougar?
A neighbor has lost two sheep, we lost 2 cats...another neighbor lost goats.

Now another neighbor is seeing it in there yard. They have sheep. Can they legally shoot the bastard even though it hasn't attacked their own sheep yet?

Are we legally supposed to tell ODFW if we shoot it?
(Personally, I'm of the SSS mind.)

Just want to know the legalities and biased Google is only showing me liberal cougar conservation crap.
Thanks!

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[GOG]

I don't know the law, but fish & game should be able to tell you.

Personally, I think the Triple S guideline applies in this circumstance.
I know where I live it's pretty common to hear a shot or ten and nobody seems to much notice.

Just sayin'.

 

[Andy54Hawken]

In situations like these...
Its often best to quietly go about doing what needs to get done.
Andy

 

[CountryGent]

I'm curious about this too, as I know we have them in the hills, though they aren't a real problem here.* I did some Google-age and am not finding a solid answer to the exact question, though there is this: Hunting cougar in Oregon. (Yes, there is always the S³ idea.)

* We do have foxes messing around on our neighbor's land down the hill and on this patch. The regulations are more nuanced than coyotes, which can be dispatched with impunity. The last incident I chased the little bugger off the hill with a Winchester in hand. I didn't light him up because I'm not clear on the rules, he left and showed heart, and by the time I got a good sight picture, the little devil was technically on a neighboring plot I don't own.

 

[ZigZagZeke]

Get a hunting license and a cougar tag. Cougar season is open year round. If you catch them chasing livestock you don't need any of that.

 

[KahrHeart]

I think they're stunning creatures and if they are keeping to themselves, I don't have an issue. But we are currently being overrun by them. Just in the last 2 months there have been many incidents and game cam photos of different cats in our neighborhood.
I wasn't concerned nearly as much until my favorite pet kitties disappeared the same night our neighbor found a young cougar laying outside his bedroom window when he woke up in the morning. Now I'm just pissed.

Why is there nothing but conservation bias on Google? There is literally nothing citing the actual law.

 

[ZigZagZeke]

I think they're stunning creatures and if they are keeping to themselves, I don't have an issue. But we are currently being overrun by them. Just in the last 2 months there have been many incidents and game cam photos of different cats in our neighborhood.
I wasn't concerned nearly as much until my favorite pet kitties disappeared the same night our neighbor found a young cougar laying outside his bedroom window when he woke up in the morning. Now I'm just pissed.

Why is there nothing but conservation bias on Google? There is literally nothing citing the actual law.

Don't use Google. Use DuckDuckGo instead.

 

[Flymph]

Is there an ordinance that prevents you or neighbors from obtaining a hunting license and shooting in the area?
Cougar season is all year, and still open.
ODFW will also come remove the cougars for you if they are killing pets and livestock, which they apparently are. Also if the cougar is close to development, like towns and cities.

Hunting cougar in Oregon | Oregon Department of Fish & Wildlife

Cougar season and hunting information, including information about cougar conflict target areas. Resuming in 2022, successful cougar hunters must appear in-person at an ODFW office to check in their cougar.

myodfw.com

You wouldn't even need to claim self defense if you spent 40 or so on a tag and followed the regs.

 

[LuckySG]

I was chatting with a bow hunter at the local gas station back from a hot day seeking elk and he shared his close call with a cougar. Had his wife not been keenly observant as they were coming out of a draw and paused for water he would have had a challenge. Mr. Whiskers was just six feet from his head with those big kitty teeth and paws, eyes locked on target. She noticed it creeping in and made a lot of noise while drawing her revolver and it spooked off lightning fast. I did not ask if he had clean underwear, and know he was definitely cooking dinner tonight.

 

[2A2Dend]

Cougar Protection = Pre-Nup

On a serious note. Don't ask. Do what needs to be.

 

[tkdguy]

I am pretty sure that shooting any animal in the service of "on the spot protection" of your self or your pets is legal. I have seen several references and cases that shooting an attacking dog that is attacking your pet dog is legal. Same with a dog that is charging you in attack formation.

 

[joken]

Get a tag. The season is open all year unless I am unaware of a change.

 

[2A2Dend]

Shoot it.
Dress it out.
Eat it.
Go on about your affairs.

 

[Howard1955]

Save the meat - it's excellent. Just be sure it's cooked thoroughly (parasites). It smells odd when you're browning it in a skillet, but is delicious in a stew or stir-fry.

You shouldn't have any trouble with the law, since the beasts are eating your pets. But a hunting license and cougar tag will keep you in the clear, even if you have a leftist neighbor who complains about your activity.

I'm guessing you're outside the city limits. If you're inside, you'll probably have to let the fish & wildlife folks deal with the cougars.

We live between Monmouth and Dallas, and there are reports of a big momma cat with four almost-grown cubs. Counting the daddy, that makes 6 of the beasts in our area this year.

Happy hunting!

 

[shybladder]

Unfortunately killing just that one cat ain't gunna do sqwuat about the real overall problem. Until we get to use dogs to track em down again, it's just getting worse and worse. Walked a good 15 miles in blm just outside of spray this weekend for opening day deer. I couldn't keep track of the deer kills I seen. At least a dozen that were within a couple days. And yes, a few that were thrill killed. Whole body's, with a crushed windpipe..

 

[Pete F]

Talking to the Sheriff in Columbia County, OR, he said that you can shoot any animal in protection of your livestock.

We had rabbits that we rescued and fixed - someone had dumped domestic rabbits off in our country neighborhood.. One day two dogs broke into the pen and killed a couple of the rabbits. By then they were pets. I asked the Sheriff about what I could have done and he assured me that I could defend them against any attacking animal. In other words, I could have dispatched them.

 

[JuglansRegia]

I almost shot some homeless guys dog this evening, I was fishing along the river, further up stream there was a couple people, I thought they were fishermen but as I got closer I noticed it was a couple with two dogs, the people saw me first and grabbed the pitbull mix, the other one was a black lab that came running at me, went for my pistol but saw that he just wanted to play, it was a young dog. Anyways, I don't plan on waiting to get bit before I shoot, especially when it comes to wild animals or homeless peoples pets, I doubt they take their dogs to the vet for rabies shots.

 

[Member 5605]

I may be acting as a landowners agent on this same problem out of Harlen soon as well.

Theys gots a Kitteh problem too... apparently it likes to sit in their back porch and harass them through the door.

 

[The Heretic]

Get a hunting license and a cougar tag. Cougar season is open year round. If you catch them chasing livestock you don't need any of that.

This.

If you kill or injure any "fur bearing animal" (e.g., cougar, bobcat, lynx, fox) or game animal, even as an accident (e.g., hit it with your car), you are supposed to report it - IIRC, the OSP or ODFW (I looked it up once). The law changed recently about salvaging roadkill, and I haven't looked at the law since.

For killing a cougar or wolf or dog (feral or not) during predation on pets or livestock, you need to catch the animal in the act of chasing or killing animals (or humans) and then you need to report it. It would be best to have someone video the predator in the act while you go get your gun.

As for pets, It is best to keep them inside most of the time - way too many people move out here to the boonies and let their pets just roam around, then you see "pet missing" posters - sorry owners, they were coyote or cougar snacks.

 

[bbbass]

Yup, cougars love pet kitties, and dogs too!

We do have foxes messing around on our neighbor's land down the hill and on this patch.

I really love foxes. Probably wouldn't take kindly to them raiding the chicken pen tho...

Why is there nothing but conservation bias on Google? There is literally nothing citing the actual law.

And now you know why Google is under fire for censoring conservative viewpoints. They do it by steering their search engines thru modifying algorithms.

And yes, a few that were thrill killed. Whole body's, with a crushed windpipe..

Not sure about that... I thought cougars commonly left their kills and return to feed later???

the other one was a black lab that came running at me, went for my pistol but saw that he just wanted to play, it was a young dog.

Young or not, Labradors are typically big goofy dogs that love to play and are usually friendly to strangers, sometimes overly friendly.

Quick story: I had a Black Lab come into my camp at a campground to greet me and smell my dog. Came right up behind my chair... scared the crap out of me til I realized it was a Lab. Nevertheless, I was not happy with the mouthy gal that was letting it run off leash, in a campground! Somehow, my objections were supposed to be more of a problem than her dog running into other's camps.