Hunting after you've reported?

[joshkk]

Hi friends!

I thought I was done with hunting opportunities for the year by the end of November and went ahead and reported online for the three big game tags I held (Coast Elk, Black Bear, and Cougar). I did not fill any of the three.

Well I'm going into cougar country tomorrow and plan on being out in the canyons for a few days. I plan on carrying a .357 handgun with me and, given the opportunity, would love to chance to harvest a cougar.

The season is still open until the end of the year, but I've already reported on the tag. Could I still legally shoot a cougar, or did I forfeit my chance by reporting already?

Thanks for the help!

Josh

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[Mark W.]

you need to call ODFW and ask to be sure.

 

[Catskin]

as one who has knowingly never broken a wildlife type law, I'd fill my tag in a heartbeat

 

[joshkk]

Mark: I think you're right that a call would give me a straightforward answer to my question. Tomorrow, in addition to being a Sunday, is also Christmas, so there's not an opportunity to call then, and they'll all be out of the office for the holiday on Monday. That's two of the four days I'll be out there, so I may not get a chance to call.

Catskin: Are you saying that you would proceed with hunting as if that tag was still good through the 31st?

I think the odds of me getting within handgun range of a cougar in the next few days is slim. I'm not "going cougar hunting," but rather spending time in cougar territory. You never know though!

Josh

 

[orygun]

There is nothing I heard about reporting "ending" your hunt. The reports are supposed to be done after the season is completed. If I was in your shoes, I would hunt. If you happened to shoot a cougar, you would just call the state and make an amended report. Also, you are supposed to take that cougar to an ODFW office within 10 days for them to check. Would be very easy to make a change in your report then.

 

[Dan-Dee Sales Inc]

I cannot find anything in the hunting regs that stops you from hunting after reporting. The only thing that it gives is the final date that you must report. License, tag and season valid = go hunting

 

[joshkk]

Thanks for the responses! I like these answers (obviously).

When I go to the ODFW reporting site and go to the reports I've filed, this is what it says:

"If you are sure you are done cougar hunting for the entire year please answer the following questions. Did you hunt cougar in the general season?" To which I have already replied "NO." There's no way, through the site, to undo that answer.

Since I understand the reporting to be a census-like survey to help the biologists have a better understanding of game populations and locations, as opposed to a regulation designed to protect animals from poachers or other unsportsmanlike practices or general over-harvest, I don't see what harm it would do to continue hunting after reporting.

I guess the other issue is that for the area I'll be in, they're just one cougar away from meeting the quota. If someone else got one and then I come in the next day with another, that might suck.

Josh

 

[hermannr]

Your tag has not expired, hunt, if successful, amend your report. I am sure it will not be the first time it has happened. All they really want is that report to be accurate.