Utah opens cougar hunting year round

Joined
Aug 6, 2012
Messages
1,661
Yeah whether pro or anti hunting ballot biology is a scary prospect.
Letting everyone Tom, Dick and Harry shoot a cougar with their hunting license won't result in a significant increase in cougar harvest.
Now the right guys could certainly take a lot of cats trapping. Will the wildlife board set or quota though?
 

packer58

WKR
Joined
May 28, 2013
Messages
993
I would agree with that, no question an open season on the big cats will be beneficial to the big game in the state .....However, when politicians make wildlife management decisions outside the umbrella of the states DOW it definitely sets bad precedence.
 
Joined
Feb 2, 2020
Messages
1,990
Very bad. I think baiting and trapping are allowed. Bad that the state just circumvents the DWR and bad that it seems it's just open season.... The numbers could get low enough some animal group will get them listed threatened and then zero hunting them
 

sneaky

"DADDY"
Joined
Feb 1, 2014
Messages
10,025
Location
ID
It's open season on them year around, true, but they also have to be checked in so they can keep up with harvest numbers so they can adjust take as needed.

Sent from my SM-G955U using Tapatalk
 

WBrim

WKR
Joined
Apr 25, 2021
Messages
364
I’ve heard some buzz about expecting some guidelines on annual bag limits or something, but really haven’t seen much of anything official.
I believe this goes into effect in a few more days (5/4/23?)
 

WBrim

WKR
Joined
Apr 25, 2021
Messages
364
Just because the date where this takes effect is so close, I’m surprised the UT DWR hasn’t edited the cougar section- still showing the ‘23-‘24 guide book that hasn’t been edited since January
 

Dioni A

Basque Assassin
Joined
Mar 29, 2016
Messages
1,534
Location
Nampa, Idaho
I wouldn't be very surprised if this didn't make that much of a difference in annual harvest. Most guys aren't out all year long packing a rifle. You're going to get the most take during historical hunting season and it's going to be a lot of coincidental harvest. Other than that the guys who already killed mountain lions will continue to kill mountain lions.
 

WBrim

WKR
Joined
Apr 25, 2021
Messages
364
I wouldn't be very surprised if this didn't make that much of a difference in annual harvest. Most guys aren't out all year long packing a rifle. You're going to get the most take during historical hunting season and it's going to be a lot of coincidental harvest. Other than that the guys who already killed mountain lions will continue to kill mountain lions.
I agree. One aspect that may make a big difference is trapping. But, it’s not very common to see a lion, particularly when you are looking for one spot and stalk style.

I do expect they see me A LOT more than I see them.
 
Top