Deer hunters can also take cougar when season opens around state

The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) issued a press release to remind hunters that cougars are also fair game anywhere in the state. Under this year’s rules, deer hunters with a valid cougar license and transport tag can take a cougar during the modern-firearms deer season in all 39 counties – including Okanogan, Chelan, Ferry, Stevens, Pend Oreille and Klickitat.

That’s a change from recent years, when general cougar-hunting seasons in those six counties were delayed to accommodate a pilot program that allowed hunters with special permits to track cougars using dogs. In August, the Washington Fish and Wildlife Commission restored full general hunting seasons for those counties after the pilot program, in effect since 2004, expired.

“In those six counties, we’re back to relying on general hunts to manage cougar populations,” said Dave Ware, WDFW game manager. “We can make that work, but it does present some different management challenges.” People are reminded that it is illegal to kill spotted cougar kittens or adult cougars tending kittens.

With hunters heading out into the woods and mountains, there has been an increase in the number of charges of Loaded Firearms in a Motor Vehicle filed by WDFW officers. People often forget to unload their weapons when they travel in vehicles. This is a very important safety regulation. A tragic reminder of the importance of this rule occurred a few weeks ago in Idaho; a 7 year old boy was killed when his father was putting a rifle into a vehicle and the loaded weapon discharged. Always unload weapons when traveling.

Another important safety rule is to always wear orange in the woods. Every year hunters not wearing orange are killed by other hunters who mistake them for game. More than 100,000 hunters will hunt this season. Do not let yourself be mistaken for game. Always wear orange in the woods.