[ODFW-News] North-central Oregon cougar season quota nearly reached; hunters need to report any harvested cougar

[ODFW News]

Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife 	
Contact: 	Ann Snyder, (503) 947-6010	
Internet: www.dfw.state.or.us  Fax: (503) 947-6009


For Immediate Release	Monday, November 15, 2004

North-central Oregon cougar season quota nearly reached; hunters need
to report any harvested cougar

SALEM - The Columbia Basin cougar hunt zone in north-central Oregon is
approaching the harvest quota and may close early to cougar hunting, the
Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife announced today. 

The Columbia Basin cougar hunt zone, also called Zone D, has a 2004
quota of 18 cougars. As of Nov. 12, 15 cougars from Zone D had been
checked in at ODFW offices. Most cougars are harvested during deer or
elk hunting seasons. 

No other 2004 cougar hunt zones are near their harvest quota at this
time. If the Columbia Basin cougar zone closes, hunters with an unfilled
general season cougar tag may hunt in any of the other five cougar zones
in the state. 

The total statewide allowed cougar sport harvest for 2004 is 562
cougars. As of Nov. 12, hunters have taken 190 cougars statewide. The
statewide quota for the 2005 cougar season has been set at 579.

The 2005 general cougar season begins in all six zones Jan. 1, 2005,
for those hunters with a 2005 cougar tag and a 2005 hunting license.
Cougars harvested after Jan. 1, 2005, will apply to the new quotas for
the respective zones. 

The cougar quota system was adopted by ODFW to more evenly distribute
cougar harvest throughout the state. Quota levels are set to manage
cougar population levels and appropriately distribute hunters.

Hunters can find out whether the season is open in other zones by
calling a local ODFW office, calling the general information line at
800-720-6339 or 503-947-6001, or visiting 
http://www.dfw.state.or.us/ODFWhtml/Regulations/2004_reg_changes.htm#biggame
and scrolling down to the cougar quota information. 

More information about Oregon's cougar season can be found on pages
46-48 in the 2004 Oregon Big Game Regulations.

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