Oregon

[countrybuffs]

In the Tri-Cities (eastern wa for those who don't know) we've had 3 or 4 cougar sightings in the last year, the last one being in my neighborhood. I just expect this type of thing and refuse to live in fear about it. Although I would shoot something threatening me and mine, I love wildlife and respect their right to live in BALANCE. People have done a crappy job of keeping balance unfortunately. I'm fine with those who hunt (as long as it's responsible hunting) but I'm not fine with indiscriminate killing of all predators.

I for one have no problem with shooting any strange tree that comes on my property! There are way too many of the things around anyway. Sometimes I even pull young ones up by their roots! Call me heartless or whatever, but that is my opinion on the matter.

 

[OR4-hmom]

I mow my little invaders on a regular basis. Especially the young cherries.

 

[DeannaOR]

I live out between Lebanon and Stayton.
About 2 years ago- My neighbor, about 1-2 miles away, came out of her house and there was a young male bobcat walking in her driveway. The chickens were out and so she put down the stuff she was carrying to the car and went and put them up. Her dog was going crazy, but the cat didnt mind her or the dog. She got the chickens up and decided to stay home. The cat hung around for about 20 minutes and then disappeared into the fields. A few months later, she went out to feed her Llamas in the morning. They usually all come in toward the house for feeding. One was missing. She and her husband found out that a huge male cougar had taken out the Llama(around 400 pounds). She was heartbroken and found out that it had taken down goats, some cattle and other animals locally. Fish and wildlife came out and they were there several times before the cat was around again. I am not sure who got the cat, maybe their hunter or her husband with OFW's ok. Anyway, no more cat. She got it stuffed(I know some people may disagree with this, but it is what they did and it was their choice-not mine) and has it on display at her place.She hasnt seen the bobcat since that one day.
Now- We have multiple cougars around. The guys that live down the road that is across the road from us have warned my daughter that they have seen 2-3 different ones in a day or two, so she shouldnt walk down the road. The folks out behind us have said the same thing. My neighbor, on one side, has LGD out on the back of their property and we have the Catahoulas toward the front/other side of our property and we havent had any problems yet. I figure that the old large male is gone so now we have territory open and there are multiple cats coming in to it. Most of these are young and it appears to be both males and females...guess time will tell.
I understand why the cat got shot and all, but I think having him around is what kept all the others out and in a way made this area safer. I know he couldnt stay after he started taking down livestock, but now we have all these other cats(who have reportedly taken out dogs, cats and small livestock-so far) and have to deal with all of them until hopefully there is another cat that will limit how many others come through. Not sure what is worse.....

You have Catahoulas?

 

[aggiemae]

below

 

[aggiemae]

I understand why the cat got shot and all, but I think having him around is what kept all the others out and in a way made this area safer. I know he couldnt stay after he started taking down livestock, but now we have all these other cats(who have reportedly taken out dogs, cats and small livestock-so far) and have to deal with all of them until hopefully there is another cat that will limit how many others come through. Not sure what is worse.....

I was raised on a dairy farm and my experience has been that eliminating one predator will cause a raise in another predator population. I wish that more communities had capture spay/neuter and release programs for big cats, then the aggressive ones could be killed leaving the rest to do what they are supposed to do in the natural scheme of things.


I live very close to the shut down Fairview "hospital' campus, its around 400 overgrown acres with limited human activity and plenty of wildlife habitat. There were lots of coyotes there but we have seen a lone male cougar for the past four years and the coyotes are no more. The area is surrounded by suburbs so other than chickens and an occasional pot bellied pig or goat, so he isn't a threat to any live stock. He's big and healthy but isn't aggressive or bold so most people who know about him have let him be.

My friend lives in another suburban neighborhood, her property borders on farm land and they have a serious coyote problem. the number of missing small dogs and cats has been pretty alarming for a few years and now you can actually hear coyotes crying to each other at night.

I'll take one cougar over a pack of coyotes any day.

 

[aggiemae]

I for one have no problem with shooting any strange tree that comes on my property! There are way too many of the things around anyway. Sometimes I even pull young ones up by their roots! Call me heartless or whatever, but that is my opinion on the matter.

gourd darn filberts...

 

[Cloverleaf Farm]

[[[[.......I have seen wolves in central oregon that are the same size......]]]]]

No wolves in Central Oregon. We have some gigantic coyotes, but the nearest wolf pack has only made it as far as the Oregon Idaho border. I'm sure they will get here eventually, but they aren't here, yet.

There are 2 cougars (at least two) who live right inside the city limits of Bend. There are frequent sitings of them. I've got at least one cougar who lives about a mile from me in CRR. None of those cougars has caused even the tiniest bit of trouble, other than getting people worked up and getting their photos on the local news.

The local coyotes are not a problem for me. I fence them away from my poultry and dogs and off they go to control the local cottontails and take care of abandoned dogs and cats who are dumped in the country. All and all, they are useful to have around.

There are wolves in the Mt. Emily unit in the Blue Mts. Still pretty close to Idaho, but well within Oregon borders....

 

[TurtlePowerTrav]

I think there is a track the wolf for the Oregon/Washington/Idaho wolf packs. They have trackers on the alpha males. One of the wolves traveled all through eastern Oregon last summer and all the way into northern Cali and then back to Idaho. So there are wolves in Oregon, just mainly extreme eastern Oregon. But they are trying to repopulate Oregon wolves.

 

[OR4-hmom]

"Journey" has been cruising around quite a bit of N Cal. He's ranged close to where my parents live a couple of times. Sure wish he could find a mate and settle into a territory.

 

[Chicken Rustler]

I think there is a track the wolf for the Oregon/Washington/Idaho wolf packs. They have trackers on the alpha males. One of the wolves traveled all through eastern Oregon last summer and all the way into northern Cali and then back to Idaho. So there are wolves in Oregon, just mainly extreme eastern Oregon. But they are trying to repopulate Oregon wolves.

Ihave seen info that WDFW recently relaesed several in the Mt. Saint Helens area.