Lawsuit re: Oregon cougar mngmt dismissed

Since some members were mentioning the cougars in Oregon......

Lawsuit Aimed At Oregon Cougar Management Dismissed

4/2/2009

Citing a lack of evidence, a federal judge in Oregon has thrown out a lawsuit against the USDA that was aimed at preventing the reduction of the state’s cougar population.

The suit, dismissed March 30, was filed to prevent the USDA Wildlife Services from collaborating with the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife to cut down on cougar and human interaction. The cougar population in Oregon is currently estimated at more than 5,000 animals; the plan called for the population to be maintained at 3,000.

The suit, filed by a consortium of environmental groups, stated that the USDA was violating federal laws in helping the Oregon department “kill cougars,” according to the Capital Press. The groups filing the suit included the Center for Biological Diversity, Big Wildlife, Klamath Siskiyou Wildlands Center, Umpqua Watersheds, Mountain Lion Foundation and Goat Ranchers of Oregon.

"The underlying injury in this action, the killing of cougars, has not been caused by defendants' actions," according to the recommendation by Judge Ancer Haggerty. "Instead, plaintiffs' harm has been caused by the acts of a third party not before this court, ODFW."

"We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit."

Y'might know it's them Goat Ranchers that cause all the problems! (Teehee)

We've already heard a lot about lions in OR "interacting" with people, here on our discussions ... so ... one might only hope that some semblance of rational thought an sanity will prevail ...

I'm not lookin' to go there to shoot a cat ... but the hunters there should be able to ... and the ranchers/farmers/exurban-dwellers should be able to expect a reasonable amount of safety for their livestock, pets and kids ...

(Sorta ties in with that video of Uncle Ted talkin' about the 2nd Amendment rights ... I've got it, but can't link it ... so, y'all will hafta take my word ... unless y'all have seen it ... )

Tnx for the update, Martin ...

All of life is six-to-five against, just enough to keep you interested. (Damon Runyan)

Gravity makes all the important decisions ... (John R. Powers)

NRA, REMF, PF, NAHC-L, NAFC-L, KC, NPPA

Do you mean these.....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5XDfpcFCejo

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zyZsXwQlBYw

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0MZ0vZrBObI

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q8mJlXW54tI

"We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit."

Am I missing something here?  Why would the goat ranchers be against the killing of cougars?

Mike Stephenson
aka Topgun----30-06

I couldn't figger that one out either, Mike ... goats are easier for lions to carry off than sheep, I'd guess ... or ... mebbe the goats defend themselfs better, so the rancher has less worries?

Yeah, Martin ... that first link is the one I got in an email ... I din't know they were on Utube ...

All of life is six-to-five against, just enough to keep you interested. (Damon Runyan)

Gravity makes all the important decisions ... (John R. Powers)

NRA, REMF, PF, NAHC-L, NAFC-L, KC, NPPA

We're always dealing with the anti-hunters here in Oregon.
The majority of the state's residents live in the urban areas of Portland/Salem/Eugene - so most of the state's decisions get made by those who don't have much to do with the wildlife or the outdoors

For the record, I'm willing to do my part in killing off some of the cougar population!

orduckhunter---That's the problem with a lot of things going on in our country.  We are so polarized that I wonder if things will ever change for the better.  All the votes are in the big city areas where a good share of the people don't know what a cow looks like.  Yet they have the majority of votes to dictate what happens with those of us who are out in the more rural environments and actually know how to have fun in our lives!!!

Mike Stephenson
aka Topgun----30-06

orduck' and mike ... we've got the same sorta thing here in Nodak ... the four largest towns (notice, I did NOT say "cities") tend to overwhelm some of the attitudes and preferences of the rural population ...

The Saving Grace of that equation here, is that for the most part, those who ram things thru the Lege are also hunters ... they're Nodaks and hunters ... so ... they're tolerable ... sum of the time ...

I'll be the first to say that there are some really great hunterfolks in the big towns, but there's enuf of 'em that are overly vocal and filled with their own importance that I'd merely not associate with 'em very much ...

A constant problem ... a growing one ... but a bit easier to survive in a state with a rural population base (and economically rural as well ...) ... we get by ... and our Citizen Legislature is quite approachable, so we can all rant & rave @ 'em and expect to be heard ...

All of life is six-to-five against, just enough to keep you interested. (Damon Runyan)

Gravity makes all the important decisions ... (John R. Powers)

NRA, REMF, PF, NAHC-L, NAFC-L, KC, NPPA

Thank you for that artcile Mneptune,
I'm just glad to see the ODFW trying to manage the cougar population. It's a turn for the better. I am confused as well about the Goat ranchers defending the predation. Maybe it has something to do with goats not being as "free-ranging" as alot of sheep ranches, just a guess though.

Kraig Osborne
Hunter since birth, NAHCLM, USN

orduckhunter, if ya do, they are delicious........

Old Cowboys never die, they just keep riding the Range.