Our opinion letters regarding various cougar related issues, including cougar conservation, cougar management, hunting and more.
Recreational Hunting Redux: Cougar Fund OptsFor No KillingMarc Bekoff | 2013-03-08 Killing cougars (and other animals) does not solve the "problems" for which they are blamed and should stop right now.Learn more... |
Stop Killing Wildlife in BoulderMarc Bekoff | 2012-08-31 Marc Bekoff speaks out against the recent killing of a cougar in Boulder.Learn more... |
Hunt Area from which Cache Creek cougars were removed should be closedFranz Camenzind, PhD | 2012-02-17 This opinion piece was submitted to the Jackson Hole News and Guide.Learn more... |
WGFD says 'we could have shot them all'Lisa Rullman, Development Director, The Cougar Fund | 2012-02-06 This piece was submitted to local and state newspapers February 6, 2012.Learn more... |
New Mexico Letter October 2010Sara Carlson | 2010-10-01  | New Mexico Ltr. 1010 - 147.1KB We highly recommend that quotas be maintained at the 2008/10 level of 490 and 126 for females. |
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South Dakota Comments on Draft Mgmt. Plan July 2010Sara Carlson | 2010-07-26  | South Dakota Comments July 2010 - 158.8KB On behalf of the Cougar Fund and our members, we present comments on the Draft South Dakota Mountain Lion Management Plan 2010-2015. The Cougar Fund, a national nonprofit dedicated to the conservation of the cougar throughout its present and historic range, works on behalf of its members to ensure that cougar management, as well as management of their prey, are always held to the highest standards of peer-reviewed science. In addition to educating the public about the many issues that surround cougars, we look to balance human interests with healthy cougar populations. |
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Wyoming Letter to Game & Fish June 22, 20102010-06-22  | WY 0610 - 172.6KB On behalf of the Cougar Fund and our members, we present these comments on theproosed changes to the mountain lion regulations - chapter 42. We appreciate the Wyoming Game and Fish Department's (WGFD) efforts to assemble public meetings across the state to discuss and take comments on the proposed regulations, but we do believe the Department should have ensured that personnel knowledgeable about the entire state and state objectives should have attended each meeting in addition to local game officers. From our review of the proposed changes and "Statement of Reason", The Cougar Fund would like to provide several recommendations and comments. |
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Comments on Montana's 2010 Hunting QuotasThe Cougar Fund | 2010-05-12  | 0510 MT comments - 170.4KB We are extremely concerned to see an exceptionally high quota increase that is not evenly distributed across the state - specifically a 72% increase in Hunting Region 2. In addition, we believe that not including all mortalities in the quota increases the potential to substantially alter populations. Including all mortalities increases accountability on the part of the public, as well as the Department, and is becoming the trend in states that use progressive and modern management techniques. |
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Comments to WA RE: Pilot Cougar Program AmendmentsThe Cougar Fund | 2010-03-12  | WA Cougar Pilot Program Amendments - 22KB As a public institution with an obligation to serve the public interest, WDFW’s claim that recreational hunting is an effective and necessary management to address human-safety, human-livestock or predator-prey imbalances is wrong when empirical data to support this claim is lacking. Long-term management of healthy populations ought to be the result of the Cougar Pilot Program, however we have found that this program is skewing cougar populations towards younger aged animals. |
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Nebraska HB747 Jan.27, 2010Sara Carlson | 2010-01-26  | Nebraska HB747 Jan.27, 2010 - 184.2KB Rather than creating a bill that would formalize what is essentially already allowed under state policy, we strongly urge the state to give farmers and ranchers the information and tools to protect their livestock. |
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Oregon, 9/10/08Sara Carlson, Director of Programs & Operations | 2009-02-04  | Oregon Letter Rep. Buckley 9/10/08 - 112.6KB Commending Rep. Buckley's efforts to suspend Oregon’s current cougar management plan and practices in light of recent scientific findings in order to reach a new, and better standard for cougar management. |
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South Dakota, 2/2/09Sara Carlson | 2009-02-06  | South Dakota Letter 2/2/09 - 140.8KB Opposing HB 1004: An Act to provide for the killing of mountain lions under certain circumstances and to provide for the disposition of such mountain lions |
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New Mexico, 9/23/08Sara Carlson, Director of Programs & Operations | 2009-02-04  | New Mexico Letter Commissioners 9/23/08 - 49.1KB We support New Mexico's state Game and Fish’s proposed rule changes to the big game hunting rules for the 2009 and 2010 hunting rules. The agency’s proposed changes are not only reflective of current science, but also ensure progressive and adaptive management policies will be practiced in New Mexico. |
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Indiana, 5/27/08Emorie Broemel, Communications Coordinator | 2009-02-04  | Indiana Letter 5/27/08 - 60.2KB The Cougar Fund's comments on David Kitchell’s May 24 story about the possibility of increased cougar sightings in urban areas. |
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Arizona, 6/26/08Sara Carlson, Director of Programs & Operations | 2009-02-04  | Arizona-KOFA Letter 6/23/08 - 99.9KB RE: Development of an Environmental Assessment for a mountain lion management plan on the Kofa National Wildlife Refuge, Arizona |
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Colorado, 9/7/08Sara Carlson, Director of Programs & Operations | 2009-02-04  | Colorado Letter Open Records Request 9/7/08 - 151.4KB Pursuant to Colorado’s Open Records Act, The Cougar Fund hereby requests that you make available for inspection any and all records, documents, email communications, phone call records, meeting notes and/or minutes, reports or photographs that were generated, modified, or acquired throughout the staff’s actions with regards to the incident in Idledale, CO involving a cougar allegedly entering a family home and killing their Labrador on August 4, 2008. |
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Washington, 8/8/08Sara Carlson, Director of Programs & Operations | 2009-02-04  | Washington State Commissioners Letter 9/8/08 - 155.0KB The Cougar Fund would like to state that we oppose the extension of the 2004 pilot project that allows for the use of dogs to hunt cougars in five northeastern Washington counties. |
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New Mexico, 7/21/08Sara Carlson, Director of Programs & Operations | 2009-02-04  | New Mexico Letter Director 7/21/08 - 88.1KB The Cougar Fund would like to ask the state of New Mexico to re-evaluate the section of the Big Game Management plan regarding cougars. The Cougar Fund fails to find scientific evidence that supports increasing harvest limits in section 29, 30 & 31. |
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South Dakota, 2/4/09Emorie Broemel, Communications Coordinator | 2009-02-04 |