cornstalker
Active member
On July 21,2011 I was officially notified by the Reg's Coordinator that the petition to legalize electronic calls for mountain lion hunting will be heard by the Commission on Sept 15, 2011. The meeting will be in Colorado Springs, CO.
The petition is as follows:
Quote:CITIZEN-PROPOSED ISSUE PAPER
Date: 01/13/2011
ISSUE: Currently, the mountain lion is classified as a big game animal, and according to regulations WCR #004.A.3.a (and b), the use of an electronic call to harvest one is prohibited. We believe this provision to be unnecessarily restrictive, and see benefit in allowing the use of electronic calls for hunting them.
ARTICLE IV - MANNER OF TAKING WILDLIFE
#004 -
A. Aids Used in Taking Big Game, Small Game and Furbearers - Except as expressly authorized by these regulations, the use of baits and other aids in taking big game, small game and furbearers is prohibited.
3. Other Aids
a. Mechanical calls may be used to take all species of wildlife during established seasons.
b. Except as otherwise provided in these regulations, electronic calls may be used as an aid in taking furbearers only.
DISCUSSION (FACTS AND FIGURES, EXPLANATION OF ISSUE):
It is well known that mountain lions are very secretive and elusive animals. In regards to hunting them, it is widely accepted that there is almost no chance to harvest one without the use of dogs. Even the studies conducted by State and Federal wildlife agencies employ hounds men as the primary method of locating, capturing and collaring cats for their research. Outside of sheer luck, it appears that the only other method that has some limited chance of success is calling. Although calling does not improve the hunters odds to anywhere near those of hound hunters, it may be the only other way to draw a cat out of cover long enough to harvest it.
Calling is not without risk however. A mountain lion will not likely attack a human under normal circumstances, but when the human is well concealed and making the same sounds that an easy meal or a rival cat makes, all bets are off. And when the hunter is using a hand-held mouth call, he or she is inviting the cat right into their lap. This puts the hunter in an almost indefensible and hazardous situation, even more so when the lion stalks in from behind.
From a safety standpoint, the use of an electronic call makes a lot of sense for lion hunting without a pack of hunting dogs. It diverts the focus of the large predator a specific distance away from the hunter, instead of having the lion zero directly in on the person. Yet due to the extremely low call-in ratio documented by highly experienced lion callers, this device does not provide the hunter with an unfair advantage.
Pursuant to this crucial safety issue, we would ask you to consider revising the regulations to allow the use of electronic calls for hunting mountain lions.
The use of electronic calls would also allow the hunter more time to observe the animal before deciding whether to harvest it. This would certainly improve the opportunity to evaluate maturity and/or sex of the animal over the use of a hand call, where the lion’s focus is directed on the hunter. This ability to observe undetected for a few moments will allow the opportunity to pass up a female lion if the hunter desires.
WHO MIGHT BE INTERESTED IN THIS ISSUE? HAVE YOU COMMUNICATED WITH ANY OTHER INTERESTED PARTIES? WHAT INPUT HAVE YOU RECEIVED?
A large number of hunters, both resident and non-resident have shown interest in this notion. They will share input and support for it at the Commission meeting. Conversations with trappers and lion guides did not produce any strong objection, or feelings of encroachment into an "exclusive" domain.
ALTERNATIVES: PLEASE INDICATE THE PROBABLE OUTCOME IF THIS PETITION IS ACCEPTED, AS WELL AS THE IMPACT OF ALTERNATIVES TO THIS PETITION:
Probable outcome if accepted:
Initially there is the possibility of a small increase in lion harvests simply due to the increase in the amount of hunters willing to try hunting them. Based on input from highly experienced lion callers who use electronic calls in Arizona and Washington, it is not likely to see a significant or lasting increase in hunter success. In fact, incidental lion sightings reported by hunters legally using electronic calls for other predators are infrequent to rare. The current unit quota system is adequate to prevent exceeding harvest objectives.
There would almost certainly be an increase in revenue due to increased license sales, both resident and non-resident.
Electronic calls would offer a somewhat effective management tool for areas where running dogs is not practical due to development, if targeted culling were needed.
Impact of alternative to this proposal:
The popularity of predator calling is increasing exponentially nationwide and the Cougar has become the ultimate trophy for those dedicated to the sport of predator calling. As such, it's something that can become a passion for the predator caller. The restriction of "mechanical calls only" heightens the potential for an attack on a human.
Thank you for your consideration of this issue, as it makes lion calling safer.
PETITION PROPOSED BY: A collective of sportsmen
PETITION WRITTEN BY: xxxxxxxxx with the help of many of the sportsmen mentioned above.
DATE SENT TO THE COMMISSION: 7/21/2011
We now have a chance to rally behind this and see what we can get done. I don't give it much of a chance unless we can get a bunch of guys behind it to share ideas and let the Commission know that we are serious.
I apologize that it has taken this long to get to this point, but now is our chance.
The petition is as follows:
Quote:CITIZEN-PROPOSED ISSUE PAPER
Date: 01/13/2011
ISSUE: Currently, the mountain lion is classified as a big game animal, and according to regulations WCR #004.A.3.a (and b), the use of an electronic call to harvest one is prohibited. We believe this provision to be unnecessarily restrictive, and see benefit in allowing the use of electronic calls for hunting them.
ARTICLE IV - MANNER OF TAKING WILDLIFE
#004 -
A. Aids Used in Taking Big Game, Small Game and Furbearers - Except as expressly authorized by these regulations, the use of baits and other aids in taking big game, small game and furbearers is prohibited.
3. Other Aids
a. Mechanical calls may be used to take all species of wildlife during established seasons.
b. Except as otherwise provided in these regulations, electronic calls may be used as an aid in taking furbearers only.
DISCUSSION (FACTS AND FIGURES, EXPLANATION OF ISSUE):
It is well known that mountain lions are very secretive and elusive animals. In regards to hunting them, it is widely accepted that there is almost no chance to harvest one without the use of dogs. Even the studies conducted by State and Federal wildlife agencies employ hounds men as the primary method of locating, capturing and collaring cats for their research. Outside of sheer luck, it appears that the only other method that has some limited chance of success is calling. Although calling does not improve the hunters odds to anywhere near those of hound hunters, it may be the only other way to draw a cat out of cover long enough to harvest it.
Calling is not without risk however. A mountain lion will not likely attack a human under normal circumstances, but when the human is well concealed and making the same sounds that an easy meal or a rival cat makes, all bets are off. And when the hunter is using a hand-held mouth call, he or she is inviting the cat right into their lap. This puts the hunter in an almost indefensible and hazardous situation, even more so when the lion stalks in from behind.
From a safety standpoint, the use of an electronic call makes a lot of sense for lion hunting without a pack of hunting dogs. It diverts the focus of the large predator a specific distance away from the hunter, instead of having the lion zero directly in on the person. Yet due to the extremely low call-in ratio documented by highly experienced lion callers, this device does not provide the hunter with an unfair advantage.
Pursuant to this crucial safety issue, we would ask you to consider revising the regulations to allow the use of electronic calls for hunting mountain lions.
The use of electronic calls would also allow the hunter more time to observe the animal before deciding whether to harvest it. This would certainly improve the opportunity to evaluate maturity and/or sex of the animal over the use of a hand call, where the lion’s focus is directed on the hunter. This ability to observe undetected for a few moments will allow the opportunity to pass up a female lion if the hunter desires.
WHO MIGHT BE INTERESTED IN THIS ISSUE? HAVE YOU COMMUNICATED WITH ANY OTHER INTERESTED PARTIES? WHAT INPUT HAVE YOU RECEIVED?
A large number of hunters, both resident and non-resident have shown interest in this notion. They will share input and support for it at the Commission meeting. Conversations with trappers and lion guides did not produce any strong objection, or feelings of encroachment into an "exclusive" domain.
ALTERNATIVES: PLEASE INDICATE THE PROBABLE OUTCOME IF THIS PETITION IS ACCEPTED, AS WELL AS THE IMPACT OF ALTERNATIVES TO THIS PETITION:
Probable outcome if accepted:
Initially there is the possibility of a small increase in lion harvests simply due to the increase in the amount of hunters willing to try hunting them. Based on input from highly experienced lion callers who use electronic calls in Arizona and Washington, it is not likely to see a significant or lasting increase in hunter success. In fact, incidental lion sightings reported by hunters legally using electronic calls for other predators are infrequent to rare. The current unit quota system is adequate to prevent exceeding harvest objectives.
There would almost certainly be an increase in revenue due to increased license sales, both resident and non-resident.
Electronic calls would offer a somewhat effective management tool for areas where running dogs is not practical due to development, if targeted culling were needed.
Impact of alternative to this proposal:
The popularity of predator calling is increasing exponentially nationwide and the Cougar has become the ultimate trophy for those dedicated to the sport of predator calling. As such, it's something that can become a passion for the predator caller. The restriction of "mechanical calls only" heightens the potential for an attack on a human.
Thank you for your consideration of this issue, as it makes lion calling safer.
PETITION PROPOSED BY: A collective of sportsmen
PETITION WRITTEN BY: xxxxxxxxx with the help of many of the sportsmen mentioned above.
DATE SENT TO THE COMMISSION: 7/21/2011
We now have a chance to rally behind this and see what we can get done. I don't give it much of a chance unless we can get a bunch of guys behind it to share ideas and let the Commission know that we are serious.
I apologize that it has taken this long to get to this point, but now is our chance.
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