These bills would subject Oregon’s cougars to trophy hunting with hounds – a hunting method Oregon voters have twice rejected as being unacceptably cruel and unsporting.

Specifically, H.B. 2107, H.B. 2589 and S.B. 371 would allow counties to “opt out” of Measure 18, which made illegal the use of hounds for cougar hunting. Not only do these bills create a challenging patchwork approach to wildlife management, they undermine the will of the majority who voted for Measure 18 in 1994 and against a repeal of the same legislation in 1996.

S.B. 458 would require the Oregon Fish and Wildlife Commission to adopt a controlled hunt program for trophy hunting cougars with the use of hounds. Many hunters do not approve of hounding because it is not considered “fair chase” – cougars retreat into a tree or rock ledge to escape the hounds, allowing hunters to shoot them at close range. We need you to voice your opposition to such an inhumane practice.

Three ways you can help:

1. Call and email your Oregon state representative and state senator urging them to oppose bills H.B. 2107, H.B. 2589, S.B. 371 and S.B. 458 to protect cougars from hounding. Find your lawmakers here. Background information available here.

2. Forward this message to friends in Oregon and ask them to call and email their state lawmakers as well.

3. Help keep this issue in the public eye by submitting Letters to the Editor to your local paper(s). Use the talking points below and tips and tools for writing LTE’s.

Thank you for speaking out for cougars in Oregon!