[Jeff Higgins]

We had the same sort of ballot initiative here in Washington years ago; it outlawed hunting black bear and cougar with hounds, and black bear with bait. I guess neither sounded "fair" to the general, non-hunting population.

How many here have actually run bears or cougars with a pack of hounds? I have. I'm here to tell you, you will never spend a tougher day doing anything. I was in my mid 20's when I was doing it (before it was banned), in top physical condition, and it was all I could do to get through a day of this. A second day, back to back, was never happily anticipated.

In the years since, both our bear and cougar populations have increased. The guys who owned the dogs that we were paying to hunt behind still run dogs after bear and cougar. They kill more of both every year today, by a significant margin, than they did when us hunters were paying them for their services. The only difference today is that our tax dollars are paying them. The game department hires them to go after bear and cougar identified as "problem" animals.

There has been a significant increase in numbers of these "problem" animals. The debate rages on as to exactly why, but the fact reamains everyone agrees there has been an increase. I'll leave the arguments as to "why" for others; I'm more interested in what to do about it.

It is clear there is still a need for hunters to kill these animals. It is clear that hunters are still killing these animals. It is equally clear that our game department would like to get out of that business, and turn it back over to sport hunters. They should be allowed to do so. They should be allowed to manage with the best practices available to them. Uneducated, emotion driven public opinion should not enter into this. We should allow the game managers to manage what we have hired them to manage, to the best of their abilities, without tying their hands.