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Show JULY 1995 “ge re Lion Hunt Raises Continued from page 11 Petis has followed closely the state’s cougar hunting policies for the past 15 years. Unlike other big FES T ee. game, Petis July 28 29 1999 board FRIDAY, RoBERT JULY CRAY JOHN Nick Tito PuENTE ButmMan 6 “ANIMAL 29-5 SALSA/JAZZ + 5 - NiGHTt Jam Sessions PM EXPLOSION Guitar TrRio McCray BotH NicuHrts! EM SU event center | } eis PACKAGES SHOW FROM TICKET, Mi «A es $53 TRAM FOR PER RIDE, PERSON COOLERS ON LAWN SEATING FIRST SERVED BASIS. ALL DOUBLE CONTINENTAL PACKAGES CALL: ONLY. SALES are sets its hunting quotas. OCCUPANCY. SREAKFAST, AND INCLUDES your goes on stomach to hear FIRST COME, REFUNDS Wildlife is to consider by Animal Damage Control and poaching, little thought is given to political factors,” Wasatch Mountain snow .. . Cougar cougars, — Jody not rubber she said in a Times interview. The management of predators is Williams, kittens are barely 3 months. old when the hounds are in the field,” she said According to the best information, about 1/3 of cougar’s killed annually are subadults, 1/3 are adult males, and 1/3 are adult females. For every adult female killed, as many as three cougar kittens could also die, Petis noted. “Our concern is that they aren’t considering all the factors when they Winter Sports Park, Olympic training site with ski jumping, bobsled and luge facilities. Watch freestyle jumpers in action, Saturdays, July 1 through September 2, issue 791 geous.” Admission is free. permits. It’s just outra- politics dominated by agricultural interests meetings and parties really fly at the Park’s Day Managing predator populations, like bear and cougar, is fraught with problems, said the outgoing chairperson of the Wildlife Board, Jody Williams. Too many cougar hunting licenses are issued, she concedes. “Every wildlife management decision in this state has a political component . . . “ she said. Two-hour private group tours are available Tuesdays through Fridays. of the them. “About 80 percent of the cougars are killed in the first few months (of the hunting season) in the heavy This summer, experience the thrill of the Utah Lodge. purpose “The purpose of the board is to ‘incorporate social, philosophical and which cannot survive on their own during the first year of life, Petis Drop Into The Winter Sports Park! Group the stamp explained. 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. But Board, she explained, In addition to the legal killings by hunting permits and those taken female Board ing. meetings.” of Wildlife what recommendations, offspring those DWR. “During the last two years, as Chairman, I would go up to the Legislature and just get hammered 0N by legislators . . . Why aren’t you ; killing more cougars, they wanted to know. They would say the cougars are killing all their sheep and that our DWR biologists are full of crap.” Williams applauds the efforts of the DWR, who she says has made great strides in determining predator populations with inadequate fund- DWR’s the in really grown.” Wildlife Board. ROOM, TENNIS, 500-453-3000. COVERED SEATING 1S ON A FINAL, NO EXCHANGES, NO turns interests that and Natural at the State funding for “There has always been a strong agricultural voice, saying , more cougars. In the last few years that has really, kill TICKETS AT SNOWSIRD AND ALL ART TIX LOCATIONS OR CALL 355-ARTS OVERNIGHT lions says. “It is a very sad process. It is unscientific. It is cronyism and not the way to manage wildlife . . . It just MIND” CacirorRnNiA JAMES mountain The board often calls on hunters and ranchers for advice before setting hunting license numbers, Petis PM BLUES & JuLy FREDERICK Late — HAMMOND GRAVANITES SATURDAY, IcorR 28 says seen as “the devil in disguise.” “The Wildlife Board members think they represent the people in their area, many of whom are sheep men who want more cougars killed,” she said of the way in which the Questions It is the agricultural control the Energy Resources Committee Legislature, which sets Call us for more information! 649-5447 The state’s agricultural interests, believing they are under siege culturally and on the political scene have become vociferous. “There has always been a strong agricultural voice, saying kill more cougars. In the last few years that has really, really grown,” Williams said. 3000 Bear Hollow Drive (via Hwy 224) Park City PAGE 16 former chairperson, much different than Williams explained. “When it Utah other wildlife, comes to managing predators, from a biological perspective, you have to consider the predator population and the prey-base population.” deer And — in Utah, that the favorite means mule of hunters throughout the state. “The deer populations were down .. . in some areas by as much as 80 percent .. . The deer hunters felt like in a damaged population structure, cougars were taking too many deer. They wanted to bring the predator population down.” As a result, during the past four years before 1995, Williams said, cougar hunting permits were increased by 25 percent, or about 200 permits. In 1989, there were only about 400 permits issued. Williams said she would like to have seen fewer permits issued in 1995. “Biologically, ip was too aa Politically, it wasn’t.” ethics of utah’s program cougar questioned The philosophy embraced by DWR and the Utah Wildlife Board that mixes “management” of wildlife with protecting livestock, is criticized as unethical by wildlife activists. “If Utah is saying it’s recreational hunting and population control (for livestock protection) are within the Continued on page 17 |
