WITHDRAWN 3/4/04

6118-S AMH UPTH CALL 017

SSB 6118 - H AMD TO FEP COMM AMD (H5220.3)

By Representative Upthegrove

   On page 1, line 6 of the amendment, after "rules" insert "consistent with section 3 of this act"

   On page 1, after line 27 of the amendment, insert the following:

   "NEW SECTION. Sec. 3. Any rules adopted by the fish and wildlife commission pursuant to this act that allows for the pursuit or hunting of cougars with the aid of dogs must ensure that all pursuits or hunts are:

   (1) Designed to protect public safety;

   (2) Reflective of the most current cougar population data; and

   (3) Designed to generate data that is necessary for the department to satisfy the reporting requirements of section 4 of this act.

   NEW SECTION. Sec. 4. After the culmination of the pilot project authorized by this section, the department of fish and wildlife must report to the fish and wildlife commission and the appropriate committees of the legislature:

   (a) Recommendations for the development of a more effective and accurate dangerous wildlife reporting system, a summary of how the pilot project aided the collection of data useful in making future wildlife management decisions, and a recommendation as to whether the pilot project would serve as a model for effective cougar management into the future. The report required by this subsection (a) of this section must be completed in collaboration with the counties choosing to participate in the pilot program.

   (b) Recommendations for a new and modern cougar management system that focuses on altering the behavior of wild cougars, and not solely on controlling cougar population levels. These recommendations must include at a minimum an analysis of behavioral changes identified in wild cougars, suggestions for wildlife management techniques aimed at modifying cougar behavior, the identification of non-lethal ways to minimize interactions between cougars and humans, and an analysis of opportunities for minimizing interactions between cougars and humans by controlling the abundance and location of cougar prey species."

   Correct the title.

EFFECT: Requires that all cougar hunts authorized in the pilot project be designed to protect public safety, rely on the best available population data, and to collect data that will aid the Department of Fish and Wildlife in generating a required report to the Legislature and to the Fish and Wildlife Commission.