LEBANON — The mid-valley’s cougar population seems to be exploding, and state Rep. Sherrie Sprenger says relaxing the ban on hunting the big cats with dogs ought to be considered.

In response, the state boosted the cougar-hunting season — without using dogs — from 3 months to 7 1/2 and sold tens of thousands more tags to people who wanted to hunt the cats.

OLYMPIA — Fifteen years after voters statewide banned using dogs to hunt cougars, lawmakers want to set permanent hunting seasons allowing licensed hunters to use hounds to track the cats. The ...

Counties could opt out of Oregon’s ban on cougar hunting with dogs under a bill that proponents claim is needed to protect livestock and wildlife. Under Senate Bill 769, voters could exclude ...

Froderman said he anticipated the dogs to chase the cougar up a tree sometime Monday night during their five-hour hunt for it. “The dogs will start barking when they tree the [cougar],” he said.

To prevent situations like this from repeating themselves, many people — including Marriott — are urging Canmore's government to adjust its cougar hunting regulations and legal limits.

In other words, the number of cougars removed by humans without the use of scent-trailing dogs has not been enough to prevent their population growth.

OLYMPIA, Wash. - Gov. Chris Gregoire has signed a bill that expands a pilot program allowing cougar hunts with dogs for three years, on top of the four years it has been in place.