SIUSLAW NEWS ❚ SATURDAY, OCTOBER 28, 2017
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Research looks at growing cougar population in mid-coast region
A few decades ago, cougars in the
coast range were practically unheard
of.
But as Oregon’s healthy cougar
population has expanded into north-
west Oregon from population strong-
holds in the Blue Mountains and south
Cascades, ODFW is observing more
cougar harvest, sightings and damage
complaints along the coast.
Researchers have studied cougar
home range sizes, population densities
and diet in the Cascades and eastern
Oregon, but not along the coast. A new
study aims to change that through a
research effort that will collar 10 adult
cougars in the Alsea Wildlife
Management Unit, which includes
parts of Lincoln and Benton counties.
ODFW will work with volunteer
agents who have hounds to
tree cougars in the study area
so ODFW can immobilize
them, take samples including
blood and DNA, and get
them fitted with a GPS collar.
Location data collected
from the collars will be used
to calculate home range size
and habitat selection.
Like similar research in
other parts of the state, the
study will also use scat detec-
tion dogs to refine a cougar population
estimate for the unit and to analyze
their diet.
The scat provides DNA data used in
capture-recapture models that estimate
population size and density.
The diet analysis provides impor-
O REGON ’ S
Once a cougar is collared the
GPS unit will collect location
data for 17 months.
It is legal to harvest a col-
lared cougar but ODFW
prefers that hunters not shoot a
cougar with a collar if possi-
ble.
Hunters who do will need to
contact ODFW and return the
collar so the data can be
retrieved and the collar reused,
plus complete the normal
check-in process that is required
whenever a hunter takes a cougar or
bear in Oregon.
“Better data means better science
based management decisions, and this
data will help refine our cougar popu-
lation estimates for this region,” says
STATEWIDE
COUGAR POPULATION
IS ESTIMATED AT
6,400.
tant information on what percent of
common prey items (deer, elk or small
mammal) are making up area cougars’
diets.
Collaring of the cougars will begin
this month and will continue until 10
adults are collared or April 1, 2019.
Jason Kirchner, district wildlife biolo-
gist in Newport. “This research will
help ODFW manage for a viable pop-
ulation of cougars and assess effects
on their prey populations, so we can
improve management and conserva-
tion decisions for both cougars and
ungulate species on the coast.”
Oregon’s statewide cougar popula-
tion is estimated at 6,400.
The Alsea Unit is part of Zone A,
the Coast/North Cascades Zone,
which has an estimated population of
950 cougars of all age classes.
The research is being funded
through federal grants from the
Wildlife Restoration Act and dona-
tions
from
Oregon
Wildlife
Foundation and the Oregon Hunters
Association.
STEP meeting to offer tips ODFW adds extra retention day for sturgeon anglers
In a separate action, the
Recreational
sturgeon on the mainstem Columbia Bonneville since the lower
on in kayak on the Siuslaw anglers
will get an additional from the Wauna power lines, Columbia and Willamette states adopted rules making it
The Wednesday, Nov. 1
Salmon Trout Enhancement
Program (STEP) meeting will
feature two local fishermen
who will share their methods
to catch surf perch in the ocean
and how to catch fish from a
kayak.
The first speaker will be
Terry Barret. He will show the
gear and the bait that he uses
to catch surf perch. Barret will
also tell when and where to
fish for these tasty fish.
Surf perch fishing is open
all year and the limit is 15 fish.
The second speaker will be
STEP member Roger Eming.
He will show the equipment
and methods he uses to catch
salmon and ling cod from his
kayak. Eming will have some
very interesting stories to tell
about his fishing experiences
because angling from such a
small vessel brings unique
challenges.
Come to the STEP meeting
and learn how you too can fish
from your kayak.
Florence STEP meetings are
held the first Wednesday of
every month in the back room
of the Florence Elks Club,
beginning at 7 p.m.
The public is always wel-
come to attend STEP meet-
ings.
For more information, call
Ron Caputo at 541-997-4961.
day today, Oct. 28, in the
Columbia River from Wauna
to Bonneville Dam under rules
adopted Friday by fish and
wildlife departments from
Oregon and Washington.
The extra fishing day was
approved after staff reviewed
harvest data that showed
4,700 anglers harvested fewer
than 200 legal-sized sturgeon
during the first sturgeon reten-
tion day on Oct. 21.
Biologists attributed the
poor harvest rate to heavy rain
and wind, which made fishing
difficult.
Once again, the open area is
located approximately 40
miles from the river mouth,
upstream to the fishing dead-
line at Bonneville Dam.
Legal retention size is 44-
to 50-inch fork length. The
bag limit is one legal-sized
white sturgeon per day, and no
more than two for the year,
regardless of when they were
caught.
By permanent regulation,
all sturgeon fishing is restrict-
ed to a single barbless hook.
This year marks the first time
since 2013 that sturgeon reten-
tion fishing has been allowed
between
Wauna
and
were closed due to concerns
about legal-size sturgeon
abundance and other indica-
tors of population status.
The number of legal-sized
sturgeon has improved since
then to the point where fishery
managers believe the popula-
tion will support a small recre-
ational fishery.
The Willamette River from
the falls to the river mouth,
including
Multnomah
Channel, remains closed to
sturgeon retention but catch
and release angling is allowed.
The Gilbert River remains
closed to all sturgeon angling.
illegal to fish at night for
salmon, steelhead, shad, stur-
geon, trout and whitefish in
the Columbia River from
Buoy 10 upstream to the old
Hanford townsite, effective
today through Dec 31.
The intent of the rule is to
liberalize night fishing for
other species such as walleye
and catfish.
For more information, visit
ODFW’s Columbia River
Regulation Update page at my
odfw.com/recreation-report
/fishing-report/columbia-
zone.
Crab harvesting closure extended on Oregon coast
Edgewater
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SALEM — The Oregon
Department of Agriculture
and the Oregon Department of
Fish and Wildlife have
announced the immediate clo-
sure of recreational and com-
mercial crabbing from the
north jetty of the Coquille
River, which includes the bay
in Bandon, to the California
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The
Coastal
Gems
Volkswalkers monthly “Come
Walk with Us” jaunt will be
on Tuesday, Oct. 31. The
group will be walking the
Newport Historic year-round
event.
This 10K walk includes
last week’s recreational clo-
sure.
Crab harvesting from the
north jetty of the Coquille
River to the Columbia River
remains open in bays and estu-
aries, and on beaches, docks,
piers and jetties.
Despite the closure, crab
and shellfish products sold in
retail markets and restaurants
remain safe for consumers.
For more information, call
ODA’s shellfish safety infor-
mation hotline at (800) 448-
2474 or visit www.oregon.gov
/ODA/programs/FoodSafety/
Shellfish/Pages/ShellfishClos
ures.aspx.
TO JAUNT ON
H ALLOWEEN
border due to elevated levels
of domoic acid.
This includes crab harvest-
ed in bays and estuaries, and
on beaches, docks, piers and
jetties.
The recreational crabbing
season in the ocean closed
coast-wide on Oct.15.
The announcement extends
some steep inclines that could
be problematic for wheel-
chairs or strollers.
Walkers will meet at 9 a.m.
at the Commons in Yachats to
carpool to Newport. Walkers
can also meet at the Hallmark
Inn in Newport at 9:45 a.m. to
register.
The group walks in any
weather, so come prepared.
As always, leashed pets are
welcome on walks, but carry
water and cleanup materials
for pets.
This walk requires a 6-foot
non-retractable leash.
For more information or
directions, call Maryann
Brown in Waldport at 541-
961-4279.
The club website is at www.
yachatscoastalgems.org.
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