Mountain lion hunting season over
Posted: Tuesday, October 25, 2005
PIERRE, S.D. (AP) -- The Black Hills mountain lion hunting season ended Monday when the fifth breeding-age female was shot.
George Vandel, a state Game, Fish and Parks Department official, said the lion was killed by a hunter early Monday, automatically bringing the season to an end. It was possible that another lion or two could be killed Monday by hunters who were not aware that the season had closed, he said.
"There's going to be a grace period," Vandel said.
"We understand that there might be some people who are still out hunting as we speak and may bring in a mountain lion to us," Vandel told reporters at mid-afternoon. "In that case, the law enforcement staff will probably visit with them to determine the circumstances."
Vandel, who is assistant director of the GF&P Wildlife Division, said a total of 13 lions were killed since the season opened Oct. 1. Seven were females, including two females determined to be younger than breeding age, and six were males. Two of the males were adults, and four were sub-adults.
Tony Leif, GF&P wildlife program administrator, said a hunter shot the fifth breeding-age female Monday about 8 miles south of Lead. The cat was estimated to be 4 to 5 years old, in good health and weighed 90 pounds, Leif said.
Lion hunting was scheduled to run until Dec. 15.
But the season also was limited by the number of lions that could be killed: either a total of 25 lions or five breeding-age females.
Two litters of three kittens each were found after hunters shot lactating females, Leif said. The young cats are being cared for at South Dakota State University until they can be placed at a wildlife sanctuary or zoo.
"They are eating solid food and taking milk out of a saucer," Leif said.
Opponents of the season had warned that unregulated hunting nearly wiped out mountain lions in South Dakota a century ago. Opponents mounted an unsuccessful legal challenge to stop this year's hunt on the grounds that it could wipe out the Black Hills lion population.
"The possibility was there," said Lynn Sadler, executive director of the Mountain Lion Foundation in Sacramento, Calif.
Sadler said Monday that she did not think the group went overboard in its criticism of the South Dakota hunting season.
"Fortunately, the result weren't bad, but the plan was still bad," she said.
GF&P officials said lion numbers would not be hurt if hunting was carefully regulated.
"The first priority that we have with mountain lions in South Dakota is to have a long-term viable population in the Black Hills," Leif said.
"We found that in the process of putting together that management plan and talking to the public that we had a harvestable surplus of mountain lions in the Black Hills and a public that supported a mountain lion season," he said. "That's why we established the hunting season."
Results of the lion season will be reviewed, along with continuing lion research, before deciding if GF&P biologists will recommend another hunting season next year for the big cats, Vandel said. Officials had estimated the Black Hills lion population at about 145, and a new estimate will be made next spring.
Lions are hunted in several western states.
But there had never been a state-sanctioned hunting season on mountain lions in South Dakota, and officials expected it to be controversial, Vandel said.
"That's why we took such care in designing the season and making sure we had good scientific facts to back it up," he said. "If there's any surprise in the season, it's just how easily, how quickly those lions were harvested."
GF&P has spent about $400,000 on mountain lion research since 1999, Vandel said.
Vandel said he thought it would be November before many lions were shot. The Black Hills deer season begins Nov. 1, and it's too bad some of those deer hunters didn't get a chance to shoot lions, he said.
Many hunters who purchased elk and deer licenses also bought $15 lion licenses.
"It's safe to say the (lion) season was a success," Leif said. "We had a lot of hunters that got out and enjoyed the opportunity to go hunting mountain lions and even some were lucky enough to harvest a few."
Vandel said mountain lions can still be killed outside of the Black Hills through Dec. 15 by landowners who have licenses that are valid only on their own property. He does not expect many of the cats to be shot, however, outside the Black Hills.
What to do with a mountain lion after shooting it?
"It's just the experience. It's a tremendous trophy," Vandel said. "We have heard of people who've eaten mountain lion and claim it's quite good."
George Vandel, a state Game, Fish and Parks Department official, said the lion was killed by a hunter early Monday, automatically bringing the season to an end. It was possible that another lion or two could be killed Monday by hunters who were not aware that the season had closed, he said.
"There's going to be a grace period," Vandel said.
"We understand that there might be some people who are still out hunting as we speak and may bring in a mountain lion to us," Vandel told reporters at mid-afternoon. "In that case, the law enforcement staff will probably visit with them to determine the circumstances."
Vandel, who is assistant director of the GF&P Wildlife Division, said a total of 13 lions were killed since the season opened Oct. 1. Seven were females, including two females determined to be younger than breeding age, and six were males. Two of the males were adults, and four were sub-adults.
Tony Leif, GF&P wildlife program administrator, said a hunter shot the fifth breeding-age female Monday about 8 miles south of Lead. The cat was estimated to be 4 to 5 years old, in good health and weighed 90 pounds, Leif said.
Lion hunting was scheduled to run until Dec. 15.
But the season also was limited by the number of lions that could be killed: either a total of 25 lions or five breeding-age females.
Two litters of three kittens each were found after hunters shot lactating females, Leif said. The young cats are being cared for at South Dakota State University until they can be placed at a wildlife sanctuary or zoo.
"They are eating solid food and taking milk out of a saucer," Leif said.
Opponents of the season had warned that unregulated hunting nearly wiped out mountain lions in South Dakota a century ago. Opponents mounted an unsuccessful legal challenge to stop this year's hunt on the grounds that it could wipe out the Black Hills lion population.
"The possibility was there," said Lynn Sadler, executive director of the Mountain Lion Foundation in Sacramento, Calif.
Sadler said Monday that she did not think the group went overboard in its criticism of the South Dakota hunting season.
"Fortunately, the result weren't bad, but the plan was still bad," she said.
GF&P officials said lion numbers would not be hurt if hunting was carefully regulated.
"The first priority that we have with mountain lions in South Dakota is to have a long-term viable population in the Black Hills," Leif said.
"We found that in the process of putting together that management plan and talking to the public that we had a harvestable surplus of mountain lions in the Black Hills and a public that supported a mountain lion season," he said. "That's why we established the hunting season."
Results of the lion season will be reviewed, along with continuing lion research, before deciding if GF&P biologists will recommend another hunting season next year for the big cats, Vandel said. Officials had estimated the Black Hills lion population at about 145, and a new estimate will be made next spring.
Lions are hunted in several western states.
But there had never been a state-sanctioned hunting season on mountain lions in South Dakota, and officials expected it to be controversial, Vandel said.
"That's why we took such care in designing the season and making sure we had good scientific facts to back it up," he said. "If there's any surprise in the season, it's just how easily, how quickly those lions were harvested."
GF&P has spent about $400,000 on mountain lion research since 1999, Vandel said.
Vandel said he thought it would be November before many lions were shot. The Black Hills deer season begins Nov. 1, and it's too bad some of those deer hunters didn't get a chance to shoot lions, he said.
Many hunters who purchased elk and deer licenses also bought $15 lion licenses.
"It's safe to say the (lion) season was a success," Leif said. "We had a lot of hunters that got out and enjoyed the opportunity to go hunting mountain lions and even some were lucky enough to harvest a few."
Vandel said mountain lions can still be killed outside of the Black Hills through Dec. 15 by landowners who have licenses that are valid only on their own property. He does not expect many of the cats to be shot, however, outside the Black Hills.
What to do with a mountain lion after shooting it?
"It's just the experience. It's a tremendous trophy," Vandel said. "We have heard of people who've eaten mountain lion and claim it's quite good."
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