Cougar hunt to open in Colorado area that has been off-limits since 2004

An area of western Colorado that has been off-limits to mountain lion hunting since 2004 will open for a limited season beginning in mid-November.

The hunting season on a portion of the Uncompahgre Plateau will open Nov. 16 and run through Jan. 31, unless the quota of eight cougars is reached before then.

Hunters must obtain a special permit, as well as a regular mountain lion license, to hunt the area. The free permits are available beginning today at the Colorado Division of Wildlife office in Montrose and are valid for 14 days, with unlimited replacement if a hunter does not bag an animal within the 14-day period.

As in other areas of Colorado, hunters must report within 48 hours if they kill a mountain lion and must show the carcass to a state wildlife agent within five days. They also must check daily to see if the research area is still open for hunting by calling (888) 940-5466.

The state Division of Wildlife closed the area in order to conduct research on mountain lion population dynamics. The study will continue through 2014 and is being done to help shape management policy for the big cats.

"The study is designed so that the [Department of Wildlife] can examine the lion management structure and biological assumptions used for managing lions with sport hunting throughout Colorado," Ken Logan, a project researcher with the department, said in a news release.

-- Kelly Burgess

Photo: A mountain lion in a Colorado snow storm. Credit: Kevin Russell / Colorado Division of Wildlife

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Comments

[Josh]

Mario,

"Mountain lions are no longer endangered..."

Mountain lions have never been endangered.

Confucius,

"I don't think we should hunt mountain lions. I believe you should hunt what you are going to eat, such as deer, pheasant, wild pigs, etc. You can't eat a mountain lion."

Actually, mountain lion is considered excellent table fare, and in states where it is classified as a big game animal, failing to eat one after killing it is against the law.

Cudgel,

"In order to maintain healthy wildlife populations and ecosystems, cougars should not be hunted."

Even if we were to assume what you said is true regarding the selection of deer with CWD by lions, there is nothing inherent with the hunting of lion that would prevent this practice from continuing to take place.

Some things that people need to know about lion hunting:
1. Lions are hunted primarily with the use of hounds. As such, the emphasis is in training and hunting with the hounds as opposed to the killing of the lion; a lionhunter derives his pleasure from seeing the hounds work, and it would be antithetical to his efforts were he to kill the lions he caught.
2. As with the hunting of any other species, the number of lions allowed to be killed is not greater than what the biologists have determined that the population can support without suffering any harm. As with water, energy, trees, or any other renewable natural resource, there is no reason why humans cannot use wildlife in a consumptive or non-consumptive manner provided that the use is managed carefully so as not to waste or deplete it.

[cudgel]

Recent research out of Colorado State University found that cougars selectively hunted deer with chronic wasting disease over non-infected deer. Cougar play an important role in helping to maintain healthy populations of ungulates by removing the sick and weak. Hunters by contrast take the healthiest animals. In order to maintain healthy wildlife populations and ecosystems, cougars should not be hunted.

On another point of contention, I can't believe that CDOW is not charging money for cougar tags. It takes a lot of time and money for CDOW to monitor cougar population numbers. The cost of the tags should cover the cost of those studies. I think it is outrageous that those tags are offered for free.

[confucius]

I don't think we should hunt mountain lions. I believe you should hunt what you are going to eat, such as deer, pheasant, wild pigs, etc. You can't eat a mountain lion. If mountain lions are multiplying at a fast rate, get rid of their food source, such as deer. We should be hunting deer, not mountain lions. IMHO

[Mario]

Good for Colorado. it's about time. Mountain lions are no longer endangered and they are multiplying at a dizzying rate, spreading out across the US. It's about time humans reassert themselves into the food chain as top dog. It benefits not only humans but the animals as well. There has a been a great disruption to nature since the "eco freaks" have taken man out of the natural balance.