mountain lion hunting in Nebraska

[franksolich]

http://www.omaha.com/article/20120110/NEWS01/701119989#bill-would-let-hunters-target-lions

Bill would let hunters target lions

LINCOLN — Nebraska's growing population of mountain lions might soon become the target of hunters.

Under a bill introduced Tuesday in the Nebraska Legislature, the state could establish a hunting season for the predatory big cats.

A lawmaker who has had some first-hand experience with mountain lions, State Sen. LeRoy Loudon of Ellsworth, introduced the bill.

Loudon said a mountain lion once ran across the front yard of his ranch house in rural northwest Nebraska.

Mountain lion sightings have become more common across the state. One was spotted near Seward — west of Lincoln — in November, and earlier that month, a 15-year-old hunter shot one in northeast Nebraska, near Creighton.

The senator said recent studies have shown that mountain lions are breeding and expanding across the Cornhusker State. He said the state should permit hunting to control their population, as South Dakota and Colorado have done.

"There's plenty of them around," Loudon said.

Right now, mountain lions may be legally killed only if threatening people or attacking livestock.

Believe it or not, they are becoming a problem here.

[longview]

I'm not surprised.  And I don't blame urban sprawl completely.  There is more food in formerly rural areas thanks to the increasing number of ranchettes with small animals, or just range animals kept in small areas.  Easy picking.

Reading accounts from decades ago, even mountain lions would starve out occasionally.  Not seen anymore by those who spend lots of time in their habitat.

When I worked in Scottsbluff I saw a youngish male get hit by a car just west of town.  He was headed to a goat farm at the edge of the Hwy 26.  I was going to stop and take a photo and let game and fish know, but the guys that hit him whipped around, most likely to retrieve the carcass.  I know better than to get between guys and their kill.  They can be like grizzlies.  A short time before that, one was killed in town east of there by a school yard.

Last ranch job I had we had several that traveled through.  One looked into a bedroom window and scared the heck out of a foster daughter who was primarily a city kid.  Ran another off when I saw her stalking one of my kids who was playing in the yard.  Had other close encounters with them.

We are not at the top of the food chain.  Still, I like seeing them now and then.

[marv]

They're becoming more populous here in the Ozarks, but Missouri still has them on the protected species list. Saw a couple last year, but with our large deer population, they shouldn't be much of a problem for a while.

Depending on food availability, they'll stick to their territory. Here in the Ozarks it's about 30-32 square miles.
http://www.mountainlion.org/facts_faq.asp

(snip)

The American lion is very territorial and their home areas can range from 25 square miles in Idaho and California to 1000 square miles in western Texas. They mark the boundaries of their home areas with scrapes of earth, leaves, and urine. The cats tend to be active at dawn, dusk, and at night, when they roam their home area search of prey.

Mountain lions are remarkable in their adaptability to a wide range of habitats. Cougars seem equally at home in Alberta’s alpine forests, Arizona’s Sonoran Desert, or Mexico’s tropical jungles. They are found from sea level to 14,765 feet, in the dense forests of the Pacific Northwest, the desert Southwest, and in Florida’s Everglades.

Mountain lions have extraordinary vision and are remarkably fast. From a standing position, mountain lions can jump a vertical distance of up to 15 feet and a horizontal distance of 40 feet. Mountain lions choose deer as prey more than any other animal, but they also feed on wild hogs, raccoons, rabbits and hares, porcupine, and birds.

(snip)

[thundley4]

I don't like the idea of hunting them just for sport or trophies, but if they become a problem for livestock or humans, then they should be fair game. 

Don't issue hunting permits for them, just do away with the penalties if one has to be killed.

[Eupher]

Well, the [insert state name here] DNR should be able to manage the cougar's population and, if necessary, sell or issue hunting permits just like any other animal.

If they're important in keeping down the deer population, there should be a balance.

All the same, I worry about my two dogs when they're outside in our fenced yard. They don't stay out long, but our dogs wouldn't last 30 seconds against a mountain lion.

[Rebel]

You don't need a permit. All you need to do is yell, "look out, it's coming right for us" before firing.

[longview]

All the same, I worry about my two dogs when they're outside in our fenced yard. They don't stay out long, but our dogs wouldn't last 30 seconds against a mountain lion.

Fortunately they don't like dogs anymore than domestic or smaller wild cats.  They'd rather run away.  So, unless the dogs corner a cat, the cat will usually split.

In Casper, WY years ago, in town, a poodle put a cat up an apple tree.

[Eupher]

Fortunately they don't like dogs anymore than domestic or smaller wild cats.  They'd rather run away.  So, unless the dogs corner a cat, the cat will usually split.

In Casper, WY years ago, in town, a poodle put a cat up an apple tree.

Interesting. Thanks for that perspective. Our golden may give a half-hearted bark. Our purebred mutt would be the one doing all the braying. But I ain't even sure about her.

Last night, I got home from rehearsal pretty late. Mrs E had already gone to bed with the dogs occupying their usual spot on the floor in the bedroom. I had to pack up an item in preparation for shipping it this morning, so I puttered around the house doing that.

Not so much as a peep out of the dogs.

Even when I went into the bedroom without turning on the lights, no inquisitive cold noses, no smelling, no examination of any type.

Yeah. We've got a couple of real guard dogs.    

[Gratiot]

Interesting. Thanks for that perspective. Our golden may give a half-hearted bark. Our purebred mutt would be the one doing all the braying. But I ain't even sure about her.

Another perspective though is that case in California a couple of years ago... where a Mountain Lion waltzed in through a screen door that was left open, travelled through the hallways of a home, and than attacked a sleeping lab which was in bed with both homeowners whom were sleeping as well at the time.  Talk about one hell of a terrifying awakening
There were videos online, showing the path it took through the house and yard, but I'm just finding a news article now.

Fox News, 2008

[Eupher]

Another perspective though is that case in California a couple of years ago... where a Mountain Lion waltzed in through a screen door that was left open, travelled through the hallways of a home, and than attacked a sleeping lab which was in bed with both homeowners whom were sleeping as well at the time.  Talk about one hell of a terrifying awakening
There were videos online, showing the path it took through the house and yard, but I'm just finding a news article now.

Fox News, 2008

 

Remind me never to leave French doors open.

[Gratiot]

Remind me never to leave French doors open.

I believe it was actually French doors left open, to enjoy a nice evening breeze, that it walked in through!  Was one of the wildest encounter stories I've ever heard.  I wish I could find the television videos, their bedroom wasn't a direct path to the doorway, terrifying.

[BlueStateSaint]

I believe it was actually French doors left open, to enjoy a nice evening breeze, that it walked in through!  Was one of the wildest encounter stories I've ever heard.  I wish I could find the television videos, their bedroom wasn't a direct path to the doorway, terrifying.

Blaming the French . . . that's fine with me!