Mountain lion population could be decreased in SD

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO) — The majority of hunters and residents agree that the presence of mountain lions is a sign of a healthy environment, according to a South Dakota Game Fish and Parks survey .

But how many are healthy and where do they exist and how should the state manage the population are points of discussion and disagreement.

The GFP commission will consider on Oct. 3 that the mountain lion population objective in the Black Hills area be reduced to 150 to 250 from 200 to 300.

Dan Casey lives on 12 acres near Nemo Road outside of Rapid City. Recently, a mountain lion stuck its head through the dog door at Casey’s home. Casey was six feet away. He believes the lion didn’t intend to get into the house but, it is a sign that mountain lions are getting increasingly comfortable near humans and pets, he said.

Mountain lions who enter household yards or pets are most likely “young males who are stupid and inexperienced,” said Nancy Hilding of the Prairie Hills Audubon Society . Those young, inexperienced males are the result of hunting, she said.

When older males are killed in hunting, the younger males are left and they don’t have the experience, Hilding said.

Casey believes the proposed reduction will not be as effective as opening more methods to hunt mountains in the Black Hills. He’d like the state to allow for the use of bait, traps and hounds in the Black Hills area. Hounds can be used under specific rules in Custer State Park.

The proposed GFP mountain lion action management plan is used to monitor and control the population. It is the guide for response to mountain lions that may cause livestock issues or issues with pets as well as the guide for methods and seasons for hunting mountain lions.

Mountain lions don’t need human interference, Hilding said. They control their own population.

“Lions can run themselves, they don’t need us,” Hilding said.

Mountain lion hunting has been allowed in the state since 2005. More females than males have been killed in most years since then, according to GFP data .

If the population objective is reduced, the pace of mountain lions killed in hunting would be greater than the growth rate, she said.

Often, more female lions are killed than males. Since mountain lions can give birth year-round, kittens are left on their own when the female dies, Hilding said.

States like South Dakota, Colorado and California are working on the balance between mountain lions and humans. Increasing urbanization of what were more natural or wild areas makes it more complicated as mountain lions can be driven, or wander, from their habitat into urban areas.

Washington, Oregon, Nevada, Arizona, Utah, Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, Colorado, New Mexico, South Dakota, North Dakota and Texas allow mountain lion hunting.

However, there is research and discussion on the benefits of such hunting for mountain lion management.

“Although our results are only correlative, we caution against the universal use of hunting as a tool for managing conflict with large predators,” a 2016 study from British Columbia, Canada, said. The study focused on mountain lion hunting.

Two of the conclusions from an article called “Aggressive Trophy Hunting of Mountain Lions May Exacerbate Human Conflicts with Wildlife” are “trophy hunting of mountain lions may not achieve the goals wildlife agencies claim” and “It might even increase human-lion conflicts.” The article is by Dr. Jim Keen, and was published in July by CATs Aren’t Trophies website.

Supporters of mountain lion hunting have said it protects other wildlife such as deer. It also protects livestock, supporters have said.

The proposed GFP action plan said it “must ensure that mountain lion populations are managed proactively and that management goals are being met.”

Casey has noted the increasing number of mountain lion sightings on his property over the past 12 years.

“Last year, I saw seven different lions,” Casey said. “That’s a lot.” The lions had different identifying markings or collars and included a mother and two kittens, he said.

Recently, three of his dogs were attacked by a mountain lion and required emergency care, Casey said.

Hilding said there may be more noticeable sightings or encounters with mountain lions but, again, she points to hunting as a main contributor. If kittens are left orphaned and are able to survive they don’t learn the proper hunting methods and don’t understand the need to stay away from humans, she said. If more older adult males are killed for trophies, then the younger adults are without leadership and are more likely to venture into urban areas, kill pets or livestock, Hilding said.

Studies show that drought a nd the need for habitat can drive mountain lions into residential and urban areas.

It’s the increasing level of comfort mountain lions are having around humans and pets that he sees that worries Casey.

When a person is outside and sees a mountain lion on the property, “they aren’t running away. They are very noticeably comfortable,” Casey said. “It’s only a matter of time before a kid gets grabbed.”

A concern about children “is out of proportion,” Hilding said. It’s understandable that some may fear a child’s safety if a mountain lion is near or has entered a household yard, but that fear needs perspective, Hilding said.

Hilding said mountain lion attacks on humans are rare.

Multiple sources said there have been 29 fatal attacks within the past 100 years. There have been at least 130 attacks.

“…the potential for being killed or injured by a mountain lion is quite low compared to many other natural hazards,” according to the National Park Service ,

A number of comments submitted to the GFP commission for its Sept. 5 and 6 meeting cite trophy hunting as one of the major reasons the state allows the hunting of mountain lions. The need to manage the population is secondary, such comments said.

Casey is a hunter and an owner of Double D Trophy Outfitters in the Black Hills area. He’s successfully hunted mountain lions. Most hunters get the lion mounted or made into a rug, he said. Those are expensive options so hunters usually choose to harvest one or two mountain lions in their hunting years, Casey said.

Casey said reducing the population objective to 150 to 250 from 200 to 300 won’t result in a noticeable decrease in the population.

“The state sets the limit at 70 to 90 mountain lions to be harvested a year,” Casey said. “They could just as well set it at 30 to 40 because that’s all that’s being harvested.”

The listed GFP limit is 60 mountain lions or 40 females for hunting harvest. During the 2022-2023 season, 16 male and 28 female mountain lions were harvested for a total of 44.

Those numbers could generally outpace the growth rate in the mountain lion population, Hilding said. If the population objective is lowered, the harvest numbers would even more likely outpace the growth rate, she said.

An increase in the number of hunting season days hasn’t resulted in dramatic increases in the harvest numbers. Although harvest limits were dropped as the season days increased, the harvest number still fell below the limit.

The season increased to 127 days in 2019-2020. The limit was 60 and 40 that season and 51 mountain lions were harvested. The season dropped to 126 days for 2020-2021 and 48 mountain lions were harvested.

The GFP commission last year rejected allowing broader use of dogs to hunt up to 12 mountain lions in the Black Hills Fire Protection District.

Casey said the state needs to allow the use of hounds, bait and traps to hunt mountain lions so hunters can reach the harvest limits. Minnesota and Canada allow bait to be used to hunt bears, he said. Hunters can use bait stations in Minnesota but can only use dogs to locate or retrieve a wounded bear. Eight provinces and two territories in Canada allow hunters to use baits while hunting black bear but the rules on what kind of bait and how it is used vary.

Hilding said she believes if the GFP commission approves the lowered population objective, it would set the stage for hound hunting in the Black Hills. The state would need to change its rules for that to happen. Hilding said a rules change could be proposed for next July.

The public can make comments on the proposed mountain lion plan today. Hilding said comments can also be made through Sept. 29 because the GFP meeting is Oct. 3 and 4. The comment website is gfp.sd.gov/forms/positions/

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