MONTROSE, Colo.–For the first time since 2004, hunting season for mountain lions will open again this year in a special study area west of Montrose.

The Colorado Division of Wildlife closed mountain lion hunting on a portion of the Uncompahgre Plateau in order to conduct research that will eventually provide new information on mountain lion population dynamics.

“The study is designed so that the DOW can examine the lion management structure and biological assumptions used for managing lions with sport hunting throughout Colorado,” said Ken Logan, the DOW researcher on the project.

Information being gathered includes: lion abundance, sex and age structure, reproduction, survival and causes of mortality during periods without and with sport-hunting. The study started in 2004 and will continue through 2014.

The research area includes the southern portions of Game Management Units 61, 62 and the northern portion of GMU 70.

For the study, lions are captured, fitted with radio collars and tracked remotely. Capturing the lions allows researchers to study lion population structure. The radio collars enable researchers to quantify reproduction, survival, causes of mortality and movement patterns.

Hunters interested in the research area must be aware of some special regulations. The hunting season in the research area is Nov. 16 through Jan. 31 — unless the harvest quota of eight animals is reached before Jan. 31. The objective of the harvest on the research area is to manage for a stable to increasing population just as the DOW manages most GMUs in Colorado to achieve a healthy self-sustaining population. Adult and independent sub-adult lions can be harvested. Hunters are prohibited from killing cubs or females that are followed by cubs.

Besides a regular mountain lion license, hunters must obtain a special permit to hunt on the research area. The permits are free and unlimited, and each is valid for 14 days. A hunter who does not take a lion within the 14 days can pick up another permit to continue hunting so long as the season is still open. Permits can be picked up starting on Nov. 2 at the DOW’s Montrose Service Center at 2300 S. Townsend Ave.

As in all other areas of the state, hunters must report harvest within 48 hours after the animal has been killed and the animal carcass must be shown to a DOW agent within five days of harvest. Hunters must check daily to see if the research area is still open by calling 1-888-940-LION (5466).

Hunters in the research area also are being asked to fill out a voluntary survey that is attached to each permit. Questions include: location of hunt, length of time hunted, description of lion tracks, descriptions of lions seen or harvested and other questions about lion hunting.

The surveys will provide important information about the lions in the population that hunters encounter and about how hunters hunt lions in Colorado. Hunters are asked to provide accurate information in the surveys to help the DOW improve lion management.

Regulations for this area and the entire state can be reviewed in the DOW’s 2009-10 Mountain Lion Hunting brochure which is available at all DOW offices, license agents and online at http://wildlife.state.co.us under the Rules/Regs section.

For more information about hunting in the research area, call the DOW’s Montrose office at (970)252-6000.

The following footage has some strong language in it. However I think it illustrates that nature can be pretty harsh itself. I think if more people were to witness predators “doing their job” then society might appreciate human hunters more.

You don’t think of it much, but the pacific Northwest is home to a number of cougars. In fact Vancouver Island has one of the highest densities of mountain lions that prey on the abumdant deer in the Temperate Rain Forest.
I came across a story about one cat who got a little too close to a popuulated area in Seattle.

SEATTLE – A cougar that prowled through Seattle for about a week and forced the closure of Discovery Park was captured early Sunday.

An enforcement officer tracked the animal after authorities were told the cougar had been spotted Saturday evening.

Tracking dogs chased the cougar up a tree and he was tranquilized.

The 2 1/2-year-old male weighed 140 pounds and is in very good health, Capt. Bill Hebner said.

read the rest of the story at the KREM Channel 2 news website.

Collin Cotrell just sent me an update on the Outback Outdoors second Webisode.  If you liked the first installment I mentioned in an earlier column, you are sure to enjoy this feature;

We welcome you back to www.outbackoutdoors.net as we have launched our 2nd Webisode – which is a great Mountain Lion hunt in Colorado. This is not your average lion hunt either, you will see what other shows miss . In this months webisode we will show you the whole journey, as Outback Outdoors team members Adam Wells and Trevon Stoltzfus, “find the track, trail the dogs, and tree the cat!”

Also, please do not hesitate to message the OO Team and let them know what you think about the show. Send an email to collin@outbackoutdoors.net and we will put your comments on the website, if you would like!