Mountain lions in the news

[chumley]

Seems like these occasional stories can all be compiled in a single thread.

https://wildlife.ca.gov/News/mountain-l ... -calabasas

Aug 26, 2021, approximately 10:45 a.m., a 65-lb. mountain lion attacked the boy in his front yard, inflicting wounds to his head, neck and upper torso. The boy’s mother fended off the lion by striking it multiple times. The boy’s parents transported him to a hospital where he was treated for his injuries. He remains in the hospital in stable condition.

Research seems to indicate that the attack was from a year-old cub birthed by a collared lion in an NPS study. The attacking cub was eliminated, while the mother (and presumably the other cub) were returned to the wild.

If you are unfamiliar with Calabasas, it is similar to parts of the Carefree/Cave Creek area with affluent residents and larger properties tucked up against mountains that are preserved from development.

[Pivo]

Meanwhile in Colorado.
Proposition 127: Is mountain lion and bobcat hunting unethical or just misunderstood?
https://www.vaildaily.com/news/colorado ... 27-ethics/

[azbackpackr]

I will go with "misunderstood." In my limited experience with hunting, and then trying to talk to friends about it who are not hunters, I realized that their antipathy toward it is based largely on a lack of knowledge, understanding and experience. It's a knee-jerk type of response.

That's not to say that unethical behavior doesn't exist amongst hunters, because it does, but I think that's probably another topic. In this article they were interviewing people who have a great deal of experience, and a lot of skin in the game, raising their hounds and training them. I can see their point of view. And they cited the 19% success rate, which isn't very high.

[Pivo]

hey cited the 19% success rate, which isn't very high.

The area's I have hunted in CO with a muzzle loader, (not a modern rifle with optics) the success rate was 10% for elk and deer. Which by all estimates are more abundant than mountain lions. So 19% sounds much better to me.

The guy quoted in the article "Jerry Apker, a retired wildlife biologist who spent 38 years as a wildlife officer and carnivore biologist for Colorado Parks and Wildlife and who said he participated in a few mountain lion hunts when he was younger, agreed.
It was) almost more challenging than anything else that I ever hunted because it was physically demanding,” said Apker, who opposes Proposition 127."

Right below that quote is a photo of hunters, dogs and a horse. If you have those tools, how physically demanding can it be? Ride the horse, listen/ watch on a Garmin GPS for the dogs locations... ride over, shoot the treed lion, put it on the horse and ride to camp. The last elk and mule deer I harvested were packed out by a human at elevation, off trail.

[nonot]

Physically demanding on the wallet or your time to pay for the horse, hounds, and training of the animals, or do the training yourself. Also, having to track down the dog or a bolted horse that doesn't behave will get your heart pumping. But yeah, waddling off your horse to fire your rifle on a treed cat isn't physically demanding. Running away if the cat turns the tables and attacks you might be however, but I don't know that this ever really happens.

[big_load]

Got a call from school and had to walk my boy home from school the other day because of a mountain lion hanging by the school during the day. Probably the same one that killed a couple bambies in my yard.

It seems like staying in school would be safer than having dad parade the bait past the hungry lion.

[chumley]

@Pivo

Meanwhile in Colorado.
Proposition 127:

https://www.denverpost.com/2024/11/05/c ... nting/amp/

Apparently Colorado likes hunting mountain lions!

[Pivo]

@chumley

Did Colorado’s voter-approved wolf reintroduction contribute to results?
https://www.vaildaily.com/news/colorado ... -rejected/

[chumley]

@Pivo Seems like the suburban white women didn't show up in the numbers they needed.

[Jim]

All I know is, there are a lot of real upset REI share holders!

[Pivo]

On March 23, 2024, while walking down a forest service road outside Georgetown, Calif., my nephews Taylen and Wyatt Brooks were attacked by a mountain lion.

https://www.nytimes.com/2024/12/31/maga ... =url-share