South Dakota Mountain Lion Public Opinion Poll

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Mountain Lion Management in South Dakota Appendix C Larry M. Gigliotti Comments from Public Meetings • Please keep wildlife management scientific, as is your reputation. Try to keep politics out of management from the governor’s office on down. 84. I hope that there has been enough research and study done before a hunting season happens. I feel that some people have lost respect for nature and wildlife and I hate to see anything destroyed, unless it is sick or threatening. I do feel that there needs to be more public education for common sense information for people to be safe. Find ways to learn to live in lion country. Please don’t let people strap them on top of cars when they are killed. 85. I think the low price is good for the hunting season, that any SD resident should be able to get it (educated hunters only). I think that this season (Black Hills hunt) should go ahead and there should be an evaluation of its effects, and the quota adjusted accordingly. I don’t think trophy hunting should occur for at least five years and dependent upon the effects of the in-state hunting quota. If a trophy season occurs, it shouldn’t be more than ¼ of the quota, rather it should be by lottery and that the winner(s) should be able to (if they want) use dogs. I also think from being here tonight and hearing opinions of others, that the mountain lion issue in other parts of the state would be addressed by studying those populations and decide if there needs to be a season out there. I also think that the money from the licenses should specifically go to support studies of mountain lion (genetics, movement, and behavior) education and purchase of habitat. I think you need to provide more information on how (by studies and statistics) the quota was developed. 86. People should not be allowed to hunt everything, let something be precious. If you use hounds, you'll bring anti-hunting groups into South Dakota. They have more organizations and companies with lobbying power and way more money. I have watched tapes of bear hunters using dogs and it can be inhumane, especially if the hunter has an abusive anti-animal attitude. I don't agree with regular license or trophy hunting that could create a too lucrative opportunity for illegal guiding and poaching. There will be more headaches for conservation officers because only 20 tags. I do not think we need to put the fear back into lions, they are naturally afraid, that's why they are nocturnal. That's old thinking that caused people to extricate them from the state. I would like to see this animal not be a game animal. I think the rate of human construction and growth will have an effect on cat territory in the future and we could easily have the same problem as India or other places. Good power point presentation, I appreciate the work of your biologists, SDSU faculty, students and officers. 87. The proposed season & hunting rules for this season will NOT give you any answers or data relative to the questions asked in the summary. There is no 44
Mountain Lion Management in South Dakota Appendix C Larry M. Gigliotti Comments from Public Meetings way that the arbitrary shooting of lions will do any good. It does not discriminate, it does not teach the general lion population aversion and is a poor plan. You asked for the comments to be written...the meeting offered very good opinions, why the hell wouldn't you record them? What is the point of having a forum like this, a room full of interested parties, and then making their comments essentially not count unless they write them down. They gave you their comments, you write them down. I'm glad you held a meeting at all. 88. Many farmers and ranchers want to eliminate GF&P so they can sell the game, but they are not embarrassed to take the subsidiaries and enjoy the agricultural tax rates -- subsidized by the tax-payer who cannot afford to hunt – but pay high property taxes for residential or non-owner occupied tax rates. 89. Thanks for putting up with so much grief. You are doing a pretty good job – let the biologists make the rules – not the outfitters, commercial hunting operators or the legislators. We didn't have a lion problem 20 years ago. You guys are really brave to face this crowd. 90. When I was at this meeting in Rapid City, I had to bit the hell out of my tongue to keep from telling some of the people the difference between stupidity and responsibility. Between those flatlanders who want to live in the Black Hills with no wildlife and those outfitters who want to charge you $5,000 to hunt a cat with dogs while I’m deer hunting, left me thinking that we have a larger problem than the mountain lions in the Black Hills. It’s time for people to take a little initiative and learn about the big cats and how to live with them and yet have a viable management program (such as this one) to help control the population. Outlaw the feeding of other game animals around populated areas. Confiscate all feeding bins and food, and issue fines for doing this and maybe even the young lions will stay away from people. 91. It sounds like you don't need a season if enough are being hit by cars, problem animals being shot by GFP and other deaths. I'd rather see people pay for and license and then have a lottery draw for a smaller number of hunters who actually hunt. Similar to the Elk season. It scares me to have so many hunters shooting up the Black Hills. I have had to deal with inappropriate hunters and I don't want to deal with more. Thank you for putting up with the hunters who were rude and outspoken with their opinions. 45
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South Dakota Mountain Lion Public Opinion Poll

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