PWD BK W7000-893 Proceedings.CDR - Mountain Lion Foundation

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had larger home ranges than juveniles and male
home ranges were larger than females. There
were no clear relationships between home range
size and season. A limited number of females,
collared up to 5 years, showed yearly "shifts" in
home range use areas. Overlaps among adult
males, adult females, subadults, and kittens were
analyzed. Some home ranges showed overlaps in
space but not in time. Other objectives of the study
included determination of: 1) dispersal distances of
primarily subadult males and some females,
sixth Mountain Lion w o r k s h o p
HISTORICAL BIOGEOGRAPHY OF WILD CATS
AND THEIR ENVIRONMENT IN TEXAS
MICHAEL E. TEWES*, Feline Research Center, Caesar Kleberg Wildlife Research Institute, 700 University
Blvd., MSC 218, Texas A&M University-Kingsville, Kingsville, TX 78363.
Abstract: Historically, 6 species of wild cats are
recorded for Texas: mountain lion (Puma
concolor), jaguar (Panthera onca), ocelot
(Leopardus pardalis), margay (Leopardus weidii),
jaguarundi (Herpailurus yaguarondi), and bobcat
(Lynx rufus). Our knowledge of the historical
distribution of these felids is strongly related to
human history, particularly from accounts of early
settlers and the expansion of the frontier. Human
settlements were influenced by presence of rivers,
fertile soils, and climate. Reports of mountain lion,
jaguar, ocelot, and bobcat cover most of occupied
eastern Texas during the 1800s. Range constriction
occurred for mountain lion, ocelot, and jaguar
during the late 1800s and early 1900s with the last
documented jaguar in southern Texas occurring
during 1948. The jaguarundi was never documented
north of the Rio Grande Valley during the
1800s or 1900s. Only a single margay is recorded
from Eagle Pass along the Rio Grande.
Consequently, the 4 felids currently occupying
Texas are the mountain lion, bobcat, ocelot, and
possibly jaguarundi.
A CASE OF MOUNTAIN LION LIMITING
AN ELK POPULATION:
THE GREEN RIVER WATERSHED, WASHINGTON
DAVID J. VALES, Muckleshoot Indian Tribe, 39015 172nd Ave. SE, Auburn, WA 98092
ROCKY D. SPENCER, Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, Mill Creek, WA 98012
Abstract: Predation by mountain lions (Puma
concolor) is well known to potentially affect prey
populations. We report on a case of mountain lion
limitation on an elk (Cervus elaphus) population in
2
a 598 km watershed of which approximately
2
400 km are restricted-access to protect public
water supply. Early spring elk numbers in the
Green River watershed were estimated at 612 in
1994 but by 1997 were down to 227. Known
hunter-harvest mostly regulated by permit-only
hunting during that time was 131 of which 91
were antlerless elk. Elk hunting was stopped for the
restricted-access portion of the watershed starting
2) documentation of mortality sources for resident
and dispersing subadults (primarily males), 3)
cougar age at dispersal, and 4) the number of live
months after dispersal (LMAD). We evaluated
hypothesized factors that likely influenced dispersal
patterns, direction, and mortality. We also
examined 74 prey items and determined age and
sex of deer (Odocoileus spp.) and elk (Cervus
elaphus) taken by cougar. There was significant
selection for old deer (> 7 years old) and young (< 1
year old) elk.
in 1997. Based upon territory overlap from a
mountain lion telemetry study mountain lion
numbers were estimated to be about 18 to 25 in
the early 1990's. Mountain lions have not been
hunted in 2/3 of the watershed since the mid-
1980's when the watershed was closed to public
access. To assess mortality rates and causes we
radio-marked adult cow elk and calves starting in
April 1998. Annual adult cow mortality rates due to
mountain lion predation were 16%. Annual calf
mortality rates due to mountain lion were at least
40% in 1998 and 79% in 1999. We captured and
radio-marked 7 adult mountain lions. Individuals