Proceedings of the Seventh Mountain Lion Workshop

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WYOMING MOUNTAIN LION STATUS REPORT SCOTT A. BECKER, Trophy Game Section, Wyoming Game and Fish Department, 260 Buena Vista, Lander, WY 82520, USA, email: Scott.Becker@wgf.state.wy.us DANIEL D. BJORNLIE, Trophy Game Biologist, Wyoming Game and Fish Department, 260 Buena Vista, Lander, WY 82520, USA, email: Dan.Bjornlie@wgf.state.wy.us DAVID S. MOODY, Trophy Game Section Coordinator, Wyoming Game and Fish Department, 260 Buena Vista, Lander, WY 82520, USA, email: Dave.Moody@wgf.state.wy.us INTRODUCTION Management of mountain lions (Puma concolor) has changed markedly since the nineteenth century. In 1882, the Wyoming Territorial government enacted legislation placing a bounty on mountain lions and other predators. This allowed for lion hunting throughout the year and no bag limits were enforced. In 1973, the mountain lion was reclassified as a trophy game animal, which made the Wyoming Game and Fish Department (WGFD) fiscally liable for confirmed livestock losses. The following year, the first hunting season was established that included the entire state as a single hunt area, a bag limit of 1 lion per year was enacted, kittens and females with kittens at side were protected, and hunters were required to present skulls and pelts of harvested lions to the nearest WGFD District Office or local game warden. In 1997, the WGFD prepared a draft management plan for mountain lions, but the plan has yet to be finalized. However, six main objectives outlined in the draft management plan continue to guide lion management objectives for the state of Wyoming, they are: 1) maintain mountain lion populations within suitable habitat throughout Wyoming; 2) provide mountain lion-related recreational opportunities; 3) minimize female lion harvest in areas where population stability or increase is desirable; 4) minimize mountain lion depredation and 64 Proceedings of the Seventh Mountain Lion Workshop lion/human interactions; 5) tailor management objectives to conditions present within each Mountain Lion Management Unit (MLMU) where possible; and 6) implement more specific, quantifiable objectives within each MLMU as information on the state’s lion population allows. Using these objectives as guidelines, the WGFD attempts to balance recreational demand and harvest with the biological needs of lion populations throughout the state. DISTRIBUTION AND ABUNDANCE Mountain lions are distributed throughout nearly all habitats in Wyoming although densities are not uniform. Lion densities are thought to be highest in the Bighorn, Owl Creek, and Laramie mountain ranges (Wyoming Game and Fish Department 1997), while some of the lowest densities may be found in the grasslands of northeastern Wyoming. In the Bighorn Mountains, Logan and Irwin (1985) found that mixed conifer and curl leaf mountain mahogany habitats were used most in relation to availability, whereas sagebrush grass habitat types were generally avoided. In the Snowy Range Mountains of southeastern Wyoming, lions were found at lower elevations during the winter and concentrated their use near the timber/prairie interface (Chuck Anderson, personal communication).
Figure 1. Mountain lion management units and hunt areas in Wyoming, 2002. WYOMING MOUNTAIN LION STATUS REPORT · Becker et al. 65 PROCEEDINGS OF THE SEVENTH MOUNTAIN LION WORKSHOP HARVEST INFORMATION Data on mountain lions are gathered annually among 28 hunt areas that are grouped into 5 MLMUs (Figure 1), the boundaries of which encompass large areas with contiguous topographic features and are believed to encompass population centers. Each hunt area has a maximum annual mortality quota that varies from 2 – 34, with 5 areas also having a maximum female mortality quota (Table 1). If either quota is filled, the hunting season in that hunt area automatically closes. Currently, hunting seasons open on September 1 and close on March 31 for all hunt areas except Table 1. Wyoming mountain lion management units, hunt areas, season dates, and quotas for harvest year 2002. Mountain Lion Management Unit Northeast Southeast Southwest North-Central West Hunt Area Season Dates Annual Mortality Quota Annual Female Mortality Quota 1 Sept. 1-Mar. 31 7 24 Sept. 1-Mar. 31 2 5 Sept. 1-Mar. 31 12 6 Sept. 1-Mar. 31 34 7 Sept. 1-Mar. 31 6 8 Sept. 1-Mar. 31 8 9 Sept. 1-Mar. 31 3 25 Sept. 1-Mar. 31 3 27 Sept. 1-Aug. 31 20 10 Sept. 1-Mar. 31 6 11 Sept. 1-Mar. 31 2 12 Sept. 1-Mar. 31 6 3 13 Sept. 1-Mar. 31 3 16 Sept. 1-Mar. 31 6 15 Sept. 1-Aug. 31 25 21 Sept. 1-Mar. 31 25 22 Sept. 1-Aug. 31 15 23 Sept. 1-Mar. 31 15 8 2 Sept. 1-Mar. 31 12 6 3 Sept. 1-Mar. 31 8 4 4 Sept. 1-Mar. 31 4 14 Sept. 1-Mar. 31 9 17 Sept. 1-Mar. 31 5 18 Sept. 1-Mar. 31 12 19 Sept. 1-Mar. 31 20 20 Sept. 1-Mar. 31 15 26 Sept. 1-Mar. 31 12 7 28 Sept. 1-Mar. 31 3
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PROCEEDINGS OF THE SEVENTH MOUNTAIN
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TABLE OF CONTENTS Preface..........
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COUGAR PREDATION ON PREY IN YELLOWS
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PREFACE vii PREFACE The Wyoming Gam
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ix IN MEMORY
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2 STATUS OF MOUNTAIN LION POPULATIO
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4 STATUS OF MOUNTAIN LION POPULATIO
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CALIFORNIA MOUNTAIN LION STATUS REP
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8 CALIFORNIA MOUNTAIN LION STATUS R
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10 CALIFORNIA MOUNTAIN LION STATUS
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12 CALIFORNIA MOUNTAIN LION STATUS
Page 24 and 25: COLORADO MOUNTAIN LION STATUS REPOR
Page 26 and 27: 16 COLORADO MOUNTAIN LION STATUS RE
Page 28 and 29: FLORIDA FISH AND WILDLIFE CONSERVAT
Page 30 and 31: 20 FLORIDA STATUS REPORT · Lotz an
Page 36 and 37: 26 IDAHO MOUNTAIN LION STATUS REPOR
Page 38 and 39: 28 IDAHO MOUNTAIN LION STATUS REPOR
Page 40 and 41: 30 MONTANA MOUNTAIN LION STATUS REP
Page 42 and 43: 32 NEVADA MOUNTAIN LION STATUS REPO
Page 50 and 51: 40 NEW MEXICO MOUNTAIN LION STATUS
Page 52 and 53: 42 NEW MEXICO MOUNTAIN LION STATUS
Page 54 and 55: 44 SOUTH DAKOTA MOUNTAIN LION STATU
Page 60 and 61: 50 TEXAS MOUNTAIN LION STATUS REPOR
Page 62 and 63: 52 UTAH MOUNTAIN LION STATUS REPORT
Page 64 and 65: PROCEEDINGS OF THE SEVENTH MOUNTAIN
Page 70 and 71: WASHINGTON COUGAR STATUS REPORT RIC
Page 72 and 73: 62 WASHINGTON COUGAR STATUS REPORT
Page 76 and 77: 66 WYOMING MOUNTAIN LION STATUS REP
Page 82 and 83: 72 CRYPTIC COUGARS · Tischendorf F
Page 84 and 85: 74 CRYPTIC COUGARS · Tischendorf C
Page 86 and 87: 76 CRYPTIC COUGARS · Tischendorf A
Page 88 and 89: 78 CRYPTIC COUGARS · Tischendorf f
Page 90 and 91: 80 CRYPTIC COUGARS · Tischendorf b
Page 92 and 93: 82 CRYPTIC COUGARS · Tischendorf N
Page 94 and 95: 84 CRYPTIC COUGARS · Tischendorf C
Page 96 and 97: 86 CRYPTIC COUGARS · Tischendorf m
Page 98 and 99: 88 IMPROVING OUR UNDERSTANDING OF M
Page 100 and 101: 90 REDUCING PUMA ATTACKS · Fitzhug
Page 110 and 111: 100 REDUCING PUMA ATTACKS · Fitzhu
Page 112 and 113: 102 REDUCING PUMA ATTACKS · Fitzhu
Page 114 and 115: 104 A CONCEPTUAL MODEL AND APPRAISA
Page 116 and 117: 106 MOUNTAIN LION MOVEMENTS AND PER
Page 118 and 119: 108 PRELIMINARY RESULTS OF FLORIDA
Page 120 and 121: 110 ECOLOGICAL SIGNIFICANCE AND EVO
Page 122 and 123: 112 MOUNTAIN LION BED, CACHE AND KI
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114 MOUNTAIN LION BED, CACHE AND KI
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120 EFFECT OF ROADS ON HABITAT USE
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122 COUGAR ECOLOGY AND COUGAR-WOLF
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124 ARE PUMAS OPPORTUNISTIC SCAVENG
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126 COUGAR PREDATION ON PREY IN YEL
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128 COUGAR TOTAL PREDATION RESPONSE
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130 CHARACTERISTICS OF COUGAR HARVE
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136 DEFINING AND DELINEATING DE FAC
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138 MANAGEMENT OF COUGARS (PUMA CON
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140 PROJECT CAT (COUGARS AND TEACHI
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142 ESTIMATING COUGAR ABUNDANCE USI
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144 PRESENCE AND MOVEMENTS OF LACTA
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146 RECONCILING SCIENCE AND POLITIC
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148 PUMA MANAGEMENT IN WESTERN NORT
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150 MOUNTAIN LIONS AND BIGHORN SHEE
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152 DISPERSAL IN MALE PUMAS · Laun
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162 ASSESSING GPS RADIOTELEMETRY RE
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164 FUNCTIONAL RESPONSE OF COUGARS
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166 DEPREDATION TRENDS IN CALIFORNI
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168 PUMA ACTIVITY AND MOVEMENTS IN
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170 MOUNTAIN LION SURVEY TECHNIQUES
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172 CRITICAL COUGAR CROSSING AND BA
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174 LIST OF PARTICIPANTS Chris Beld
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176 LIST OF PARTICIPANTS Steve Fitz
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178 LIST OF PARTICIPANTS Mollie Hog
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180 LIST OF PARTICIPANTS Cheryl Le
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182 LIST OF PARTICIPANTS Ryan Nelso
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184 LIST OF PARTICIPANTS Harley Sha
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186 LIST OF PARTICIPANTS Patricia W
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Proceedings of the Seventh Mountain Lion Workshop

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