Proceedings of the Seventh Mountain Lion Workshop

Total Lion Harvest
250
200
150
100
50
0
78
1993
1994
95 110
145 144
206
214
201
186
172
1995
1996
1997
1998
1999
2000
2001
2002
Figure 2. Total Wyoming mountain lion
harvest, 1993-2002.
information into mountain lion harvest
analyses in order to better assess mountain
lion population trends. This will eventually
aid in adjusting population objectives and,
thus quotas, to ensure sustainable lion
populations statewide.
There has been a steady increase in
harvest since 1993, which has leveled off in
recent years at around 200 (Figure 2). Since
1993, the average percent of females in the
harvest has been 43%, ranging from 32% in
1993 to 51% in 2000 (Figure 3). The
percent of adults in the female harvest has
steadily declined in the past 10 years, falling
from around 70% adult females in 1993 and
1994 to around 40% adults in 2001 and 2002
(Figure 4). This decline in the past two
years is likely due in part to a change in the
criteria used to classify adults and juveniles
prior to the 2001 hunting season. Since
1993, hunter effort has ranged from 3.3 to
5.8 days per lion for an average of 3.9 days
per lion. Ninety-two percent of all
successful hunters in Wyoming harvested
lions with the aid of dogs from 1993 – 2002.
DEPEDATIONS AND HUMAN-LION
INTERACTIONS/CONFLICTS
Currently, Wyoming uses a statewide
protocol for managing trophy game
WYOMING MOUNTAIN LION STATUS REPORT · Becker et al. 67
Percent
100%
75%
50%
25%
PROCEEDINGS OF THE SEVENTH MOUNTAIN LION WORKSHOP
0%
1993
1994
1995
1996
1997
1998
1999
2000
2001
2002
Percent Females Percent Males
Figure 3. Percent male and female mountain
lion harvest in Wyoming, 1993-2002.
depredations and interactions with humans.
A depredating lion is defined as a lion that
injures or kills livestock or domestic pets.
In addition, 4 types of human/mountain lion
interactions are defined by the WGFD, they
are 1) recurring sighting – repeated sightings
of a particular lion; 2) encounter – an
unexpected meeting between a human and a
lion without incident; 3) incident – an
account of abnormal lion behavior that could
have more serious results in the future (e.g.,
a lion attacking a pet, or a lion exhibiting
aggressive behavior, without attack, toward
Percent
100%
75%
50%
25%
0%
1993
1994
1995
1996
1997
1998
1999
2000
Adult Females Juvenile Females
2001
2002
Figure 4. Percent adult and juvenile female
mountain lion harvest in the total female
harvest in Wyoming, 1993-2002.