The CPW (Colorado Parks & Wildlife) provides an estimate of 3,800-4,400 independent aged lions residing in the state. CPW is now conducting research on the Western Slope to provide a truer population estimate for lions in the state.
A voter-led initiative to ban trophy hunting in Colorado may make its way onto ballots if enough signatures are gathered. Learn more about ways to support this initiative here.
Learn more about mountain lion policy, laws, alerts, and more.
Coloradans will soon face a choice. Continue to allow mountain lions to be hunted as trophies, or put an end to this practice.
In 2023, the Mountain Lion Foundation requested that the Colorado Parks and Wildlife Commission standardize their management approach statewide to manage the meta-population of lions instead of basing management on small areas.
The Colorado Parks and Wildlife Commission’s 2020-21 Cougar Management Plan allows hunters to use electronic distress calls to lure lions for the kill. This was despite overwhelming opposition from the public and from one commissioner who pointed out that electronic calls violate the rules of fair chase. Our staff worked diligently on this issue and our members responded to our action alerts, submitting written and verbal testimony. There was a small win in this decision, when staff removed a proposal to expand lion hunting into October and November in the Glenwood Springs area. That proposal was dropped over concerns that it could result in hunters killing female lions with young dependent cubs.
A 2003 Colorado Parks and Wildlife report notes that “Colorado does not regularly estimate puma populations because no reliable, cost-effective sample-based population estimation technique currently exists.” Instead, CPW developed its official estimate of 3,000 to 7,000 mountain lions by first extrapolating population projection models provided by studies completed in other states, and then by using information provided annually from hunter harvest, non-hunter mortality, game damage conflicts, and human-lion conflicts for rough indicators of population change.
While CPW officials may use these broad numbers in explaining mountain lion management policies and hunting quotas, the Department’s status report also stated that a range of 3,500 to 4,500 mountain lions was more probable. These different population ranges underscore the fact that censusing mountain lion populations is difficult and, like most state game agencies, CPW does not have precise population size estimates.
The agency is currently spearheading a new population monitoring effort involving radio GPS collaring, ear tagging and trail cameras. By comparing the number of marked and unmarked mountain lions that trigger trail cameras, the agency plans to extrapolate an approximation of the population within the study area. CPW plans to use this population monitoring method in two study areas to improve their current population estimates over the next 10 years.
Mountain lions in Colorado were a bountied predator between 1881 and 1965. Rewards for mountain lion pelts ranged from $3 to $50. Historic records show that rewards were paid for over 1,750 dead mountain lions during the bounty period. Harvest pressure on the local population was very high and had an extremely large impact on mountain lion numbers. By the early 60s Colorado’s mountain lion population, once abundant in the state, had fallen to as low as 124 individuals.
Severely declining mountain lion numbers and a change in public opinion towards large carnivores put new pressure on state wildlife managers to protect the state’s mountain lions. Within a few years the bounty was abolished and a hunt was created. Designating mountain lions as a big game species allowed wildlife managers to closely monitor, and more importantly, restrict harvest. New hunting regulations set quotas, bag limits, and restrictions on killing nursing females and cubs. Though pumas have returned to many places from which they were eradicated, they now face threats from roads, human development, and habitat loss.
From 1917-2014 at least 14,066 mountain lions have been reported killed by humans in Colorado. Eighty-four percent of these deaths occurred after mountain lions were classified as Big Game animals in 1965. This figure does not include:
Note: Since 2014, an additional 3,417 mountain lions were killed by hunters.
Based on a lion-mortality density model developed by the Mountain Lion Foundation, Colorado averages 0.65 mountain lions reported killed by humans for every 100 square miles of habitat. This equals the eleven Western state average of 0.65. Using the Mountain Lion Foundation’s mortality ranking system, Colorado ranks 4th (# 1 being the most deadly) amongst the 11 states studied by the Foundation in reported human-caused mountain lion mortalities.
During MLFs 10-year study period (1992-2001), sport hunting accounted for 92 percent of all reported human-caused mountain lion mortalities in Colorado, with the remainder split between depredation kills and unspecified mortality causes. Sport hunting continues to be the largest source of human-caused mountain lion mortality in Colorado today.
The number of mountain lions killed for sport hunting has increased steadily over the years, averaging around 300-400 mountain lions per year in the early 2000s up to 443 per year from 2010-2015 to 499 per year from 2016-2021. This far exceeds the level of killing that occurred during the bounty-hunting period before mountain lions were classified as a game animal.
Nearly 60 percent of Colorado is considered suitable mountain lion habitat. The adaptable felines are able to survive in a variety of habitats found in Colorado; from high desert to alpine forests.
Keep in mind that although cougars are physically capable of living in these places (based on geographical, vegetative and prey species characteristics), it does not mean they necessarily do. Habitat fragmentation, sport hunting practices, and retaliation for conflict with humans can wipe out cougars from any area.
The state of Colorado encompasses 103,717 square miles of land. Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) estimates that 58,822 square miles, roughly 57 percent of the state is suitable mountain lion habitat. This habitat is found essentially from the Front Range of the Rocky Mountains westward to the Utah border, and in parts of the southeast corner of the state.
A 2003 Colorado Parks and Wildlife report notes that “Colorado does not regularly estimate puma populations because no reliable, cost effective sample based population estimation technique currently exist.” Instead, CPW developed its official estimate of 3,000 to 7,000 mountain lions by first extrapolating population projection models provided by studies completed in other states, and then by using information provided annually from “Hunter harvest, non-hunter mortality, game damage conflicts, and human-lion conflicts . . . for crude indicators of population change.” While CPW officials may use these broad numbers in explaining mountain lion management policies and hunting quotas, the Department’s status report also stated that a range of 3,500 to 4,500 mountain lions was more probable.
In Colorado’s legal code, Puma concolor is generally referred to as “mountain lion.”
The species is classified as big game, along with elk, white-tailed deer, mule deer, moose, rocky mountain bighorn sheep, desert bighorn sheep, rocky mountain goat, pronghorn antelope, black bear, and “all species of large mammals that may be introduced or transplanted into this state for hunting or are classified as big game by the commission.” Laws pertaining to Colorado’s threatened and endangered species do not apply to mountain lions because the law is for the management of nongame animals.
Generally, treatment of wildlife in the State of Colorado is governed by the Colorado Revised Statutes – the state’s collection of its laws. Since our summary below may not be completely up to date, you should be sure to review the most current law for the State of Colorado.
Colorado does not maintain a state-managed website of its statutes. Instead, the state contracts with a company called LexisNexis to publish its laws. The Colorado Revised Statutes may be viewed online here. These statutes are searchable. Be sure to use the name “mountain lion” to accomplish your searches.
The Colorado General Assembly is the state’s legislature. It is a bicameral legislature. The upper chamber is the Senate while the House of Representatives is the lower chamber. Colorado maintains a single website for its state legislature. The House of Representatives is made up of 65 members who serve 2-year terms. The Senate has 35 members who serve 4-year terms. Members of each chamber are limited to 8 consecutive years in office. Colorado’s directory of House of Representatives members can be found here , and the directory of state senators can be found here. Each year, the General Assembly must convene at 10:00 am no later than the second Wednesday of January. A regular session then lasts a maximum of 120 days. The governor or two-thirds of the members of each chamber may also call special sessions.
The Colorado Parks and Wildlife Commission sets the Colorado Parks and Wildlife Regulations. The regulations are enforced by Colorado Parks and Wildlife. The complete list of regulations can be found here. Regulations related to mountain lions held in captivity can be found below under its own subheading.
The Colorado Parks and Wildlife Commission is made up of 11 voting members appointed by the governor. The voting members must consist of three members who are sportsmen or sportswomen, one of whom must be an outfitter; three agricultural producers; three recreationalists, including one from a non-profit, non-consumptive wildlife organization; and two at-large members. All members are expected to represent all parks and wildlife issues. At least four members must be from west of the Continental Divide. The Executive Director of the Department of Natural Resources and the Commissioner of Agriculture are ex-officio omission members. The commission sets Colorado’s parks and wildlife policies with the goal of maintaining recreational activity.
Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) is an agency within the Colorado Department of Natural Resources. CPW enforces the Colorado Parks and Wildlife Commission’s regulations and policies.
Hunting of mountain lions is allowed in the State of Colorado. The regulations governing “recreational” hunting of mountain lions specify 180 units.
Hound hunting is allowed, but packs are limited to 8 dogs.
Mountain lions may be hunted with rifles firing cartridges of .24 caliber or larger, muzzle-loading rifles and smoothbore muskets with a minimum caliber of .40, shotguns no smaller than 20 gauge, handguns that fire bullets of at least 45 grains and produce at least 400 foot pounds of energy at the muzzle, handheld bows, and crossbows. Mountain lion season generally runs from late November to April 30.
“Harvest limit quotas” Colorado does not set sex-specific limit quotas, but prohibits the killing of any lion young enough to still have spots or any lion accompanied by one or more kittens.
According to Colorado’s big game hunting regulations, the Parks and Wildlife Director or his/her designee may appoint licensed hunters, houndsmen, or trappers to remove a mountain lion by any legal means when the lion is “frequenting areas of incompatibility with other users as may be necessary to protect public health, safety and welfare.” Those appointed to head a mountain lion removal operation are drawn from a list of applicants judged by their ability to respond, skill, experience, location, and the ability as hunters, houndsmen, or trappers. Lions killed in removal operations are property of the state and must be delivered to a Parks and Wildlife officer within five days.
Colorado Parks and Wildlife regulations govern the state’s response to depredating mountain lions. The policy specifies that, like the state’s public safety regulations, the Parks and Wildlife Director or his/her designee will appoint licensed hunters, houndsmen, or trappers to remove a mountain lion by any legal means when the lion is attacking livestock. The appointed licensed hunters, houndsmen, or trappers are drawn from the same list as those used in removal operations for public safety. If the depredating lion is killed, the carcass is property of the state and must be delivered to a Parks and Wildlife officer within five days. However, Colorado Department of Agriculture regulations allow the livestock’s owner or their designee to kill or trap the attacking lion. Owners of domestic animals are required to take certain steps to protect their livestock, including paying into the state’s animal protection fund. There is a government-funded compensation program for losses of domestic animals to mountain lions, but the state is not liable for any damage when the property’s owner has “unreasonably” restricted hunting on his/her land.
Mountain lions may not be trapped for fur in Colorado. The regulations governing trapping in Colorado do not list mountain lions as furbearing animals. Any non-target animal caught in a trap must be immediately released with or without the assistance of Colorado Parks and Wildlife. Accidentally captured wildlife may not be killed. If the trap has killed the mountain lion, the carcass must be delivered to a CPW officer within 5 days.
Poaching law in the State of Colorado provides some protection of mountain lions in law, but only as a deterrent. It is rare for penalties to be sufficiently harsh to keep poachers from poaching again. Hunting or killing a mountain lion outside of mountain lion hunting season or in a closed area is a misdemeanor. The offending hunter(s) is fined twice the cost of Colorado’s most expensive mountain lion hunting license and receives 15 license suspension points. Accruing 20 or more license suspension points over a five-year period results in the suspension of hunting, trapping, and fishing license privileges for up to 5 years. Having one’s license suspended three or more times results in a lifetime suspension, which may be appealed after 15 years.
The Colorado Department of Transportation does not keep records of mountain lions killed on the State’s roads.
In January 2022, Senator Jaquez Lewis introduced Colorado Senate Bill 31, a bill to end the hunting and trapping of mountain lions, bobcat and lynx (if ever removed from the endangered species list) in Colorado. The bill failed in the Senate Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee on February 3. You can read MLF’s press release about the outcome here:
While we hoped that Colorado senators would move forward with S.B. 31 for the benefit of the state’s wildcats and majority of Coloradans who supported this initiative, the effort will not end here. We will continue to meet with organizations, legislators, CPW officials and Colorado residents to work on a pathway forward for protecting Colorado’s mountain lions and other native cat species.
Stay tuned to this page for Colorado action alerts!
