Help Reduce Montana Mountain Lion Harvest

In 1998, Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks raised mountain lion quotas to the highest number of mountain lions ever harvested in one state since bounties were abolished. Montana increased their harvest from 159 lions in 1988 to 776 in 1998.

After much public outcry, in 1997 Montana FWP started a 10-year research project to study how hunting affected mountain lion populations. After radio-collaring 121 individuals (24 females, 11 males, and 86 kittens), the researchers were able to glean information on habitat use, reproduction, mortality, dispersal, and population growth.

FWP's most significant finding was that hunting has a major effect on mountain lion populations. Project biologist DeSimone explained that "people thought you couldn't really overhunt lions because the animals were too elusive, but in our study area, we found that hunting is the number one factor affecting mountain lion distribution and abundance." This research led to improvements in the hunting permit system, but it hasn't stopped FWP from increasing their harvest rates. FWP needs to heed the warnings from their own biologists as well as the public and downgrade their hunting quotas.

Our best chance to slow the killing is to ask the Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks to do the right thing and reduce the hunting quota for mountain lions. There is no scientific or biological basis for continuing to hunt mountain lions in such high numbers.

Even more important, write a message to the Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks, asking them to consider your opinions. Please, write today! There is no time to waste.

Mail your letter to:

Wildlife Biologist
Bob Inman
1420 East 6th Avenue
P.O. Box 200701
Helena, MT 59620-0701

Or send an email to:

bobinman@mt.gov
(406) 444-0042

Ask that your comments be forwarded to the Director and all of the Commissioners, and be made part of the official record.

Please send a copy of your letter to Mountain Lion Foundation, PO Box 1896, Sacramento CA 95812, or email a copy of your letter to LCullens@MountainLion.org. We will make sure that your letter reaches all of the Commissioners, as well as the Governor, who appoints the Director of FWP.

To contact the commissioners directly go to:

http://fwp.mt.gov/eCalendar.html

And attend the upcoming commission meetings.

Please be respectful, anger and outrage is understandable, but discourteous communications are not generally constructive and reflect poorly on advocates for wildlife and the conservation community.