# Mountain Lion season in ND



## Bob Kellam (Apr 8, 2004)

What do you think of this??
I like it.

ND schedules mountain lion hunting season 
By DALE WETZEL Associated Press Writer 
The Associated Press - Thursday, August 04, 2005
· advertisement ·
BISMARCK, N.D.

North Dakota will hold its first mountain lion hunting season this fall, which should provide valuable information about the animal's presence, a state Game and Fish Department wildlife manager said.

North Dakota has had a rising number of mountain lion sightings in the last two years, and wildlife officials suspect the big cats are coming from South Dakota and Montana. Some lions may be living in western North Dakota, game officials say.

Among more than 100 reported sightings since January 2004, five have been confirmed so far this year, said Randy Kreil, director of the Game and Fish Department's wildlife division. Seven were confirmed last year. Mountain lions are also called cougars, pumas, panthers and catamounts.

The hunting season is intended to provide more information about whether the animals are living and breeding in the state, Kreil said. It is not motivated by any perceived threat the lions pose to humans, he said.

"Unless you have a mountain lion in hand, you can only speculate about what people are seeing," he said. "They can't tell if they're an adult. They can't tell if it's a male or a female. They can't tell whether or not they're in good health. They can't tell what they've been eating."

The season opens Sept. 2, and will end March 12, or when five mountain lions are killed, whichever comes first. Only North Dakota residents will be allowed to hunt the animals, and they must have a furbearer or combination license.

Only one mountain lion will be allowed per hunter. Dogs may be used, but traps are barred. Hunters who shoot a mountain lion must tell the Game and Fish Department within 12 hours, and turn the animal over to the agency for analysis. It will be returned once the analysis is completed, Kreil said.

Mountain lions shot on tribal land within an Indian reservation will not count toward the maximum of five lions. Sightings have been common on the Fort Berthold Indian Reservation in northwestern North Dakota.

There have been a handful of recent reports of encounters with mountain lions. In June, two bicyclists on the Maah Daah Hey Trail said they were stalked by a mountain lion, which left when they screamed at the animal and hurled sticks and rocks at it.

The trail snakes for almost 100 miles through North Dakota's southwestern Badlands. It runs from the Sully Creek state recreation area, about 2 1/2 miles south of Medora, to about 20 miles south of Watford City.

In September 2004, a hunter killed a female mountain lion with an arrow near Lone Butte, in McKenzie County. The hunter believed the animal posed a threat to him, a game warden said. The lion weighed about 80 pounds.

Montana already has a mountain lion hunting season, and South Dakota has been considering whether to establish one. Minnesota does not have a season, a Department of Natural Resources spokeswoman said.

Montana allows out-of-state sportsmen to hunt mountain lions, if they are willing to pay $320 for a license. Residents are charged $15.


----------



## buckseye (Dec 8, 2003)

Wasn't it just last year G&F were denying that mountain lions lived in ND in huntable numbers???? What the hell is up with that... what is the truth??? No wonder we doubt what we hear from any government agency, they are to flip floppy and slippery.


----------



## north14 (Oct 1, 2004)

Here kitty, kitty.


----------



## woodpecker (Mar 2, 2005)

zzzzz


----------



## drjongy (Oct 13, 2003)

buckseye said:


> Wasn't it just last year G&F were denying that mountain lions lived in ND in huntable numbers???? What the hell is up with that... what is the truth???


I believe they are using the hunt to help answer just that question.


----------



## tsodak (Sep 7, 2002)

Had not heard a word about this beforehand, but it actually makes perfect sense to me. The only iffy thing to me is the use of dogs.

If there is a self sustaining population in ND the five will have little effect, especially with the ones coming out of the Black Hills and Wyoming.

But if there are not 5 harvested with all the deer hunters in the field, it will kind of make the argument we are being overrun look dumb won't it.

Really a no lose situation for Game and Fish. Seems smart to me, rather than having someone spend a year and a bunch of money trying to live trap a couple.

Tom


----------



## GooseBuster3 (Mar 1, 2002)

HAHAHA I guess it pays off to have a good family friend with GOOD cougar dogs!!


----------



## always_outdoors (Dec 17, 2002)

I have an uncle in Oregon. they have like 10 dogs they use for treeing and tracking cats. they shoot a pile full of them every year. Trying to see if they will come out here in Jan/Feb if 5 haven't been killed yet.

I have seen the videos of their hunts. these dogs take alot of abuse from the cat when it hits the grounds. Quite amazing.


----------



## Dan Bueide (Jul 1, 2002)

t&d have it nailed. I'll bet there's a pool already started at G&F as to how many of the tags will get filled. And, I'll bet the over/under right now is one. This is a very clever way for them to "get out ahead" of this issue. Anyone care to predict how many tags get filled?


----------



## buckseye (Dec 8, 2003)

That sounds like a pretty good plan, where do I sign up?? Without dogs I'll say two will be filled, with dogs probaly all of them. I have never seen a cat wilder than North 14 around here. :lol:

So Dan ya figure there is more than one way to skin a cat...


----------



## Dan Bueide (Jul 1, 2002)

> So Dan ya figure there is more than one way to skin a cat...


Ma-ha! Per the press release above, dogs will be alllowed. So, even with dogs, what odds will you give me that no more than two cats will be taken the entire season. :wink:


----------



## north14 (Oct 1, 2004)

I think all five will be taken sooner than we think. Just my opinion.


----------



## g/o (Jul 13, 2004)

I hope someone gets bigfoot also.


----------



## Dick Monson (Aug 12, 2002)

SD announced same.


----------



## joebobhunter4 (Jul 19, 2005)

where i muley buck hunt the persons house i stay at is right by grassy butte and he had one of his dogs pulled down into one of his shelter belts and aten by a cat and his little boy said he heard the dog making weird noises not thinking of anything and he heard the lion scream...
he said it was the scarriest and creepiest sound hes ever heard


----------



## Lvn2Hnt (Feb 22, 2005)

Mountail lion just attacked a friend of mine's horse.

I'd love to get that ba%#ard


----------



## kvernum3 (Aug 8, 2005)

I think all 5 tags will get filled for sure.. just my opinion though.


----------



## zogman (Mar 20, 2002)

So what's everyones rifle of choice?
Talked about it at the dinner table. My wife asked if I had to have a different rifle for cougars? :lol: My reply, yea I really don't have a gun for cougars. :roll: 
Sooooo Boys what would be the weapon of choice??????????? :sniper:


----------



## sotaman (Apr 6, 2004)

zogmon

you are a wise one please teach my your ways in coning your wife...


----------



## Jiffy (Apr 22, 2005)

M249 SAW....... :wink:


----------



## zogman (Mar 20, 2002)

sotaman,

It gets better. After 5 days at the Angle with son-in-law, grandson, 2 daughters, grandma and me I was helping wash and fold cloths. The conversation went something like this.

Me: You know that 6mm Remington that I sold to Wayne when his son turned 16 about 10 years back would be a perfect rifle for dat der cougar problem.

Her: Don't you have something similar that you could use?

Me: Not really, I have guns for deer size game or bigger.

Her: What about that long range coyote gun you just had to have last year?

Me: Oh no that wouldn't be adaqute. Too small. Might just wound the cat and you wouldn't want a wounded cougar running around.

Her: How about that deer gun you bought when you decided you had to keep one up at the Angle?

Me: Don't want to bring it back through Canada and besides its a deer gun not for Cougars.

Her: Well then what is this new gun going to cost?

Me; Boy I really don't know maybe Ill' go out to Home of Economy and look around.

TO BE CONTINUED :lol:


----------



## MossyMO (Feb 12, 2004)

zogman

At'ta boy !!! Keep her guessing.............

I was just talking to my wife about upgrading my .223, I think she is going to allow it..........?

Watch the classifieds for the next 2 weeks, I might be upgrading..........I love mine, but if I have pemission......... :beer:


----------



## stevepike (Sep 14, 2002)

Funny stuff Zogman, good thing you are quick on your feet.

I think all 5 will be filled pretty quick since some who may have been "defending" their property will now be able to legally claim them now.

Just hope I don't run into one on Sep 1 in the goose dekes before the season opens 8)


----------



## MossyMO (Feb 12, 2004)

stevepike

Ranchers will be pulling the Mt. Lions out of the deepfreeze !!!


----------



## Plainsman (Jul 30, 2003)

Zogman what was that guys name that wrote in Outdoor Life. Macmannus, or something like that? He wrote about Rancid Crabtree and stuff like that. Anyway, I remember his two page article on gun running (past your wife). The best advice was buy a new gun and leave it with a buddy. Then when your on a business trip or something have him bring it by the house. He needs to say, to your wife "Edna (whatever her name is) I barrowed this rifle from your husband and kept it so long I didn't want to return it while he was home. Could you just sneak this into his gun cabinet for me? Thanks Edna, our little secret OK? I wonder how many of you guys are going to try that now? No, no, not me I wouldn't do that.
:justanangel:


----------



## tsodak (Sep 7, 2002)

Pat McManus is one of the funniest men I have ever read, that is a classic bit.....


----------



## zogman (Mar 20, 2002)

Plainsman,
Yes the Pat McManus story about the gun jugling routine was the best. I tried that when I was doing a lot more shooting than I do know. even had sucess with it :lol: :sniper: :lol: :sniper: She still doesn't know how many I have or where they all are :lol: :sniper: :lol: :sniper:


----------

