# 5th cat taken: season closed



## dleier (Aug 28, 2002)

Fifth cougar killed closing season

The Associated Press - Sunday, January 15, 2006

GRASSY BUTTE, N.D.

A hunter killed a mountain lion northwest of here on Sunday, the fifth cougar killed since a special North Dakota hunting season opened last fall.

Wildlife Division Chief Randy Kreil said the season is now closed.

Kreil said Jeremy Duckwitz of Carrington harvested the young female cougar, with the help of dogs.

The cougar weighed about 60 pounds, Kreil said.

The state had set a quota of five mountain lions for its experimental lion season. The season opened Sept. 2 and was scheduled to run until March 12.

North Dakota hunters harvested three males and two females during the abbreviated season, Kreil said.

"She presumably was born here," Kreil said of the cougar killed Sunday. "But that's an assumption."

Dorothy Fecske, a furbearer biologist with the state Game and Fish Department, said the four other cougars were killed in the same general area in western North Dakota.

Fecske was making arrangements Sunday to conduct a necropsy on the carcass.

Fecske performed a necropsy Friday on the fourth mountain lion. It was bagged Jan. 6 by Belfield hunter Rick Froehlich.

The 2-year-old male mountain lion weighed 111 pounds and was nearly 7 feet long. It had high organ fat reserves, indicating it was healthy, Fecske said.

"There was nothing to speak of in its stomach, except a few fine hairs from an unidentified mammal," she said.

State officials have said that another mountain lion season may be held later this year.


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## sierra03 (Jan 27, 2005)

Another one? I think another one in the future would be great, but 5 mountain lions were already shot in a state I have never seen a cat. And dont assume I have never ventured in their territory, I have been hiking in the badlands more than once. We hiked far into the day and camped where we stopped, and then hiked back in the morning! Anyways back to the season...why not let the enter our state a little further, until they start eating our kids.


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## Lvn2Hnt (Feb 22, 2005)

I'm all for hunting mountain lions and would've loved a shot at it, but another season! Come on NDGF!! Yes, I know, I'm not a rancher loosing livestock to the felines, but I think another season is absolutely rediculous.

Any numbers available on livestock taken by these animals? Any good evidence and facts of why so many cats need to be taken out of the state?


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## Springer (Dec 21, 2004)

From the NDGF News Letter

A little different from the above.

Quota of Five Cats Closes Mountain Lion Season

A mountain lion taken Sunday, Jan. 15 near Grassy Butte officially ended North Dakota's first mountain lion season, as a predetermined quota of five animals was reached.

The conservative season quota of five lions was set by the North Dakota Game and Fish Department as a means to obtain data and insight on the status of mountain lions in the state, without doing irreparable harm to the population.

Three male and two female cats were taken during the experimental season, which opened Sept. 2. All five cats were taken in the northern badlands of western North Dakota. All animals had moderate to high organ fat reserves, indicating they were in very good nutritional condition, said Dorothy Fecske, department furbearer biologist.

"This experimental season has revealed that, while we get reports of mountain lion sightings statewide, there appears to be a higher concentration of animals in western North Dakota," Fecske said. "Also, we now know that there are resident, breeding mountain lions in the state. But as far as how many, it's too soon to estimate."

The first two cats were shot in mid-November during the deer gun season. One was a 99 pound, 1.5-2-year-old male. The other was a 92 pound, 2.5-3-year-old female that had not yet had her first litter.

The third lion, a 4-5-year-old, 140 pound male, was killed on Dec. 31. "This mountain lion is interesting because it probably was a resident male that was holding a territory," Fecske said.

The fourth lion was a two-year-old male and weighed 111 pounds, Fecske said. It was taken Jan. 6.

"It's possible both young males that were harvested were born in North Dakota, but more likely they are immigrants from Montana or South Dakota," she said. "Young males often travel long distances before establishing a territory of their own."

Immigrant animals add to a genetically healthy population, Fecske said, and serve to increase numbers in an establishing population.

The fifth and final lion, a young 39-pound, 4-6-month-old female, was taken Jan. 15 northwest of Grassy Butte. "This animal represents further confirmation that we have resident, breeding females in the state," Fecske said. "We also documented porcupine remains in the gastrointestinal tract of this young lion. Small mammals, like porcupines, can be very important for sustaining lions between kills of their larger prey."

Information gathered from the harvested animals, in conjunction with other data collected by the department, Fecske said, will help the Game and Fish Department better manage mountain lions in the future. "This experimental harvest represents another piece of the puzzle to help us understand the population," she said


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## zogman (Mar 20, 2002)

Let's call it as it is.......



> The fifth and final lion, a young 39-pound, 4-6-month-old female, was taken Jan. 15


It was a kitten :eyeroll:

And as I understand was taken by a so called professional hunter :******:

Give me a break.

At least the one guy that chased down a kitten before let it go and two weeks later got a true trophy. A touch of class by that individual .


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## swift (Jun 4, 2004)

wiggles and lvn,

Have you ever seen a bobcat? I've been living and hunting in western ND for 10 years and have never seen a bobcat but I don't think I can tell the G&F to stop the season on them. I believe there are many shot or trapped every year in ND. Even so there are more the next year shot and caught. Give the professionals in Bismarck the benefit of the doubt to manage seasons as they see fit.


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## nodakhunter (Jan 19, 2006)

wigglesworth said:


> Another one? I think another one in the future would be great, but 5 mountain lions were already shot in a state I have never seen a cat. And dont assume I have never ventured in their territory, I have been hiking in the badlands more than once. We hiked far into the day and camped where we stopped, and then hiked back in the morning! Anyways back to the season...why not let the enter our state a little further, until they start eating our kids.


Because you hiked for a couple of days in the badlands and didn't see a mountain lion, that means there is not a very big population of them and we shouldn't be thinning the population? huh?


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## Longshot (Feb 9, 2004)

zogman

I usually agree with your posts, but not this one. The mountain lion was taken legally so I don't see a problem with it. Tuesday had an article about it and the NDGF Biologist was defending the hunter for taking this "kitten" for various reasons and I tend to agree. This season was mostly for research and they are more than happy to have a young one in the group. If an age or size limit is needed, or zoning, or caliber requirments, that is what needs to come from this season. If you don't like it than we need to voice out opinions to the NDGF.


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## Lvn2Hnt (Feb 22, 2005)

swift, I agree to let the professionals decide on seasons and do believe that they are making wise choices....most of the time. But, my problem is that they are alread talking about another season and in the same sentence they'll state that they have no idea how many we have in the state.

If GnF came forward in the next few months and finally stated what many have known that there are far more cats in this state than originally expected and that they feel their numbers must be cut down for the health of the animal, for the safety of livestock and the safety of humans, then I'd be all for it.

But, there are many many questions surrounding the issue of these cats in this state. I don't see how GnF can feel comfortable opening another season on these animals w/o truly knowing what we may or may not have. Sure, the "kitten" that was shot does show some proof that these animals are taking up residency and reproducing, but I don't believe that tells us enough about the numbers here.

Like I said before, I would have loved a chance at one of these cats, I think that it would be incredible just to see one. Given the chance, I would've taken a cat w/o thinking about it twice, but I'm not sold yet on the idea of another season.....until there is concrete proof that their population can sustain another season.


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## Lvn2Hnt (Feb 22, 2005)

As to the "kitten" that was shot.... yes, it saddens me any time something young is taken, but I think that by the GnF being able to have a decent variety of ages and sizes from the species that they are going to be able to make more of their study on the animal.

If they decide to do another season, I firmly believe that more restrictions will be in place about the animal's age and/or sex. They said that this season was purely to get info (which I still think there was more to it than they're letting on), and it didn't matter the age or sex of the cat that was taken. I highly doubt that that sort of leniency will be tolerated in future season(s).


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## DeltaBoy (Mar 4, 2004)

Lvn2Hnt said:


> They said that this season was purely to get info
> 
> 
> > Does anyone know when NDGF plans on letting the public know the results or other info about the cats shot?


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## Lvn2Hnt (Feb 22, 2005)

Aren't they going to reveal some of the information in March at one of their wild wednesday semiars at HDQ in Bis? Other than that, I think that they're shooting for mid-06 to Sept. time frame.

Correct me if I'm wrong?


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## zogman (Mar 20, 2002)

Longshot,

I am supportive of the G&F 100% of the time. So looking at the contents of the kitten stomach tells us she isn't big enough to bring down a deer, elk, bighorn, horse, cow, etc............  I am glad we got that figured out :eyeroll:

Still sticking to what I originally said. Class act by the third hunter :beer:


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## Trapper62 (Mar 3, 2003)

zogman, quit judging people that you don't even know!

I know Jeremy, yes he is an animal damage control officer, he doesn't hunt for a living. His profession provides a great service to local farmers and ranchers in his area.

I will agree that he is a professional. Professional when it comes to following the laws set forth in this state. Professional when it comes to valuing the resources of this state. Professional when it comes to educating the un-educated in the reasons why it is important to manage our natural resources. Professional in that he does his harvesting with all do respect for the animals that he is after. I can guarentee that not one of them are harvested in an unhumane mannor and he has the greatest respect for everyone that he does harvest.

I suppose that you would be ticked to know that I have snared a few YOY coyotes this season, (that's young of the year, basically a PUP)?

Yep, Jeremy is a CLOWN.

Conceintous - about the animals he harvests
Law biding - never falters from the laws
Outgoing - ready to assist and help anyone who needs it
Wise - great teacher of our natural resources
Non-judgemental!!!!

I can and will tolerate anyones opinions but I don't tolerate slandering and belittling a persons name because you have differences!

Pat Brenden


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## Longshot (Feb 9, 2004)

zogman

Do you really think that stomach content was the only reason. Think again. You didn't figure anything out I guess. The news story said they would be performing the autopsy shortly and their full report would be ready some time in June. Yes zogman the autopsy will be more than just checking the stomach contents.


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