Hunting Mountain Lions In Colorado

Out There Colorado has an interesting article posted about mountains lions in Colorado and how to hunt them:

They’re out there, stalking the wilds of Colorado like shadows.

Mountain lions, also known as cougars or pumas, are Colorado’s largest and most elusive predator. Nobody knows how many there are. Should you happen upon one while hiking, it might see you but you probably won’t see it.

“Just to go out and wait for a mountain lion to walk by, you can spend your whole life and never see one,” said Colorado Parks and Wildlife spokesman Michael Seraphin. They’re expert climbers and have learned, with good cause, to fear humans.

Despite the challenge — or maybe because of it — hunting the big cats is becoming increasingly popular in the state. According to the wildlife agency, mountain lion harvests increased from 81 in 1980 to 393 in 2011, the most recent year for which statistics are available.

More information on hunting mountain lions, from Colorado Parks and Wildlife.

The popularity, and the fact hunters rarely come near the statewide harvest limit, led wildlife officials in January to extend the season a month, until the end of April. But that might result in just five to 15 fewer cats in the wild.

Because, as hunters will tell you, simply finding a trace of a lion is a matter of luck, since the nocturnal creatures are rarely out in daylight. Tracking it and getting close enough for the kill can take days in a frigid mountain landscape locked in deep snow.  [Out There Colorado]

You can read the rest of the article at the link.  The article is likely in response to all the local sightings of mountains lions this winter.  I have never seen a mountain lion while hiking in Colorado, but interestingly enough I did see a mountain lion three years ago while jogging in El Paso, Texas.