brochure on lions in Missouri

[Emily]

This is from an environmental group advocating the repopulation of cougars. It starts off with some strong anti-hunting statements, but it includes a fairly accurate summary of the recent history of lions in the show-me state, which you may find interesting and useful. You may disagree with their recommendations for future legal action in a state where lions have already started to make a comeback on their own. It says nothing about the catch-and-release aspect of lion hunting with hounds, but IMO it is not inconsistent with allowing our kind of lion hunting. My general opinion is that we have to learn to work with groups like this if we want to continue to be able to run our hounds. Take a look:

http://www.mountainlion.org/states/_state_Missouri.asp

Download the pdf of the brochure for the controversial stuff.

[outlaw13]

i would not trust anything from the MLF (mountain lion foundation) under a different name (Mountain lion protection foundation) they are the ones solely responsible for the fact that california has no mt. Lion season at all. They also have it where the California Dept of Fish and Game can not even propose to bring back a Mt. Lion season.

[outlaw13]

A CITIZENS' GUIDE TO THE IMPLEMENTATION OF PROPOSITION 117

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

THE CALIFORNIA WILDLIFE PROTECTION ACT OF 1990

by Dr. Gerald H. Meral
PCL Foundation, Executive Director

With Assistance from the Mountain Lion Foundation
October 90

Published with financial assistance from the Gerbode Foundation and

KATHLEEN G. UNGAR
Santa Clara Valley Area Coordinator
1990 California Wildlife Protection Committee
Valencia, California IAN KNOOP
I.A.N. Concert Promotions - USA
Newhall, California




MOUNTAIN LION PROTECTION

Proposition 117 also prohibited trophy hunting of the California Mountain Lion, and made the lion a specially protected mammal. It is now illegal to take, injure, possess, transport, import of sell any lion or any part or product of a lion. Trophies taken in other states cannot be imported, nor can lions be possessed by game breeders. Lions or lion parts possessed before June 1990 can still legally be possessed. Live lions may be kept under a special permit issued by the Department of Fish and Game. Violators face up to $10,000 in fines and one year in jail for violating these provisions.

DEPREDATION

Mountain lions that kill livestock or threaten humans can still be killed. If the Department of Fish and Game finds that livestock has been killed, they must issue a permit to kill the lion within 48 hours of receiving a request for such a permit by the rancher. The permit is valid for ten days. The hunt must begin no more than a mile from the killed livestock and must end within a ten mile circle from the livestock.

Written permits are required unless a verbal permit would materially aide in the hunt. Lions killed under a depredation permit must be reported to DFG within 24 hours by phone, or if a phone is not practical, within 5 days in writing. The Department must necropsy all carcasses, which must be delivered to the Department.

Lions caught in the act of killing livestock may be killed on the spot, and the kill must be reported to DFG within 72 hours.

No leghold or metal jawed traps or poison or snares may be used to kill depredating lions. Mountain lions may be killed in self-defense or if the lion threatens public safety. Lions may no longer be pursued by dogs for training purposes. Lions shot in other states may not be brought into California.The author of this publication wrote much of the fiscal language in Proposition 117, and served as campaign manager. Questions about Proposition 117 funding should be directed to the PCL Foundation or the Mountain Lion Foundation (PO Box 1896, Sacramento, CA 95812. 916-442-2666).

[Emily]

Looks like you know more about who these people are than I do. Still the chronology of lion appearances in MO appears accurate and possibly useful?

[pegleg]

there are documented "scientific proof, ie. hair undeniable tracks/DNA, scat" accounts of lions in most eastern states since the mid 1990's and several north eastern states prior to this. I would hazard a guess that with the terrain and foliage in most of the east. that once the public starts to see enough lions to force their game dept to acknowledge a small population. that reintroduction is a mute issue and that established populations already exist.
look at states with large lion populations and stable human populations for comparison. it's pretty much understood that once you start getting frequent sightings and interactions with cougars you have a sizable number.
I won't claim to understand the differences that California and Colorado exhibit in cougar behavior. There are populations of "urban" lions in both Tucson And Phoenix. yet neither population has shown the brazen behavior of cats in other states. other western cities have their own resident lions that go unnoticed for the most part to.
This is just more evidence they can and do go unnoticed in urban areas. look at the number of deer and other prey species in a square mile in our states compared to the east. they would hardly have to move to acquire lunch in the east.
working with any anti group would only end in a knife in our back and even stronger laws in place to outlaw hunting. hunters need to ban together and show a large determined front to these groups. often the real damage is done by only a handful of Disney nuts, at the most. that raise enough hell and spread misinformation to a garner support.