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Application periods are from mid September thru early Oct. Mountain lion permits can be obtained by. For us, there is no off-season as we're constantly guiding our clients to trophy mountain lions, black bears and once-in-a-lifetime trophies Call 43.Utah Hunting Opportunities. Southern Utah has a big reputation for producing giant elk and mule deer, and we consistently kill some of the biggest bulls and the best bucks the units have to offer.
Over the years the outfitter for this hunt has become well known for his Mountain Lion hunts. This Mountain Lion hunt takes place in Utah. We are not lion hunters, we are lion catchers.Mountain Lion Hunt in Utah. Between myself and my guides we have helped over 2,000 clients fulfill their dream of harvesting a Trophy Mountain Lion. We are one of the most successful cougar operations in the world. On Monday night, and again on Tuesday night, the young female mountain lion appeared in a backyard and seemed unfazed by humans even though banging pots and pans is usually enough to scare one away.Drawing stiff rebukes from wildlife advocates, the Wildlife Board on Thursday approved a plan to increase quotas in many hunting places and lift quotas altogether and allow cougar hunting year-round in areas where deer and sheep numbers are not meeting population targets.Utah Cougar & Mountain Lion Hunts.
Sure, there’s going to be a bit of a lag, but it can be done. “Carnivore numbers will track the numbers of the ungulates prey base if you let them do it. Because the mountain lion population is growing at an impressive rate, the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources in 2020 adjusted the number of mountain lions that needed to be hunted.But there is little scientific evidence supporting this idea, according to Kirk Robinson, executive director of the Western Wildlife Conservancy.“I never hear anybody offer any science that justifies killing so many cougars,” Robinson told the board. We currently have 2,500 mountain lions. They use highly trained hounds for tracking the cats.“Our goal is to maintain a healthy cougar population within the current distribution of the species across Utah, while also considering human safety, damages to livestock producers and declines in populations of big game species that cougars prey on,” said Division of Wildlife Resources’ game mammals coordinator Darren DeBloois.Utah currently has a growing population of mountain lions.
It does not respect the opinions of the people of Utah that you’re supposed to serve. This is not science has nothing whatsoever to do with ethics. Last year, hunters killed 650 cougars.“This is unacceptable.
Second, deer populations have to have abundant quality habitat, something biologists refer to as carrying capacity,” DeBloois said. Last year, lawmakers passed HB125, which mandated DWR to reduce predator populations in hunting units where big game numbers are not meeting population targets and predators are “playing a significant role” in declines in deer and bighorn sheep.The program has guardrails to ensure cougars aren’t being killed pointlessly, explained DeBloois in a recently posted video.“Predation has to be a key factor keeping the prey populations from growing. 4 and 5.DWR’s latest push to increase cougar harvests did not originate with the agency charged with managing Utah wildlife, but with the Legislature. The results are based on surveys of 900 voters taken on Aug. Predators belong on the landscape and play an important role in removing sick and weak deer from the gene pool, they said.Sundays Hunt of the Humane Society offered new survey results showing strong majorities of Utah voters oppose hunting cougars for the sake of protecting big game. “Don’t tell me it’s all science-based when you can’t cite any peer-reviewed, published studies to support any of this stuff.”Several speakers noted that mule deer populations are likely struggling from the drought, loss of habitat and collisions with vehicles.
Hunters are allowed a maximum of two cougar kills a year.Utah’s general cougar season normally runs Nov. In those units, there is no limit on the number of cougars that can be killed and the season is year-round. Those efforts need to be focused in geographical areas.”DWR concluded predator management plans are needed in 33 of the state’s 53 hunting units.
Forty percent were female and 17% were over the age of 5, which is exactly in line with DWR’s objectives for the cougar hunt.Although the Wildlife Board has steadily increased cougar permits since at least 2017, Providence sheep rancher Sierra Nelson pleaded for more, claiming cougars are taking a toll on Utah livestock.“For every time that you’ve ‘majestically seen a lion running through a field,’” Nelson said, quoting comments made by a previous speaker who enjoys seeing cougars, “you’ve never watched them rip something apart, not just an animal, but your livelihood and your being.”One board member proposed a prohibition on shooting cougars wearing GPS tracking collars. Over the prior three years, hunters have taken 1,756 cougars. Those permits can be purchased for $30 over the counter.Since 2014, Utah has pushed down its cougar population to 1,600 adults, according to DWR. Meanwhile, the agency has opened a “spot-and-stalk” season from Aug.
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