Let the Hunt Begin

            Mountain lions are native to Nebraska, but vanished in the 1890’s. Since the 1950’s, there have been no confirmed sightings. But in 1991, a deer was mauled by a mountain lion, and soon afterwards a hunter found and killed what was believed to be the same cat.

            In recent years, male mountain lions have been sighted all across the state. Now, there are reported sightings of mothers and their kittens in the Pine Ridge area. To the delight of the hunters, there is now two six-week hunting seasons for the mountain lions. The hunting is limited to only the Pine Ridge Area, as it is the only area known to have a large, reproducing population of these great cats.

            In Lincoln, NE, it was decided to let hunters kill up to four mountain lions in the Pine Ridge Area. This restriction was put in place so that it would prevent the “unlimited, useless killing” of mountain lions who are moving between habitats, and dispersing to other states to accommodate better ranges.

            The hunting season was set to start up in January of 2014 through March. According to biologists, this is the best option for the mountain lions themselves, since it’s the time females are less likely to have dependent young that would be orphaned.

            According to the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission, the ultimate goal is to provide unlimited hunting throughout the areas of the state that are unlikely to support a growing population of the species. However, of course, you must have a permit in order to hunt in any region. Applications for the Prairie unit will be accepted from December 16, 2013 through December 31, 2014 and run for $15. Applications for the Pine Ridge unit will run from September 3 to September 30, and will also cost $15. The use of traps or bait is prohibited.

            There will also be a lottery drawing for a Nebraska resident to get a “free” permit. There also will be two different seasons; the first will run from Jan. 1 through Feb. 14; and the second will be from Feb. 15 through March 31 for the 100 people who won permits from the lottery.

            For the first hunting season for mountain lions, there are bound to be plenty of hunters excited for the upcoming 2014 season!