Wyoming Mountain Lion Pursuit Season, Tree But Don’t Kill Them

Conflicts with mountain lions don't always have to end with the killing of the cat.

Mountain lions can get the hint, to get lost, if they are scared out of the area.

Cats don't like to be around conflict. They are actually not looking for it.

Senate File 178 has passed the Wyoming Senate and would establish a mountain lion pursuit season.

That's where a "hunter" would send his dogs out to harass and maybe even tree a big cat.

That sort of harassment has proven to make a mountain lion move on, away from human activity.

“The benefits of this, of catch and release of cats, are that they learn respect for people and dogs which really does reduce livestock pet and human confrontation,” Luke Worthington, the founder of the Wyoming Houndsmen Association, said. (Wyoming Public Media). 

Mountain lions are a threat to local pets as well as backyard chickens, and livestock. They mostly don't bother humans, but that is not always the case.

No one testified against the bill.

Still, some animal rights groups call the treeing practice inhumane.

But in Wyoming, a good scare to get rid of the big cat is seen as a humane answer.

“I'll use northern Natrona County and southern Johnson County as an example,” said Rick King, WGFD chief of wildlife and chief game warden. “We have a lot of depredation issues there, a lot of sheep losses. And so in that particular area, we have an unlimited quota, and a year round season.” (Wyoming Public Media). 

The bill is advancing to the House for discussion and a vote.