Nebraska Game and Parks nixes 2016 mountain lion hunting season

[Omaha Steve]

http://www.omaha.com/outdoors/nebraska-game-and-parks-nixes-mountain-lion-hunting-season/article_076af7a0-43a5-5269-adbb-07cfbcb6e5b4.html




DAVID HENDEE/THE WORLD-HERALD
A mountain lion takes refuge by a creek near Harrison, Nebraska, shortly before it was shot during the inaugural cougar-hunting season last year.

POSTED: SATURDAY, OCTOBER 24, 2015 12:30 AM
By David Hendee / World-Herald staff writer

FAIRBURY, Neb. — There won’t be a Nebraska mountain lion hunting season again next year.

Nebraska Game and Parks researchers are in the early stages of a multi-year research project to not only determine population estimates, but also to learn more about the impact cougars have on prey species and how the big cats move around and use habitat.

Nebraska’s first and only mountain lion-hunting season occurred in 2014. Hunters killed five cats.

Sam Wilson of Lincoln, the commission’s carnivore program manager, said research results will dictate whether biologists recommend a future hunting season for the game animal.

FULL story at link.

[DirkGently]

1. Good. n/t

[arely staircase]

2. I would never have thought they were even in Nebraska

Glad to see they won't be hunted.

[Omaha Steve]

3. We have had several killed in populated areas in the last few years

They follow the water and game. Habitat loss comes into it too.

There is one said to be just the other side of the Mo River from us. Last I knew it wasn't officially confirmed.