| Description |
The actual role that Is played by the mountain lion ( Fells concolor) in its relationship with big game and livestock on the range has long been a subject of considerable controversy. It is hoped that the information contained in this study will help to explain the long misunderstood complex relationship that exists between this predaceous animal and its prey. The author first became interested in mountain lions in the winter of 1942-43* His initial interest was in hunting them for sport; and, subsequently, as he became acquainted with stockmen and ranchers throughout the state, he was called upon periodically to remove a lion which had killed livestock. After release from the armed forces he was employed by the Predator and Rodent Control Division of the U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service of Salt Lake City. It was while thusly employed that he came into daily contact with numerous stockmen who desired the lions left unmolested on their ranges and refused to allow government hunters on their property. The attitude of these ranchers caused the author considerable concern, because prior to that time he had felt that it was almost universally accepted that the mountain lion was a carnivorous creature whose presence on the range was detrimental to everyone*s interest. His efforts to obtain data concerning the l io n 's activity only furnished factual fuel for the already existing fires of controversy. The author discussed this problem with Dr. A. M. Woodbury of the Biology Division, University of Utah, and found that a fact finding study of the actual day by day activities of the mountain lion would be very desireable. The study was initiated in January of 1948 and has continued for one and one h alf years. Game management officials of the Utah State Fish and Game Commission and the U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service took an interest in the study because they felt that information could be obtained which would be of value in practical game management. These two agencies expressed their interest in a financial way, under the Pittman-Robertson Act which enabled the study to be more comprehensive and to proceed at a more rapid rate. The removal of large numbers o f mountain lions ftom some areas of Utah,by sportsmen and government hunters, previously thought to contain only a few lions caused considerable concern among some of the officials charged with managing the game of the state. I f previous estimates of the number of deer killed per lion per unit of time were correct, then the number of lions removed from these areas would Indicate that the deer herd there should have been completely exterminated within a few years time. Thus of special importance to officials of practical game management is the phase of the study which deals with the tracking of the mountain lion through the snow in 3 order to obtain information as to the number of deer killed per mature lion per unit of time. A study was made by Erank C. HIbben in order to obtain this rate of k il l Information in 1934-35 under a cooperative setup between state and federal agencies In New Mexico. HIbben' s figures on the rate of deer killed by mountain lions were questioned by several Utah wildlife officials because Hibben was trailing the lions with trail hounds, and might, therefore, have been "pushing" the lions away from deer kills to which they might normally return. So, the procedure of tracking the mountain lions through the snow without trail hounds, as was done in this study, was believed to be a better approach which would give us a much more accurate figure for the rate at which a lion kills deer. This tracking phase of the study also revealed, clearly written i In the snow, many facts of considerable Interest concerning the lion's life history. An extensive review of the literature revealed that for the state of Utah there was no statistical Information available as to the sex and age classes end conditions of deer killed by mountain lions, nor was there any Information concerning the lion's food habits based on a stomach and scat analysis. Also found lacking from the literature for this area was information on the lion's life history, habits, and migration, and the lionlivestock- deer relationships. Therefore, considerable emphasis was placed on these items during the course of the study. |
