2025 Mountain (SDGFP)Lion Action Alerts
South Dakota 2025
SD GAME FISH AND PARK’S – ADVERSE RULE CHANGE PROPOSED – April 3rd, 2025
Plan to write a letter or testify against SDGFP plans to allow hound hunting of lions on public land in the prairie unit, At . GFP’s Commissions meeting in Pierre and Zoom on March 6th they proposed a further amendment to SD Mountain Lion hunting rule, so the finalization of the rule change proposal was continued till 4/3/25. For details go to our post about GFP’s Commission meetings. After the Commission meetings happen, we provide a summary of and discussion about what happened on the event’s calendar post.
January meeting event calendar post: https://phas-wsd.org/event/sd-game-fish-and-parks-commission-meeting-jan-9th-10th-2025/
& March meeting event calendar post: https://phas-wsd.org/event/sd-game-fish-and-parks-commission-meeting-pierre-sd-and-zoom/
& April meeting event calendar post: https://phas-wsd.org/event/sd-game-fish-and-parks-commission-april-meeting-at-pierre-sd-and-zoom-link/
– Or to read GFP’s rule change proposal as proposed in March & January 2025 versions –
March and January 2025 proposed rule changes respectively: March – https://phas-wsd.org/event/sd-game-fish-and-parks-commission-april-meeting-at-pierre-sd-and-zoom-link/ January – https://phas-wsd.org/wp-content/uploads/Mt-Lion-proposal.-Commission_Book_-_January_9-10_2024.pdf
Wyoming 2025
WYOMING LEGISLATURE 2025 HAS VERY ADVERSE BILL ON MOUNTAIN LIONS PROPOSED
House Bill 0286 (HB 0286), a proposed bill that would strip critical protections for cougars in Wyoming.
This bill was killed in Committee. Many groups testified against it.
HB 0286 proposes the following changes:
● Elimination of hunting zones and geographic boundaries for cougars.
● Removal of statewide and local mortality limits, allowing unrestricted killing of cougars.
● Authorization of cougar trapping and snaring, practices that are neither selective nor humane.
● Remove existing revenue stream from Wyoming Game & Fish Department with broad allowances for hunting cougars with other game licenses, such as antelope, deer, or elk licenses, bypassing the requirement for a dedicated cougar license.
Wyoming folks should contact their legislators and if you don’t live in Wyoming spread the word to those who do.
Western Watersheds Projects/Fast Action’s alert: https://secure.everyaction.com/XTN35Y6RXESGhyW3L-H04w2?fbclid=IwY2xjawIOQ15leHRuA2FlbQIxMQABHbJZsXUeDoSGcslITzbVBYKpYNfyHaJh_0RYFNKmggzcfRaP6PUH63ropw_aem_3CHex7i5h0WVhXSaaqZhqg
COUGAR FUND’S LONGER ALERT ON HB 0286: https://phas-wsd.org/wp-content/uploads/2025-01-29-Press-Release_-House-Bill-Threatens-The-Future-of-Cougars-in-Wyoming.pdf
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2023-24 SD GFP Cougar Management alerts:
GOING FORWARD FROM OCTOBER 2024
TESTIFY FOR COUGARS
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The SD Commission meets 10 times a year (they skip August
and February). You can have 3 minutes to testify, during the “Open
Forum” , offered at about 2 pm on the first afternoon of their Commission
meetings, to speak up for cougars. We hope pro-cougar folks will show up
iteratively and testify for cougars.
Advocates of cougar hunting use these opportunities to iteratively testify in
favor of hunting or in fear of or with objections to predators. If you look at
the public comments submitted for Oct. 3rd meeting, you can see there is much
ignorance with respect to cougars and the science about them. EDUCATE THE
COMMISSION AND PRESS! Contact Nancy to ask about ideas for testimony or look at
our talking points for Oct 3rd hearing. You can also still write to them.
Comments submitted on the Commission public comment portal are delivered to
them in their monthly “Commission Book” and shown to public &
press.
In SD anyone can petition for rule-making. A hunting season is an
administrative rule. Advocates of hound hunting for years have iteratively
petitioned for more hound hunting in SD. Our side could also petition for
less or no hunting or ask for mitigations. PHAS has petitioned for mitigations
and been denied, but it gives you the floor for about 10 minutes (not 3
minutes) for you to talk to & educate the Commission, the public and the
press.
There may be proposals for rule changes to cougar hunting seasons in SD in July of 2025 with SD GFP
Commission action in Sept or October of 2025. This may happen after they calculate Black Hills Cougar population estimates after the season closes. Wyoming cougar season rule changes may be released in April or May with Wyoming GF Commission action in June or July, In Nebraska Game and Parks Commission
Action will likely be in June of 2025 and in North Dakota staff recommendations in July of
2025 and Governor’s action to follow. You can send in written comments on all of these and testify remotely via video/teleconference in SD and Wyoming
and in person in Nebraska.
We are not sure of when Oglala Sioux Tribe sets their season, but it begins on January 1st, so likely before then. We are not sure when Rosebud Sioux Tribe will resolve conflicts in their ordinances and set their season.
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Please Use PHAS Events/Deadine calendar as a resource for tracking Commissions of all 4 states.
We post many of our
alerts on the PHAS events/deadline calendar, next to date of event or
deadline.
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HOW TO COMMENT TO SD GFP Commission
You can testify orally at the Commission meetings, during the hearing or open forum. We provide information on
Commission meetings on our events/deadline calendar: https://phas-wsd.org/events-alerts/ They
are normally the first Thursday and Friday of the month, unless holiday weekends interfere. They don’t meet in August and February.
Rules aren’t final till they are reviewed by the Interim Rules Review Committee, a legislative Committee. The IRRC generally doesn’t meet in Dec-March, sometimes not in Nov-March. Folks can protest a rule adopted by GFP at an IRRC hybrid hearing.
GFP’s meetings are hybrid, thus remote testifying allowed. You get 3 minutes at Open Forum
(any topic allowed) and 3 minutes for each rule change finalization (can only comment on proposed rule change). GFP requests that you e-mail – Gail Buus at gail.buus@state.sd.us, in advance of the meeting, if you want to testify
remotely, however they are polite and always ask if anyone not registered wants to testify.
Written comments to the SDGFP Commission can be submitted at https://gfp.sd.gov/forms/positions/. To be included in the public record of a specific commission meeting, comments must include your complete name and city of residence and meet the submission deadline of seventy-two hours before that
specific meeting (not including the day of the meeting). Deadline for thursday meetings is Sunday night before midnight, at CT or MT depending on time zone of the upcoming meeting. Late comments go into the public record
of the next meeting. Unless you want to send directly to each Commissioner – you can contact them 365 days of the year. We provide their e-mails in our specific alerts on the PHAS calendar. Find their phone and
addresses at: https://gfp.sd.gov/commission/members/
TAKE ACTION – Fall 2024 – TALKING POINTS for SDGFP’s Draft Mountain Lion Action Plan Summer/Fall 2024
Write a comment letter to SDGFP or testify
Written comments can be submitted at https://gfp.sd.gov/forms/positions/. To be included in the public record of the most immediate meeting, comments must include your complete name and city of residence.
1. Object to reducing the population objective from 300-200 cougars to 250-150 cougars. This will result in a population decline. It will be over hunting of cougars. Excessive cougar hunting increases conflicts with humans/livestock. It will increase orphaning of kittens. It will reduce the number of cougars sent out as migrants to re-populate other areas to the east of us. It will be less cougars for wildlife watchers to watch. It will reduce the role of an apex predator and keystone species.
2. Support managing for a stable or source population of cougars in the Black Hills. If we have a sink population we suck in cougars from other states. With a source population – our cougars can emigrate & help recover cougar populations across the USA where suitable habitat exits. (A cougar from the Black Hills was killed in Connecticut)
3. Support managing for some viable populations of mountain lions on the prairie unit (outside the BH Fire Protection District) where the habitat is suitable and maintaining connectivity corridors to such populations from the Black Hills. There are breeding & hunted populations on at least 2 Reservations (Oglala Sioux Tribe & Rosebud Sioux Tribe) and there could be resident lions at more reservations. Habitat could exist along some rivers and at Custer Gallatin National Forest’s units in SD. They need to treat Reservation wildlife objectives with respect. Small cougar populations need resupply from other populations to keep genetic diversity. Checker board ownership and mixed jurisdictions on or near reservations happened due to historic Allotment Acts and reduction in reservation sizes by courts. SDGFP lion policy can impact Reservation policies.
4. To oppose unlimited harvest, year-long on the prairie unit, using hounds.
5. Oppose hound hunting of mountain lion, especially on public land. (Talking points against hound hunting – https://phas-wsd.org/wp-content/uploads/Hound-hunting-objections.pdf )
6. Object to a goal to “manage mountain lion populations for both maximum and quality hunting opportunities considering all social and biological inputs” . (Emphasis added)
This makes biological and ecological functions secondary to providing humans with hunting recreation. Lions are an apex predator and a keystone species. Hunting means killing animals, who may suffer before death -this is to be our primary goal for cougar management?
This ignores that hunting is much less popular than wildlife watching and a dead lion can’t
be watched. For more information on relative popularity of hunting vs wildlife watching visit: https://phas-wsd.org/wp-content/uploads/WildlifeWatcher.v.hunters9.2024.pdf – Or compare expenditures for hunting v. wildlife watching: https://phas-wsd.org/wp-content/uploads/COMPARING-EXPENDITURES-WW-Hunt.pdf
Mountain lions give birth year-around and thus cougar hunting will always be orphaning kittens. Mountain lions have babies year round and kittens live with mom for 18 months. Implicit in cougar hunting is orphaning kittens to starve to death, be killed by predators or survive for a while with inadequate training after loss of their mom & perhaps have more conflicts with people. Link to learn more about orphaning kittens – https://phas-wsd.org/wp-content/uploads/WHEN-DO-MOUNTAIN-LIONS-GIVE-BIRTH2.docx
Over hunting of cougars results in increased conflicts with humans/livestock. The male population
increases relative to females. Young males migrate in and replace older more experienced lions that were killed. The young males are more likely to prey on livestock than older experienced lions. An equilibrium hunt is “harvesting” 14% (intrinsic growth rate) and it is recommended to not harvest more than this. For more info watch this You/tube video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2_ZD-PAKhSo
Here is a link to population estimate for 2023 of 207 adults and sub-adults – https://phas-wsd.org/wp-content/uploads/pop.est2024-09-30-at-12.29.11-PM.png
The population estimate for January 1st 2024 was 176 sub-adult and adult cougars. The intrinsic growth rate (14%) of that is 24.6 cougars. In the late 2023-early 2024 hunting season they “harvested” 30 females and 17 males for a total of 47 cougars killed. 2 were kittens. 45 adults/sub-adults is 25.5 percent of the sub-adult/adult population. 30 females is 17 % of the adult/sub-adult population.
7. Object to a goal of “Modify and adopt hunting season structure as needed to minimize regulation complexity“ (Emphasis added) Staff will use that argument to refute any proposed changes to hunting rules for that we ask for, for animal welfare reasons – alleging that the changes will make regulations more complex. Here are some petitions for rule-makeing that PHAS submitted to mitigate hound hunting that were denied https://phas-wsd.org/wp-content/uploads/Denied-petitions-to-mitigate-hound-hunting-of-lions.pdf
Any rules approved by SDGFP are designated as not animal cruelty by state statute – SDCL 40-1-17, https://sdlegislature.gov/Statutes/40-1-17
8. Object to hunting mountain lions to maximize the numbers of prey population (such as deer and elk) so that more prey animals will be available for hunters to kill.
9. Cougars remove sick animals from ecosystem. Studies show that cougars don’t catch chronic wasting disease (CWD) when they eat an infected ungulate: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34753180/.Captive cougars have been fed meat infected with CWD and they don’t pass on most of the prions in their shit. Only 2.8 to 3.9% of input CWD prions remain after passage through the mountain lions’ gastrointestinal tracts: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34878289/
Here is a 2024 summary of literature: https://catsarenttrophies.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/Natures-Check-Against-Disease-Report-08-21-24.pdf
10. Question allegations that there are increased sightings of cougars or increased intrusion of cougars to human spaces. This is just allegations by some individuals. In it’s July 2024 data presentations on cougars, SDGFP did not update most of 2023 data charts it had provided with data on cougars.
However the data that was displayed to the public in the fall of 2023 did not show people reporting increased sightings of cougars to GFP nor did it show an increased killing of “conflict cougars”.
See https://phas-wsd.org/wp-content/uploads/conflict.Lionremovals.png and https://phas-wsd.org/wp-content/uploads/Mt-Lion-sightings.png Thus no statistical evidence has been offered by GFP or others in 2024 to prove increased interactions by cougars with humans/livestock in 2024.
11. Ask for increased fees for mountain lion hunting licenses, especially if hounds are used. The
current cost is $22. We suggest $43 dollars for “boot hunting” license & $63 dollars for hound hunting
license. Hound hunters are more likely to be successful than boot hunters Folks could ask for more
expensive licenses. We actually asked for more cost in a petition for rule-making,
that the Commission rejected: https://gfp.sd.gov/UserDocs/lion_fees_rule_change_petition_Final.pdf.
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OVER-HUNTING INCREASES HUMAN & LIVESTOCK CONFLICTS WITH COUGARS
Some of the justification for increased “harvest” of mt. lions is conflicts with humans. I suggest you watch this video about how cougar over-hunting increases, not reduces human-lion conflicts. This is a 22 minute video on Wielgus’s and Washington State’s Research. It explains why over-hunting of lions increases human/lion conflict -” Effects of Sport Hunting of Cougar Populations, Community and Lanscape Ecology“, – Presented by Washington State University professor of wildlife ecology and Large Carnivore Lab director Dr. Rob Wielgus at the 2012 International Conference of the Wildlife Society https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2_ZD-PAKhSo
OVER-HUNTING INCREASES HUMAN & LIVESTOCK CONFLICTS WITH COUGARS
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SOUTH DAKOTA FALL of 2024 UPDATE
HISTORY – Recent COMMENT PERIOD ON DRAFT SD GFP’s MT. LION ACTION PLAN EXTENDED TO SEPTEMBER 29th & THEN THE COMMISSION REVERSED ITSELF ON 10/3/24
The Commission wished to reduce the population objective from 200-300 cougars to 150-250 cougars. In September Commisioner Travis Theel made the motion and Travis Bies seconded it. The revised draft Action Plan became available for about another 27 days for public comment before the Commission made a final decision on it on Oct 3rd or 4th. Then in October they changed their minds again and reverted to July version. The issue was the population objectives in the Black Hills.
The Action Plan is a document that is to be used by GFP to guide mountain lion management in South Dakota through identified management objectives and measurable strategies to meet those management objectives. This is a short 14 page document and the important pages are the last two pages before the bibliography.
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DOCUMENTS ON MT LION PLANNING BY THE STATE GFP
The October revised version can be found here: https://gfp.sd.gov/UserDocs/nav/Lion_Action_Plan_Oct2024.pdf.
The July version of the draft Mountain Lion Action plan, 2024-2028 (THIS WAS FIRST REJECTED & THEN CHOSEN), . See: https://gfp.sd.gov/UserDocs/nav/Lion_Action_Plan_July2024_DRAFT.pdf
There is also an older, much longer Mountain Lion Management Plan from 2019 with much more detail on mt. lions: https://gfp.sd.gov/UserDocs/docs/LionPlan_FINAL_2019.pdf
There is also the 2023 Biennial Status Report which has lots of informative charts: https://gfp.sd.gov/userdocs/docs/mountain_lion_status_report_2023.pdf
The Commission is also considering a rule-change to raise the fees paid for many hunting and fishing licenses.
The cougar license fee would grow from $22 to $24. We suggest a larger increase is needed, but they just raised it $2.00.
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OTHER GROUPS ALERTS
HSUS alert on the July version of the Draft Mountain Lion Action Plan
https://phas-wsd.org/wp-content/uploads/HSUS-alert-Cougars-Summer-2024.pdf
MLF alert on the October version of the Draft Mountain Lion Action Plan – –
South Dakotans Fighting Animal Cruelty Together (FACT) alert on the October version of the Draft
Action Plan :
https://www.facebook.com/698325675/posts/10162826520910676/?mibextid=oFDknk&rdid=89ybwcY7GqjXhSLo
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LETTERS SENT TO COMMISSION MEETINGs of 10/3/24 & 9/5/24
PRO-LION ORGANIZATIONS Comments for Oct 3rd Meeting
PHAS comment letter for Oct 3rd
https://phas-wsd.org/wp-content/uploads/2024-09-25-SD-Action-Plan16commentsMLF.pdf
MLF comment letter for Oct 3rd
https://phas-wsd.org/wp-content/uploads/2024-09-25-SD-Action-Plan16commentsMLF.pdf
HSUS comment letter for Oct 3rd
PHAS COMMENT LETTERS FOR Sept. 5th Meeting:
Here is a copy of the first letter that PHAS sent in on August 16th on the July version of the draft Action Plan:
https://phas-wsd.org/wp-content/uploads/PHAS-Comments-on-the-Mountain-Lion-Action-Plan-.pdf
Here is a copy of the second letter that PHAS sent on Sept 1st on the the July version of the draft Action Plan:
https://phas-wsd.org/wp-content/uploads/gfp.PHAS_.2nd-Letter-Mt-Lion-Action-Plan.pdf
Here is a copy of a set of handouts that PHAS gave the Commission during public testimony on the the July version
of the draft Action Plan: https://phas-wsd.org/wp-content/uploads/cover-letter_ActionPlans6.pdf
PHAS COMMENT LETTERS FOR Oct 3rd meeting
Here is a copy of the third letter PHAS sent in on Sept 29th for the Oct 3rd meeting. It is a rewrite of the talking points:
https://phas-wsd.org/wp-content/uploads/Mt-Lion-comments-29th-PHAS.pdf
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OTHER PRO-LION GROUP’S LETTERS Sept 5th meeting
Here is a copy of the MLF first Letter for Sept 5th Meeting (pro-cougar)):
https://phas-wsd.org/wp-content/uploads/2024-08-16-SD-Action-Plan-MLFcomments.pdf
Here is a copy of HSUS’s Sept comment letter (pro-cougar)
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PUBLIC COMMENT LETTERS ON JULY DRAFT ACTION PLAN FOR SEPT 5th Meeting
Here are a copy of all the short letters about cougars in the Sept 5th-6th public comment file (includes both sides – we estimate about 35 pro-lion/anti plan comments and 34 pro-hound hunting/pro-plan comments and 3 neutral)
https://phas-wsd.org/wp-content/uploads/Mt.lion_.ACTION.PLAN_.PublicComment.Sept2024.MERGED.pdf
Here is a copy of all the long formal letters about cougars in the Sept 5th-6th public comment file (all pro-cougar). This includes Humane Society of the US’s 22 page letter.
https://phas-wsd.org/wp-content/uploads/LONG.LETTERS1x.PublicComment.Sept2024.SDGFPComm-2.pdf
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PUBLIC COMMENTS FOR OCT
3rd MEETING
approximately 126 letters oppose Mt Lion plan, 117 support plan, 11 support license increase, 16 oppose
Short public comment letters cougars for Oct 3rd
long public comment letters cougars & fees Oct 3rd
public comment
letters in license fee Oct 3rd
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SD-GFP COUGAR RESOURCES
GFP COUGAR RESOURCES
SDGFP MOUNTAIN LION WEB PAGE (see how many “harvested” in the Black Hills this year)
https://gfp.sd.gov/mountain-lion/
2023 Mountain Lion Population Status Update 2023 Biennial Report – this report has a lot of informative charts and graphs.
Excellent resource.
https://gfp.sd.gov/userdocs/docs/mountain_lion_status_report_2023.pdf
2024 Public Opinion Survey on Mt Lions:
https://gfp.sd.gov/userdocs/docs/mountain_lion_public_opinion_survey_report.pdf
SDGFP Mountain Lion Management Plan 2019-2029
https://gfp.sd.gov/UserDocs/docs/LionPlan_FINAL_2019.pdf
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PHAS CALENDAR LINKS
Alerts about SDGFP Commision meetings – SD Mt Lions Summer /Fall 2024 are here on these PHAS calendar pages – we provide alerts
before deadlines and summaries after events:
Mountain Lion season changes are normally proposed in July every two years (odd numbered years), with
action taken in September or October Commission meetings. This year was off cycle as they were doing a
Mt. Lion Action Plan, due to plans laid out in Sept. 2023, in response to petition for rule-making from hound
hunting proponents.
Oct 3rd, 2024 Commission meeting –https://phas-wsd.org/event/october-game-fish-and-parks-commission-hybrid-meeting-in-huron/
Sept 29th, 2024 auxiliary cougar deadline (general comment deadline) – https://phas-wsd.org/event/deadline-for-written-comments-for-the-sdgfp-commissions-oct-meeting/
Sept 25th, 2024 primary cougar deadline- https://phas-wsd.org/event/comment-deadline-sd-game-fish-and-parks-mt-lion-action-plan-2nd-iteration/
Sept 5th, 2024 Commission meeting– Draft Mt Lion Action Plan alert: https://phas-wsd.org/event/sd-game-fish-and-parks-commission-hybrid-meeting/
August 16th, 2024 –deadline- Draft Mt Lion Action Plan alert:
https://phas-wsd.org/event/comment-deadline-to-sdgfp-on-draft-mountain-lion-action-plan/
July 11th, 2024 :- Mt Lion hunting season alert https://phas-wsd.org/event/sd-game-fish-and-parks-july-commission-meeting/
LAST YEARS 2023, July, Sept and Oct 2023 Commission meetings had mt lion related matters discussed
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June 2023 Commission meeting alert and
review:
https://phas-wsd.org/event/sd-game-fish-and-parks-commission-meeting-june-2023/
July 2023 Commission meeting alert
and review:https://phas-wsd.org/event/sd-game-fish-and-parks-commission-meeting-for-july/,
September 2023Commission meeting alert and review:https://phas-wsd.org/event/sd-game-fish-and-parks-commission-sept-2023-meeting/
October 2023 Commission meeting alert and review:https://phas-wsd.org/event/sd-game-fish-and-parks-commission-october-meeting/
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TRIBES
TRIBES 2024
Oglala Sioux Tribe (OST) has a hunting season of 20 lions of either sex and 10 female
sub-harvest limit. In May, 2023 we were told 9 had been killed – We are not yet sure if that was
in 2022 or 2023 or both combined (i.e not sure time frame of killings). For the year of 2023
we are told seven lions were killed, 3 females , 3 males and one whose sex was not recorded.
They allow tribal hunting. They allow non-tribal hunting, including hunting with hounds as long
as there is a tribal member guide. Licenses are more expensive for non-tribal hunters. The tribe
has requested SD GFP’s help in inventorying their cougar population.
Rosebud Sioux Tribe .
Tribal wildlife staff believe they have many lions and breeding. The Tribal Council passed an ordinance
for a hunting season, only for tribal members, for 5 lion either sex with a 3 female sub-harvest,
with hound hunting allowed, for 2023, but the ordinance conflicted with other ordinances
banning hound hunting for big game species and thus ordinance was
not enforced in 2023 or 2024. The Tribal Council has to resolve the ordinance
conflict, if the a cougar hunting season is to move forward. The tribe has not requested
SDGFP’s help in inventorying the population as of late Sept 2024.
Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe (CRST) thinks they have resident lions along the rivers,
but no conclusive proof of breeding.
Yankton Sioux Tribe (YST) May have had a few breeding lions in the past (circa 2015)
, but that was not conclusively proven. Last I asked, they were not aware of lions
in 2024. They do not have a hunting season as of May 2023.
Three Affiliated Tribes in ND have breeding lions and have had a 5 lion harvest limit in the past.
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Standing Rock and Lower Brule Sioux Tribe don’t think they have the habitat and only have transitory lions .
I have not succeeded in connecting recently with other tribes, tribal wildlife staff. Other tribes in SD may be
too small in size, without habitat or fragmented with Caucasian ownership.
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We need to contact other tribes in ND, Montana and Wyoming and Canada.
MEETINGS OF PHAS ON SD MOUNTAIN LIONS
SEPTEMBER 2024 ZOOM MEETING
On eve of September 25th, 2024 – 6:30 pm, PHAS had an informal evening Zoom discussion of SDGFP draft Revised October version of Mt Lion Action Plan. Josh Rosenau, Director of Policy and Advocacy of the Mt Lion Foundation (https://mountainlion.org/) joined us. The meeting was recorded and link to recording was posted to our recorded meetings web page.
LInk to Zoom recording of this Sept 25th meeting on cougars:
Passcode: U0qyc=2I
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Summer 2021, 2024 PHAS meeting on Regional Mountain Lions, with some slides on SDGFP’s management of lions.
Link to recording:
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RECENT BUT OLDER HISTORY – July 2023-July2024: SOUTH DAKOTA MOUNTAIN LIONS summer/fall 2023 & spring-summer 2024 UPDATE –
MAY 2024 – However the staff created a spring 2024 draft Action Plan that does not change the population objectives, which it presented at a Mt Lion stakeholder’s meeting on May 28th. Nancy Hilding attended that meeting and I (Nancy) did not get the impression that there was enough support for that change and it won’t happen, but we won’t know for sure until the draft plan is presented to the Commission meeting in July, 2024
The Department had a mt lion stakeholder meeting on Mt Lion Plan Amendments – May 28th, 2024 and invited attendees who include PHAS. The invitees were skewed towards hunters (8 hunter groups, 2 environmentalists, 1 landowner, 1 Rosebud Sioux Tribe & 1 BHNF biologist).
. JULY 2024 – A draft version of the 2024 Mountain Lion Action Plan was released for public comment at the July Commission meeting. The comment deadline is August 16th, 2024. A public opinion survey on Mt Lions was presented. The staff did not recommend allowing hound hunting of cougars in the Black Hills Fire Protection District (BHFPD) outside of Custer State Park. The Commission accepted the staff recommendations and did not request other changes. We will write talking points on the Mt Lion Action Plan, but folks should object to the unlimited year round hunting with hounds in the Prairie Unit (statewide unit outside of BHFPD. GFP should have objectives to support sustainable mountain lion populations on Oglala and Rosebud Sioux Tribe lands. Folks should object to hound hunting of lions in Custer State Park.
The Commission met on Sept 5th-6th and asked the staff to amend the Mt Lion Action Plan to reduce the cougar’s population objectives. The amended draft plan (October Version) will be open for comments for 27 or so days. It is to be considered again at Oct 3rd-4th Commission meeting.
We provide alerts on Commission meetings in advance and then post a review after the meeting (see links provided below or see our events/deadline calendar). We suggest folks who support lions write letters and/or show up and testify remotely in their favor, by Zoom, at Commission meetings. We provide alerts on all SDGFP Commission meetings in advance on our web site events/deadline calendar.
We periodically have networking Zoom meetings on issues associated with predators in the northern plains and had one on SD Mt Lions on the eve of May 21st, 2024 with locals meeting with staff from several national cougar groups..Attendance at networking meetings are by invitation – access is limited to folks who support our objectives of Mt lion protection and recovery. Contact Nancy Hilding if you want to come to such meetings in the future .(605-787-6466), phas.wsd@rapidnet.com.
ACCESS OLDER DOCUMENTS FROM 2023
July 20th-21st 2023 Commission meeting – Archives,
https://gfp.sd.gov/commission/archives/90/
September 7-8 2023 Commission meeting archives
https://gfp.sd.gov/commission/archives/91/
The mountain lion hunting proposal Commission moved forward in July 2023 and denied in September
Wells petition for rule making to allow hounding hunting of 12 lions in BHs (moved forward and then denied)
https://gfp.sd.gov/UserDocs/nav/194_-_Hounds_and_Mountain_Lions.pdf
trial cougar pursuit season petitioned for by Weimer (denied)
https://gfp.sd.gov/UserDocs/nav/195_-_Mountain_Lions_in_Fire_Protection_District.pdf
PETITIONS FOR RULE-MAKING BY PRAIRIE HILLS AUDUBON SOCIETY FALL 2023
In response to SDGFP Commission moving forward hound hunting petitions to mitigate harm from hound hunting
PHAS filed 5 petitions of our own designed to mitigate adverse impacts of hound hunting. All were denied:
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2024 OTHER STATE ALERTS ====================
OTHER STATES
Mountain lions have no idea where state or tribal/non-tribal boundaries are. Their populations are self-regulated,
as the older lions will chase away young lions if the territory is at capacity. Lions can disperse long distances in search of vacant territory and mates. We therefore follow mountain lion policies in nearby states.
When nearby states such as Wyoming, have over-aggressive harvest limits, then Wyoming will be a sink for SD lions – SD lions will migrate to Wyoming Black Hills and perhaps be killed, thus this will be a drain on the growth or
stability of the SD population, that is also hunted. Utah recently (2023) got rid of
harvest limits for mountain lion hunting,. Montana recently (2023) raised harvest limits by 40%, Wyoming (2023) raised harvest limits by 50% for a set of hunting units near Utah’s border. Nebraska (2023) added a Niobrara
hunting unit and in 2024 tripled the harvest limit at Pine Ridge unit and doubled the harvest limit at Niobrara. Folks in Colorado in 2024 are attempting to get a moratorium of mountain lion hunting as a ballot measure. (Scroll down for more details)
Our states of SD, NE & ND are on the eastern edge of breeding populations that can supply lions to recolonize
eastern USA. A male lion from the Black Hills was killed by a car on the Merritt Parkway in Connecticut. A female lion from the Black Hills went to Kentucky or Tennessee (I forget which) and disappeared.
NEBRASKA 2024
2024 NEBRASKA GAME AND PARKS COMMISSION – NGPC is going to review and vote on
proposals to increase mountain lion hunting in Nebraska at it’s Commission
meeting on June 20-21st, 2024, see our events calendar on those
days for details.https://phas-wsd.org/event/nebraska-game-and-parks-commission-june-20-21st-2024-meeting/ The Commission approved proposed changes. https://outdoornebraska.gov/about/press-events/news/commissioners-approve-a-2025-mountain-lion-season/
It is proposing to increase the harvest limit on the Pine Ridge Unit by three
times, the Niobrara Unit by two times and to add a unit at Wildcat Hills
LAST YEAR 2023:
NGPC revisited its’ season in June 2023 and decided to add hunting in the
Niobrara Unit, to the already hunted Pine Ridge Unit.
Deadline for Nebraska GP Commission 2023 written comments on lion & otters was midday CT June 7th, 2023 –
The hearing was June 9th, The Commission approved the mountain lion season proposals. View 2023 alerts at this link: Link
for details: https://phas-wsd.org/event/deadline-for-written-comments-to-ne-game-and-parks-commission-on-cougar-and-otter-seasons/
https://phas-wsd.org/event/nebraska-game-and-parks-commission-meeting-cougar-hunting-season/
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NORTH DAKOTA 2024
NORTH DAKOTA GAME & FISH- ND will be revising its season each year in the
early summer. You may send comments to Stephanie Tucker (staff) by late June
2024 before she submits a plan to the Governor for his approval. Her e-mail: satucker@nd.gov, phone: (701) 220-1871
Go to our events calendar for year 2024
alert – https://phas-wsd.org/event/comment-deadline-on-furbearer-season-mountain-lions-beaver-nd/
Old links 2022
, https://gf.nd.gov/sites/default/files/publications/status-of-mountain-lion-management-in-nd-2022.pdf
Tentative regulations: https://gf.nd.gov/hunting/mountain-lion
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COLORADO 2024
Colorado has an initiative on their ballot for November 5th, 2024 to ban trophy hunting of mountain lions
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2023 State updates
WYOMING GAME & FISH 2023 – WGFC made some changes to increase
cougar hunting for some units near the Utah border, A proposal was offered
for public comment in July 2023 and decided on in the
September 2023. Wyoming normally reviews the season every three years and
we expect a statewide review in 2025.
Wyoming Game & Fish Commission 2023- was reviewing a proposed increase by
50% of lion hunting limits in 4 of its’ units on its’ western edge (not in the
Black Hills) . There were public meetings happening in towns in July. Deadline
for written comments is received at 5 pm MT on Friday August 4th. Commission
hearing is in Gillette on September 12-13th. Other public meetings were in June
& July, in various towns in Wyoming, by Department on rule changes
proposed by WG&F Depart. You can submit short comments online
(8,000 word limit), but for a long formal letter , you must mail by post.
Wyoming Commission approved the proposed changes at their Sept 13th
meeting… .Link for details:– https://phas-wsd.org/event/comments-due-increase-cougar-harvest-limits-western-wyoming/
https://phas-wsd.org/event/nebraska-game-and-parks-commission-june-20-21st-2024-meeting/
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MONTANA FISH WILDLIFE AND PARKS 2023 – Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks decided to
increase hunting by 40% in many areas:
Montana FW&P May 11th- (PAST) & June
8th, 2023. View alerts at these links. The Commission approved a high
increase in the harvest limit:
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2022 Cougar Management alerts:
Wyoming July 2022 Alert
https://phas-wsd.org/event/cougar-and-wolf-alert-wyoming-comment-deadline-wgf-6-3-22/
Nebraska lion Alert June 2022
ND Mt Lion Alert 2022
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OLD MATERIAL
2021 Cougar Management alerts
======= 2021 ALERTS/UPDATES – 2021 WAS THE LAST YEAR SOUTH DAKOTA CHANGED IT’S COUGAR HUNTING RULE
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Here is a video of 2021 PHAS meeting on this topic:
Future action to protect mountain lions in SD will be to contact federal and state land management agencies and ask them to prohibit hound hunting of mountain lions on their properties. Also to contact tribes
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UPDATE – RESULTS OF THE 2021 SEPTEMBER COMMISSION MEETING
Update, in Sept 2021, the SDGFP Commission passed both proposed rules on mountain lions with no changes from proposals. The Commission passed the rule on spring turkey with no changes from proposal. The only rule to which there was a change, was on blow guns used for fishing; they decided not to allow blow guns for fishing. (There is another petition for rule making on blow guns for consideration 5/4/23)Future action to protect mountain lions will be to contact federal and state land management agencies and ask them to prohibit hound hunting of mountain lions on their properties. Please watch for updates on that future campaign
SD MOUNTAIN LION ALERT SD Fall 2021 – OLD (you can see our objections to 2021 season)
Wednesday September 1st (afternoon) 2021 – Thursday September 2nd (morning) was a past SD Game, Fish & Parks Commission Meeting in Rapid City at Outdoor Campus West with virtual & teleconference options
As the proposed rule was adopted, you need to go to SD Administrative Rules list for mountain lions to see the rule as amended in 2021: https://sdlegislature.gov/Rules/Administrative/29319
2021 Alert On Mountain Lion Seasons Rule Changes (these rules were adopted)
Here is a link to the letter that Prairie Hills Audubon Society submitted to SD GFP:
https://www.scribd.com/document/522625630/Mountain-Lion-Comment-LetterF?secret_password=EUwQZb1IK9yVyf3B5FY5
If you go to these two links you can see what other individuals and NGOs – such as HSUS, MLF, Cougar Fund, SD-FACT wrote. The long formal letters are at the end of the PDF files, the shorter letters at the beginning. :
In 2021, we suggested folks oppose both proposed rules changes for mountain lion hunting. But they passed.
SD Mt. lion hunting is divided into the Black Hills Fire Protection District and every where else (Prairie unit). In the Prairie Unit there is 365 day hunting with no harvest limit and hound hunting was allowed on private land (with land owner/lessor permission) and moving from private land to BLM and State School Lands. Hound hunting was allowed in Custer State Park in two week time segments alternating with two weeks of “boot hunting” (boot = no hounds used). The first two week session was given to hound hunting and thus for many years the boot hunters are out-competed and have not gotten any lions.The hunting season on the Black Hills Unit is too aggressive and will result in decreasing populations, perhaps dropping below the population below the population goals that SDGFP wants. We suggest at least lowering the female lion harvest limit in the Black Hills unit.
We suggested people object to hound hunting of lions, which occurs on Custer State Park (a sub-set of Black Hills unit) and in the Prairie unit. You could have objected due to 1. animal cruelty to both dogs and lions, 2. not fair chase, 3. provides huge advantage of success for hound hunters vs boot hunters 4. creates trespass risk, 5. disturbs non-target wildlife, livestock and other human users. However they made a specific change to increase hound hunting..by increasing the area of public land in the Prairie Unit where hound hunters can travel from private land to hunt on public land, to include all of public lands unless public land manager specifically objects. Previously public land hound hunting in the Prairie unit was limited to expanding onto BLM and State School lands. . You could have objected specifically to that proposed increase in hound hunting area on the Prairie Unit.
We suggested allowing the boot hunters the first two week session in Custer State Park, for sake of boot hunters, lions & dogs.
Written comments (2021) were to be submitted at https://gfp.sd.gov/forms/positions/ or at https://rules.sd.gov/Comments.aspx?Id=669
The rule change to allow hound hunting on the prairie unit on public land unless the land management agency specifically objects passed the Commission. We thus need to contact public land managers and ask them to object to hound hunting of lions on their property.
UPDATE ON LIONS – This bill was killed in committee (dead). 2022 SD Legislature had HB 1296 – would have treated cougars (which by statute are a big game species in SD ) as if they were a “predator/varmint” in the prairie unit and allow hunting without a license 365 days of a year. This would have taken away from the GFP Commission the option to reduce the days in the hunting season for the prairie. Cougar advocates wanting to reduce prairie unit hunting from year round would have to go lobby the legislature. Folks would not pay the license fee, which is $28 dollars .
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