Gazing at a single track imprinted in the sand I tried to imagine the beast that made it. My concentration was broken by the bark of a hound that worked the mountain side. I stared past the dogs to an outcrop of rocks at the top of the mountain. My eyes strained as I searched for him, but my efforts were useless. A single thought raced through my mind “Could he see me?”
Trying to track down a mountain lion in AZ.
I’ve never seen a mountain lion in the wild, but I have a feeling they have laid eyes on me. Participating in a week long hunt for this ultimate predator in the desert of Arizona several years ago ended in a cold track. However, my interest in the mountain lion has continued to grow as this mammal continues to find itself in the spotlight of barroom arguments, newspaper headlines and controversies across the United States.
The most recent example is a jogger in Colorado that fought off the attack of a young mountain lion with the use of a rock and wrestling it to the ground ultimately choking it to death. I hope I have the time to buy this guy a beer sometime, but for now I have to ponder the question “why did the lion attack a jogger?”
This incident was preceded by two mountain lion attacks in 2018 that resulted in the cat being the victor and the humans dying. Raising another question: is this coincidence or the new norm? A look at historical data shows that there have been 27 documented deaths that were the result of mountain lions in the past 100 years. Prior to last year’s attacks there had been a 10 year break. I’m not ready to say it’s the new norm, but the situation does have my attention as I continue to see hunting seasons for this animal restricted and in some cases eliminated.
Mountain lions find themselves at the top of the list of what some hunting personalities call charismatic mega fauna. What this means is that most people place different values on different species of living creatures. For example, no one bats an eye if you swat a mosquito. Trap a mouse? No big deal. Catch and eat a fish, go for it! Hunt deer, elk or moose? Most people will tolerate it. However, if you post a picture of a grip and grin with a bear, mountain lion, or wolf prepare to get some backlash.
Animal right groups know this and target the hunting seasons for these species. They show hounds with a treed animal and add the infamous words “trophy hunting” in their campaign to ban hunters from playing a role in the conservation of these animals.
The most famous example is California. The bleeding hearts were able to eliminate hunters paying to hunt mountain lions in 1990 via Proposition 117. Notice I said “hunters paying to hunt mountain lions” not “eliminate the killing of these animals.” As human population centers continue encroach on mountain lion habitat and freeways block natural travel corridors the state issues depredation permits to handle mountain lions that attack livestock and pets.
According The Sacramento Bee, an average 98 mountain lions have been killed via depredation permits each year since the bill passed. Including professional trappers, hounds men, and sharpshooters killing 120 mountain lions in 2016. Not only does it cost tax payers to fund government agencies to handle these problem predators, livestock owners experience significant losses. A reasonable person would suggest California open a hunting season to help control the healthy population of 4000 to 6000 cats that roam California. However, the individuals that push anti-hunting propaganda hide this reality, and use the term trophy hunting instead of conservation.
They won’t stop. California lifted the automatic issue of depredation permits for mountain lions that attack livestock in some areas of Southern California. Per the Sacramento Bee “From now on, the applicant must first try at least twice to shoo the cougar away with nonlethal means.” Read that last line again. Let it soak in and imagine if a mountain lion kills your (cat, dog, alpaca, sheep, ect.) you must try to shoo it away twice, before you can receive a depredation permit to not only protect your livelihood, but to protect your family as well.
It’s pure insanity if you ask me. However, the anti-hunters will continue to chip away at hunting seasons for these predators. Eliminate a spring bear season there, ban the use of dogs here, and outlaw the use of traps someplace else and eventually hunters are going to be sitting around saying “what the hell happened.”
Enough with the rant, let me try to land this plane and answer my original question “why did the mountain lion attack the jogger?” I wasn’t there and I’m not a biologist, however I have a blog so I get to give my opinion.
I believe it’s a combination of reduced hunting, elimination of habitat for both the mountain lion and its prey, and the increase of predators competing for food.
Mountain lions don’t want to eat a human. They don’t want to be seen by a human. The big mature animals will establish their territory as far away from mankind as possible forcing the younger weaker animals closer to humans. With reduction of habitat to support their traditional diet of wildlife they will turn to cats, dogs, and when shit gets real tough…humans.
What can we do? We need to be able to articulate our point of view in a manner that non-hunters understand. I believe we are dealing with three categories of people: anit-hunters, non-hunters, and hunters. We won’t change the mind of anti-hunters and trust me I want to be the first guy to tell them to pound sand. The reality is that non-hunters far exceed the hunters, and we need to get them on our side. The first step in the process is to make sure they understand that human interaction is necessary to maintain healthy populations of wildlife. Humans screwed up the possibility of animals maintaining a natural balance when we started to throw up Starbucks everywhere and connecting them with freeways.
That last comment is a little extreme, and we screwed things up a long time before $5 dollar coffees were a thing. However, you get my point. Some management is still required even in the largest wilderness areas. Animals don’t understand man made boundaries and will continue to roam in and out of these areas. There are two options: have hunters pay to partake in the conservation effort to maintain a healthly balance of wildlife or have everyone pay more in taxes, so hired professional hunters can go in and control the population. Which makes more sense?
A mountain lion and I will cross paths someday, and I look forward to the experience.
How Does This Apply to Business
Anti-hunters get non-hunters’ support by going after their emotions. Bambi is the classic example. The reality is that maintaining a healthy population of all animals is complicated. Decisions need to be made by experts that have studied the data and know what is best for the species.
Don’t make decisions solely on emotions. If you do you will be out of business fast. Instead evaluate both sides of the situations, look at all the possible solutions, and select the best course of action that will benefit everyone involved.
Until next time remember…you’re going to have to earn it.