The Commission will hold a hunting season for mountain lions in the Pine Ridge during January through March 2019. The Commission is also presently conducting a mountain lion research project in the Pine Ridge where locations are determined through GPS/VHF collars in real time. In order to promote a successful harvest season, and adhere to the principles of fair chase, it is important that Commission staff do not provide or distribute location information derived from mountain lion research. In addition,
Commission staff who have mountain lion hunting permits should not inquire about, receive, or use location information for the purposes of harvesting a mountain lion.
Staff throughout the state will likely receive inquiries from permittees regarding where to hunt for mountain lions. In order to ensure we are providing uniform information, answers to the two most common questions are included below:
Q: Where should I go to hunt mountain lions in the Pine Ridge?
A: “Mountain lions are present in all of the steep and wooded terrain in the Pine Ridge, so go to the areas in your Subunit that you are most familiar with.”
Q: Which WMA should I focus my hunting on?
A: “Public lands are closed in the North Subunit (north of Hwy 20), but if you have a South Subunit permit, all WMAs in the steep and wooded portion of the Pine Ridge have mountain lion presence and provide good opportunities to harvest mountain lions. It is always a good idea to scout any area prior to hunting, so make sure you give yourself plenty of time to look around any areas you are interested in hunting. Be sure to consult our Public Land Atlas for other public areas open in the south subunit.”
There is no need to name specific WMAs or other public lands as all have lion presence if they are steep and wooded. If they need additional information regarding public lands in the South Subunit refer them to the Public Land Atlas.
For more information regarding mountain lion hunting, please see our web page.
