As we have reviewed many times in the past, research has revealed that hunting cougars or thinning their numbers as a method of wildlife management can actually increase the number of young male cats on the landscape, upping the likelihood of those inexperienced felids getting into conflicts with people and livestock"..................Reiterating this finding-----“There is evidence that densities of young, dispersing cougars are likely to be comparatively high where local densities of resident adults have been depressed by hunting, as long as other nearby and less-heavily exploited areas serve as sources of dispersers from other meta-populations".................."Under such a scenario, heavy localized hunting of older cougars could increase rather than reduce exposure of people to close-threatening encounters with cougars".............."Additionally, sport hunting of cougars to benefit wild ungulate populations is not supported by the scientific literature"..............…"Any effort to control cougars should be part of an effort that addresses all factors impacting the ungulate population"..............."Finally, the odds of increased complaints and livestock depredations increased dramatically (36% to 240%) with increased cougar harvest"

https://www.google.com/url?rct=j&sa=t&url=https://www.boulderweekly.com/news/are-state-actions-increasing-the-risk-of-cougars-attacking-people/&ct=ga&cd=CAEYBCoUMTQ1Mzk4NDc2OTIzNjQ4NzEyNTYyGjQzMDgzYjIxMTY2OGE5NzA6Y29tOmVuOlVT&usg=AFQjCNHyzLIPdxnP8l1KWlt-x96MDlz07w

Are state actions increasing the risk of cougars attacking people?

By

 Rico Moore

 -

 September 12, 2019

Mark Elbroch-credit all pictures below