Status of Mountain Lion Management in North Dakota
Job No. E-XI-1: Annual Harvest of Mountain Lions in North Dakota
We determined the annual harvest of mountain lions in North Dakota via mandatory reporting by hunters. Hunters are required to report their harvest within 12 hours and get a pelt tag from Department personnel to be in legal possession of a mountain lion. In addition, we collected information and/or carcasses of mountain lions shot for protection of property (e.g., livestock) or self, illegally taken, incidentally killed in snares, or those killed by collisions with automobiles (a.k.a., road kills). In 2022-2023, 12 mountain lions (3 F, 10 M) were legally harvested by hunters and 1 female was taken illegally.
Job No. E-XI-2: Population Demographics of Mountain lions in North Dakota
We required hunters to turn in the entire carcasses of all harvested mountain lions after they removed the pelts. We also collected carcasses from mountain lions found opportunistically (e.g., road kills) and those harvested on the Ft. Berthold Indian Reservation, when feasible. From mountain lion carcasses, we collected information on sex, age, and reproductive status of females. We used this information to monitor demographic and trends in abundance. The sex ratio of mountain lion examined from 1 July 2022-30 June 2023 was 0.4 females per male and age was 2.3 ± 1.4 (𝑥̅ ± SD) years. Mountain lion abundance trended upward slightly from the previous year, but confidence intervals remained wide due to our low sample sizes.
Job No. E-XI-3: Mountain Lion Distribution in North Dakota
We used a combination of reports of occurrence and hunter questionnaires to determine the distribution of mountain lions in North Dakota. From 1 July 2022-30 June 2023, we recorded 43 reports of mountain lions; of those, 16 reports (37%) were classified as Verified. This was 20% lower than the number of reports of mountain lions compared to the previous year. Similar to past years, the distribution of Verified mountain lion reports occurred primarily in western North Dakota, particularly the northern Badlands region.
Job No. E-XI-4: Technical Assistance to Other Agencies and Public Regarding Mountain Lions
We educated North Dakota residents about mountain lions (i.e., natural history and ecology, physical description of the animal and its tracks, how to live and recreate where large predators reside, what to do if you see a mountain lion, etc.) via public presentations, radio and television interviews, educational brochures, and other agency and non-governmental organization meetings. We communicated with and attended information exchange meetings both locally and regionally. Additionally, we cooperated with USDA-Wildlife Services personnel in North Dakota to investigate reports of livestock depredation by mountain lions.