Mountain Lions-Depradation Permit

Wiszard · Apr 23, 2009

I was talking to a buddy who has a depradation permit for a particular farm. Obviously, the permit is to keep unwanted animals from coming into the fields and contaminating them. My buddy told me that on the permit it states that any number of animals may be shot if they are present in the fields in question. One of these species named on the permit is the mountain lion. I told him that is probably not right and he told me that it states it on the permit itself. It is not likely that a mountain lion would be visiting any of these fields to feed but what if he actually did spot one in the fields? I told him he'd better check with F&G but what do you guys make of this?

Steve

nickman · Apr 23, 2009

He should get some official clarification on that permit.

We had a local, whose horse was attacked by a mountain lion at his ranch and when he asked DFG for a permit to kill it, the biologist who came out insisted it was a bobcat attack and refused a permit to kill a mountain lion.....even though the lion had been clearly seen by residents. There have been several sheep and dogs killed in the area.

Obviously, the local ranchers were pissed.

The biologist went on to say that if a lion was killed in the area, there was going to be legal trouble.

At this point, I wouldn't call DFG no matter where I found a lion. I would just call Hornady.

ras1954 · Apr 23, 2009

+1 nickman, the best thing to do is just keep quiet about the cat.

BomberBlackies · Apr 23, 2009

If Hornady is not available, I've always been partial (as in partition) to Nosler. Hell, Remington and Winchester are a couple of good hard workers for the job. SSS.

Cahunter805 · Apr 23, 2009

Steve I am pretty sure you can take a lion on his depradation permit. Knew a guy who had a problem with them and got a permit and killed a few!!! What have you been up to?? Where are those fields at? Im sure he has a PIG problem huh?? Wink wink

Andy

Wiszard · Apr 23, 2009

I just thought it was strange that the F&G would issue a permit with that printed on it. That leaves the door open for a lot of problems for everyone involved. No lion has been spotted but I just thought it was interesting that mountain lion was printed as one of the species that was acceptable to kill with the permit.

Steve

sageadvice · Apr 23, 2009

Steve said; "I just thought it was strange that the F&G would issue a permit with that printed on it."

I certainly understand your thinking here, i would be concerned too. Looks like a excellent opportunity to help out the local game population if indeed the permit as issued is valid, and, you/he are able to locate one or more of those big kittys. No doubt that they are in the area. You may not see them or see them often but i'd bet money that they are there.

Good luck with it!
Joey

Wiszard · Apr 23, 2009

You're right, Joey....they are there. The trick is getting them into the field where it SEEMS legal to kill them. I told him he needs to check with F&G to make sure.

Steve

eelgrass · May 1, 2009

"Obviously, the permit is to keep unwanted animals from coming into the fields and contaminating them."

Wiz, I was just curious what kind of fields your friend has to get a such a far reaching depradation permit?

Eel

BOHNTR · May 1, 2009

Actually, there are quite a few killed on depredation permits each year now......however, most are from contracted "exterminators" with the DFG.

BOHNTR )))---------->

Wiszard · May 1, 2009

Eel- The local farmers are able to get the depredations permits to stop breakouts of ecoli brought in my pigs and deer. One of the bigger producers here has had to recall some lettuce due to the presence of ecoli. If any fields have evidence of pigs or deer being in the fields, they bring out the disc and have at it! F&G is not always willing to give depredation permits though. I spoke with a farmer about 6 months ago who was not given a permit. This company farms over 500 acres and F&G suggested they put up a deer fence! They put up the fence spanning only a 1/4 mile where the animal traffic is the worst. Think about the cost of fencing 500 acres! They are in legal proceedings in order to obtain a permit.

Steve

eelgrass · May 1, 2009

Steve, thanks for the explination. That makes sense.

Eel

HunterHarry · May 3, 2009

My neighbor has killed 9 lions in the last dozen years on depredation permits, one cat, a particularly large one tried to stash a goat under my deck.
If you catch an offending lion you can take him out, call F&G and fill out the paperwork afterwords.
HH

nickman · May 3, 2009

Harry says...............

>>If you catch an offending lion
>you can take him out,
>call F&G and fill out
>the paperwork afterwords.
>HH

That is advice I would not reccommend.......unless you are a lawyer.

RACKMASTER · May 3, 2009

f&g know most of the farmers/ranchers and if a guy loses a sheep or so a call is made to local warden!ever rancher I've known had dogs just to catch cats or bears who ate sheep like popcorn...he killed lots and has a photo album full of cats and bears, eagles....he told me dfg is very anal about this permit and it very regulated and he was never allowd to keep so much as a feather...he had to call first everytime to he was only to take if cat was presant at kill site which was rare!

Rackmaster

HunterHarry · May 3, 2009

I just got off the phone with a friend who is the government trapper for my area.
He is the guy involved in just about every mountain lion depredation kill in my county.
He said that it is perfectley legal to shoot a lion on the spot if it is in the same pasture as livestock.
He called it a harassment type situation and that there would be no negative legal action taken toward the shooter.
We average 20 lion kills on permits per year in my county.
This year has been a tad slow with only two taken by gov. hunters so far.
HH

HunterHarry · May 4, 2009

LAST EDITED ON May-04-09 AT 06:33AM (MST)[p]Couple of Cali Cats...

Here is a tom that had killed a neighbors goat & dragged it under my deck.

Here is a good tom that was killing neighbors sheep.

Both killed on depredation permits.

HH

BigPig · May 4, 2009

If you kill one on a dep permit, can you keep the hide?

Wiszard · May 4, 2009

HH- Did the cats rip off the hunters faces prior being shot? HaHa. 20 cats a year? Thats nuts!! I'd say a tad over populated? Sheeesh!!

Steve

HunterHarry · May 4, 2009

LOL

No the lions didn't rip off their faces.
They are both friends of mine, but I didn't ask their permission to post on the net & figured they were just too ugly anyway.

HH

HunterHarry · May 4, 2009

>If you kill one on a
>dep permit, can you keep
>the hide?

NO!
It is strictly forbidden to keep parts of a lion killed on a DP.
You must immediatley forfiet the animal to the DFG so they can bury or incinerate it.
What a shame.
HH