Mountain Lions in North Dakota

January 30, 2009 by admin

By Doug Leier

I can honestly say, with a straight face a decade ago I’d have never guessed mountain lions would generate as much interest and discussion in North Dakota as they currently generate. And most would agree. Which proves the foundation of science is pretty accurate in the generalization we’re always learning. We’ve never discovered, researched or unearthing all there is to know about any wildlife species in North Dakota. Even white-tailed deer one of the most popular and common game animals of North Dakota can still throw a curve ball at even the most respected of big game biologists.

The here and now is that mountain lion seasons number three continues in North Dakota until March 9, 2008 in the region outside of the badlands quota zone which closed the opening weekend of deer season after the fifth cat was taken which trigged the automatic closure to the badlands region.

Understand the area referred to as zone 1 includes the portion of North Dakota west of ND Highway 8 from the South Dakota border to the south shore of Lake Sakakawea, and south and west of ND Highway 1804 from the Montana border to a point where ND Highway 1804 lies directly across Lake Sakakawea from ND Highway 8.

All five cats taken in Zone 1 were females. The first was taken Sept. 1 in McKenzie County, the next two were taken in mid-September in McKenzie and Dunn counties, and the fourth was taken Oct. 30 in McKenzie County.

At this time not a single lion has been taken outside of the quota zone, which again is interesting in it’s own right.

Within the quota zone all five cats taken were female.

Earlier in the fall the Game and Department fur bearer biologist Dorothy Feceske released a report enclosing much of the recent information gathered from mountain lion data collected in the past few years.

Dorothy Fecske, department furbearer biologist, said DNA analysis of 17 lions sampled since 2004 indicates that mountain lions probably have been breeding in the badlands of western North Dakota for at least the past decade.

“Most of the lions were not related to each other,” Fecske said. “This provides clear evidence that multiple breeding-age females likely occurred in the badlands since the late 1990s.”

Also, the age and sex composition of lions taken in the badlands during the past two hunting seasons indicates the population apparently has not declined because of hunter harvest.

During the past two hunting seasons (not including 2007), no breeding-age females were taken by hunters and all animals taken appeared in good nutritional condition. “The adult breeding-age females are the most important animals to keep track of, especially for a relatively small and isolated lion population like we have in North Dakota,” Fecske said.

Data also suggests the mountain lion population may be expanding into the northern Missouri River breaks, the counties bordering Lake Sakakawea and the upper reaches of the Missouri River. Four confirmed sightings have been documented in this area over the past 18 months, compared to only one confirmed sighting the previous five years. Also, the Three Affiliated Tribes reported an increase in mountain lion sightings on the Fort Berthold Reservation in 2007 than in previous years.

According to a habitat suitability map, the badlands and Missouri River breaks contain sufficient suitable habitat to support a small population of 45 to 74 resident adult animals if there were no hunting mortality. Fecske said mountain lions historically have appeared in this region of the state.

Since July, the department has continued to receive reports of lions and lion activity in North Dakota, including a road-killed male found in Hettinger County; a photo of a lion kitten estimated at 6-9 months old in Mercer County; and a litter of two 6-8-week-old kittens in Dunn County.

Also, hunters during the 2007-08 mountain lion hunting season (through Oct. 12) have harvested three lions – two in Dunn County and the other in McKenzie County. Two were sub-adult females, while the other was an adult female. Hunters can take any mountain lion other than kittens (lions with visible spots), or females accompanied by kittens.

Another note of interest is that a young male, fitted with a radio-collar last November after inadvertently getting caught in a trap in the badlands, has remained in the region. The lion has traveled over an area of 140 square miles in 11 months.

“We continue to document lion activity in North Dakota. We don’t have all the answers yet, but every passing month we are learning more about the state’s lion population and how to properly manage it,” Fecske said.

A report summarizing mountain lions in North Dakota, including a status report prior to 2006 and information collected since, is available on the Game and Fish Department website at gf.nd.gov.

To learn more about late season NWR hunting opportunities, contact your local Fish and Wildlife Service office or logon to the Game and Fish Department website at gf.nd.gov.