The Texas Parks and Wildlife Commission has adopted new regulations impacting mountain lions, the first changes in over 50 years, affecting areas like the Big Bend region. These regulations ban canned hunts and establish a 36-hour trapping standard, aiming to modernize hunting and trapping practices across Texas.
Mountain lions, primarily found in the Trans-Pecos region, including Big Bend, are relatively uncommon and secretive. The new regulations prohibit the capture and later release of mountain lions for hunting or pursuit with hounds. Additionally, the rules mandate that live lions cannot be kept in traps for more than 36 hours, although an exemption applies to vertically set snares with a loop size of 10 inches or less.
Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) continues to maintain records on mountain lion sightings and mortalities to document the distribution of cougars in the state. Residents who have seen or killed a mountain lion are encouraged to report it to TPWD. In Alpine, TPWD can be contacted at (432) 837-2051.
Mountain lion sightings have been recorded in all 254 Texas counties, though not all are confirmed. Mortalities, providing a more accurate reflection of their presence, have been recorded in 67 counties. While attacks on humans are rare, with only four reported in Texas since 1980, residents in areas inhabited by mountain lions are advised to take preventive measures, such as installing outdoor lighting and avoiding feeding wildlife.
TPWD, which receives federal assistance from agencies like the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, adheres to anti-discrimination laws including the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990. Any reports of discrimination in TPWD programs or events can be directed to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s Civil Rights Coordinator for Public Access.
It’s about time!