Game and Parks okays mountain lion season in northwest Nebraska

    The Nebraska Game and Parks Commission approved a 2019 mountain lion hunting season for 2019 at a meeting last week in Ogallala.     
    Up to eight mountain lions will be harvested in two sub-units within the Pine Ridge of northwestern Nebraska. Officials say the season will allow the population to remain resilient and healthy, while halting growth or moderately reducing the population size.
    This will initiate a reduction of the population density in the Pine Ridge to one similar to that of other states that allow mountain lion hunting.
    Regulations for the 2019 season are:
    — A harvest season will be held only for the Pine Ridge area, which has an established population that can sustain a harvest.
    —The proposed season will allow up to eight mountain lions to be harvested, with up to four of those being females.      — There are two sub-units in the Pine Ridge: a north sub-unit (north of U.S. Hwy. 20) and a south sub-unit (south of U.S. Hwy. 20). Sub-units are designed to distribute harvest throughout the Pine Ridge. Up to four mountain lions, and no more than two females, may be harvested in each sub-unit. Public lands are closed in the north sub-unit to focus harvest onto private land in Sioux and Sheridan Counties, where the majority of landowner input has occurred. The south sub-unit includes public lands for expanded hunting opportunities.
    — Once four mountain lions, or two females, have been harvested in a sub-unit, the season in that sub-unit will close.

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