Safari Club International Foundation is soliciting participation in an exciting new Mountain Lion Population project in South Texas. SCIF has been working with stakeholder groups and private landowners to collect data on the South Texas population. This study will provide valuable population demographic information to Texas Parks and Wildlife to inform their future management decisions for lions. The best wildlife management decisions are based on sound science, so collecting current , comprehensive baseline population data is the first step in the process. Our project has been endorsed by Texas Farm Bureau, Texas Sheep and Goat Raisers, and Texas Cattleman's Association.
In order to effectively target lions for collaring, we are seeking current trail camera photos of mountain lions. Our goal would be to attempt to capture the lion in order to collar it for this study. If anyone would like to contribute photos, or would like more information about the project; they may email Maria Davidson (mdavidson@scifirstforhunters.org)
Thanks and Adios,
Gary

I’m afraid regardless of the results the well meaning study will be used by the anti hunting and anti trapping groups to try to put limits on them or completely protect them. Just look at what happened with alligator gar.

I too think these studies lead to their protection

Here's where we are Gentlemen. TP&WD appears to be on a path, to in the least, classify the mountain lion as a game animal. The research they are using to date, is from the Borderlands Research Institute, Alpine, TX. 100% of their research was performed in the Nature Conservancy in the Davis Mountains. In their research, lion kills were investigated and to no surprise, no livestock was killed by lions. There is no livestock in the Nature Conservancy.
Borderlands Research is partially funded by TP&W and secured Ben Masters to produce a documentary about Texas Wildlife a few years ago and a link to this film was posted on this site. In a great move, they also secured Matthew McConauhey to do the narration. The film was extremely well received and drummed up a lot of support for the mountain lion.
We feel that no changes in wildlife management should occur until proper research has been completed to estimate populations, range, reproductive rates and other information that can only be gathered through research.
If we don't do this research, I can almost guarantee that will be protected in some fashion.
Adios,
Gary

Flame suit on. I do think that lions should be regulated, I know that there is a healthy population of cats in Texas but why not add it on as a tag that can be purchased when buying a license, leave the regs where they can be shot year around but you must have a tag for one. I feel the same for Elk in Texas, make them a game animal again. Flame suit off

Good luck with with the project!

The only elk that were ever in Texas originally (Guadalupe Mountains) was a different, now extinct subspecies - Merriam's elk.

Sounds like a great piece of work to give TPWD the most information before making a decision like this. Uninformed protection or uninformed open seasons do nothing to better populations or increase opportunity in the long term.

I disagree on elk. Elk used to be a plains animal until hunting pressure pushed them into the mountains and wiped them out in many places. 500 years ago there were elk in the Panhandle and many other parts of Texas. It's crazy that they are treated like axis and other exotic species in Texas.

There is also a theory that they were always in the mountains. Hunting and changing environmental factors took them out on the Plains, but they remained in the mountains as they were harder to get to.

I agree with that 100%. Elk are actually back in the panhandle in far northwest Texas. Then are coming in from New Mexico. I would bet my 401k that they were native to Texas and not exotic....