Hunting large carnivores is a controversial issue in wildlife management and conservation. In the autumn of 2024, Colorado will probably be on the ballot where voters will weigh up Initiative 91a proposed ban on the hunting and trapping of cougars, bobcats and lynx within the state.
Wildlife authorities often use regulated hunting as a way of controlling predator populations, reducing impacts on endangered wildlife, or minimizing the danger of conflict between predators and humans, domestic animals, and livestock. But Scientific studies have questioned how effectively recreational hunting achieves these goals. And public attitudes are changing as participation in hunting declines.
We run Colorado State University Center for Human-Carnivore Coexistence And Centre for Animal and Human Policy. Together with our colleague Benjamin Ghasemiwe recently Colorado residents surveyed about their perceptions of mountain lion and black bear hunting within the state.
We found that support for hunting relies on the aim. Most Colorado residents oppose looking for trophies or for pleasure. Gender, age and other demographic aspects also play a job.
Meet the neighbors
Mountain lionsalso often known as pumas or cougars, live mainly within the western USA and are legally hunted in all western states except California. Black bearswhich mainly in Mountain and forest regions Deer are hunted in most states within the continental United States where they occur.
The Colorado Parks and Wildlife Agency estimates that roughly 3,800 to 4,400 adult mountain lions And 17,000 to twenty,000 black bears live in Colorado. They are found mainly within the Rocky Mountains, with the eastern edges of their range near more populated areas within the Front area.
According to the state, hunters in Colorado killed 502 mountain lions through the 2022-2023 hunting season and 1,299 black bears through the 2023 season.
Both species have conflicts with humans within the state. Most commonly, bears wander into mountain towns seeking garbage or other food left by humans. Mountain lions are occasionally seen in urban areas, and in rare cases people have attacked.
Different views on hunting
Our study collected responses from Colorado residents through two public mail surveys. Samples were weighted to be representative of the state's population demographics, including age, gender, level of urbanization, geographic region, and hunting participation.
Respondents' opinions on legal and controlled hunting of mountain lions were evenly split, with 41% in favor and 41% opposed. The same was true for black bears, with 46% in favor and 46% opposed.
Large majorities disapproved of hunting each animals as trophies, for hide or pelt, or for recreation. For cougars, 78% of respondents disapproved of trophy hunting; for black bears, 86% disapproved of trophy hunting. People also generally disapproved of hunting each species for his or her meat.
Respondents were more supportive of looking for other reasons. 63% and 57%, respectively, supported hunting mountain lions and black bears to guard people. And 56% supported hunting mountain lions to cut back harm to livestock.
Large majorities disapproved of hunting mountain lions with dogs (88%) or recorded electronic calls (75%). Most mountain lions hunted in Colorado are legally killed with the assistance of dogs that chase the cats after which herd them right into a tree or corner them. The use of electronic calls to draw the cats was allowed in some parts of western Colorado until 2024, when the practice was banned. banned resulting from hunting of mountain lionsHunting other carnivores resembling bobcats and coyotes stays legal.
Women, younger people, urban residents, and folks who identified or leaned toward Democrats tended to be less supportive of hunting than men, older people, rural residents, and Republicans. A study we published in 2022 on wolf reintroduction in Colorado found an analogous political split, with individuals who identified as Democrats more supportive of wolf reintroduction than among the many Republicans.
How can one coexist with carnivores?
Although Colorado residents generally support using hunting to cut back conflict between humans, black bears and mountain lions, studies suggest it will not be probably the most effective tool.
For example current experimental study in Ontario, Canadaconcluded that increased hunting of black bears didn’t reduce conflicts – especially in years when the bear’s natural food sources, resembling nuts and berries, were limited within the wild. An extended-term Study on bears in DurangoColorado, also found that the supply of natural food within the wild and the lure of human food in town were the essential causes of bear encounters.
Conversely, one other Studying in New Jersey – which is more densely populated than Colorado, making bears more prone to encounter people – concluded that well-regulated hunting of closely monitored black bear populations could help reduce conflict.
Similar to bear policy, Colorado uses hunting as a Mountain lion management toolThere is restricted scientific evidence that hunting mountain lions can prevent conflicts with them. A recent study found that young cougars from a hunting area in Nevada tended to avoid built-up areas. In contrast, young cats from a non-hunting area in California showed no preference for or against built-up areas.
Other correlational studies in Washington, California And Canada have suggested that hunting could also be exacerbating the issue. According to those researchers, hunting may disrupt the social dynamics and age structure of cougar populations, which could lead on to young cats moving into populated areas seeking latest territory, thus increasing their probabilities of encountering humans.
Overall, we consider that more reliable scientific information is required to guide predator management and test assumptions about how effective hunting is in addressing these problems. Further give attention to proactive, non-lethal strategies for conflict prevention is important.
Ultimately, promoting coexistence between humans and carnivores is usually way more about controlling humans than controlling predators. The secret is changing human behavior.
For example, inadequate waste storage attracts bears. The same goes for filling birdhouses in spring, summer and autumn. when bears are energeticSteps to Reduce encounters with mountain lions These include walking in groups and making noise, keeping dogs on a leash in distant areas, keeping pets indoors, and avoiding plants that attract deer, the cats' essential prey.
Big cats on the ballot
Colorado's Initiative 91 would ban the hunting and trapping of cougars, bobcats and lynx within the state. It would allow the killing of problem animals to guard human life, property and livestock.
Hunting and trapping bobcats, primarily to sell their pelts within the fur trade, is currently legal in Colorado. On average, hunters and trappers have 880 bobcats annually within the last three years, most of which were caught. Hunting and trapping are currently prohibited for lynx, that are endangered in Colorado and threatened nationwidehowever the proposed ban would protect them as their populations get better.
Colorado residents have already voted previously to limit the hunting of predators. They passed a People’s initiative in 1992 to ban bait, dogs and a spring hunting season for bears, and one other in 1996 to ban using leghold traps, poison and snares.
Our research adds to the growing evidence that Public opinion about hunting and carnivores is changingA growing share of Americans consider that humans should coexist with carnivores and oppose lethal control for the good thing about humans. Studies also suggest that ballot measures resembling Initiative 91 could occur more steadily while public attitudes are changing and an increasing number of different groups are attempting to influence wildlife management.
Wildlife managers will find it difficult to adapt to those changing values. Authorities may have to think about: more participatory methods that involve different interest groups within the decision-making process, develop latest financing mechanisms which might be less depending on hunting and fishing license fees, and review how and for whom they take care of wild animals.
image credit : theconversation.com