Jonkel shares insights into mountain lions

By MONTE TURNER

Mineral Independent

An unsubstantiated report of a mountain lion in Alberton was on Facebook last month and if true, no incidents or actual witnesses reported it to the Mineral County Sheriffs Office. But with everything huntable now, mountain lion sightings will become more prevalent.

A cup of coffee with Jamie Jonkel, Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks Bear/Lion Conflict Specialist, shed some interesting information on the mountain lion, aka cougar or puma:

How old are mountain lions when they breed and what is the gestation period?

They remain with their mother for about a year and it’s the second year that the females start breeding usually. It’s a 3-month gestation period and they can mate any time during the year. But spring births are the most common time to take advantage of the fawns and other young animals.

It’s been said that the young lions are the most dangerous to humans. If so, why is this?

The reason the young lions are the most dangerous is because they are poor hunters. So many times, they have become orphaned as mom’s been poached, hit by a car or somehow, they have been placed on their own at too young of an age. Their hunting skills are going to be OJT (On the Job Training). They are desperate and very hungry. When this happens and we’re called in they are literally skeletons, so they are dispatched immediately. Dawn and dusk are the most prone times of an attack and that’s because of mistaken ID. They see movement and think it’s a deer, so hikers and runners need to pay closer attention if they are in the cat’s territory those times of day.

Who is most vulnerable and are there special conditions? i.e. evening, dense forests, etc.

Little kids are the most vulnerable as their laughing, screaming and yelling is no different than a predator call. You do not want your children playing alone where deer and elk live especially against a mountain. And again, at dawn and dusk. You just need to assume you’re in mountain lion country in situations like that.

“A deer per week per lion” Is there truth behind this diet?

That is close but not 100% true. It may take a week or two for them to get a deer. It’s not any easy task to get an animal that big down when they decide to go grocery shopping. And once they have one down, they stay at or near the kill site to consume it.

Obviously, a moose or elk will take longer to eat so that ‘deer a week’ is off. And that’s if a bear or pack of wolves doesn’t kick the lion off and take it for their own.

Besides deer, what else do they prefer to dine on?

They gobble up turkeys. No pun intended, but they really enjoy eating them. Those are one of their favorites, but grouse and snowshoe hares are pretty tasty to them as well.

What about livestock predation?

Predation does happen and free-range chickens are hit the most. They are just like grouse to mountain lions. Goats and sheep are like deer and the same with sheep. They don’t mess with cattle much, but young calves are a target. An electric fence is the best method of keeping them out. It’s not fool proof but it is the best method we know of today.

Do they consume more or less than bears when it comes to ungulates?

Lions are the true hunters. They have incredible stalking skills. Bears are not good hunters. They’re opportunistic and take over a kill site from a lion, Coyotes do it too. And a pack of wolves can spook the lion off of its kill pretty easy. Which goes back to your question of ‘a deer a week per lion’ because it’s rare the mountain lion gets to consume the animal by itself. It feeds other carnivores and scavengers.

What is their average weight and how old can mountain lions live?

Lions are lucky to live 5 years. Usually injuries or self-predation happens. They kill each other an awful lot out there which has a direct effect on the population. But some can live 10-15 years but that is exceedingly rare.

Females range from 75-125 pounds and the toms can get as large as 150 to 160 pounds.

If you come upon a kill site, are their specific clues a mountain lion makes?

Yeah, a lion will cache its kill by usually dragging it over to a pile of brush or under a bunch of logs. Even under the eve on a shed just to protect it and help camouflage it. They cover it delicately with brush and twigs where a wolf site has everything scattered all over the place

Are they loaners or pack members?

Pretty much loaners but it's common for a couple of sisters to hang together with their young ones. This is where people report packs but it's just a couple of sisters with their children. Now, they will leave their young ones at a kill site to act as a babysitter for a period of time.

Are they edible and if so, any precautionary tips when field dressing or butchering?

They are good. Delicious, actually. Take the same care of field dressing as you do with you deer and wear latex gloves.

As of 2015, FWP no longer offers Trichinella testing for bear and lion hunters. FWP recommends that all bear and lion meat be thoroughly cooked to an internal temperature of 165 degrees F before consumption by humans or pets.

For hunters who still desire Trichinella testing, they may send a tissue sample to the Montana Department of Livestock’s diagnostic lab. (Note: not all butchers will take mountain lions. Superior Meats is delighted to process yours!)

Hunters need to know that there are different dates, quotas for areas and regulations for hunting with or without hounds. There is even a Hound Training Season for Montanan residents and a special archery season.

For more information on seasons, bag limits and quotas, go to fwp.mt.gov.