Texas considers mandatory reporting for mountain lion hunts
The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department is calling for public input on setting mandatory harvest reporting when it comes to hunting mountain lions. Adobe Stock image
The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department is seeking public comment on a proposal for mandatory harvest reporting for mountain lions until May 27.
The Texas Parks and Wildlife Commission passed the state’s first-ever mountain lion harvesting regulations in 2024, making canned hunts illegal and setting time restrictions on the use of live traps.
Although the Highland Lakes area is not known for its mountain lion population, sporadic sightings have been reported in the past. No encounters have been confirmed.
The following was issued by the TPWD in a media release on Wednesday, May 20:
Mountain lions are relatively uncommon, secretive animals that once roamed across the entire United States, but today they are largely limited to the Western third of the country. In Texas, mountain lions are primarily found throughout the Trans-Pecos, the brushlands of south Texas and the western Hill Country.
Texas maintains the most flexible mountain lion regulations of any state in the country, with no harvest limits. The population status of mountain lions in Texas, however, is largely unknown. TPWD supports the rights for hunters, trappers and landowners to hunt and manage mountain lions. Better data on mountain lion populations can help support these practices.
TPWD encourages public comment on the proposed regulation changes, and input will be considered before any action is taken by the Texas Parks and Wildlife Commission at its May public meeting. Opportunities to provide comments for or against these proposals include:
- Online: Comments on each of the changes can be provided on the TPWD public comment page until May 27.
- Email: Comments on the proposed changes may be submitted to Jonah Evans, Nongame & Rares Species Program Leader, at jonah.evans@tpwd.texas.gov.
In person: The TPW Commission will take public comments on the proposed changes at its meeting beginning 9 a.m. May 28 at TPWD’s Austin headquarters. Per usual practice, public testimony is limited to two to three minutes per person.
Quality harvest data that includes age and sex of animals, when combined with certain other data types, can allow for accurate population estimation across large landscapes at very low cost. TPWD has previously made concerted efforts to utilize voluntary reporting methods, however, lack of reporting makes the little data received unusable for population monitoring. Mandatory harvest reporting has proven to be a valuable tool for monitoring mountain lions in other Western states as well as several other species in Texas.
More information can be found in the Texas Mountain Lion Research and Monitoring Plan.
The current harvest reporting proposal would contain the following:
- Harvested mountain lions must be reported via the Texas Hunt and Fish app or website. The app functions without cell service and synchronizes when back in range.
- Reports must be submitted within 24 hours of harvest.
- The report will require only the County name where the harvest occurred. Exact properties or locations will not be identified.
- To confirm age and sex of the harvest animal, a premolar and small tissue sample must be submitted within 60 days of harvest to complete the reporting requirement. A premolar is a tiny tooth behind the canine that can easily be extracted without damage to the skull. A TPWD biologist could be scheduled to collect the samples upon request, or the hunter may collect and submit the sample.
- Hunter information is confidential and is prohibited from being shared per