PIERRE, S.D.- The 2009 South Dakota mountain lion season closed Saturday with the harvesting of the 14th and 15th female lions.
The season, which had a 15 female lion season harvest limit, was deemed a success by SD Game Fish and Parks officials. “This season was a significant change from previous seasons,” said GFP Wildlife Division Director Tony Leif. “With having a stand alone season for lions, we had fewer hunters out in the Black Hills and they still harvested 26 lions.”
Although the season in the Black Hills is closed, licensed landowners outside of the Black Hills Fire Protection District can still shoot a lion on their own land.
GFP officials estimate approximately 250 mountain lions in the Black Hills.
-GFP-