12 Mountain Lions of the Black Hills
available on the species at that time and, second, that because of the isolated nature
of the Black Hills and the suspected low population size of newly established moun-
tain lions, such a season likely would cause extinction of the species in the Black Hills.
The case was heard in Pierre, South Dakota, a week before the season was set to
begin on October 1. Based on the evidence provided by the State of South Dakota,
which included additional information about the population, gathered since Dorothy
(Fecske) Wells completed the first proj ect on the species in 2003— more than 30 moun-
tain lions had been radio- collared by the time of the hearing— the judge ruled in sup-
port of the state, and the harvest began. A harvest of mountain lions has continued in
the Black Hills since 2003, and harvest limits have been increased until recently.
Since beginning our studies of mountain lions back in the late 1990s, my students
and I have followed the recolonization of the Black Hills by the species from a period
when just a few lions were believed to inhabit the region, through a period when the
species was believe to be “saturated,” resulting in adult and kitten starvation (fig. 1.9)
and increased road mortality, through periods of nonhunting and hunting as well as
periods of enthusiasm for the species (when the general public was filled with excite-
ment that the ecosystem was again “complete” and sightings of the species were
figure 1.9. Emaciated mountain lion found dead in the Black Hills during a period
when the population was believed to be saturated. Photo by Steve Griffin.