119I have had many experiences interacting with wildlife professionals and recreational-
ists interested in my research proj ects through the years. Before I began to study
mountain lions, most of my proj ects were focused on deer nutrition, be hav ior, and
population dynamics. People interested in those proj ects and findings included
hunters, wildlife professionals, and employees of the USDA Black Hills National For-
est, the latter likely because most of my proj ects were focused in the Black Hills.
There was a change in who was interested as soon as I started to work on mountain
lions. I began receiving many invitations to speak at sportsman shows and to make
pre sen ta tions to local wildlife groups such as the Brookings Chapter of the Wildlife
Federation, university functions, and wild game banquets. At those venues I would
pres ent recent information we had been collecting on mountain lions, discuss some
of the politics surrounding the species in South Dakota and beyond, explain how
some misinformation had been corrected (e.g., it was learned that lions will consume
carcasses), and teach people how to be safe when living and recreating in mountain
lion country. After completing my pre sen ta tions, I always allowed time for ques-
tions and would stay around for attendees who wanted to share stories with me re-
garding their personal experiences with the species. Many had seen mountain lions
or thought they had seen one (fig. 8.1). Others were concerned about the safety of their
children or pets, whether they lived within the Black Hills region or whether they
frequently visited western South Dakota.
On a number of occasions, a contact who lived in the Black Hills volunteered to
assist with a few of our early captures of mountain lions. He would help carry equip-
ment and help with holding lions for data collection, including the weighing of animals.
He always was positive and happy to assist with our work. However, his attitude
toward lions became less favorable about the time the lion population became saturated
CHAPTER 8