Two mountain lions killed on Fort Berthold
Two mountain lions killed on Fort Berthold
By MARVIN BAKER
EDITOR
Hunters from Mercer County used hounds to tree a couple of mountain lions before the animals were shot on the Fort Berthold Reservation Dec. 28 and Dec. 30.
Both animals were taken in Dunn County and both were males. One was approximately 1 1/2 years old and weighed 107 pounds while the other was approximately 2 1/2 years old and weighed 133 pounds.
These are the first two lions shot in a Fort Berthold season that has a quota of five. If the five aren’t taken the season will end automatically on March 28.
Both of the lions were taken to the North Dakota Game and Fish Department office in Bismarck where they were analyzed before being released back to the hunters. No mountain lions were taken on the reservation last season.
According to tribal Game and Fish, hunters wishing to hunt and harvest mountain lions must purchase a furbearer’s license at the Game and Fish office. Any legal firearm or archery equipment currently allowed for furbearers is legal for the mountain lion season.
Hunting or pursuing with dogs is now allowed. Cable devices such as snares and traps, can’t be used to take mountain lions, although a lion mount recently donated to the Three Tribes Museum was caught in a snare in the Twin Buttes area early last year.
