"What we're after are 'home-grown' facts about the mountain lion population dynamics here in Colorado that the DOW can use for managing mountain lions, particularly through sport hunting," Logan says. "The strategies they're using now are based on sound biological theory, but rely on data from studies done in other states. We expect this research to give DOW a more relevant biological foundation on which to build management strategies.

"Our study is going to gather as much objective, quantitative information as possible, so that anyone interested in mountain lion management can use it to structure opinions and develop policy. Whatever values are incorporated, we want to make sure wildlife management is based on rigorous biological research. We may find out that we've been doing it right all along, but we want to know that from a scientifically-based process of investigation."

Southwestern Colorado in particular has exceptional quality mule deer, and DOW is trying to get their numbers up. What if there turn out to be more lions than previously estimated? Could this be pressuring deer or other preyed-on species such as the desert bighorn, which DOW wildlife managers want to encourage? If so, should there be more lion hunting?

"We're not yet looking directly at the effects of mountain lion predation on mule and elk deer populations, but it's something we hope to include," Logan added. "The subject deserves more research. Mountain lions are opportunistic predators. They seem to kill and feed on prey that's abundant and vulnerable. We've just started the study, so the evidence is very preliminary, but we're seeing that they're killing more elk than deer. That's not a 'result,' it's simply data. But, it's consistent with studies completed elsewhere in North America, such as the central Idaho wilderness. Cougar are perfectly capable of killing even six-point bull elk. They don't do it routinely because other prey (species) are more common and less able to protect themselves.

"As for the second question, it's too soon to tell. The population we studied in New Mexico was not in a hunted area, so the lower densities observed in areas with sport hunting could demonstrate that hunting is an effective way of suppressing mountain lion population below what the environment can sustain."

Logan respects the science of his craft. You won't bait him into guessing how many cougars live in a particular area. "There's a lot of opportunity to learn," he said. "I suspect some things will be similar to what's been learned in research projects elsewhere in western North America. I also believe we could learn some new things, one of which might be that mountain lions exist in higher densities than previously thought."

TALKING THE STALK
No matter how many lions live in Western Colorado, an experienced hunting guide will improve your odds of filling a tag. An outfitter can do a lot to establish an area as hot. Here's a great example:

Dick Ray has been guiding since 1968. A cougar he killed ranks 34th among B&C entries. Dick's son, Mike, now heads their Pagosa Springs-based Lobo Outfitters. The younger Ray must've learned from his old man: Mike got his first cougar at 19, and it qualified for the B&C book. In 2001, they put a client's lion onto the state record, displacing that infamous cougar killed by Teddy Roosevelt in 1901.

A generation's worth of hunting tells a guide something about wildlife trends, and Dick Ray is convinced that cougar numbers are rising. "We used to hunt over in Utah and up in Wyoming, but we don't have to do that anymore. We've got enough lions around here.

"A lot of people don't remember that cougar used to be persecuted in Colorado," said Ray, who sits on the Colorado Wildlife Commission. "They were a considered a nuisance and shot, poisoned or trapped for a bounty. (Cougars were designated a big-game species in 1965.) There's no doubt in my mind that we have more lions today than we had 30 or 40 years ago. There are more big lions being killed than there used to be, too. We have to hunt mountain lions to control their numbers and keep natural resources in balance."