Elizabeth Stewart-Severy/Aspen Journalism
Colorado Parks and Wildlife will be hosting seven public meetings around the Western Slope to discuss the agency’s new mountain lion management plan.
CPW will be in Grand County at 6 p.m. Tuesday at the CSU Extension Hall in Kremmling to review and discuss the new plan. The agency especially encourages hunters, farmers, ranchers, outfitters and landowners to attend.
The new plan looks at managing mountain lion populations from a regional scale, instead of the smaller, localized scale that had been previously used, according to a CPW news release on the meetings.
“Current research, however, shows that managing mountain lions on a landscape scale is more appropriate and effective,” the release said.
The managers have also reviewed studies on mountain lions from Colorado, Wyoming and Montana to help establish population and harvest objectives that match the science.
The meeting will help wildlife managers make decisions around population goals, harvest objectives and the license-setting process.
“Big game management plans provide guidance to wildlife managers who attempt to balance the biological capabilities of animals, their habitat and public requests for wildlife-related recreation opportunities,” the release explained.