It isn't a DWR issue, but one of science. There is no coverup, conspiracy, or dereliction of duty.
This...
It isn't a DWR issue, but one of science. There is no coverup, conspiracy, or dereliction of duty.
That's what they did in SW Florida. They curtailed deer hunting so there would be more for the panthers.
If they verify a breeding population of cougars, pumas, painters, panthers, etc. in a state where they have been extinct, they have to curtail deer hunting and other activities in that area to allow them to re-establish the population.
You're correct that "they don't have to restrict hunting" but wait and see what happens when a breeding population is discovered in a state where they used to exist. Therefore I change my original quote from "have to" to "will" ... and I stand behind that statement.You misrepresented the issue and your Florida example does as well. You said...
The Florida panther wasn't discovered as a breeding population thought to be extinct from the state. Its population decline has been documented and hunting curtailed on it in 1958 and later got CITES protection in the 1970s in order to keep this particular subspecies from going completely extinct (not just extirpated from Florida).
http://www.fpl.com/environment/endangered/pdf/panther.pdf
http://www.fws.gov/verobeach/MammalsPDFs/FinalizedFloridaPantherRecoveryPlan081218.pdf
So no, just because a breeding population of carnivore might happen to be rediscovered where once it was extirpated does not mean the state will enact hunting restrictions on deer. The matter isn't one of geography, but one of species protection as noted with your Florida panther example.
That
I live in NC, I have seen a mountain lion (black as could be,but still had a shade darker spots). Evidently science will say it is a one in ten million mutation, but too many others over the years have seen the same.
Mountain lions don't have spots except when they are very young cubs.I saw a mountain lion( had spots)
Did you read the article that accompanied the picture? It includes the analysis and opinion of "an accomplished outdoors writer and naturalist" as to what is seen in the picture.Bigfoot's cat...
Bigfoot's cat...