In Idaho, the state Game, Fish & Parks Commission has begun "experiments" using dogs to hunt mountain lions (aka, cougar, puma), in Custer State Park this week. This type of hunting is known as "hounding", a practice which was recently banned in California because it is inhumane and unsporting.
Released dogs chase the frightened wild animal to the point of exhaustion until the animal climbs a tree to escape the pursuit of hounds, the hunters shoot the exausted animal off the limbs of trees. Along the way, dogs also chase, harass, injure, and kill "non-target" animals such as pets, farm animals and other unintended wildlife.
The elk herds may have declined, but with all the wolves and bear killed in Idaho and 100 mountain lions killed since the 2012 hunting season, the declining elk population is very likely the over hunting and poaching by humans.
We ask Idaho to ban the cruel and unpredicable "experiment" of hunting mountain lions with dogs.
SOURCE: http://rapidcityjournal.com/news/custer-state-park-lion-hunt-uses-hounds/article_32c2faff-4716-55d1-92a3-f8c261141b04.html
In Idaho, the state Game, Fish & Parks Commission has begun "experiments" using dogs to hunt mountain lions (aka, cougar, puma), in Custer State Park this week. This type of hunting is known as "hounding", a practice which was recently banned in California because it is inhumane and unsporting.
Released dogs chase the frightened wild animal to the point of exhaustion until the animal climbs a tree to escape the pursuit of hounds, the hunters shoot the exausted animal off the limbs of trees. Along the way, dogs also chase, harass, injure, and kill "non-target" animals such as pets, farm animals and other unintended wildlife.
The elk herds may have declined, but with all the wolves and bear killed in Idaho and 100 mountain lions killed since the 2012 hunting season, the declining elk population is very likely the over hunting and poaching by humans.
We ask Idaho to ban the cruel and unpredicable "experiment" of hunting mountain lions with dogs.
SOURCE: http://rapidcityjournal.com/news/custer-state-park-lion-hunt-uses-hounds/article_32c2faff-4716-55d1-92a3-f8c261141b04.html
