A state Game, Fish & Parks commissioner from Rapid City wants agency biologists to determine whether certain mountain lions are preying on bighorn sheep and mountain goats in the Black Hills.

And if they are, those lions might have to be killed to protect the sheep and goat herds, GF&P Commissioner Jeff Olson said.

"I think we either do that, or we decide that we're not going to manage for mountain goats and bighorn sheep anymore," he said. "I think we're at a point where we might have to make that decision."

But lion advocate Tom Huhnerkoch of Deadwood said it's premature to consider targeting lions thought to be killing bighorns and goats. It's also premature to presume that lions are the reason for population declines in mountain goats and poor lamb production in bighorn sheep, he said.

Huhnerkoch, a veterinarian, said poor lamb crops can be from environmental factors or disease as easily as from predation. It also isn't certain whether the lambs were actually born, or whether ewes simply failed to conceive and deliver, he said.

Some diseases can be transmitted between animal species, and some of those diseases can hurt pregnancy rates, birth rates and lamb survival, Huhnerkoch said. Sheep and goats tend to be particularly vulnerable, he said.

"I think there is much more to this picture than what has yet transpired," Huhnerkoch said. "I think in general there is a mosaic of issues, but the 'shoot' thing is so easy."

The state's third mountain lion season ended last month when the established maximum of 15 female lions were killed. There were actually 16 females killed, however, because a hunter shot one before finding out that the season quota on female lions had been filled.

There were also three male lions killed in the season.

GF&P biologists now estimate the state mountain lion population at 200 or more, with most of them living in and near the Black Hills. Although deer tend to be the main prey of the big cats, they also eat elk, mountain goats, bighorn sheep, turkeys and other species.

Mick Vickers, who lives just southwest of Rapid City along the north rim of Spring Creek canyon, suspects that lions have decimated bighorn sheep lambs in a herd that frequents his property.

The lamb crop declined to what appeared to be zero this year, in a herd of about 50 animals, Vickers said.

GF&P official biologists say that's possible and assume lions are a factor. But they don't have any scientific data to determine how big of a factor lions are.

GF&P regional wildlife manager John Kanta of Rapid City said he is pushing for more detailed research on the effects of lion predation on mountain goats and bighorn sheep.

Kanta said lion predation has threatened small populations of bighorns in other states to the point where wildlife agencies focused hunting pressure on lions in those areas to protect the sheep.

Olson said that needs to be discussed for the Black Hills. Although more research will help, it's a logical assumption that lions are having an impact on the sheep and goats, he said.

"Those lambs are easy pickin's, I'm sure," Olson said. "It makes pretty good sense to me to go in where some of those herds are and find some of those lions and selectively take them out."

Olson said he has expressed those views to the other members of the GF&P Commission and expects it to be discussed again in the future.

Huhnerkoch hopes they also discuss disease and environmental factors and don't take any action against lions without more data to justify it.

"I just don't want them to take the easy way and raise quotas," he said.

Contact Kevin Woster at 394-8413 or kevin.woster@rapidcityjournal.com.