Little Bulldogs meet big mountain lions
Karen Peterson/Leader - Tribal game warden Gordon Hunter shows Mission elementary students two mountain lions shot in self defense last year. He took the opportunity to tell students more about lions, and answered questions during an informal session at the school last week.
By Karen Peterson - Leader Staff
ST. IGNATIUS — Some up-and-coming Bulldogs got a look at two mountain lions last week, courtesy of Tribal Fish and Game, in what was in eye-opening experience for many Mission elementary students.
Tribal Fish and Game warden Gordon Hunter used the death of two adult mountain lions as educational tools to give the students an up-close look at animals they probably will never see in the wild.
“About a year ago, hunters shot these two animals for their own self protection,” Hunter said. “We’ve had the mountain lions preserved since then.”
Students gathered around the Tribal Fish and Game truck to see the remains of the two mountain lions and ask questions.
“I try to use the mountain lions for educational purposes because some kids will probably never see them otherwise,” he said.
Hunter noted that killing a mountain lion on the reservation is illegal.
“You cannot hunt mountain lions on the reservation but these animals got too close to the hunters. There is an investigation into the incident,” he said.
Frank Gillin, chief of the Tribal Fish and Game, stated that there is a healthy population of cats but people might not see them because they “stay to themselves.”
“Occasionally, one gets into trouble and we deal with that but usually no one sees them,” Gillin said.
Gillin said the issue of hunting lions on the reservation still comes up, but the Tribal council decided to nix it.
“Every year it is proposed [to the Tribal council] to open hunting on mountain lions but culturally they decide not to do it,” Gillin said. “Biologists also present data to the council as a part of the discussion along with the cultural committee and spiritual committee and culturally they have decided not to hunt cats on the reservation.”
Tribal elder Steven Small Salmon attributed mountain lions as being a part of a cycle that keeps the animal populations in check.
“Mountain lions keep the deer population down. I’m an elder now and I can remember my elders saying the same thing. You hardly ever see mountain lions but where they are they control the deer population,” Small Salmon said. “And that keeps everything healthy.”