SALT LAKE CITY — Utah wildlife officials hope a new plan allowing hunters to kill more than 600 cougars, or more than a quarter of the state's cougar population, will increase deer herds.

We don't have an absolute knowledge that we'll bring back the deer herds by increasing the lion kill," said state cougar biologist Boyde Blackwell.

"But cougars are one component keeping deer herds down. We want to remove one of the pressures on deer herds."...

Spanish Fork hunter Kim Hansen said that cougars are costing Utah $2.6 million in mule deer sales each year.

"The cougars need to be taken care of now and managed later" said Hansen. Excerpts from Reno Gazette Journal, August 30, 1996

Ed. note: Utah is doing something about their lion problem. But NDOW and the Wildlife Commission refuse to acknowledge we have a problem in Nevada.