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Division says cougar population trending down, outlines 3-year experimental predator removals in six units
Summary
Division staff told the Central Region RAC the statewide cougar population is trending downward, driven in part by a >40% female harvest rate; staff described a proposed three-year experiment to reduce cougars in six units to test whether predator removal helps deer recover.
Chad Wilson, a division presenter, told the Central Region Regional Advisory Council that cougar population trend analysis shows a recent decline and that sustained female-heavy harvests (above about 40%) are consistent with a contracting population. He cautioned that cougars are difficult to count precisely and that the division relies on population reconstruction methods and trends rather than single-year totals.
During question-and-answer, RAC members pressed for estimated population size, inclusion of unrecorded mortality (roadkill, depredation, unreported take) and whether lower reported harvests reflect fewer animals or lower reporting. Chad said absolute counts remain uncertain and emphasized trend monitoring; he estimated population metrics are variable and said long-term trends drive management rather than single-year numbers.
The division described a proposed experimental, multi-year predator-management study in six units (Pine Valley, Zion, Monroe, Boulder, Stansbury and Wasatch) that would use professional trappers to reduce cougar numbers in those areas for about three years to test whether reducing cougar abundance leads to measurable increases in local deer populations. The experiment is intended to be a pilot to inform future predator-management decisions; Chad said the idea would be revisited with the legislature only if monitoring showed the population approaching nonviable levels.
Speakers noted the limitations of current methods and asked whether DNA-based approaches and other studies (hair snares, camera traps, detection dogs) being conducted by researchers at Utah State University could improve estimates; Darren and other staff said genetic and methodological research is underway and may inform improved abundance estimates.
The RAC did not take a formal vote on cougar policy at the meeting but asked staff to continue monitoring, to present unit-level data when available, and to provide more detail on the proposed six-unit experiment before it is implemented.
