‘Town Crier’ – Briefs From the Region (1) – 10/8/19

Mountain lion slaughters goat and 12 sheep

Amid the perpetual struggle between landowners, stockowners, wildlife officials and animal activists, a mountain lion slaughtered a goat and 12 sheep last week in Ravalli County, roughly 200 miles west of Big Sky’s Gallatin County. The event has fanned the flames for individuals calling for stricter control of predator populations in the region through hunting and trapping measures. The suspected animal remains at-large, while U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service officials as well as trappers have been called in to help mitigate future risk. Last month, a mountain lion was blamed for the killing of three lambs in Corvallis, a census-designated area within Ravalli County.