The story of Utah's beautiful lions and the
negative impact of legislation
STORY and PHOTOS by DENISE M. PETERSON
I remember the first time I saw a mountain lion in the wild. The moment will forever be seared in my mind.
Growing up in the Great Lakes States, I hadn't seen any lions. The population had been eradicated from the region by early settlers who didn’t care to share the landscape with anything that possessed fangs and a taste for flesh. Yet, these resilient animals began to recover. Factors like time, the cessation of anti-predatory practices like bounties, and protections afforded through management plans were all instrumental. Slowly, lions began working their way back into the landscape they once called home.
Well over a decade ago now, a mountain lion passed by a camera strategically placed by an ambitious deer hunter in the upper peninsula of Michigan. That cat, whether it meant to or not, changed the course of my life! Lions were making a comeback in the region and I was inspired.
Fast forward to 2017. After a brief stint tracking a whole host of wild cats across the jungles of Peru, I knew in my bones that I was here to help tell the story of these enigmatic animals. At a crossroads - either delving into the world of research or applied sciences - I decided the best way to improve attitudes towards
mountain lions was through the lens. Let the cameras tell their stories. Let the cameras eat away at often misplaced fears. Let the cameras reveal these cats to people so they can see them as they truly are: MAGNIFICENT CREATURES.
I founded Utah Mountain Lion Conservation the same year that I moved to Utah and dedicated all of my time - spare and otherwise - to tracking lions through the mountains and setting cameras in the hopes that, by revealing their true nature, residents would come to embrace their native wild cats and would naturally want to take steps to coexist peacefully alongside them.
Our trail cameras have captured some incredible behaviors and interactions over the years. A mating pair as they wandered across the hillside; a daughter learning to be an efficient mountain lion from her mother; kittens playing at the dinner table; a young lioness learning to hunt; a mountain lion patiently waiting under a tree as cyclists zipped by. The list goes on. The footage was gaining attention. Soon, we were giving presentations and telling the stories of OUR mountain lions in Utah. I felt encouraged. I hoped good things were on the horizon. However, the state of Utah had other plans which I will circle back to.
On that incredible day when we saw our first lion here, we were on an active kill site setting trail cameras to document the different interactions that might occur. After our work was done, we packed up and headed out. My partner opted to take the ridge to check one other point, while I chose to traverse the draw on a run that had piqued my interest. Scanning the hillside, a slow movement caught my eye. A tan body casually emerged from the charred scrub oak and easily sauntered up the draw before me. I stopped. Could it be? A mountain lion! No freaking way! I was elated. I radioed my partner to let him know a cat was on its way up and to keep a sharp eye. I watched as the lion worked its way up the mountain without any obvious signs of effort. I was in awe. I’d always wanted to see a lion in the wild but I hadn’t imagined that the moment would leave me this breathless.
Mountain lions are acutely aware of their surroundings. I can’t imagine it didn’t know we were there. Yet, it just went about its business without a care in the world. The evening light glowed brilliantly against the brown and golden mountainside. Time slowed. My grin rivaled that of the Cheshire Cat. Not many people will ever see a lion in the wild. That evening, we saw two out of the family of three lions we were there to document. Those were the good old days, unfortunately.
Since that time, our work has expanded. We’ve grown our fleet of cameras from simple trail cameras to DSLR camera traps that shoot 8K footage. We’re honored to be able to help tell the stories of Utah’s mountain lions. My sincerest hopes are that, one day, the footage captured by our cameras, helps change the course of lion management in not only Utah but wherever they are found.
Now, back to Utah lawmakers. Near the end of Utah’s legislative session in the spring of 2023, language was added to a bill - House Bill 469 - that would drastically alter how mountain lions were managed in Utah. The language essentially stripped away any meaningful protections the state’s lions knew. Today, mountain lions can be hunted, trapped and snared year-round by anyone with a general hunting license without any limits whatsoever.
I don’t think that there are words that can accurately and fully describe the impact that this has had on me. After spending years documenting and filming lions in the wild, after getting to know these animals on a whole new level, I feared for what this new future would hold for Utah's lions.
Since the passage of this law, cameras that have known consistent activity through the years have started to grow quiet. Instead of seeing lions, we’re seeing an influx of coyotes, foxes, skunks, raccoons, and bobcats. The mountain feels quiet now. It’s different. Our cameras once captured generations of cats in our study areas. They showed unique and intimate behaviors. Now, not only are cats we’ve followed for years starting to vanish, but we are starting to see the impacts of trapping. One trapper in particular set traps in front of some of our cameras. A young lion we knew well stepped in one of them. She pulled the trap from the ground and took off with it on her foot. She survived, losing part of a toe. Another lion we’d been following since 2019 was less fortunate, losing a significant portion of her right, front foot. She’s since disappeared from our cameras.
Trail cameras have the potential to tell powerful stories about our wildlife. I hope that one day, footage from our cameras and from the lenses of other photographers will lead to a better future for both mountain lions and the people who want to be able to enjoy their presence in the world around them.
