On Thursday, James Jucht of Sioux Falls and David Terveen were charged with illegally using hunting dogs to tree and kill a mountain lion on February 1 in Pennington County. 

The female lion had two kittens, one of which later died.  The other is now in a zoo.

What kind of sick thrill does a human being get from stalking and chasing a terrified animal into a tree with dogs and then murdering that animal in cold blood?  After finding two kittens that belonged to the female lion just murdered, one of them was killed and the other in a zoo.

Why?  Explain the necessity of this situation?

Sunday was the last day of the 2013 mountain lion hunting season in the Black Hills and in South Dakota.  In previous years, the season limit of lions was reached well before the end of the season.  This was also expected this year.  It didn't turn out that way.  The limit this year was 100 lions. As of Sunday, the total killed was 61.  There may be more reported yet.  This is even less than last year's total of 73.  With more hunters this year than ever before and a record number of licenses purchased, you would think there would be more lions taken.  Looks to me like there are not as many lions as previously thought. 

These are such beautiful animals who have been given a bad rap by persons, organizations, etc. who insist that the mountain lion is a dangerous killer stalking the streets of South Dakota looking for humans to eat. Attacks on humans by mountain lions is extremely rare.  Mountain lions are afraid of humans and do not like human interaction. 

Theses animals are necessary for the ecosystem preservation in South Dakota.  Deer is the main food for the mountain lion and without the lion in existence, the deer population would explode along with the deer tick.

What are your thoughts?