Better alternatives than just shooting lions

Recently, a man in Iowa County shot and killed a mountain lion. This magnificent animal was positioned on a tree limb for a lengthy time. This was no more challenging than shooting a caged animal in a zoo. He was out to hunt deer, but shot this animal to mount. It seems like such a waste. Does everything that enters into a hunter's path need to be shot?

There may be other solutions. Mountain lions can be trapped and moved to other locations, instead of being shot on site. Check out the article on the Internet, “A Cage Trap for Live–Trapping Mountain Lions,” by James D. Shuler. California has done this for years.

I hope the Department of Natural Resources and public realize that more mountain lions may show up in Iowa. Let's make a plan to preserve, not destroy, these splendid animals.

Cam and Julie Watts

Cedar Rapids