In Texas, it’s rare to spot a mountain lion in person. The cat species are huge but relatively uncommon, secretive animals. However, every so often, the animals are sighted in West Texas throughout the Trans-Pecos region. But, what about in Central Texas?
The last confirmed mountain lion sighting in Bexar County was in the Stone Oak area in 2013, according to the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department. At the time, the mountain lion was spotted near Canyon Ridge Elementary School and Barbara Bush Middle School.
Since TPWD started recording sightings in 1982, there have been three mountain lion sightings in Bexar County, including the 2013 incident. However, no confirmed sightings have been recorded since. But, mountain lions are moving closer to San Antonio.
Mountain lions generally are found in remote mountains, canyonlands, or hilly areas with good cover. Today, the largest mountain lion populations are in the desert mountain ranges of the Trans-Pecos, especially in the Big Bend region, with fewer numbers in the dense brushlands of the Rio Grande Plains.
Predator control efforts have slowed since about 1970, and mountain lion populations appear to be stabilizing and repopulating portions of its former range, including the Edwards Plateau, Panhandle, and Gulf Coast areas, according to the Natural Science Laboratory out of Texas Tech University.
In the past 10 years, TPWD confirmed three mountain lion sightings in Medina County, 16 in Uvalde County, one in Blanco County, two in Williamson County, and three in Kerrville County.
Val Verde County in Southwest Texas has recorded the most sightings with 103. The most recent confirmation was on May 14, 2024. So far this year, there have been 57 reports of mountain lions in Texas. In 2023, there were 50 confirmed.
In a significant win for mountain lions in Texas, the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department took the first step to actively manage the state’s mountain lion population after granting protections for the large cats on Thursday, May 23. Commissioners unanimously voted to ban canned hunting of mountain lions and to require that live mountain lions not be held in traps for longer than 36 hours.
With the historic ruling, Texas now stands with all 16 states home to breeding mountain lions in regulating the hunting and trapping of the species.
To help manage the state’s populations, TPWD will prepare materials on mandatory mountain lion harvest reporting – a standard hunting practice and wildlife management tool used in other states. It would begin to fill the significant gap in scientific data on the animal’s abundance, mortality causes, and population trends.
Dr. Mark Elbroch, who leads Panthera’s Puma Program and is also a member of the Texans for Mountain Lions coalition, stated in a news release that harvest reporting is the most cost-efficient way to gather information about mountain lion abundance and their trends over time.
“It will help TPWD make informed decisions about the conservation management of mountain lions far into the future,” Elbroch said.
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