A bill offered last week in the Iowa House of Representatives would alter how residents of Iowa can respond to the appearance of cougars – also called mountain lions – in their neighborhoods.
House File 117 is offered by state Rep. Dave Deyoe (R-Nevada) and would prohibit anyone in the state from hunting, taking, or attempting to take any cougar. “Taking” is defined to include wounding, killing, trapping, capturing, or collecting.
The bill prohibits the Iowa Natural Resources Commission from establishing a hunting season for cougar in Iowa.
There are exceptions to the proposed legislation. They are:
- anyone acting to carry out a court order,
- any licensed veterinarian practicing veterinary medicine,
- anyone acting to protect private property – including livestock – from damage, or
- anyone acting reasonably to protect a person from injury or death caused by a cougar.
HF 117 makes a violation of the proposed legislation a simple misdemeanor, punishable by up to 30 days in jail, and a fine of at least $65, but less than $625.
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