Managers have to be careful though because the immigration causes kitten mortality to increase drastically. So if they increase quotas in the neighboring area and the immigrant males kill kittens you essentially create 2 neighboring sink populations (especially since our regulations run in 3 year cycles). Having a possible net result of total collapse, and closure of cougar hunting in the areas. We all know how hard it is to reopen some kinds of hunting after they are closed!!
By using the quotas they can control the kill in each unit. If they bring back hound hunting, they can control how many females or males are killed. The study showed that heavy hunting reduced male populations, and that can be controlled. My point was that if you increase the cougar harvest as needed in each unit you could also control emmigration to other units. The study itself showed that reducing the male population did not reduce reproduction, they say immigrating young toms kill the kittens. If you reduce the male population there will be fewer young males leaving and moving into the other units. Manage males regionally and manage females by GMU. Simple enough if you really are looking for a solution.
Historic records prove the quotas I suggested will not be detrimental to the population.
I am suspitious because I don't think the guys doing the study wanted a solution that involved hunting and that is fairly apparent by their comments.
