Outdoor Notes : Lion Carcasses Near Houston Causing Concern

The discovery of two African lion carcasses this week near Wallisville, Tex., a small town about 35 miles east of Houston, has officials in the area concerned.

“Apparently, somebody is buying lions somewhere and bringing in hunters to shoot them,” Ed White, a spokesman for the Army’s Corps of Engineers, told United Press International.

Bill Reynolds, a special agent with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, said he located one of the carcasses--killed by a bullet--Thursday on a 20,000-acre reserve set aside by the Corps of Engineers for construction of a proposed reservoir. He theorized that the animal probably had strayed from private lands onto the reserve.

“I think what (the land owner is) doing is buying these lions, through a broker, from a zoo or whatever, and charging people $3,500 to go out and shoot a lion,” he said.

Since the African lion is not an endangered species and the hunts are taking place on private lands, Reynolds said, there is very little the agency can do to stop the hunts.

“I wish there was something we could do,” he said. “There’s no sport involved at all. The guy will let the animal--probably captive-bred--go and someone would be waiting there to shoot it. It’s a crying shame. Most of (the lions) probably don’t even have any teeth or claws.”

Should the hunters be found on federal land they can be charged with illegally discharging a firearm on federal property or trash dumping, both carrying a fine of $50, but that’s the extent of punishment allowed by law.

Reynolds and the Corps of Engineers have yet to identify the person running the hunts, but speculate he is buying the lions for about $500, then charging $2,500 to $3,500 for each hunt.

Said White: “He is making a killing, literally and figuratively.”

The Department of Fish and Game is predicting good angler opportunities for the opening of trout season April 30 in the Eastern Sierra, with the recent rains making water levels higher than had been expected.

A good opener is also expected farther north, where near-perfect conditions exist in parts of Shasta, Siskiyou, Modoc and Lassen counties.

“Access and water conditions promise to be as good as I have ever seen up here for an opening,” said Mike Rode, a DFG biologist based at Mt. Shasta.

Since special rules and regulations may apply at various waters, fishermen are advised to pick up copies of the 1988 California Sportfishing Regulations booklets, available at DFG offices and sporting goods and tackle stores.

Although the weather didn’t cooperate for the 14th annual Marina del Rey Halibut Derby, a 27 1/2-pound halibut did go for Kevin McCluskey’s large rubber jig, enabling the Santa Monica resident to win the event.

Despite strong winds and stormy seas, a crowd of 1,314 anglers fished in the derby, catching 144 legal-sized halibut--22 inches or longer. The Santa Monica Halibut Derby, held the previous weekend under sunny skies and smooth seas, had 1,988 participants who caught 600 legal halibut.

Briefly

The second annual Fish for the Homeless Derby, held April 9 in the waters off Santa Catalina Island, netted 700 pounds of fish--mostly bonito--which was distributed to the Los Angeles Union Rescue Mission. . . . DFG fisheries biologist Frank Hoover, because of his efforts on behalf of local wild trout, will be the guest of honor at the San Gabriel Fly Fishers’ 1988 spring banquet April 23 at the Cask ‘n Cleaver restaurant in San Dimas.

Minnesota’s James Hautman, 23, has won first place in Nevada’s duck stamp contest held April 9, becoming the youngest winner in the 10-year history of the annual competition. His painting depicted a pair of canvasback ducks in the water in a Nevada marsh. His entry will be portrayed on the state’s waterfowl stamp, which is required of waterfowl hunters, age 12 to 64.