37-559.

Destruction of predators; permit required; when; mountain lion; actions authorized.

(1) Any private landowner or tenant may destroy or have destroyed any predator preying on livestock or poultry or suspected of causing other damage on land owned or controlled by such person without a permit issued by the commission. For purposes of this subsection, predator means a badger, bobcat, coyote, gray fox, long-tailed weasel, mink, opossum, raccoon, red fox, or skunk.

(2) Any private landowner or tenant or agent of such person may kill a mountain lion immediately without prior notice to or permission from the commission if such person or agent encounters a mountain lion and the mountain lion is in the process of stalking, killing, or consuming livestock on such person's property. Such private landowner or tenant or agent shall be responsible for immediately notifying the commission and arranging with the commission to transfer the mountain lion to the commission.

(3) Any person shall be entitled to defend himself or herself or another person without penalty if, in the presence of such person, a mountain lion stalks, attacks, or shows unprovoked aggression toward such person or another person.

(4) This section shall not be construed to allow any private landowner or tenant or agent of such person to destroy or have destroyed species which are protected by the Nongame and Endangered Species Conservation Act or rules and regulations adopted and promulgated under the act, the federal Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended, 16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq., the federal Fish and Wildlife Coordination Act, as amended, 16 U.S.C. 661 et seq., the federal Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act, as amended, 16 U.S.C. 668 et seq., the federal Migratory Bird Treaty Act, as amended, 16 U.S.C. 703 et seq., or federal regulations under such federal acts.