In the 1980s, a mountain lion was shot by a farmer north of Dalhart, and a treed lion was shot in the Channing area. Back in those days deer densities surely limited the ability for a lion to "stick" in an area. But the breeding range of lions is relatively close (New Mexico and even the Black Mesa area of Oklahoma).
Today, things are different. White-tailed deer, mule deer, and feral hogs are all doing very well in the canyons and creek and river bottoms, and even in the flat plains. Javelina are even spreading north from a stocking (1980's or earlier) site in the Rolling Plains in the Dickens area. Folks, it takes a pretty high density of these prey types to hold a lion.
The home range of a lion here would be linear in shape, for example encompassing a drainage/creek/river (for the required density of big game prey), and encompassing 100s of square miles (males for sure). Even bobcats have huge home ranges, and both species are very territorial. Bottom line, a drainage in any one county would likely not hold more than male and a female. They are not under every bush. More on this topic later.
Trust ME!!!
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