PLACERVILLE, Calif. — Mountain lion sightings and livestock attacks in El Dorado County have surged in the past two years, leaving some residents demanding stricter controls and others urging nonlethal coexistence strategies as officials, scientists and ranchers search for a plan that keeps people and big cats safe.
For more than a decade before 2023, the county averaged roughly 33 reported mountain-lion attacks on domestic animals per year. That figure jumped to 97 in 2023 and climbed again to about 202 reported incidents in 2024, county figures and local reporting show — a spike that county officials say continued into 2025.
The numbers took on a grim urgency after a March 2024 attack near Georgetown that left 21-year-old Taylen Brookss.dead and his 18-year-old brother, Wyatt, seriously injured. The California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) confirmed DNA from a mountain lion found at the scene matched the animal involved in the attack. That incident — one of the few fatal mountain-lion attacks in California in recent decades — helped spark a wave of local advocacy and legislative effort
“Problem lions seek higher ground,”
El Dorado County Agricultural Commissioner LeeAnne Mila told state lawmakers as she described the scale of loss to livestock. County testimony and meeting records say dozens more depredation reports were logged in early 2025.
Why the uptick?
The surge has split the county. Some longtime residents want aggressive, hands-on measures.
“Every predator should be managed,”
said Fred Buhlert, a 74-year-old local who favors a controlled hunt with quotas. Others say killing is short-sighted and point to nonlethal tools — light and noise alarms, livestock guardian dogs, better night corrals and improved fencing — that can reduce losses and restore avoidant behavior.
A controversial proposal, informally known as “tree-and-free” or the so-called Taylen and Wyatt bill, would have allowed trained dogs and handlers to pursue and tree mountain lions to re-establish fear of humans. Supporters argued it reintroduces historical aversion; opponents, including the Mountain Lion Foundation, warned the practice would likely lead to more shootings and greater mortality for the species. The bill did not advance in its original form. In Sacramento this spring, lawmakers instead amended proposals to focus on conflict prevention, public education and targeted grants for livestock protection
CDFW’s current policy remains a mix of prevention and narrow response. The department will issue depredation permits when verified animals have attacked livestock or pets; last year the county sought and received a number of such permits, several authorizing lethal removal where warranted, officials said. CDFW emphasizes that direct attacks on humans are rare but urges reporting of conflicts so wildlife officers can assess and act.
What experts and officials say residents can do now
• Keep pets and small livestock guarded, especially at dawn and dusk; bring house pets inside at night.
• Remove attractants: secure compost, livestock feed and small animal food sources.
• Install or test lights, motion alarms and sturdy fencing; consider livestock guardian dogs for pastures.
• Report sightings and depredations promptly to CDFW and local authorities so officers can document patterns and deploy nonlethal hazing or, when necessary, apply for depredation permits. (El Dorado County’s agriculture office posts local reporting guidance and a contact line for wildlife conflicts.)
“If a mountain lion goes after their dogs, they’re going to shoot it,”
Robin Parks of the Mountain Lion Foundation warned, arguing that some proposed fixes could make killing more likely than true coexistence.
“The idea here is that there will be mountain lions killed, not just mountain lions ‘treed.’”
What happens next is likely to be a mix: county officials pressing for clearer depredation and response rules, conservation groups pushing for science-based deterrence and monitoring, and local ranchers seeking help to protect their animals. State legislation now moving through committees would fund deterrence grants, research and education in affected counties while stopping short of broad-scale hunting.
For residents concerned about immediate safety: if you see a mountain lion acting aggressively or in the act of attacking animals or people, call 911. For non-emergency sightings and depredation reports, contact CDFW’s Human-Wildlife Conflicts reporting portal and the El Dorado County Agriculture Office for local guidance.
As the county wrestles with policy and grief — and as ranchers board up coops and neighbors swap sightings in Facebook groups — wildlife biologists urge one steady reality: coexistence will require community buy-in, funding for preventive measures and better, on-the-ground data about where and why these cats are crossing into human spaces.
“Post-2020, people are seeing lions on their property during the day,”
a local tracker and wildlife researcher, Haley Molzahn, told reporters — a behavioral change that demands both immediate action and long-term strategy.
Two rescue pit bulls mauled in Alpine; vet says wounds match mountain lion attack
After San Diego-area mauling, El Dorado County pet owners urged to secure yards, keep animals close, and report lion activity
Two rescue pit bulls are recovering after a terrifying overnight mauling in a fenced yard in Alpine, east of San Diego, where a veterinarian said the dogs’ deep lacerations and punctures were
“consistent with a mountain lion attack.”
The incident, reported Friday morning near Highlands View Road, came less than two miles from a separate doorstep sighting captured on video later that morning, according to KGTV’s on-scene reporting.
A visitor at the home, Amber Crocker, said the chaos began just after 7 a.m.
“Kind of a ruckus coming through the door,”
she recalled. One of the dogs, a 10-year-old named Presley, stumbled in “with cut marks all over,” while Lola, a 10-year-old three-legged pit bull, was found injured in the yard. Both dogs were treated and released the same day; the owners filed a report with the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW), which said it will review evidence and could use non-lethal tactics to push a lion back to wild habitat if warranted.
Why this matters in El Dorado County
Mountain lions live throughout the Sierra foothills, including El Dorado County. CDFW notes that direct attacks on people remain rare, but the department tracks incidents and urges residents to report conflicts and sightings through its Human–Wildlife Conflicts portal. California Fish and Wildlife In March 2024, two mountain lion–human encounters in remote parts of El Dorado County—one fatal, one nonfatal—were verified by CDFW, underscoring the need for vigilance locally. California Fish and Wildlife
Safety guidance for pet owners
CDFW recommends keeping pets indoors from dusk to dawn, supervising animals closely outside, removing outdoor pet food and water, and trimming vegetation that can provide cover. If you encounter a lion, do not run; make yourself appear larger, keep eye contact, speak firmly, and slowly back away. Report concerning encounters and depredation events to CDFW’s Human–Wildlife Conflicts program. California Fish and Wildlife
How to report in El Dorado County
For immediate threats or emergencies, call 911 or El Dorado County Sheriff’s Dispatch at (530) 621-6600; for non-emergency wildlife issues, call the Sheriff’s non-emergency line at (530) 621-5655 or contact Animal Services (Placerville/West Slope: (530) 621-5795; South Lake Tahoe: (530) 573-7925). El Dorado County+1
Editor’s note: This Alpine case remains under review by CDFW. Officials said there were no additional recent attack reports in that neighborhood at the time of publication. Residents across the foothills are encouraged to document and report sightings promptly so wildlife officers can assess risk and respond appropriately.
Sources & further reading
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San Francisco Chronicle reporting on El Dorado County mountain-lion surge. San Francisco Chronicle
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California Department of Fish and Wildlife — verified mountain lion-human attacks and human-wildlife conflict guidance. California Fish and Wildlife+1
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Legislation text and findings for SB 818 (El Dorado County response). LegiScan
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Los Angeles Times reporting on statewide mountain lion population estimates. Los Angeles Times
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Sacramento Bee coverage of testimony by El Dorado County officials.
