The Lassen County Sheriff’s Office in California has declared mountain lions an imminent threat to public safety after a months-long pattern of increasingly bold behavior near residential neighborhoods in the Gold Run area.
Sheriff John McGarva issued the formal declaration on May 13th, 2026, following a series of encounters between mountain lions and residents along Gold Run, Amesbury Drive, and Hill Creek Road. The Sheriff’s Office has been tracking the situation since summer 2025, when residents first began reporting frequent and troubling lion activity near their homes.
The incidents have grown steadily more alarming. In October of 2025, a resident stepped outside with his two dogs only to find a lion emerge from beneath a nearby tree and advance to within 15 feet of him. The man retrieved a shotgun after getting his dogs back inside, but the lion had already retreated toward a nearby creek bed by the time he returned.
On May 11th, 2026, a resident submitted five videos showing up to five mountain lions crossing his property, walking within feet of his front entrance and underneath his deck. Traditional hazing methods, including yelling, loud noises, and direct confrontation, have proven ineffective for several months.
Deputies who canvassed the neighborhood found lion tracks circling within feet of multiple residences. Officers observed juveniles and adults walking small animals throughout the area, and one resident discovered a deer kill roughly 20 yards from his fence line. Feral cats in the area may be serving as an additional attractant for the animals.
Residents told the Sheriff’s Office they understand that living in a rural area comes with exposure to wildlife, but that the frequency and boldness of these encounters has reached a point beyond what they consider manageable. Several have installed lights and cameras, erected fencing, and one resident removed an orchard entirely to reduce attractants. None of these measures have stopped the mountain lions from returning.
The Sheriff’s Office is working with the California Department of Fish and Wildlife and the United States Fish and Wildlife Service on a resolution. Residents with relevant information are asked to call the non-emergency line at 530-257-6121.
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