having read this whole thread, i find everyone comments intresting, i live on a large ranch in south tex. and seeing lion is not rare, we find lion kills once or twice a month,and see a lion at least every couple of months,they do kill hogs and deer, we dont shoot them here as i like having them on the ranch, its great fun to see them now and then and they really dont do any imporant damage to anything.in all my years as a rancher i have never seen a black lion. rio7