ALMA, Neb. (AP) — The Nebraska Game and Parks Commission has approved a mountain lion hunting season for 2020.

The commission says in a news release that the season was approved Friday at its meeting in Alma.

The season will run from Jan. 2 through Feb. 29 and allow up to eight mountain lions to be killed within the Pine Ridge area of northwestern Nebraska, an increase from five mountain lions killed in the 2014 and 2019 seasons.

The commission says the 2020 season will stop or reduce the growth of the mountain lion population.

There were no hunting seasons for mountain lions from 2015 to 2018..