Mountain Lion in the Neighborhood

[LynneP]

We have eastern cougars about half a mile away, they've been sighted over the past ten years. It is absolutely illegal to try to harm a cougar without special permission, which you'd never get. It's another reason why we have to gather up our animals in secure facilities, especially at night.

There are so many rabbits this year that I'm not so nervous, and they will take feral cats and pet dogs as coyote and foxes will. They also like to hunt near wild bird feeders, hoping for doves, partridge, grouse and pheasants.

 

[nautical_bouy]

A dog will give you some warning the cougar is outside, but I don't think any dog would have a chance against one, thats why they hunt them with a pack of dogs.

You'd better get a lot more gun than a .22 or 16 Ga. or you most likely will end up with a wounded animal that will be far more dangerous injured.

 

[Their Other Mother]

We occasionally have mountain lions, bob cats and we have even had bears come in. We have a BIG dog and even he won't go after a bear or a cat. Your best bet is to sit on someones desk at Game & Fish untill they remove the cat from your area.

 

[panner123]

Only one way to stop a big cat. Smith & Wesson. Opps, A BIG SMITH & WESSON.

 

[NoelTate]

I guess I'm the only nut who would be out with a camera hoping to see the mountain lion! lol
The more we clear woods and build neighborhoods and businesses on them, the more often wildlife will come into our midsts. It's not their fault we are taking up all the space. Hopefully, someone will trap this one and carry it to a safe place. As for suggestions to kill it before it weans its cubs...how cruel...I can't imagine killing a parent so its babies will starve to death. What an awful way for something to die.

 

[panner123]

Quote:
As for being a nut, I have to agree with you. I know it is to each his own. What I would like to know is, what would you do if you saw a mountain loin two blocks from a school yard full of children, take a picture of the loin or shoot it? Just a year ago that was the choice someone in town had. The loin was shoot and no children were hurt. When an animal lives to close to humans they will always lose. Sad to say but it is the truth. For many years I have live in the montains and had very few encounters with bear or mountain loin taking my chickens or livestock. The smaller critters are always there for a free meal. Today the larger predators are forever in someones trash or killing something.
This is no fault of the animal, it is the humans that are causing the problem. Some city folk drive around the area and decide to retire here. They know nothing at what they are getting into. They just think the area is pretty. Well it was until they moved in. Now we have litter all over the place and trash all over. Why because some dumb @#$% doesn't know enough to keep it out of the reach of the animals.

And to Broke Down Ranch, whatever you do NEVER shoot a mountain loin with a 22 or 16 ga shotgun. You won't kill them but you might cropple them to where they must take livestock to survive. Use a gun that you will be sure of a clean kill. It is much better to be over gunned than under gunned.

 

[spook]

Never run from a preditor, they will automaticly assume you are pray.
What folks around here do with electric fencing is go out every after noon, evening, and wipe peanut butter on the electric fence wire. They may not be attracted to eating it, but they will be curious by the smell of it.
(make sure you pee on each fence post too! just for good measure) Radio, fan, what ever you have for noise makers. These will also deter fox, racoons and many animals you don't want. Good luck, we are on Bear watch, a sow and cub are frequenting here. I don't want her dead as we are in natures path, not them crowding in on us.

 

[sovia]

We live in the Black Hills of SD in a remote area surrounded by the National Forest. Mountain lions live here, too, and we have seen their tracks around our garage and house during the winter.

It is absolutely against the law to shoot a mountain lion UNLESS it is or is about to attack a person or livestock. Many times, they are just curious. If the mountain lion should make its way into a suburban area, then the proper thing to do is contact GF&P to deal with the problem, not shoot it on sight just because it is near people.

We have two beautiful children, ages 8 and 9, so I know what it is like to worry about potential attacks. However, we take precautions just as someone in the city would against potential child predators. Just as one wouldn't shoot every passerby in the city, you can't shoot every wild animal that crosses your path, either.

 

[Miltonchix]

Quote:
This is NOT completely true.
Because the population is not controlled BY HUNTING, as in the past, the population of these cats is increasing exponentially. Cougars are solitary animals. They defend their territory, which is measured in square miles, to the death. When mothers chase off their young they then have to establish their own territory. So, its the cats territories that are expanding faster than humans. They are showing up in and on the edges of towns and farming communities because, being young and inexperienced, they find easy prey. It is almost always the young ones that hurt people and livestock. The older more experienced cats already have their territories which are remote and sparsely populated by people.

 

[dacjohns]

Quote:
This is NOT completely true.
Because the population is not controlled BY HUNTING, as in the past, the population of these cats is increasing exponentially. Cougars are solitary animals. They defend their territory, which is measured in square miles, to the death. When mothers chase off their young they then have to establish their own territory. So, its the cats territories that are expanding faster than humans. They are showing up in and on the edges of towns and farming communities because, being young and inexperienced, they find easy prey. It is almost always the young ones that hurt people and livestock. The older more experienced cats already have their territories which are remote and sparsely populated by people.

Nothing is as simple as it looks when it comes to the ecosystem. It is very complex. Time is a very large factor. What did it look like 400 years ago? Were wildlife populations controlled by hunting?