Mountain Lion in Missouri

[burn587]

1) It's your fault for leaving pets outside if you live on a farm?
2) If a child gets killed by a mountain lion, think of all the outrage that would ensue. There really is no use for mountain lions in the state of Iowa especially since 99.9% of the state is used for crop production or is urban area.

Damn straight. Do you know how much damage domestic cats do to an ecosystem? The domestic house cat kills more different species of creature than any other animal in the world and is especially hard on the songbird species. I can understand how cats kill mice and do it well, but poision does it better. If you leave a pet outside it's your own damn fault if something were to happen to it.

 

[mramseyISU]

Looks like that one in the picture was shot about an hour from where I grew up. I have seen them down there before. I don't think there is a breeding population in Iowa or Missouri yet but they are definitely moving in.

 

[DesertClone1]

shooting female mountain lions is illegal for... hell i really don't know on that one.

There has been a confirmed mountain lion in Calhoun County. A farmer around where i live had been complaining about something carrying off 40lb baby hogs. He set up a trail cam in his loft and had one spotted. We always hope to find it when we are coyote hunting... yes i am a chaser.. burn me all you want on that it's just something i do for fun on the weekends.

 

[Chitowncy]

http://www.iowadnr.gov/wildlife/pdfs/mountain_lion.pdf

Iowa DNR confirms mountain lion shooting



Most of the things I have read and heard is the DNR claims most stories are just rumors.

Do you have a link for this, or are we just supposed to take your hearsay as gospel? I haven't seen the DNR claiming mountain lion sightings as rumors.

 

[jsmith86]

Do you have a link for this, or are we just supposed to take your hearsay as gospel? I haven't seen the DNR claiming mountain lion sightings as rumors.

From the first link in his post.

Over 1,000 mountain lions have been reported to DNR personnel since 2000 but most have no substantial evidence to back them up. Numerous additional sightings have been reported, but are not mapped because of less than credible information.

 

[jsmith86]

As far as the argument about loose dog attacks, yes the dog might attack me, but I'm pretty sure it isn't going to jump onto my back from a tree, dig its claws into my back, and sink its teeth into my neck, simultaneously suffocating me and shredding the blood vessels to my brain. A dog is a whole lot more likely to bite at my limbs, making a dog attack much more survivable.

 

[swarthmoreCY]

If you are attacked by a puma, by all means protect yourself.

You called someone else ignorant on the matter? Interesting.

 

[ISUboi12]

As far as the argument about loose dog attacks, yes the dog might attack me, but I'm pretty sure it isn't going to jump onto my back from a tree, dig its claws into my back, and sink its teeth into my neck, simultaneously suffocating me and shredding the blood vessels to my brain. A dog is a whole lot more likely to bite at my limbs, making a dog attack much more survivable.

I threw the dog attack out there as a ridiculous counterpoint. Not really trying to compare the two because the average dog is much less dangerous than the average wild cat. Just that statistically you are much more likely to be damaged by a dog than the cat, so why is one a tolerable risk but not the other?

However, on that point; I think the concern was more for children. Dangerous dog could probably be just as deadly.

 

[ISUboi12]

You called someone else ignorant on the matter? Interesting.

Enlighten me.

I feel that if you have some evidence of animal attacks on your land against your livestock, pets, etc. then you have every right to protect your property.

IMO killing one off just because you see it is wrong. I think the risk of you being attacked close to home or in a well populated area is going to be next to zero.

If you feel there is a substantial risk then I don't feel like carrying a handgun is an unrealistic way to protect yourself from a puma attack. My point is that you probably don't feel there is a substantial risk, and therefore you don't feel the need to really worry about it. So why needlessly kill an animal that isn't a perceived threat on a daily basis?

 

[swarthmoreCY]

Just that statistically you are much more likely to be damaged by a dog than the cat, so why is one a tolerable risk but not the other?

However, on that point; I think the concern was more for children. Dangerous dog could probably be just as deadly.

Different cause of risks, different tolerable behavior.
Furthermore, a large amount of resources and time are dedicated to control dogs, and wild dogs arguably face a worse fate than mountain cats.

It is not surprising that an animal that is 120-200 lbs, can leap 20 feet, etc and has not been genetically domesticated will be handled differently than dogs.

Enlighten me.

Most victims of mountain lion attacks never see it coming. Common for there to be no witnesses. Protection, if any should be done, is before an attack.

Personally, if mountain lions are spotted by those not out hunting for them (or similar activities like hiking), the risk is high enough that killing them is okay.

 

[ISUboi12]

Different cause of risks, different tolerable behavior.
Furthermore, a large amount of resources and time are dedicated to control dogs, and wild dogs arguably face a worse fate than mountain cats.

It is not surprising that an animal that is 120-200 lbs, can leap 20 feet, etc and has not been genetically domesticated will be handled differently than dogs.


Most victims of mountain lion attacks never see it coming. Common for there to be no witnesses. Protection, if any should be done, is before an attack.

Personally, if mountain lions are spotted by those not out hunting for them (or similar activities like hiking), the risk is high enough that killing them is okay.

Show me proof that the risk is high and you will have made your case.

What is the actual risk and what are the statistics supporting it?

 

[Blandboy]

They're in Iowa. Brother-n-law had a cow killed by by a big cat in eastern Iowa last year. DNR said it was likely a mountain lion.

 

[snowcraig2.0]

I agree, let's kill everything preemptively that could potentially harm us.

 

[swarthmoreCY]

Show me proof that the risk is high and you will have made your case.

What is the actual risk and what are the statistics supporting it?

Wiki has an incomplete list of mountain lion attacks, several of which were by homes or in/near towns.

One could argue that there have been few deaths. However, traditionally there has not been a signicant number of mountain lions near areas with significant human activity. Additionally, who makes the call on how many lives are acceptable? I'll let whoever spots a mountain lion near there domain make the decision.


"However, you may not have to worry about taking action to prevent an attack, since mountain lions ordinarily either lie hidden, waiting for prey to approach beneath them, or approach unseen, and then attack and kill by a bite to the back of the neck that severs the spinal cord."
If a mountain lion is seen without effort to do so, in an area with high human activity, the risk is high.

 

[keepngoal]

on that blog it said that it was already in the hands of the Mizzou DNR. Is that a requirement? Is that a law? Or can someone keep it to skin/stuff/sell?

-keep

 

[cyclone101]

Everyone is entitled to an opinion. My opinion is that if I see one while sitting in a treestand, Im gonna shoot it. The rest of you can do what you want, I dont care. If you want them here that is fine. Please forgive me if I sound like a pompous ***, Im not trying too.

 

[herbicide]

on that blog it said that it was already in the hands of the Mizzou DNR. Is that a requirement? Is that a law? Or can someone keep it to skin/stuff/sell?

-keep

I don't know the Mizzou law, but in Iowa they are not regulated in any manner, so you can skin/stuff it, but I am not sure on the "sell" aspect of it, although they aren't regulated, but there are a different set of rules regarding the sale of wild game.

Oh, and whomever posted that it is illegal to kill female mountain lions, that is incorrect. There are NO regulations regarding their harvest in Iowa. Although they are protected in some states.

 

[herbicide]

Damn straight. Do you know how much damage domestic cats do to an ecosystem? The domestic house cat kills more different species of creature than any other animal in the world and is especially hard on the songbird species. I can understand how cats kill mice and do it well, but poision does it better. If you leave a pet outside it's your own damn fault if something were to happen to it.

I hope you are just referring to cats, and not dogs with your disdain for outside pets.

Many dogs on farms main purpose is to protect livestock.

 

[SenorCy]

I don't know the Mizzou law, but in Iowa they are not regulated in any manner, so you can skin/stuff it, but I am not sure on the "sell" aspect of it, although they aren't regulated, but there are a different set of rules regarding the sale of wild game.

Oh, and whomever posted that it is illegal to kill female mountain lions, that is incorrect. There are NO regulations regarding their harvest in Iowa. Although they are protected in some states.

Mountain Lions are protected in Missouri unless they are attacking humans or domestic animals.
http://mdc4.mdc.mo.gov/Documents/160.pdf

 

[natedo99]

I agree, let's kill everything preemptively that could potentially harm us.

I agree, too bad the liberals don't agree with said statement.