Mountain Lion Killed in Kentucky

a reply to: Answer

If you've ever been hiking in a wooded area and your hair stands up on your neck with that overbearing "I'm being watched" feeling… there's a good chance a big cat was nearby.

I been stood on by a black bear in Yosemite, surrounded by howling coyotes in Death Valley, rattled and struck at by numerous Diamond backs, and chased by cubic yards of angry wasps.

I was too busy moving to be scared. Now ghosts are a different matter. They'll make you hair stand on end, send shivers up your spine and turn your bowels to water.

But wildlife? Thats a blessing. No fear there.

(gulp)

originally posted by: intrptr
a reply to: Answer

If you've ever been hiking in a wooded area and your hair stands up on your neck with that overbearing "I'm being watched" feeling… there's a good chance a big cat was nearby.

I been stood on by a black bear in Yosemite, surrounded by howling coyotes in Death Valley, rattled and struck at by numerous Diamond backs, and chased by cubic yards of angry wasps.

I was too busy moving to be scared. Now ghosts are a different matter. They'll make you hair stand on end, send shivers up your spine and turn your bowels to water.

But wildlife? Thats a blessing. No fear there.

(gulp)

The only animals I'm leery of are Moose and Brown Bear.

The only creature I'm scared of are Brown Recluses. Evil spawns of Satan that you can't see coming, those things are. All of them should be killed with a generous application of fire.

And where there is one there are at least a mom and dad running around . They do get reported from time to time on the east coast of Canada and there is a big bunch land between here and there . I also have to wonder if maybe it was someones pet at one time .. a reply to: and14263

a reply to: Answer

Ya the reasons behind the picture could be subjective, just what I thought when I saw it.

And I would agree those guys don't get into it for the chance to go and kill stuff.

If this leads to them carrying traqs more then at least it wasn't a useless kill, so hope that is the case.

So true! I do get the impression some people will make any excuse to test there gun on a live victim...a reply to: Pitou

No surprise. You hear tales around these parts all the time of people spotting them. It's always been one of those things that a lot of people know, it's just never been officially proven. I've always been convinced that I saw a dead one on the side of the road while on a field trip in Central KY. I was looking out the bus window as we were traveling down a major multi-lane highway when I saw a large, tan-colored animal laying dead on the side of the road. Thought it was a deer at first, but then I saw the large paws.

I spent a lot of time in the woods when I was young and the thought of mountain lions was never a concern of mine. I was more worried about people growing pot, bears (which also aren't supposed to be around here)...or bigfoot. It's scary to think about now, that I could have run into one of those big kitties out there.

The idiots who state definitively that "No such and such animal" exists here (wherever) are silly. Any political border, as opposed to a real one, like an ocean, won't mean anything to a critter... so of COURSE mt. lions are gonna be spotted around the US... cats don't read maps and are quite fit and like to travel... or so I've heard.

Sheesh... too bad they killed it, but they can be spooky ... I was stalked by one when hiking and ... well, glad we are both okay from that encounter. Also had one duck out of a BBQ place's garbage directly in front of me and watched it run down the street in complete silence. My GF went to the tree it had climbed to see what it was as she was convinced it was a large house cat and I was positive it was a mt. lion.

She approached the tree and it growled... loudly... and it shook a place in my chest and caused her to pee a tad... memorable sound... and I won that argument.

originally posted by: Answer

originally posted by: Pitou
Sad to see that strong, majestic and powerful creature lying there dead on that table. First thought: Why kill it?!

It explains in the article that they didn't have tranquilizers and they were worried that it was a danger to the public.

Trust me, most Dept. of Wildlife officers pursue that career because they love animals. Most of them only kill an animal if, in their judgement, it's the best thing to do to protect people and other animals.

It's unfortunate, but sometimes killing the animal is the only safe way to remove it from an area.

They seem quite chuffed with their catch judging by the photo.....

originally posted by: abe froman
a reply to: misguided

They say there are no "resident" Mountain Lions in KY and this is the first one seen since the Civil War.

Then why are they the UK Wildcats?

Wildcats are smaller bobcats. Hill folk call them wildcats.

As I live in Southwestern British Columbia, Canada we see mountain lions (i.e. Cougars)
pretty regularly. And since I live 3 minutes from severely wild country they are everywhere
here. Last year I had one jump an 8 foot retaining wall in ONE LEAP right as I was driving by.
It is a MAJESTIC animal...pure stealth and power. I admire such grace and power!

Too bad they had to kill it in Kentucky.

and HOPEFULLY MORE get to come out of the woodwork to
live in the reclaimed nature that humanity has so damaged
in these past decades!

Next time, take the darts with you and send that big cat up here to
British Columbia where that cat can eke out a decent living!

originally posted by: Nickn3
A Black one was spotted near the Clinch River at Clinton Tennessee last month. It was feeding on a deer kill.

According to biologists, melanistic cougars do not exist.
Jaguars can be melanistic though.

originally posted by: intrptr
a reply to: Answer

If you've ever been hiking in a wooded area and your hair stands up on your neck with that overbearing "I'm being watched" feeling… there's a good chance a big cat was nearby.

I been stood on by a black bear in Yosemite, surrounded by howling coyotes in Death Valley, rattled and struck at by numerous Diamond backs, and chased by cubic yards of angry wasps.

I was too busy moving to be scared. Now ghosts are a different matter. They'll make you hair stand on end, send shivers up your spine and turn your bowels to water.

But wildlife? Thats a blessing. No fear there.


(gulp)

That's what Grizzly Man thought- until the Bears ate him.
-and his girlfriend.

a reply to: Baddogma

The authorities deny it for their reasons. To the average person the gov's reasons are downright illogical. As you said nature doesn't respect invisible manmade borders that are only perceivable on maps.

a reply to: abe froman

That's what Grizzly Man thought- until the Bears ate him.
-and his girlfriend.

This isn't Alaska, and I'm not him.

My fear of nature is after the encounter. During it, I am in awe.

a reply to: 3u40r15m

DON'T try that with a BIG one!
They WILL hit you if they are hungry enough.
Same with any bear,THE MOMENT you cross certain lines with nature its a crap shoot.

Sad. I was fortunate to see one in VA back in 1995. I had always thought people were making up stories until one walked across the road in front of my wife and I. There was no mistaking that small head, low slung belly and long J shaped tai. It's length was about half the width of the lane (on the Blue Ridge Parkway).

They don't know if these are cats people have tried to keep as pets and released or if there has been a small remnant population living quietly on the fringes but it sure is exciting to see them back. Such beautiful animals.

Mountain lions have made quite the comeback in my lifetime. They're finally making it back to everywhere they used to be. Whether they were called, panther, cougar, or mountain lion, they were an apex predator until rifles and settlers expanded west shooting everything they saw. Glad to have them back.

originally posted by: RoScoLaz4
"The woman called animal control, but officials there told her “that's more than what we can handle, you need to call fish and wildlife."

Kentucky Fish and Wildlife program coordinator Steven Dobey said officers had to shoot the mountain lion because they didn't have tranquilizers with them."

so fish and wildlife were called out about a mountain lion and set off without the necessary equipment, so they 'had' to shoot it ?

They probably assumed it was a miss-identification and not a mountain lion. they were probably expecting a bobcat or a domestic main coon cat. it's still pretty poor planning but if there really were no known verified cases of a cat that big there it could be understandable.

these cat are making come backs in all their old territories as are black bear. trouble is there were not as many people around when they were here last time so there will be trouble. black bear are more dangerous than grizzlies. and mountain lions are ambush predators that will stalk humans; attacking from above and behind in complete silence, completely unseen, and going for either a instant neck snap or a throat crush.

It's a shame they killed this fine animal cause they were unprepared.

Police shot one in the Chicago suburbs a few years back. So it's known that these animals do get around. Like the coyotes, they probably follow railroad tracks and powerline runs. Plenty of white-tail and rabbits, so it's not like these cats would be hurting too much for food along the way either. I also wouldn't be all that surprised if a mountain lion also manages to hitch a ride on any freight train heading east from the rockies. It just has to slow down enough for the cat to jump on.