Do the re-introduced Cougars pose a threat to us?

[drgnrobo]

Courtney cox type cougars ?? nuthin wrong with that.4 legged variety ,mixed feelings about it .west virginia reintroduced bear back into the wilderness & their numbers have been climbing on a regular basis . They are nuisances in the way that most residents in "hollers" have to keep trash elevated to keep trash out of the road & yards.The cougars will attack small pets (poodles ,jack russels etc.) even if there is no shortage of regular game but they are cool animals as long as they leave me alone. I there an actual introduction going on ?

 

[Boilers]

Bear spray 'em?

 

[HICKMAN]

That's what caused the problem, in the first place, for both Coyotes and Mountain Lion. It's taken over a century just to reintroduce an emergent population.

so what? unneeded predators

I wasn't happy when I heard the DNR re-introduced rattlers in Brown County, as I'm sure the owners of the horses down there that got bit were.

These cats are known to attack hikers and runners out west.

Glad I normally have my carry gun with me when bow hunting...

 

[IndyMonkey]

I'm curious where everyone stands on this.
Do the big cats pose a threat to us Indiana residents?

So, here is a poll (hopefully. I've not added a poll before)

Yea just to us, not to the people in the other 22 states that they live in.

 

[IndyMonkey]

Killing them, unless you can prove you were defending yourself, will get you thrown in jail. They're protected animals in Indiana. I'd have to say that I'd definitely be a lot more on edge going deer hunting in the mornings (before sunrise) if I knew there was one in the immediate vicinity.

No one goes to jail for killing one wild animal in Indiana.

 

[tskin]

No one goes to jail for killing one wild animal in Indiana.

They do if it's not in self defense! On the website HUNTING INDIANA - Home? down under the "Ask The Conservation Officer" section - a game warden said this concerning cougars in March 2009 "Technically, they are protected. However, you have to right to protect yourself from immediate bodily injury or death. DO NOT MISTAKE this as an excuse to shoot something just because it is there and then claim self-defense. The burden of proof will be on you proving that it was in self defense." They're absolutely protected & unless you can prove you were defending yourself or someone else, as well as livestock or property, you're going to be in trouble.

 

[Dewidmt]

You all are y too worried about this. I lived and camped in the Idaho mountains for 6 years...plenty of Mountain Lions, Black bears and a few Grizzly. Never had the slightest problem with any of them. Consider yourself blessed to see some of nature's more majestic animals, and not just through the glass at the zoo.

 

[IndyMonkey]

Poachers get a ticket and its up to the prosecutor what they want to do with it.

Ask one of the CO's on HI when was the last time they put someone in jail.

 

[tskin]

Poachers get a ticket and its up to the prosecutor what they want to do with it.

Ask one of the CO's on HI when was the last time they put someone in jail.

You may be correct there. They would get a citation though. That's kind of what I meant, but didn't word it correctly.

 

[LPPOsecurity]

I think it's great, and as for the people that are worried about there poodles, I hope a mountain lion eats ur poodle, serves ya right for buyin a stupid little dog and also for lettin it run in an area that it would be exposed to a mountain lion, and there is no such thing as an unnecessary predator, idk about where ur at but up north here there are so many issues with overpopulation of deer just because there is no longer a natural predator to kill em, also I can only hope these big predators come back and start eating all the stupid people out there!

 

[pudly]

I hope a mountain lion eats ur poodle...
I can only hope these big predators come back and start eating all the stupid people out there!

That's a lot of hate disguised under the word "hope" for one post.

 

[BloodEclipse]

Killing them, unless you can prove you were defending yourself, will get you thrown in jail. They're protected animals in Indiana. I'd have to say that I'd definitely be a lot more on edge going deer hunting in the mornings (before sunrise) if I knew there was one in the immediate vicinity.

Wrong.
I reported one last year and was told by the DNR to shoot it and bring them the body. They are not a native species.

 

[shooter521]

They are not a native species.

They are a native species; they've just been extinct in the state for 150 years or so.

 

[Boilers]

So, no shooting wooly mammoths, or giant sloths. Ah crap!

 

[M4Madness]

There have been pictures of ONE, that came from who-knows-where. I don't think that counts as a "re-introduction" or an "emergent population". Even if more are out there, I don't consider them a threat. OTOH, might I take appropriate precautions if I was out hiking/jogging/camping in southern Indiana? Abso-friggin-lutely.

Exactly. This cougar is not part of some reintroduction plot.

I live exactly 18 miles east-southeast of Bloomfield according to Google Earth, which is easily in the traveling capabilities of a big cat, considering cougars are territorial animals and maintain home ranges of up to 100 miles. I went turkey hunting yesterday morning, and didn't give the cougar more than a passing thought. Actually, I'd love to see it.

 

[trophy hunter]

i would love to see one also, but it kinda erks me when people use them as a cause to `help with the deer overpopulation`,... just let hunters hunt your land... that would fix that,farmer complain about the deer and won`t let hunters hunt there place what do you exspect... i just wonder what will happen when one gets cought killing a womans prized horse, or somewhere along the lines...
and btw it is illegal to kill on if you see it,it has to be indangering you.

 

[Tactical Dave]

These cats are known to attack hikers and runners out west.

The smart people out west no better then to run with ipods and to pay attention, they have no issues.... the others turn on their ipod and go for a nice Sunday stroll not paying attention to their suroundings and then had things happen BUT how many attacks do you hear about? It is so rare and the odds are so big that it is not even worth worring about....

My Grandparents live outside the mountians in CO in a very populated area and quite often see 2,000 pound bull elks in the neighborhood or play ground area during mating season...... they are everyone else knows to listen and keep their eyes open and nobody has any problems.


Oh and like said about the lion is ONE lion that has been found.... for all we know it is just one, who knows if their is a male and a female....... I don't consider that them being introduced......

Then again they say their are no Brownies in CO but people out there will tell you something different, maybe they have made their way out here, maybe it is just one that got loose, who knows......

Id be more worried about the hogs then a mountian lion....

 

[mrmarky]

I, personally am glad because to the best of my knowledge ,,, they are not a species covered under any game laws in the state of Indiana ,,,soooo if I see one I can legally kill it since there is no season and no bag limit annnnnd,,, best of all NO firearm restrictions. I,m SURE if I am wrong that someone will enlighten.

 

[mrmarky]

They do if it's not in self defense! On the website HUNTING INDIANA - Home? down under the "Ask The Conservation Officer" section - a game warden said this concerning cougars in March 2009 "Technically, they are protected. However, you have to right to protect yourself from immediate bodily injury or death. DO NOT MISTAKE this as an excuse to shoot something just because it is there and then claim self-defense. The burden of proof will be on you proving that it was in self defense." They're absolutely protected & unless you can prove you were defending yourself or someone else, as well as livestock or property, you're going to be in trouble.

tskin, Your wrong I teach hunter safety and the question was posed to a 25 year veteran DNR officer as to if a person saw one , could he/she shoot it legally. the answer in short YES .. check the law

 

[Tactical Dave]

I, personally am glad because to the best of my knowledge ,,, they are not a species covered under any game laws in the state of Indiana ,,,soooo if I see one I can legally kill it since there is no season and no bag limit annnnnd,,, best of all NO firearm restrictions. I,m SURE if I am wrong that someone will enlighten.

I can see shooting a hog or yote but I am not going to start shooting at a mountian lion for the fun of it.