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

[trophy hunter]

guys the law was changed a few yrs, ago, even if there is no season,you can`t kill it.. do a search...buster on the hunting indiana board is a co in park so i think he would know..

 

[randyb]

Not the type of cougar I thought you meant.

 

[M4Madness]

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.

That used to be the case -- until Indiana passed 312 IAC 9-3-18.5. Now the only exotic animal that you can kill in Indiana on sight without threat to life or property is a wild hog.

 

[Jack Ryan]

Not happy, not threatened, not even fully convinced they are here, not convinced there's not a single one running loose any more but not going to take any action other than what I always would any way.

I would shoot one on site if I ever did happen on one and I'd never say a word to any one about it.

 

[Jack Ryan]

guys the law was changed a few yrs, ago, even if there is no season,you can`t kill it.. do a search...buster on the hunting indiana board is a co in park so i think he would know..

They passed that law to protect the trash animals that get loose from these shooting zoo morons.

 

[UncleMike]

I can only hope these big predators come back and start eating all the stupid people out there!

All of the animals that have ever existed aren't worth a single human life.
PERIOD!!!!
Mike

 

[TopDog]

I don't know enough about this subject to voice an educated opinion. Having said that unless they become a threat to livestock why not? Campers etc should be armed and prepared to protect themselves anyway. I don't see a problem as they were native to Indiana at one time.

 

[Jack Ryan]

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!

If there were any chance of that there wouldn't be a soul left with in a 75 miles of Chicago in a year.

 

[96firephoenix]

I think that as the numbers go up, there will be more cases reported of attacks, livestock predation etc, mostly due to unfenced property and ignorant hikers etc. people are worth more than animals, no matter what PETA says, but sometimes they are stupid and the animal instincts take care of the human stupidity. you can't fault the animal for that.

if I see one, I'm reaching for the camera first, but if it attacks me, I will not hesitate to blow it away.

 

[zoglog]

So lets just say that I have a bunch of land in the south part of the state that we hunt coyotes. Our calls dont bring in the yotes but do cougars? Then what, is running a good choice?

I am not going to go out by myself anymore. The yotes wont mess with me, but I dont know what I would do if the cougar was pissed about a free meal and decided to teach me a lesson.

 

[Militarypol21]

What's up with all this deer overpopulation bs. I went out at least a dozen times last season and didn't see a darn thing. If they do bring them back to Indiana I will re-think walking to the deer stand early in the morning by myself. I do think it will be a pretty cool site to see one in it's natural habitat, that isn't locked in a cage inside a zoo. I also believe they were here 150 years ago and left Indiana for a reason, what do you think is going to happen when we bring them back. If the cat doesn't want to stick around it wont.

 

[tskin]

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.

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

Here's the law I verified. I might check again with those DNR officers.
312 IAC 9-3-18.5

Adds a new administrative rule that prohibits the taking of exotic mammals and intentionally releasing them
into the wild in Indiana. This new rule prohibits the hunting of exotic mammals such as fallow deer, elk,
antelope, and zebra in Indiana. Exotic mammals that are lawfully possessed would not be able to be
intentionally released into the wild in Indiana; if one escapes, a conservation officer would have to be
notified within 24 hours. Wild boar would be allowed to be taken at any time due to disease concerns and
the potential for damage to property. Other species of exotic mammals would be able to be taken by a landowner or tenant when causing damage to property. This new rule also authorizes the possession of exotic mammals from a family listed in this rule only as allowed by statute or administrative rule. This list of families of exotic mammals is designed to include all species of mammals found throughout the world that could potentially be possessed in captivity and hunted.

312 IAC 9-3-18.5 Exotic mammals
Authority: IC 14-22-2-6, IC 14-22-32-6
Affected: IC 14-22
Sec. 18.5. (a) A person must not take, as defined by IC 14-8-2-278, an exotic mammal that is a species
from any of the following families of mammals:
(1) Bradypodidae (tree sloth).
(2) Bovidae (gazelle, big-horn sheep, antelope, and wildebeest), except for domestic cattle (genus
Bos, including all dairy and beef animals) and buffalo (Bison bison).
(3) Camelidae (camel and llama).
(4) Canidae (jackal, wild dog, and other exotic foxes).
(5) Cebidae (marmoset).
(6) Cercopithecidae (baboon and monkey).
(7) Cervidae (elk, moose, caribou and other exotic deer).
(8) Dasypodidae (armadillo)
(9) Elephantidae (elephant).
(10) Equidae (wild horse and zebra), except for domestic horses.
(11) Felidae (mountain lion, lynx, tiger, and other exotic cats).
(12) Giraffidae (giraffe and okapi).
(13) Hippopotamidae (hippopotamus).
(14) Hyaenidae (hyaena).
(15) Lorisidae (potto and bushbaby).
(16) Macropodidae (kangaroo and wallaby).
(17) Manidae (pangolin).
(18) Mustelidae (otter, weasel, polecat and badger).
(19) Myrmecophagidae (anteater).
(20) Orycteropodidae (aardvark).
(21) Pongidae (chimpanzee, bonobo and gorilla).
(22) Procaviidae (hyrax).
(23) Procyonidae (ring-tail cat and coatimundi).
(24) Protelidae (aardwolf).
(25) Rhinocerotidae (rhinocerus).
(26) Suidae (wild boar and other exotic swine), except for domestic swine.
(27) Tapiridae (tapir).
(28) Tayassuidae (javelina and peccary).
(29) Tragulidae (chevrotain).
(30) Ursidae (bear).
(31) Viverridae (civet, genet and mongoose).
(32) A hybrid or genetically altered mammal of any of these families.

(b) Notwithstanding subsection (a), a person may take an exotic mammal only under one of the
following:

(1) the exotic mammal is taken by a resident landowner or tenant while causing damage to
property that is owned or leased by the landowner or tenant;
(2) the exotic mammal is a species from the family Suidae and has been released or escaped
from captivity or is a member of a breeding population in the wild; or
(3) the exotic mammal is a species from the family bovidae, camelidae or cervidae and
slaughtered in accordance with IC 15-2.1-24.
(c) A person may not possess an exotic mammal that is a species from a family listed in subsection (a)
except as otherwise provided by statute or by this article.
(d) A person may not release an exotic mammal that is a species from a family listed in subsection (a)
into the wild in Indiana except as otherwise provided by statute or by this article. A person must
report the escape of any exotic mammal listed in subsection (a) to a conservation officer within twentyfour
(24) hours.
(e) As used in this rule, "exotic mammal" means a species that is:
(1) not native to Indiana; or
(2) extirpated from Indiana and either:
(A) a wild animal; or
(B) a feral animal other than a dog or cat.

 

[trophy hunter]

What's up with all this deer overpopulation bs. I went out at least a dozen times last season and didn't see a darn thing. If they do bring them back to Indiana I will re-think walking to the deer stand early in the morning by myself. I do think it will be a pretty cool site to see one in it's natural habitat, that isn't locked in a cage inside a zoo. I also believe they were here 150 years ago and left Indiana for a reason, what do you think is going to happen when we bring them back. If the cat doesn't want to stick around it wont.

as for the over population bs... it is,its the insurance companies putting pressure on the dnr,and the dnr going with them..

 

[Sanguine Samurai]

Now all we need is some wolf packs and about a million trees and indiana will be looking good with it's new makeover. I would say lets bring bear back too but cat's, racoons, opossums, dogs, and skunks getting into the trash is enough I think. Then add wolves on top of that. Especially after my town decided they are only going to pick the garbage up every other week. But to get to the point. Man is the reason cretures like the cougar are no longer found in Indiana. In my opinion, it is our resposability to correct that tragedy.

 

[CountryBoy19]

There have been pictures of ONE, that came from who-knows-where.

Not true....

about 4 years ago there was a video of one near Decatur, IN

And last fall a guy got a picture of one while deer hunting near Brazil, IN.

IIRC, there was also a picture and news report of a sighting a couple years ago in NW Indiana somewhere but I can't recall for sure.

Now the one the DNR got a photo of in Greene County...

There are clearly hundreds of sightings that people have reported, but they're always called "crazy" as if they say they saw aliens... They're real, and they're here... The pictures from DNR are not an isolated incident.

 

[Zoub]

Do the big cats pose a threat to us Indiana residents?

I have had 20lb cats that posed a threat. Just grab hard at rib cage, scream loudly, yank tail and toss at intruder.

Would you crawl in a cage or confined space, like under Pine trees with a 150-200lb cat? Even a 40lb Lynx is scary in deep snow.

My Dad said it best circa 1981, when elephants were being wiped out. "Everyone loves Elephants but no one here wants to step out their back door and find them crapping in their backyard." AKA most Americans are big talkers since these animlas are not in their area to begin with.

 

[Zoub]

OTOH, might I take appropriate precautions if I was out hiking/jogging/camping in southern Indiana? Abso-friggin-lutely.

They like Joggers. Maybe 10 years ago when a jogger, mother of 2 was killed by a Cougar..........the fund for the dead Cougar's cubs raised more money then the college fund set up for the 2 young kids left behind by the jogger.

Yeah they found and killed the Cougar, who had cubs. They are all over California, right there with the Yotes and Bears and not hunting them has created generations of Cougars not affraid of Humans.

 

[Donnelly]

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.

How exactly do I prove to the CO that I was in fear of my life? Show him my stained drawers from when I thought it was getting ready to attack?

 

[UncleMike]

Since the only way to resolve any territorial dispute is either through mutual agreement, or confrontation.
And, Cougars are not known for their willingness to discuss issues of territory rationally.
I would choose the course of confrontation and use the self defense plea.

Mike

 

[tskin]

How exactly do I prove to the CO that I was in fear of my life? Show him my stained drawers from when I thought it was getting ready to attack?

I guess that'd be up to the game warden. Don't shoot the messenger just because you don't like the message. I'm just telling you what the game warden said "The burden of proof will be on you proving that it was in self defense."