M D C And Mt. Lion's

[Al Agnew]

Of the major predators, I think mountain lions are the least likely to cause a lot of conflicts with humans. While they can be opportunistic and take livestock occasionally, and also in VERY rare instances attack humans, they are rather specialized predators on deer, and as long as there are plenty of deer they tend to ignore a lot of other potential prey. Wolves are more generalized predators, and more likely to kill livestock, though almost never humans. Black bears can get into trouble with humans if they become acclimated to feeding on garbage, or at bird feeders, or out of pet food dishes, etc., and a female with cubs can be dangerous. Grizzlies simply scare the heck out of me, because they are the MOST likely to chew on you because they feel like it. So of all the big, toothy critters, I'd be most happy to have mountain lions in MO, and I certainly don't mind black bears but if they keep getting more common we're going to require some education to learn to live with them.

[Tim Smith]

Al, your line about learning to live around predators is an important one.

Things like how you handle your garbage and whether or not your kids have the information, supervision and resources to protect themselves in the woods will affect the outcomes of those interactions.

How in the world can you make an assumption that I resent the fact that I can't shoot the National Bird out of what I said???? You really need to get off the peyote or whatever grows in the mango forest and read the post.

I merely stated that just because it is damaging your property, you can not automatically kill it based on different levels of protections offered to certain species, ie, the Bald Eagle. You can't go shooting geese in your lake because they are crapping up your boat dock either, they are protected Federally. You have to go thru channels to control them. A Mountain Lion is different, if it is attacking your property or person, you have every right to kill it on the spot, it is a dangerous animal. A Bald Eagle may be a nuisance, but it is not classified as a dangerous animal. And you are right, they have been delisted, but they are protected like all other birds of prey.

...and sorry JD, you're going to have to wear that one. The tone of your post is resentment against the federal role and the endangered species act. Don't blame me if you picked an unpopular example to hash out your point.

The geese are probably a better try...

....and it is indeed a better example. There are over 3 million Canadian geese in the Mississippi flyway. They're a nuisance, they're not in any danger of becoming extinct and any form of protection for them has become a ridiculous anachronism.

But even then there are ways to deal with them. Even though you can't shoot them out of season or take their eggs without a federal permit you can harrass them all you like as long as you don't physically harm them. That's the legal basis for the goose suppression trade. Get out there now and stop them from nesting on your property in the spring and you won't have a goose problem this year.

In almost every case you can get relief from nuisance behavior by even an endangered animal. You just can't take matters into your own hands without consulting authorities.

[Chief Grey Bear]

that kind of thing only happens in egypt...

and do we have an email address for Rob Ziehmer?

Bob.Ziehmer@mdc.mo.gov.

or

Mr. Robert Ziehmer, Director

Missouri Dept. of Conservation

P.O. Box 180

Jefferson City, MO 65102

Just wish you would do something constructive with it. But I do have my reservations.