Another Mountain Lion Shot

[mic]

I cannot believe what I'm reading!

You killed 6 adorable squirrels? Like the ones that sit up on their haunches, hold a peanut and cutely nibble away (before chewing a hole in the side of my house and turning my attic into their personal crapping ground/squirrel cub nursery)?

I shake my head and smirk at YOU sir!

Good day.

But did he eat them...that is the real question.

[Mark]

But did he eat them...that is the real question.

Yes I ate them but feel OK now that you have identified squirrels as BAD.

Please identify the rest of the animal kingdom for me so I know which is BAD and which is GOOD.

[Flysmallie]

This is another one for the bad list.

I thinks he's flashing gangster signs.

[Kayser]

I hereby sentence him to fry until done.

Also, I think that the threat of cougars in MO might cut down on poaching a bit- you might not spend as much time traipsing about the woods if you think you might not be the only hunter out there.

[jdmidwest]

There is still one on the loose, MDC confirmed that the one killed is not the one on the camera the week before.

New Game Cam Photo of Mtn. Lion in Shannon Cty.

[Kayser]

Hang on, 10 of the last 21 confirmed sightings have occurred in the last 10 months (Nov 2010-Present). I think that should be a little red flag to the MDC to get in gear to protect these things- they are definitely here. Or are at least trying to be.

Also, could the reason that all the kills have been subadults be attributed to the fact that older animals are generally more wary, and don't get close enough to people to get shot? Just saying...

Rob

[lundone]

More than likely, those on here that think MDC has no intrest in having a breeding mountian lion population are correct. It is not politically smart to support such a thing because they would recieve the blame if someone is hurt by one or someone loses livestock to one. On the other hand they have to show some kind of concern because it is a species of wildlife and therefore falls under thier perview. In order to address both issues they set up the Mountian Lion Response Team which pretends to care. The only time they will investigate is when they are hit over the head with evidence ie. a dead one or a picture of one. Even then they seem to spend as little effort as possible and close the case quickly. A prosecution would make a big spectacle of something they wish they didn't have to deal with.

[Tim Smith]

More than likely, those on here that think MDC has no intrest in having a breeding mountian lion population are correct. It is not politically smart to support such a thing because they would recieve the blame if someone is hurt by one or someone loses livestock to one. On the other hand they have to show some kind of concern because it is a species of wildlife and therefore falls under thier perview. In order to address both issues they set up the Mountian Lion Response Team which pretends to care. The only time they will investigate is when they are hit over the head with evidence ie. a dead one or a picture of one. Even then they seem to spend as little effort as possible and close the case quickly. A prosecution would make a big spectacle of something they wish they didn't have to deal with.

I bet the individuals on the response team care. You're probably right about the overall politics and they've been put in a position where they can't really do much.

If this situation is going to change it will come down to political pressure from people who don't want every lion shot on sight. Sierra Club, Audubon, local chapters of conservation groups are going to have to get active and publicize the issue and mobilize voters. If they don't have the votes nothing is going to change. I wonder where the sportsman's groups would fall on this issue?