Cougars

[jdmidwest]

Now we have a wolf problem to deal with.

http://mdc.mo.gov/newsroom/dna-testing-will-help-mdc-determine-if-canine-shot-wayne-county-wolf

[SpoonDog]

Now we have a wolf problem to deal with.

http://mdc.mo.gov/newsroom/dna-testing-will-help-mdc-determine-if-canine-shot-wayne-county-wolf

Looks like it's been addressed!

IMO the hyperbole gets pretty tired, pretty fast. Wolves have wandered into Missouri on multiple occasions over the past few decades. It's odd, but it happens. IF it is a wolf, it wouldn't be the first one. I wouldn't call it "a problem" any more than the occasional piranha or alligator that crops up in Lake of the Ozarks.

[dennis boatman]

I saw a couple of Cougars once in Reynolds county on the Black River......they can be very dangerous and hard to deal with.

this video might help some of you guys if you are worried about a possible attack

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VshBT5Ua4uo

Just what I was hoping to see..LOL

[Wayne SW/MO]

With no control the lions will continue to expand. The California group that got hunting methods all but eliminated via false advertising insured that.

The biggest impact will be to the deer population and any idea that they are a real threat to humans is nonsense and not supported by decades of experience in states where they thrive.

[Old plug]

Wayne the way i ubnderstand it these coming through missouri are younger males that wonder sll over the place. They tagged or inserted a chip or something and a few months later he was located in michigans upper pennisula. There have wlso been reports of jaguar as far north as Arkansas boarder. I do not know if those have been confirmed. The cars do not really scqre me unless tgey start running down my road. Now we are having black bears as well. My neighbor has a house in Bella Vista and he has had trouble wuth them. the most dangerous snimal we have are the Hogs but there is none in my area.

[dennis boatman]

Taken just around the corner from our California home...Twain Harte, CA...

[Wayne SW/MO]

That's the thinking and it's probably true given the fact that the old tom doesn't tolerate any competition in the harem. I think eventually there will be enough females to push them east and then there will be breeding populations.

That won't change the fact that they don't have any track record of being a danger to humans.

Bears, especially with cubs are known to take exception to humans and hogs aren't something to be taken lightly. I would put the hogs at the top of the list, nothing is much more of a threat then a 200# sow with a litter.

[jeb]

That won't change the fact that they don't have any track record of being a danger to humans.

That's not correct:

http://www.dfg.ca.gov/wildlife/lion/attacks.html

That's just California. Not saying we need to fear an attack, especially around here. But they do have a track record of attacking humans.

[Wayne SW/MO]

Well if you want to call 3 fatalities and 11 nonfatal in 26 years in a very large heavily populated Mountain Lion friendly state a track record then you're right. I would call it a pretty poor record myself. I think their deaths from dogs is probably higher though.

[dennis boatman]

...you'll notice most of these incidences were in heavily populated counties...