cougars in so illinois?

[buttonbuckmaster]

The woman that owns the ground I hunt has told me that she has seen a cougar/mountain lion twice since august on her property. Both times were less than 100 yards from her house and in broad daylight. I haven't seen it....don't kill the messenger. It just seems odd that more and more people report seeing the cats, yet us hunters seldom or never see them.I kind of hope that I don't.Anyone else seen or heard of this?

[LLBUX]

A tame mountain lion was alledgedly released this fall in the Sanganois Wildlife Area in Cass county by a guy who bought it in Missouri last year. This bit of info was published in the Springfield State Journal Register this week. He is in deep doo-doo over this.

The cougar walked up to some duck hunters looking for a handout.

About two years ago a mountain lion was hit by a train in Southern IL. No signs that it was a tame one(i.e. tags, tattoos, broken claws or defanged)

The Shawnee National Forest is capable of supporting a small population, but I doubt any truly wild ones exist in Illinois.

[t roy]

here kitty kitty kitty

llbux i used to live in cass county, Arenzville, where ya from?

[buttonbuckmaster]

marion county near salem

[MOTurkeyTamer]

There have been 2 wild mountain lions hit by cars here in Missouri within the last year. This goes along with numerous sightings every year by hunters and others. It used to be that a hunter in the woods in Missouri was at the top of the food chain......but that's not the case anymore! It doesn't surprise me that Illinois would have a small population of cats also if Missouri does.

[Roger46982]

Here in North central Indiana there were several reports of sitings last fall, one farmer supposedly had a couple hogs killed, fang marks and broken necks. Since then nothing.