Cougar attacks have happened in places where they have run out of habitat because of urban sprawl or what have you........If Wi. had 10 cougars throughout the state, do you think they would find enough habitat to survive w/o resorting to hunting humans?
I guess those that live in such areas of ourState where population density is not ashigh(where I do) would be FORCED to hope that the cougars will not resort to hunting humans if the DNR has their way. The problem is in Wisconsin, we are a State of tourism and people. People wander and enjoyevery part of this state. There for you run the risk of interaction with a dangerous predator.
Name me an area in this State, where this habitat exist? Where there are no people for 50 to 300 square miles (that's the male cougar's average territory claim, with females being less). Also if WI had 10 cougars this year, and 50% of them were female, and a female has three to five cubs, lets average one survives,how many would you have next year, and the year after.Also remember,aside from humans, no species preys upon mature Cougars in the wild
Now as these "isolated cougar populations" infringe on another cat's territory and span out.. Do you suspect these younger "inexperienced hunters" are going to encounter a human? Of course they will. And do you know what inexperienced hunters take as prey.. anything they can find. So lets go back to the child waiting for the bus.
What if it was your child? How many cougars are too many then? How does the DNR then apologize for this little infraction of their failed policy?
What if you lived in montana would you eradicate all the grizzlies because they could potentially kill people????? Or how bout if you lived in Africa, would you eliminate all the dangerous game there that preys on humans?
Here again, you are comparing apples to oranges. Look at the population density for Montana or AfricaVS Wisconsin. Look at the amount of "wild country" in Montana. Compare that to Wisconsin and our population. Would I eradicate all the mountain lions and grizzly bears? If
I lived in an area where they visited, and I had children. I would not give that animal much odds for a safe existence if I saw it. Would I be wrong? The law says I would.
And don't ever think for a minute that in Africa dangerous prey animals do not take humans. Add to that hippos, elephants, snakes, and other creatures. We might not read about it every day in the Sunday paper, but I can assure you it goes on. Watch the animal channel. There are all sorts of shows about that. Would I eradicate all of them... nope. I do not live there.
I am not saying that if a cougar were spotted close to homes or school or the population in general it shouldn't be dealt with............
How do you want to deal with it? Trap it and turn it loose in wild country where there is already a cougar population? It will wander right back out. Also, is this before or after it threatens or worse yet, perhaps kills some one or some child? And I will bet before you can "spot it" and convince the DNR it is even there..
do you want your kid walking around? When it's too late, ask yourself why you even let this situation develop when you had the means to stop it.
but to say kill it because it could potential hunt people is kind of absurd, if the cougar in question is found away from population.
Absurd maybe to you. To me it makes sense. Where in WISCONSIN is there no population? Name me an area. Where is there not a population densityof somesorts, anywherein Wisconsin for these big cats? You name any part of our State and I will bet you, someone lives there. There are towns around there. There are tourist that visit that area. And if that cat could or might hurt someone.. you bet I would kill it. Faster then you might believe.
And as with CWD, wolves and other things the DNR wants you to believe just appeared one day, Cougars have been in Wi. for decades.Have there been any human killings or maulings reported in Wi. in all those years?????
If Wisconsin had 10 cougars would they run out of habitat
There have been no human killings by cats to the best of my knowledge. And these cats I also suspect have been in WI for years. But I will guarantee you one thing.. I spot one around my house, there will be one less cougar for anyone to worry about. If I want to show the kids a cougar, I'd rather do it from a Zoo instead of on a camping trip or hike.
There is no way you will ever convince me that cougars are needed in this State. And while you might like the idea of a cougar wandering around in the wilds of Wisconsin, let only hope that your idea does not eat someone in the future.