Cougars in Illinois!!
 

Hey, a week ago my stepmoms brother and sister found a live cougar in a tree down in the middle of their small woodsin central Illinois!!So I guess the cougars are moving in... and that means if they become native then a lot more people will have a wider variety of game!!!

RE: Cougars in Illinois!!
 

I wouldn't be surprised, they are well documented in Iowa and to some extent in Missouri. Dunno if I wanna share the woods with them.

RE: Cougars in Illinois!!
 

I think think it would be cool, but then again cougars could kill lots of thegame animals in the woods and rivers.

RE: Cougars in Illinois!!
 

Well, it might be a blessing in disguise if they would thin out some of the deer in Illinois.

RE: Cougars in Illinois!!
 

If the recent attacks in Kookifornia are any barometer then they might just thin out a few Illinoians as well ... ;)

RE: Cougars in Illinois!!
 

Well, a little thinning out in Cook county could be a good thing[:@]

RE: Cougars in Illinois!!
 

Here we go again. Are they in Il? Or not? I believe they are. Probobly not any kind of a threatening breeding population, just migrants.

But I tell ya. Call the DNR and let them know. I know they are looking for any kind of a good tip that leads them to good solid evidence. If only the bro & sis got some pics! They should definately make good note of that exact tree. If that cat was in it, it had to jump down and leave tracks.

Don't delay - call the DNR & ask them for the biologist in your district! Give them the info ASAP cause rain can wash the tracks.

RE: Cougars in Illinois!!
 

It was my brother-in-law that deerhunter72 (my son) was speaking of who saw the cougar. His dogs had it treed so he got a good long look at it. They have seen the cat before in the same area for some time, a very thick area on the edge of a small town(in city limits)with lots of deer but virtually no hunting or disturbance. From his description and the fact that it seens to have taken up residence makes me think the animal is old and not really in good physical condition. About the size of his dog, 60 pounds. I believe she has wondered there and staying there because of easy hunting. I plan to bowhunt there this fall. I'll let you know what I see. It is NOT illegal to killa cougarin IL since the official stance is "they do not exist", but I'm not sure I would. I will cross that bridge if and when I come to it.

RE: Cougars in Illinois!!
 

P/S to last post. The local conservation officer is not interested.

RE: Cougars in Illinois!!
 

I deer hunt up in Lee county Illinois and I helf farm with a guy up there. He and a few others have seen something out on the farm adn from what they have described to me it sounds like a cougar. So if I am out hunting this fall is it illegal to shoot and kill one? I am all for conservatin and reintroduction but I do not want to be the one being hunted when I am walking into my stand before daylight.

RE: Cougars in Illinois!!
 

I almost feel like I'm reporting a UFO sighting or something,but I saw a cougar in the Shawnee Forest a few years ago while bow hunting,but never got the shot. If my memory serves me right, I think it was a newspaper in White County that had a story about a road kill cougar last year or the year before. Our local news here in Paducah, KY also covers cougar sightings in Southern Illinois several times a year. I think its just a matter of time before the state acknowledges their presence.

RE: Cougars in Illinois!!
 

Hi; If it's an old one and not in very good physical condition it may be alot more dangerous than a healthy one......keep a very good eye on your small ones!!!!! Cougars are one killing machine!!!! Look up on Google on how high their kill ratio is compared to other animals....it's staggering. Small children and small animals are the easiest meal they can find and take down the fastest. So just a word to the wise.....Watch Them There Young Ones!!!!!!

RE: Cougars in Illinois!!
 

It doesn't matter how hard you try, your conservation officials will never recognize their presents. They don't want to deal with them. In the upper Michigan, we have plenty of them spoted each year. The DNR could care less and stills has them under the "N/A" category of Michigan.