country1

Would you be willing to give them one or two horses or beef a month if you had livestock? Getting the wildlife officals to admit that your livestock was killed by a wolf or mountain lion is almost impossible. One guy had a mountain lion standing over a calf it had just killed and waseating it. The wildlife officials denied his claim as there was no proof it was killed by a mountain lion. Even when they do pay a claim, the money is less than the real value of the lifestock taken.

2 Lunger

Good point country1, very good point. Since I'm not a livestock farmer I can not answer your question. I can however see their point when something like this happens. I'm not against hunting wolves or Mt. Lions. Controlled hunting has to be done for these animals just like every other animal. But, loosing livestock shouldn't warrant the complete irradication of a species, should it? It's a fine line I guess and you made an excellent point.

bowmanaj

x2... My dad's co-worker has a trail cam pic of a mountain lion in southern ohio (brown county). I didnt believe it until I saw the picture with my own eyes. I definitely think they can spread and adapt for diffferent terrains, just like coyotes, bears, and wolves

mr.mc54

I think cougers have a place like the wolf. However in a populated area or in an area with farms they will be shot on site. Is this right? Well if your kids were in danger or if your livelyhood was threatened, what would you do? A couger will kill people, and little kids playing could provoke an attack. I would be very uneasy if one was near me. The thing that bothers me is, how did they get here? Did the DNR stock them here? I don't know the answer to these questions, but I find it unlikely that they have re-established them selves here on their own. We'll never know will we!

bowman15

I live about 6 miles due west of Chicago and I saw what I'm almost POSITIVE was a cougar 4 years ago. I'm not suprised at all about one being verified in Wisconsin. And I agree with Lance and BowhuntingFool. I can't imagine why they WOULDN'T have just walked here. And I too hope they just release it and see where it goes and what it does and learn about it. We have plenty enough deer in these states to (obviously) sustain a few cougars. They aren't going to hurt the herd. In fact, I'd think it'll help keep the numbers down a little more. They'll grab the weakest ones and the sick ones first, right?

I'd like to see one myself. There have been reported sightings around Kankakee River State Park for years now, with a few reports of pairs of cats. I've been hunting out there for years now. I'd easily believe there's a breeding population out there. The habitat is perfect for them.

If they collar this one, they'll be able to learnalot about cougars in the Midwestfrom it. I know the males especially range pretty far. I can't wait to see how this turns out. But I'm all for letting it go.

cayugad

The DNR for years have denied claims of cougar sightings. You have to understand, the average Joe that lives in the area,that walks around the woods, that watched as many nature shows about cougarsas the DNR does, can not have the skills or knowledgeto spot one, report it, and be found creditable. After all mountain lion spotted can be confused with.... with oh yes, deer. Same color.

The DNR, with their infinite wisdom,has to have it run up a tree and photos taken in the presence of witnesses before they finally admit to their existence in the State.

At least we know so far, there is only one. After all the DNR counted this one cougarand we all know how good they are at counting things like cougars and deer, etc. Lets hope they used the right formula this time. Well I hate to tell you, but as my Dad used to say, if you see one rat in the barn, there's five more you never spotted.

And they want to collar it and tag it. That way they can spend hundreds, perhaps thousands of dollars of our alreadycashstrapped economyto track this one cougar as it wanders the country side feeding only on wild game prey. After all what else is there to eat other then game prey in crowed Midwestern farm land?

Cougars move to new areas when the area they are currently in is too populated by other males and breeding females. So when they are driven out of an area for a new territory, its normally for a new food source. Also they want a new territory for other reasons... breeding. So this one cougar just walked over here for a meal? Sure, I believe that. The DNR has denied their existence ina large, hundreds of square mile area, and this one decided to take a walk all they way past that unclaimed area,all the way to Spooner for a deer dinner.

Now all of you people that want cougars wandering around the State of Wisconsin, I want you to think of a different scenario...

Area with low deer numbers (like around my house), a viable cougar population in the area, lack of prey animals, (cougars need prey remember) cougars are not fussy about prey... now its your child waiting out at the end of the drivewayin the early morning for the bus to come pick them up and take him to school. How many children are you willing to let the cougars have? Is one too many, maybe two? How about one every three years? What's you limit? Or perhaps it will be ok if they just chase the kids and your pets?

Campers in cougar territory, fisherman along our lakes and streams, hunters sitting on stands (cougars climb trees too), hikers, bikers, all easy prey. Believe me, cougars hunt and kill people. And if your shaking your head right now saying it will never happen. Dream on. It can happen.

I will bet that if a human is killed by a cougar, the DNR will claim the cougarwas old, sick, confused,bad teeth, injured, or suffering from post traumatic stress syndrome. And then of course.. you can't prove it was a cougar that ate your child. Cougars hunt and kill anything they can stalk. Cougars are one of natures finest predators. Small children are easy prey to them. Even adults for that matter. Keep that in mind when your out gathering mushrooms, maple syrup, or hunting for horns.

So lets tag this ONE and then spend thousands to track it as it wanders the country side. And yes, Wisconsin did at one time have a healthy cougar population. Of course this argument does not hold water. When we had a viable cougar population, what do you guess was the human population density at the time? How many cities and towns were around? How many people wandered the woods and fields into areas where there was a chance they could interact with a cougar? There is a reason our ancestors wiped them out. Cougars kill!! They kill wildlife, domestic animals, but most of all people as well. How many class A predator's like; humans, bear, wolves, and now cougar does an area need.

lungbuster12point06

Ok so your point is that because cougars can and will attack humans they should be exterpated from the area? What about bears? The can and will attack humans or rutting bucks they can and will attack humans or the farmer's 2000lb bull it can and will attack humans............see my point? I don't think Wi. will ever be in danger of having too many cougars.........wolves yes, cougars probably not in my or my grandchildrens lifetimes.

Centauri

Stop drinking the DNR's Kool-Aid guys. They will never, ever admit that there are too many predators in Wisconsin.Maybe you people who disagree with me should go out and see whatwolves have done to thenortherndeer population.

cayugad

What about bears you ask. I think any wildlife biologist (other then the DNR's) will admit while a bear has a prey instinct drive, it is much different then that found in a mountain lion. If you ask anyone who spends time or lives in bear country, bear while dangerous, are not the aggressive hunter of people as a mountain lion is. Normally a face to face confrontation of human VS black bear has underlying reasons. Let me ask you... If you had a choice of which one you would have to face with, which would it be. 99% of the people would pick the bear. You yell and wave your arms and bears run off. Will a cougar? Lets hope so. Cougars hunt people as a food source. Bears normally do not.

Rutting Bucks.. here again, you are listing special circumstances. The animal is in mating mode, and see you as a rival or threat. NOT A FOOD SOURCE. Would you not agree with that statement. The rutting buck is not hunting you down to eat you. And if given the chance, would probably run the other way. Yes, or no?

The farmers 2000 pound bull... first off that creature is not running loose among untrained personal is it? No of course not. Its fenced in. But let me ask you. If that creature is suddenly loose in the city and can not be captured or cornered.. do you know what the police sometimes do to it, to protect the public? That's right.. they shoot it. Also those people that are normally injured by one are interacting with that animal because it is part of their profession. They are not walking in the woods or waiting for the school bus. Also to the best of my knowledge, bulls are not HUNTING humans as a source of food. Their attacks are based on a totally different set of values.. Yes, or No?

Even Timber Wolves.. the ones I have seen in the wild (while a PITA) have fled from the sight of humans. Although that is not always the case. And I suspect that if the future you will see incidents involving them As they too are a Class A predator.

See my point. You basically say it is all right to have a class A predator among the population because there are not many of them. And my point falls back to.. this predator HUNTS humans as a food source, not encounters humans as an outside occurrence. If you knew a cougar was in your area, would you want your child waiting outside by the side of the road for a school bus, or walking home from school alone? Yes or No?

And while Wisconsin might not ever have too many cougars... How many is too many? How many attacks on livestock and heaven forbid humans, or children will it take before there are too many? Also, the DNR said the same thing about wolves. That they would never be a threat or problem to Wisconsin. What they forgot to add is.. by who's standards. If there is only ONE (like I believe that) then it would be pretty easy to solve the whole problem right now. I think a 30-06 would do it real well.

BowHuntingFool

So you think that the wolves are the reason the deer numbers are down???? What's in your Kool_Aid my friend? There are many reason the numbers are down, wolves play only a small part in it! How bout the winter kill off??? Car-deer kills?? Bears??? Coyotes??? Hunters?? with your logic cars should be banned from N.Wisconsin because they are a threat to and kill deer?? Keep reaching!