Cougars in NW Iowa?

[FinsnFur]

An article in the paper here yesterday talked about numerous sightings of cougars in NorthWest Iowa.

Whiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiich!! Just so happens to be like 2 miles me 
Officials are saying that they have nothing confirmed. They want sign, tracks, scat, or DNA. They said most of the sightings, they believe are of neighborly dogs or similar domestic animals 

I dont think it's too far fetched to say it's completely possible for a cougar to survive up here, but I also know how carried away people get when they see something they cannot identify.

[hammeryotes]

i have lived in cougar country pretty much all of my life, and what i can tell you is that if they are there they will leave sign.   they are the same critter no matter where you go.  they will capitalize on the deer population, and turkeys as well.  they cover alot of ground while hunting.  you will see their tracks, scat and will find their kills.  if they ever do get going in the eastern part of the country, they should do well.  just the sheer number of deer will support alot of lions.  no competetion from wolves or bears and no harsh winters combined with a huge deer population it would make sense that lions ought to be around.  i guess if the were to make it to the east it would have to be via texas and oklahoma.  too much barren country to cross in the northern u.s.  i kind of hope they do propigate in the east.  would be another great hunting opportunity.

[Jimmie in Ky]

Watch for the comments made by the farmers. They know what is out there since they are in the field most of the year. I have had several farmers and livestock producers tell me of sightings. Most of these are near major drainages leading to the  Mississippi river. These drainages have a lot of ground that is wetland and forested.

One even has film footage of one the dog treed in the back yard one night. He finds an occasional deer carcass as well there is no explanation for, they are bones when he finds them. He knows there are no poachers working where those deer are found either. One of the perks of owning several hundred acres.

The cats are out there whether they are dumped by previous owners or moving on thier own. I tend to think the major migration route will be like that of the coyote, through th northern tier of states. Right through Jims back yard 

[Ladobe]

Improbable, but far from impossible IMO.   Their extreme northeastern range in the CONUS is within several hundred miles of NW Iowa, so they could be expanding back into historical range.    Males are known to have 300+ square mile ranges in the west - females a third of that.    So with time they certainly could repopulate old haunts there.     I wouldn't count on hunting them anytime soon in Iowa though Jim.   

More interesting to me anyway, is the confirmed sightings of Jaguar moving back into their historical range in southern and central AZ.   Now that's a predator!    Not as far of a move for them though as they have a known breeding population within 100+ miles of the U.S. border.    There has also been quite a few unconfirmed "black panther" sightings from the mid west to east coast too, although none of them have proved to actually be Jaguar (yet).    Won't be any hunting for them in AZ either anytime soon I'm sure.    But with first hand knowledge of the "rush" in calling in lions close with mouth calls, calling in a Jaguar with one would certainly have to be a serious soiled undies situation at the very least. 

No doubt species do repopulate old ranges when the conditions are right.   One I was involved with might be of interest here...  When I lived in the Utah Rockies I ran around with a fish and game pilot.   Was lucky enough to hook a ride with him a few times on flights to do population counts and movements, but mainly just hunted and fished with him (using his inside knowledge naturally).    At the same time I also was a spelunker that explored deserted mines for gem and mineral specimens, old ghost towns for artifacts, etc.   Near one such place (mine and ghost) in the high mountain back country I saw what I was sure was a wolverine a couple of times on two different trips there one summer.   My wife and son saw it one of those times too.   I tried to track the animal but failed, although I did find what may have been a den site.  Told Chuck about it, he checked out a truck and we made an "official" trip to the area so I could show him the exact locations.   A F&G study our sightings initiated eventually confirmed tracks and spore by them (although they never saw an animal).   Was the first confirmed wolverine "sign" in that state in several decades.   Being on the southern extreme of there historical range there never had been many in Utah Chuck told me.   But much of the Rocky Mountain corridor is wilderness, so it's an easy path for them to spread unseen.   The Utah DWR only listed wolverines as a possible resident at the time, and Chuck has since passed away.   So I don't know if any more have turned up there since.   Was fun to be involved in it though.

L.

[iahntr]

Here's a few that talk about em. On this first site number 7 is about 2 miles from my house. Swan Lake State Park has a walking trail through it, it was also seen by a teacher walking on the trail. The one in South Sioux City, Sioux City is in Iowa, Nebraska, and South Dakota. The one killed by a car in Harlan, is about an hour south west of here.  There's definitely a few around, but I think only a small percentage of the sightings are probably true.

http://www.mcpress.com/articles/2007/10/09/news/news01.txt
http://homepages.dordt.edu/~mahaffy/mtlion/CougarSSC_tree.htm
http://conservation.shco.org/mntlion.htm

[FinsnFur]

I was wondering if you's see this and pipe in. 
I'm just finishing up  few small things here, the trucks loaded and I'll be right over 

[nailbender]

  Uh Jim??   You live by N. East Iowa.  The cougar thing is hotly debated and I've been flamed before on the other board for suggesting it.  The sign was here two years before one was killed and is still around.  The DNR doesn't want to talk about it.  If I was to bag one tomorrow I might not even mention it, just get a nice rug made.

[FinsnFur]

I know but I figure Northern Iowa is Northern Iowa.
If I can motor over there in a boat and fish, drink beer, and chase girls, I could probably bag a Cougar too.

What'r you doing anyway? Trying to pop my bubble? Knock it off.  Scott...help me out here. 

[iahntr]

Come on over Jim. Not sure the odds would be too good,    but so far they're not protected, and are fair game.   
I was ready to post again and ya jumped in nailbender. I was just gonna tell Jim the one was shot probably a half hour from you. Ya know much about that one?

pss- I'm tryin Jim. I'm a very slow typer As soon as I'm ready to post, somebody else already did and I'm two behind.

[coyotehunter_1]

Well, could be ..... 



General Information: Eastern pumas are reddish brown-tan in color. They have white fur on the belly and under the chin. Black markings are apparent behind the ears, on the face, and on the tip of the tail. On average, they weigh between 65 to 130 pounds and grow to be 6 ft in length. Their western counterparts can grow up to 170 pounds because of availability of larger prey. Many eastern pumas have an upward turn or kink at the end of the tail and a swirl or cow lick in the middle of the back. Puma cubs are pale with spots and have rings around the tail. They lose their spots and rings at approximately six months of age.

States/US Territories in which the Eastern puma (=cougar) is known to occur: Connecticut , Delaware , District of Columbia , Illinois , Indiana , Kentucky , Maine , Maryland , Massachusetts , Michigan , New Hampshire , New Jersey , New York , North Carolina , Ohio , Pennsylvania , Rhode Island , South Carolina , Tennessee , Vermont , Virginia , West Virginia

USFWS Refuges in which the Eastern puma (=cougar) is known to occur: CAROLINA SANDHILLS NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE , CROSS CREEKS NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE , TENNESSEE NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE

Source: U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service
http://ecos.fws.gov/speciesProfile/SpeciesReport.do?spcode=A046
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


Cougar Confirmation Maps:
Upper Midwest
http://www.cougarnet.org/uppermidwest.html

Central Midwest
http://www.cougarnet.org/centralmidwest.html

Source: The Cougar Network
http://www.easterncougarnet.org/


It's amazing what can be found on the internet    

[outlaw]

Buddy ran into one there pheasant hunting last fall.  He said that they were walking a grass draw and the dogs were acting funny.  He got about half way through and out the other end came the cat.  Said it kinda freaked him out, was glad his dogs didnt get any closer.  His little setters would have never stood a chance...   You dont have to get very far west in South Dakota either and there has been lots of sightings this year.

[nailbender]

 :roflmao:  Sorry Jim just wanted to make sure you weren't lost!  Anytime you want to come over and join the quest you're welcome here. I've been quietly chasin those ghosts for a few years now.

[FinsnFur]

 

The DNR doesnt want to talk about it.

The same garbage over here
I think they know exactly whats out there, long before we do, but they panic at the thought of public awareness. So they just play stupid.
Ok  "since we dont have them Warden sir, I cant get in trouble for shooting the one that just downed three of my beef calves, right? You stupid gook."

Gahd! they irritate me.

[crazy_cottontail]

I live in west cental WI and my wife grew up in AZ and she seen a young one cross the road in front of her less than a mile from our driveway 4 years ago and a neighbor seen one in the same spot a week before my wife did. My wife grew up around them. Hell she would have run it over if she could have  :roflmao:  There are numerous sightings around my area but the DNR says they aren`t here. Then a couple of years ago on the radio they said the state was giving a professor a grant to try to prove they were in the state cuz he had been doing it himself and needed more money. He said he hadn`t seen any proof. Later

                                                  Rich

[coyotehunter_1]

We do have a few eastern Cougars here.  A few years ago, I was hand calling for coyotes in a river gorge and had one come in. When I first saw movement my thought was coyote or deer, about the same color. It was in a ivy thicket about 100 yards away, on the opposite side of the river. I got a good look when the cat stepped out onto a sandbar.  It had been raining for several days, so the river was almost swollen out of blanks. The cat started pacing back and forth, looking for a way to cross. I watched for several minutes as it kept coming closer and closer to the waters edge. That day I was hunting solo, my biggest concern was that it would find somewhere to cross and circle me.  I had no intentions of shooting since they are protected here. Never the less, if it had shown signs of aggression that critter would have found it's maker or at least a coyote hunter wearing a pair of heavily soiled briefs. Luckily, for me and the cat, it soon lost interest and headed off towards a nearby mountain. I decided to do like wise but in the other direction, to the truck. When I got to town I called the local game warden to tell him about seeing the cat. He said there had been a couple of reports (unsupported sightings) in that area from people hearing something. They said they had heard noises in the woods that sounded like a big cat (or a woman screaming). Since no one had seen anything it had been dismissed.  I asked him what "if" I had shot the cat? His reply was "They are protected, big time. If you do happen to kill it, it had better be chewing on your arm". Later in the same year, twice that I know of, a big cat (I presume the same one ) was seen in the area.  Once by a animal control officer and the other by a friend who owns a gun shop in town. As far as I know... they both still have all their arms.   

[kiyitec]

Missouri said there were no lions here, for years, then finally had to give in.
  Moved them from endangered to extirpated.  (here but no viable breeding population)
  They pretty much said no we don't want them here, but no you can't shoot them!
  You can defend yourself & your livestock, but you'd have to turn it in within 24 hours.
  The wife has seen two.  One crossed onto my parent's place- 4yo son seen that one too.  I tracked A pair one time, and A lady horse breeder down the road from there seen A momma with 3 (I think) kittens on the edge of her pasture one morning.

  I wonder if A decoy dog counts as livestock?   
  Might have to invest in A decoy goat.  So if ya ever drive though Missouri and see A guy with A goat on A rope with an AR over one shoulder,  THAT'S ME!!!!
AND 24 hours is long 'nuf to show it to everyone I know & hire A professional photographer.  ~KT

[ccp2]

Chet im just curious u ever went back and called that spot,I know i would NOT!!

[FinsnFur]

So if ya ever drive though Missouri and see A guy with A goat on A rope with an AR over one shoulder,  THAT'S ME!!!!
AND 24 hours is long 'nuf to show it to everyone I know & hire A professional photographer.  ~KT

:roflmao: :roflmao: :roflmao:   That's good stuff

[coyotehunter_1]

Posted by: ccp2

Chet im just curious u ever went back and called that spot,I know i would NOT!!

Hey, feller 
Yep, killed a nice whitetail buck there several years ago. I've also been back several times calling, even took ol' Bop along ... and no, Jim... not for bait.
We also call on a cattle farm about a mile away (down river) and another place that is up river a couple of miles.