Big game hunting in Chicago now!

[Cement Man]

I'm am out of town on business now, but just talked to the wife, who had just got off the phone with a friend in Chicago who told her that they (the police I presume) shot a cougar in the alley behind their house(??)

I have been reading about cougar sightings in the northern burbs lately, maybe true?  I do remember a dead one being found along some railroad tracks near Peoria some years back.  Near Lincoln Park though? 

I'll be interested to hear what develops out of this. 

[Paladin]

Hearsay, but it's claimed the DNR has turned loose a number of cougars loose in diff parts of Ill to help control the deer population. to bad they had to kill it.

[jdinil]

Has there been anymore info come out on the cougar? When the story first came out, there was some speculation the animal might have been someone's "pet".  Or has it been determined it was, if fact, wild?

[Cement Man]

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/chi-cougar-shot-webapr16,0,1215541.story

If this link works, it explains that they believe this cat was wild and came from the Black Hills through Wisconsin, maybe even a DNA match with some blood left by a cougar in Wisconsin.  Pretty fantastic story if true.

As far as the DNR planting cougars to control deer in Illinois, well for those that want to believe things like that, um, I can't stop them.  Go to it.  I have a friend who comes up with those types of theories all the time, except it is the car insurance companies who do things like planting cougars to reduce the deer population.  I ask him if he figured that out all by himself and then buy him another beer. He likes beer.

[jdinil]

Thanks for posting that interesting link, Cement Man.

[S.B.]

Hearsay, but it's claimed the DNR has turned loose a number of cougars loose in diff parts of Ill to help control the deer population. to bad they had to kill it.

Why not just increase the length of the season or make it one long season or get rid of the silly regs that handicap sportsmen and women? Is this too simple for the DNR to understand? Someone on a different forum posted a question about the problems with finding a legal handgun caliber for deer hunting in Illinois, how long did that discussion go on, and how difficult was it for non Illinois people to understand? You know Illinois is the only state I know of, that sends representative to the Shot Show to draw nonresident hunters into our state!

[Cement Man]

S.B.,
Here is an interesting article which focuses on deer managerment in Illinois.  See the final paragraph - Conclusion. 

http://www.prairiestateoutdoors.com/index.php?/pso/article/davenport_deer_management/

[S.B.]

I agree with your assessment of the final paragraph. DNR personel should have wildlife back ground! Leave it to Rod to screw thisngs up.