Kansas Mountain Lion

[Big Nasty]

It would have been nice if they would have posted the pics...
Big Nasty (Brett)


The Latest from All Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks Web News
   

HUNTER PHOTOGRAPHS MOUNTAIN LION IN NORTHWEST KANSAS

Posted: 19 Oct 2009 02:42 PM PDT

First official documentation of live wild mountain lion in state
WAKEENEY — Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks (KDWP) staff have verified that a mountain lion was photographed by a deer hunter northwest of Wakeeney. The sighting is the first ever live wild mountain lion documentation in Kansas although many other reports have been received in the past.

The hunter who took the photographs was setting in a tree stand when the mountain lion materialized near a pile of corn the man was hunting over. The hunter grabbed his camera and took multiple photos as the lion approached within 10 feet of the tree stand. The animal looked up at him, then moved out of site. The entire encounter lasted less than a minute, and the lion never stopped walking.

"KDWP received photographs of the animal, and staff were able to verify that the location was in Kansas, and the story seemed legitimate," said Matt Peek, KDWP furbearer research biologist.

Although the origin of this mountain lion is unknown, mountain lions have appeared with varying frequency in other Midwestern states since the 1990s, presumably moving from western populations that have increased for decades. Most of these animals have been young males, which are capable of moving hundreds of miles in search of females and suitable habitat.
This is the second apparently wild mountain lion verified by evidence in Kansas in modern times. In November, 2007, a young male mountain lion was shot by a landowner in Barber County. Prior to that, the last documented occurrence was in 1904.

"KDWP receives numerous reports of mountain lion sightings annually," Peek added, "but almost all have either been cases of mistaken identity or lacked physical evidence indicating a mountain lion had been present."

There is no open hunting season for mountain lions in Kansas. Landowners may kill wildlife on their premises, including mountain lions, for damage to property or for being in or near buildings, but such animals may not be possessed with intent to use.
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[prairiedog555]

I live in Hiawatha, Ks. which is North East.  Two years ago I was driving home outside of Hiawatha on a back road from fishing.  I spotted something crossing the road about 100yd up front, I immediately caught sight of that long thick distinctive tail and knew it was a Mountain Lion.
I got up to within about 20 yds as it was a hot day and the cat was not moving fast.  It was a med size, about 90-100 lb.
I know what a Mountain lion looks like.  I lived in Northern Nevada for 20 years and hunted deer and chuckar in the mountains and came across them a number of times.
I also know what their tracks look like and have spotted them many times around here in the mud around creek banks.
Other local sportsmen who I think are knowlegable have also said they have spotted them.
Hell, there was a documented photo in the paper in Horton, Ks. (13 mi south) of a Moose on main street, why not a big cat here.  The deer and turkey are thick around here.

[Sarge]

Mt. lions have also been spotted in SE KS. My wife and I saw one around the Elk/Chataqua county line.

[Big Nasty]

Sarge, that's getting too close to my house. I live in Wilson County, I duck hunt in Elk county.TOO CLOSE MUST START CARRYING CANNON AT ALL TIMES, wait a minute I already do....

[torpedoman]

If you have deer you either have or will have mountain lions.

[Big Nasty]

Well if that's the case someone needs to rename them things. flat lander lions would be about right.

[jumpsteady]

I was camping on Mill Creek a few miles south of Alma a few years. We left camp about 11p.m. to go check our limb lines and trout lines we had set up When we returned there were awfully large cat tracks all the way around our tent and coolers. Now I have never sen a live mountain lion in Kansas, But I believe that they are here, and probably alot more in numbers than what we think.

[DavidKansas]

Until just this year or so the Kansas Fish and Game claimed that Kansas did NOT have any M.Lions . Ten years ago my hunting buddy and I saw a mother and two cubs while we were deer hunting and were told we were seeing things,I am sure glade that the thing we saw were not looking to see us.

[Slowhanddd]

My wife and I saw one around the Elk/Chataqua county line.

I used to hunt just west of Elk City.We saw one back in 1993.Called the Game guy and he wouldn't even come out.Plenty of big tracks by the creek and river.Smaller bobcat tracks too.Not hard to tell the difference.Saw the big cat twice chasing deer through the timber and across pastures.The neighbor lost a few calves to it also.Gave a new meaning to carrying a stick to hunt with.Started packing a pistol.Against the law,but wasn't going to end up cat poop.Slow

[jumpsteady]

For years the state claimed that we didn't have any cats, yet there has been a $300 fine for shooting a big cat for as long as I can remember.

[navylawdog]

I grew up on a farm between Admire and Harveyville near the Lyon county and Wabaunsee county line. And I know that we had a big cat near our house. One day my cousin and I decided to ride our horses back to his house from mine after a roundup. We were passing by the hay meadow just up the road from my house and we stopped to look at a large animal walking out of the woods towards us about 100 yards away. We didn't know what it was at first while it was coming towards us but then it turned broadside to us and it was unmistakeable. The horses must have gotten a good whif of it too because we were off to the races without any coaxing. I also heard what was probably the same cat scream once when I was out fishing too. It happened in the same spot so I figure it was the same cat. I had started walking home and made it to the road when it let out a scream from down by the pond where I had just came from. I said the heck with the fishing stuff. I threw it in the ditch and was trying my best to set a new land speed record. I wish I could run like that for the P.T. test.

[jwardiii]

There have been lion sightings here in NC Kansas as well as out in Decatur County by people I trust implicitly. Some dating back to the mid '80's. KDWP personnel have known these cats have been in KS for years whether they admit it officially or not. I was just waiting for someone to sight one when they had a camera handy. Never seen one myself.

T

[jumpsteady]

House bill 2639. Check it out.

[jwardiii]

Heck, I hadn't heard anything about this! Doesn't look like it got out of committee. Didn't make it past Turnaround, whatever the heck that means. The Kansas Natural Resources Council recommended opposition. Evidently they're some tree-hugger group hereabouts. I can guarantee you this - if I ever see a lion within a mile of my mother-in-law's farm there'll be one less of the things. There was a reason the large predators were cleaned out back in the early part of the last century. These cats aren't usually inclined to attack humans, but they're predators of opportunity. An elderly woman on her knees working in a flower bed, or a young child running in the yard, or me bent down harvesting morels, might be too tempting to resist. Most rural folk have yet to be successfully indoctrinated into the left's agenda. Evidently we don't like the look of those rose-colored glasses!

T