Mountain Lion in my field...

Discussion in 'Wildlife in the Garden' started by AAnightowl, Jun 12, 2015.

  1. AAnightowl

    AAnightowl Young Pine

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    I have not gotten a chance to post this sooner, but the day after finding the snapper by my dog houses, I was getting dressed and looking out over my field. The horse keeps things cut short, so the view was excellent, and it was a bright sunny day. A mountain lion came out of the brush trying to sneak up behind my horse. She turned around and gave it a dirty look, so it slunk away back into the brush after some deer on the back end of my field. It was NOT a dog! It was not a deer, nor a bear, nor a fox, or coyote... It was a reddish mountain lion, with a black tipped tail, and some black on its face. It was very large, similar in size to my Great Dane, but longer in the body, and had a very long tail. I did let neighbors know, because they have small kids, or grandkids...
     
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  3. Netty

    Netty Chaotic Gardener Plants Contributor

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    Oh wow! I saw one near my house once, and I was trying to convince myself the whole while that it was something else. But I watched it for a few minutes and there was simply no denying what I was seeing. I told a few people about it and they laughed and pretty much told me I was wrong, but I KNEW what I saw. I didn't tell anyone else about it for a while ... no one believed me. I tell you, it sure made me think twice about my early morning walks and late nights in the garden!
     
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  4. marlingardener

    marlingardener Happy

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    There have been sightings of cougars near us. We are about a half-mile from Sandy Creek, which seems to be the best place to see the occasional big cat, or to find its prints. We have a bobcat that visits our pond, but no cougars so far.
    After I recovered from fainting, I'd be so happy to see a big cat around here!
     
  5. eileen

    eileen Resident Taxonomist Staff Member Moderator Plants Contributor

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    I can well believe that you did see a Mountain Lion as I know there have been many reports of them having been seen around your area.
    However I'm not so sure about this: Just recently police officers searching for a missing woman say they saw a cougar at Arthur's Seat in Edinburgh. I suppose anything is possible but somehow I doubt that it was a big cat. I would like to see it for myself or at least see a clear photograph before I would be convinced.

    http://mysterycats.blogspot.co.uk/2015/06/uk-sightings-puma-spotted-on-arthurs.html
     



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  6. AAnightowl

    AAnightowl Young Pine

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    My camera bag is hanging right next to my window, and it was gone before I could reach my camera and focus...

    I believe my eyes, and all the people who have seen them up close and personal in many locations in this area. I do NOT believe the Conservation Dept employees. Most of the people who have seen them are/were close friends who well know the difference. Some sightings were in broad daylight, some at night in the headlights of cars and VERY close range... We also have Lynx/bobcats here, but those are much smaller than a bear, or a mountain lion.

    They say a mountain lion's call is somewhat like a woman screaming. Now I am questioning whether the "owls" I have heard screaming, were really owls but actually a large cat? We have lots of owls too.

    I know a lot of people personally who have seen them up close and personal in this area, and even my boys saw them here on our property back in the late 80s, AND IN BROAD DAYLIGHT. We have tried reporting them, but the Dept of Conservation does not believe it. However a few people have gotten them on camera, or have hit them on the roads. They still claim that there are "no breeding populations" in the State of Missouri. HAH. My kids saw a family of them in broad daylight at close range, and they still tried to tell us they saw bears. Bears do not look like cats, nor have long tails like cats, etc. My kids have known the difference since before they were 2 years old. We have both bears and mountain lions in this area and they are seen frequently.
     
  7. Netty

    Netty Chaotic Gardener Plants Contributor

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    I found a whole page of Mountain Lion sounds here http://www.soundboard.com/sb/Cougar_Puma_Sounds
    I know there is one other 'click' noise that they make that sounds a lot like a bird, but I can't seem to find the sound clip.
    I KNOW I have heard that clicking noise!!
     
  8. Sherry8

    Sherry8 I Love Birds!

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    I hope he finds another area to frequent instead of looking at your horse...I would be petrified. We have a bear a couple towns over that is visiting bird feeders. I am just praying he doesn't find our house. I remembered a few years back a cougar was sighted. Good luck and stay safe...
     
  9. Tooty2shoes

    Tooty2shoes Hardy Maple

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    Yikes AA. That would make me move to a safer state or get a mule to keep my horse safe. They are great watch dogs. We do have coyotes where we live, and bears in other parts of our State but not where we are. But a Mountain lion is a real threat. I have heard of people being attacked by them in other states when they have been riding on bike trails.
    I suppose if you grow up with them around you know to take special care. But I would still move. YIKES!:eek:
     

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