blake
Life Member
Iowa DNR confirms mountain lion sighting
Department of Natural Resources has confirmed a mountain lion sighting in Madison County.
A game camera caught an image of the mountain lion Oct. 13, about 10 miles north of Winterset.
Jerry England and a friend set up the camera a few weeks ago, thinking it would automatically capture a deer or two.
Instead, it captured the image of the mountain lion.
"I was just amazed that there was even a mountain lion in the area," England said. "If it wants to hang around, I have no problem with it. As long as it just doesn't bother any of my livestock."
England figured no one would believe him so he took the picture to the DNR.
DNR spokesman Kevin Baskins said the animal appears to be a 2- to 3-year-old male.
It's the first confirmed sighting of a mountain lion in Iowa since last October, when Des Moines police killed one in a city neighborhood.
The DNR said there have been 16 confirmed mountain lion sightings since 1994.
Those sightings will likely become even less common in the future because South Dakota, where many mountain lions apparently originate, is issuing more hunting permits to reduce the population of the animals.
Department of Natural Resources has confirmed a mountain lion sighting in Madison County.
A game camera caught an image of the mountain lion Oct. 13, about 10 miles north of Winterset.
Jerry England and a friend set up the camera a few weeks ago, thinking it would automatically capture a deer or two.
Instead, it captured the image of the mountain lion.
"I was just amazed that there was even a mountain lion in the area," England said. "If it wants to hang around, I have no problem with it. As long as it just doesn't bother any of my livestock."
England figured no one would believe him so he took the picture to the DNR.
DNR spokesman Kevin Baskins said the animal appears to be a 2- to 3-year-old male.
It's the first confirmed sighting of a mountain lion in Iowa since last October, when Des Moines police killed one in a city neighborhood.
The DNR said there have been 16 confirmed mountain lion sightings since 1994.
Those sightings will likely become even less common in the future because South Dakota, where many mountain lions apparently originate, is issuing more hunting permits to reduce the population of the animals.