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Just to stir the pot a little

You mentioned the few that are seen seem to get shot in your post. As elusive as these kitty's are I wonder how many are actually in Iowa that have never been seen. And how long they have been in the state.

It will be interesting to see what the DNR will do in the future to help protect/exterminate these big cats in our state.

I am like most people on the website - it would be awesome to have a few around to see once in awhile. Taking one with the bow would be an awesome experience. However, I don't see how their could be many cats in Iowa for very long and not pose a problem to anybody. Seems livestock would be an easier prey than humans if they got hungry enough to snatch a human, but with all the other prey located where they would want to live in the state would they be tempted to come that much closer to humans???

Many interesting views to this topic. It has been a pretty good discussion. I can't say what I would do if I saw one coming down the deer trail next to my stand. I probably won't have to worry about it though. For the people that do I can't blame them for shooting since it is legal and all.

I would really like to see a bobcat first. How many of them are in the state and how many people see them. Wish I was one who did. Maybe in the future.
 
Hey 3beards!

40-21


I can see both sides of the argument on the mountain lion population in the state, I've simply decided to take the opposite of yours.
If we all had the same opinion on this matter I doubt the board would be much fun.
 
I am with you Threebeards, we don’t need to kill everything that could potentialy be dangerous. For instance we already wiped out Tigers, Wolves, and dam near everything on the endangered list, or they are already extinct do to our fear/misunderstanding of predatory animals. After all who was here first, who put there livestock in there territory. I would like to know just how people have been killed by Mountain Lions, I bet you could count them on your two hands. How many people have been killed by Bees? Lets wipe them out while were at it!
 
I have shot plenty of wild animals in my life that didn't pose any threat at all to me or anyone I know, pheasants, deer, rabbits, coyotes, even a fox or two. Hunting is a sport and shooting a mountain lion in Iowa would be great because you wouldn't have to buy a tag and drive out west. If I were to shoot a mountain lion now before they are protected it would not be for the reason of getting rid of them, it would be so I could mount it and have it in my living room to remember that experience for the rest of my life. I highly doubt Iowa will ever have a sustainable population of mountain lions, but I also doubt if those who choose to shoot them will ever kill them all or stop them from coming to Iowa. If this many have found their way here, more will follow. One more thing, I personally believe that there are more of these big cats in Iowa now than we could imagine, as elusive as they are and as many sightings are reported in my area.
 
Too much tree huggin' talk about hunting the lions to extinction. Just get 'em out of Iowa. Nobody ever said anything about wiping them out completely. They were here first but humans are here NOW! Keep the lions out west. I don't want to worry about the kids going down the gravel roads for a bike ride and not returning!
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Hey 1arrow...........NO I'm not afraid of the kitty cat.....are you???????? If ya got something to say about it......just kidding. See ya tommorrow about 8:30. Bring the coffee. Later!
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In Minnesota we have a very healthy and growing population of bear. As long as I can remember, I can only think of two "attacks" happening in this state. Both people were just roughed up alittle, don't know if you could really call it an attack. But with the big wilderness in the northern part of the state, I'm sure its just a matter of time. The thing with our bears is we, as hunters in a state where bear hunting has been a long tradition, have instilled our bears with a healthy dose of fear. You don't hear much about lion attacks in the states where there is a hunting season for them, the cats learn that respect issue fast. California DOES NOT have a cat season any more, used to until a few years ago. Bunny huggers lobbied and took it away. The cats have lost their fear of man. I really don't think Iowa will ever have a sustained cat population. Lack of habitat is probably the first issue. Although there are areas that will hold a cat or two. With your healthy deer populations, sheep and hog farmers, I don't see any real need to afraid of the dark. I grew up in the northern Minnesota bush country. Bears were something you dealt with at least once a week. I learned to respect them, and for the most part, they respected you also. Cats were there also, but were so few they never were a problem. Still a few around. You hear of a sighting once in awhile, or a farmer looses a calf (cats eat certain parts of a carcass first), but no attacks or threats that I've ever heard of. My grandfather was a bear trapper for 40 years, he can tell you some pretty hair-raising stories, but I don't recall him ever talking about an honest unprovoked attack (bear). I've spent many a night way back in the woods all alone. Scared? Darned right! Bears can be quit dangerous as I found out for myself this last fall. Closest I've ever been to being attacked. That bear is now sausage and in my freezer. I have more of a fear about running into a Bigfoot then I do an aggresive bear or cat. Honestly! And yes, cat is delicious!
 
These cats are not indigenous to Iowa. They are "mountain" lions. And nobody is suggesting the extermination of all mountain lions. Just that they are not a protected class in Iowa by DNR standards. They do pose a big threat to Iowa. There is a lot of livestock in this state and a lot of people who live in rural areas where these cats could become prominent if they are left to multiply. We don't need this kind of animal in this state. There isn't enough natural cover for these animals to stay out of contact with humans, domestic animals, and livestock. They belong in the mountains and out west where the land is too rugged for development. They are predators and meat eaters. They found the cat that killed the female mountain biker out west was stalking the deputies that put it down: http://www.cnn.com/2004/US/West/01/09/mountain.lion/index.html

We don't need this problem in Iowa. We have enough natural predators without adding 80-100 pound lions to the mixture. You can ignore the facts all you want but if these cats become prevalent in Iowa they will be killed whether it's legal or not. Any animal that threatens a human or livestock becomes fair game by law and you'd see a lot of that with mountain lions running loose all over this state.
 
[ QUOTE ]
Living in Ames, I consider anything in Black and Gold a pest ... that give me a license to eliminate 'em?

[/ QUOTE ]

Hey remind me what bowl game the clowns played in this year?!? I think they eliminated themselves.
 
i think both sides should step back and take a look at what we are talkin about here.
1. they are not natural to iowa
2. they will and have harmed people( i bet my fat ass would be a tasty treat)
3. they are a beautiful creature.
4. why kill something just to get rid of it. that is what god made them for?

if you want to harvest one as a fair act of gaming than do so. but dont shoot them to get for the hell of it. guess you guys would be no better than the the guy that shoot 4 deer a year and throws them in a crick bed cause they are to far to drag. its ashame that it has come to this. cats are not natural where i am from either, but i had one at yrdswhile bow hunting and let him walk by far the neatest thing i have ever encountered. i think there are pros and cons. yeah a child may get snatched on a gravel road by a lion, but your odds of having some idiot hit them with a vehicle is much more likely. what does this mean? should we get rid of anything that may hurts, cars planes guns booze women...... i mean where does it end seriously? give me a logical answer , you cant. come on guys lets be a little more open minded.
 
moose270,
How in the world can you compare a nonethical(also known as a poacher) person shooting 4 deer and throwing them in a creek bed, with a hunter that legally harvests a mountain lion?
They are a beautiful creature and so is a whitetail deer, buck or doe. Whats your point?
Knowbody said anything about making them extinct. To make a creature as elusive as the mountain lion extinct would be nearly impossible. We have proved that here in Michigan with yotes.
That is what god made them for, don't understand this logic of thinking, god made deer and wanted them harvested but made mountain lions and doesn't think that they should be managed or harvested????
 
didnt say that at all, but you here all of the coments about most people shooting them for the hell of it. if you arent shooting for the purpose of obtaining there hide or for a throphy why hunt them? someone who wings one for the hell of it is no better than a poacher. point taken? or do i need to get out the coloring crayons.
 
I thought we were all on the same team on this site. We should try not to get so hot-headed and talk down to each other like some people in this thread are. moose270 I took your comment the same way nonres did.
 
[/ QUOTE ]Why would you let one walk away if you had an opportunity to get rid of it. If the population of these animals grows in this state we will have a significant problem. I'm guessing that's why the DNR has deemed it fine to exterminate them.

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First of all, I wouldn't kill any large game animal just to get rid of it, that's totally unethical to me.
Second of all, I don't think the IDNR has "deemed" anything. Don't you actually have to have a population of a species in your state before you can actually design a hunting season around it? Black bears have been traveling in and out of Northern IA for God knows how long, yet I've never heard the DNR "deem" it ok to exterminate them.
Third and lastly, who the heck is "bub"?

CRITR
 
Just to clarify things a little... Mountain lions, cougars, pumas, catamounts, panthers or whatever you choose to call them ARE native to Iowa. I don't have any documents in front of me at the moment to quote, but I know I've seen reference to Iowa cougars in pioneer diaries that are in the historical records of most county libraries. If you want a good summary of Iowa pioneer/ mountain lion encounters check out Jim Dinsmore's book "A Country So Full of Game"
As far as the DNR having "deemed fit to exterminate them" - they haven't. The DNR actually tried to get them protected status as a furbearer, along with wolves and bears in Iowa. It was the Iowa legislature the voted it down. Once again, politicians who think they know more about wildlife than biologists.
And for those of you guys worried about getting eaten on the way to your treestand - only 17 people have been killed by cougars in North America since 1890. I'd be willing to bet that a lot more kids have been killed by domestic dogs in that time...
 
Greywolf is right. That is documented in "A country so full of Game" by dinsmore. i read it myself. personally, i can appreciate everyones opinions. i can see where if you have kids you'd not want one around just for that "what if" scenario. i can also appreciate a guy who wants them gone so walking to the treestand is a little safer. i just don't think shooting them on sight is the right thing to do. everything was put on this planet for a reason and if i was put on this planet for a wayward mountain lion to eat me then so be it. i'll have a great story in the paper then!!

"Local Idiot Mauled to Death by Killer Mountain Lion"

deadeye, if that happens at least avenge me. you can have the mountain lion mounted with it's paws upon my chest.
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Thank god a few of you agree with me on this one! I am no P.E.T.A. member/People Eating Tasty Animals LOL There is a feeling that is indescribable when you are camping and hunting among bears, big cats, wolves etc. I like the feeling personally it keeps you on your toes. Don’t get me wrong I would love to arrow one of theses monster cats, but chasing them up a tree and shooting them sound like no fun to me, you have all heard the fish in a barrel thing. Anyway I would love to just see one of theses great creatures from my stand one day. I live in Maryland if you guys kill everyone you see there is no chance they will make it to my stand. Please think about the big picture not just your uneducated view of predatory animals. 12 people in 100 years I bet 12 people have died slipping on a snail and hitting their head in the past 100 years.
 
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