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Cougar sighting in Champlin

jwhawkridge

By jwhawkridge
in Hunting

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Weed Shark Rising Star

Weed Shark

Posted
Posted

The amazing thing is not that a cougar was seen, but that someone actually got a picture. No one believes it unless you get a picture or a handful of fur off their back. That will change gradually. Good friends have seen them in the west suburbs on 2 separate occasions (they know a cougar from a dog, or a fox).

I remember in the 1960's, neighbors boasted that a pair of Canada geese nested each spring on our lake in Plymouth. As a boy, that intrigued me. Yesterday, I drove past a hundred on a baseball diamond in Plymouth...times change, eh?

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Dave S Grand Master

Dave S

Posted
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A cougar will travel a lot farther than the "short" distance between Champlin and Vadnais Heights in a few days time.

As far as the DNR downplaying the cougar sightings, what more can you expect when they go out to investigate some of these sightings and the animal is pointed out from a distance, only to be a house cat, a fox, or a dog for that matter. Truth be told, a lot of people wouldn't know the difference between a cougar or a bobcat if they saw one.

Cougars were a rare find in MN for many years. Hence, another reason the DNR downplays the alleged sightings. Is the population coming back? I believe so. I saw my first cougar by Belle Plaine one morning on my way home from work in '98. There was even a population of Bobcat as far south as Le Sueur/Mankato in the mid 80's.

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Harmonica Bear Mentor

Harmonica Bear

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IMO the DNR downplays cougar sightings so as not to get everybody all worked up and panicked about it. The media for sure will play it up for all its worth creating hysteria amongst the metropolitans whose vast experience with nature and wild animals are finches at the feeder, robins in the yard, over-fed squirrels in the trees, the occasional woodchuck and a car deer collision. Oh yeah and the alien turkeys that have invaded.

Don't let your dogs out anymore.....

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BobT Grand Master

BobT

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I'm not convinced the DNR is specifically "downplaying" anything about cougars. I think they are being honest that most alleged signtings are "probably" not cougars. They just aren't going to announce that because someone claims to have seen a cougar then there was definitely one spotted.

When I reported my sighting three years ago outside my bay window, I did not get any feedback that suggested that I may not be correct or that they didn't believe me. In fact, they were very cordial, recorded my comments, and sent me information about the number of possible sightings there have been throughout our state for the past X number of years. I did not get an impression that they were trying to hush things up or "downplay" my report at all.

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elkrivermn Community Regular

elkrivermn

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Well said Bob, leave it to someone fishing 3 mile to have some common sense!!!!!

There's such a concern about cougars and potential threat they pose consider this.

I previously posted some information that suggests there have been 5 deaths due to cougars in the past 114 years. How many of us are concerned about black bears in a metro area? Well...it is estimated that there have been 56 documented killings of humans by black bears in North America in the past 100 years.

That's 11 times as many humans have died in Canada and the US by black bears than by cougars but we think it's actually a little neat to hear about them in city limits. Fear of the unkown perhaps.

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icehousebob Mentor

icehousebob

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Michael, I was born and raised at Odessa and I'll bet I can tell you within 100 yards of where it was hit. Northwest of town there's a creek call Stony Run that runs under Hwy 7. That creek valley is a natural funnel for all kinds of game. It might well have been chasing deer across that section of road. And there's thousands of acres of woods, marsh, and bottom land for a cougar to live down there.

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hockeybc69 Veteran

hockeybc69

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No kidding USDA3.

The DNR isnt hiding cougars. Are they supposed to comment on the 99.9% false sighting reports too?

Oh wait, maybe the DNR released that cougar in Champlin to control deer numbers in Elm Creek Park, and their plan failed. Well then I can understand why they are not commenting.

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BRULEDRIFTER Veteran

BRULEDRIFTER

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So you're looking for that false sence of security that the Govmint is lookin out for ya?

I'm sure they're tracking it and I'm sure they will use all available resources when it's determined to be a danger.

Considering this thing is roaming the burbs, I higly doubt they are just going to ignore it.

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Muthagoose Proficient

Muthagoose

Posted
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Quote:
The DNR has publicly acknowledged the existence of mountain lions in this state for at least 5 years.

They had to but still they attempt to slide the "Its a domestic released or escaped""

And for some people that is a perfectly acceptable excuse

BUT

To have such a "Game Animal" you have to keep records, should have insurance ,required permits and inspections. Simple enough for the state to check and see WHO is missing their cat and PROVE its not native.....

If they claim its been sold or died you have to keep record of any site population change's..

Anyone who has had a exotic or game farm license you know better...

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bobbymalone Grand Master

bobbymalone

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To have such a "Game Animal" you have to keep records, should have insurance ,required permits and inspections. Simple enough for the state to check and see WHO is missing their cat and PROVE its not native.....

That's assuming that your pet mountain lion is actually legal and state knows about it. Can one even legally own a mountain lion in this state?

As far as I have heard the DNR hasn't come out and said that these mountain lions are actually escaped pets, they have just acknowledged the possibility.

I for one don't have my panties all bunched up over a handful of lions, there are tons of them in residential areas in California, but they aren't eating up all the kids and pets out there.

I am more worried about getting T-boned on the drive to the grocery store than I am worried about getting eating by a mountain lion.

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