Mt Lion killed in Jackson county

[Musky Buck]

Hope it wasn't the one on my friends t-cam.

[lichen fox]

This was the latest in the GF Hearld today...My only question is what kind of livestock were the farmers feeding...sheep...cattle...poultry? This "might" be a case of protecting your property!

ST. PAUL — The state Department of Natural Resources is investigating the fatal shooting of a cougar in southwest Minnesota.

It's illegal to shoot mountain lions, or cougars, in Minnesota unless they're posing a threat. Bruce Ihnen says he was finishing chores on his brother's farm in Jackson County's Round Lake Township Sunday when the cougar came out of a grove and ran into a culvert. Ihnen says he called a neighbor and the two chased it out of the culvert and his neighbor shot it.

DNR spokesman Chris Niskanen says it is likely the first cougar shot by a citizen in Minnesota's "modern history." He says the 125-pound animal is being examined by the agency's wildlife biologists in Grand Rapids

[Duffman]

What? Did another cougar escape from the DNR Mountain Lion stocking truck??

[JIvers]

Regardless of whether one thinks mountain lions should be tolerated in Minnesota, you really should know the state's fish and game laws.

In legal standards, what the puma-killer in Jackson County apparently did was no different than someone who shoots a moose in Minnesota outside of the moose zone because they happen to see it while deer-hunting.

I agree that a person should, and does, have the right to kill a mountain lion, moose, or any other wild animal in Minnesota if that animal is an immediate threat to human life or property.

I'll leave aside the question of what rises to an "immediate threat" to life or property, and how one proves it after the fact, since in this case it seems clear the puma-shooter simply shot the cat because he could, and then went out of his way to advertise that fact.

[gopher_nation]

A cat in attack mode would likely be facing the would-be victim. So maybe a look at entrance wounds. A snarling cat or one baring its teeth may be misinterpreted. Truth is, if a mountain lion is an actual attack threat, you would likely never see it coming.

[john skarie]

Pretty sure chasing a cat our of a culvert means if it was in "attack mode" it was only trying to defend itself from the jackhammers that chased it out.

Throw the book at 'em.

JS

[lichen fox]

It's illegal to shoot mountain lions, or cougars, in Minnesota

unless they're posing a threat.

I would read this as posing a threat to not just humans but livestock, pets or other property as well...it sounds like it was well near enough whatever they may have been tending to...to "pose a threat"...

It will be interesting to see if the shooter is actually charged...The state would still have to prove, beyond a reasonable doubt, that the cat was not a valid threat to any animals or humans on their property.

[Scott M]

Glad to read some level-headed responses from hunters here. The St. Paul and Minneapolis papers comments section is littered with "hunters" who think this guy did the right thing by shooting the cat.

[gopher_nation]

Read the kids facebook page, apparently their grove started on fire Monday night.

[GFNER]

Agree with skarie, throw the book at him. What a senseless stupid act! Didn't sound like the cat posed a risk to anyone and probably wouldn't have spent much more time in the area anyway judging from past travels of cats reported in the state.

[kkahmann]

I can understand why someone would shoot a mountain lion.

I can understand why some are upset with someone breaking the law.

Could someone please explain to me why--why are mountainlions protected in Minnesota?

[drewevans]

Agree with skarie, throw the book at him. What a senseless stupid act! Didn't sound like the cat posed a risk to anyone and probably wouldn't have spent much more time in the area anyway judging from past travels of cats reported in the state.

X3

[Jameson]

..Could someone please explain to me why--why are mountainlions protected in Minnesota?

Not saying it's a good reason, just one of heard:

They are a native to here with a very low population.

[upnorth]

I can understand why someone would shoot a mountain lion.

I can understand why some are upset with someone breaking the law.

Could someone please explain to me why--why are mountainlions protected in Minnesota?

Because if they weren't protected they would be extinct. Could you imagine the deer population if it was open season all year around. There would be no more deer wandering around MN that there are cougars. There are many that just don't have any self control unless it is illegal to kill them.

[fishing4fun]

I have mixed feeling about this. I live in SW Minn out in the country on a pretty large groved acrage. And have 2 young boys (5 and 7)that love to explore with and with out me. I really don't want to think about what would happen if they crossed paths with a couger in my grove.

I don't like the thought of killing a cougar for no reason, but I do feel that if one crossed my yard. I WOULD PUT A BULLET RIGHT THROUGH IT.

Just my opinion.

[summit090706]

I see that the DNR has posted something on their Facebook page as well on Cougars. And it states" Do not shoot the animal, even if livestock or pets are threatened. Cougars are a protected species and may only be killed by a licensed peace officer or authorized permit holder. " so this states that you cannot shot it even if it is eating your family pet....or your business....I have mixed feeling as well...

[zepman]

I have mixed feeling about this. I live in SW Minn out in the country on a pretty large groved acrage. And have 2 young boys (5 and 7)that love to explore with and with out me. I really don't want to think about what would happen if they crossed paths with a couger in my grove.

I don't like the thought of killing a cougar for no reason, but I do feel that if one crossed my yard. I WOULD PUT A BULLET RIGHT THROUGH IT.

Just my opinion.

[/quote

My feelings exactly.

[upnorth]

I have mixed feeling about this. I live in SW Minn out in the country on a pretty large groved acrage. And have 2 young boys (5 and 7)that love to explore with and with out me. I really don't want to think about what would happen if they crossed paths with a couger in my grove.

I don't like the thought of killing a cougar for no reason, but I do feel that if one crossed my yard. I WOULD PUT A BULLET RIGHT THROUGH IT.

Just my opinion.

Since you are brazenly willing to break the law, hope you are just as willing to suffer the consequences.

[paul pachowicz]

Our season for cats opens on the 1st of Jan with a 50 cat quota. That should be reached in pretty quick order. I don't know the full story on your cat kill there, but someone did deer hunters a favor by killin it. I said this before on other threads here that if your DNR thinks there is simply a transitory population of toms they got rocks in thier heads. I'll go out on a limb and say you HAVE an established population. [Note from admin: Your post has been edited. Please read forum policy before posting again. Thank you.]

[shortfatguy]

Sorry. You can put me on the list of law breakers too. My family, including pets, mean more to me than a wild cougar.

[kkahmann]

"Because if they weren't protected they would be extinct. Could you imagine the deer population if it was open season all year around. There would be no more deer wandering around MN that there are cougars. There are many that just don't have any self control unless it is illegal to kill them.

[shortfatguy]

Upnorth, so you are telling me if you have kids and they are out in the woods behind your house playing and you spot a cougar heading that direction you wouldn't shoot? In my opinion a cougar is the most likely animal in north America to stalk and kill people. The smaller the person (kids) the more likely they are to attack.

[fishing4fun]

I'd have no problem writing a check to know that my boys are safe from a cougar on my property. They could very easily fall from a tree and break an arm. That's fine, I'll pay for that also. But a cougar on my property does not belong. If I lived in Montana, Wyoming, or any state that has a established population and is known to be around I would feel different and my kids would not be allowed to venture out without me. We do not live like that in SW Minn. We do not have poisonous snakes and we do not have cougars here. Life is good. And I'd protect them everyday and pay the price for it. I have no problem with that.

To each thier own. Family First.

If I came across a cougar while out deer hunting, the cougar would be lucky it wasn't on my property. I'd let it run. That's why I have mixed feelings on this topic.

[Scott M]

Our season for cats opens on the 1st of Jan with a 50 cat quota. That should be reached in pretty quick order. I don't know the full story on your cat kill there, but someone did deer hunters a favor by killin it. I said this before on other threads here that if your DNR thinks there is simply a transitory population of toms they got rocks in thier heads. I'll go out on a limb and say you HAVE an established population. [Note from admin: Your post has been edited. Please read forum policy before posting again. Thank you.]

.

Paul, just checked out the SD GFP HSOforum regarding mountain lion harvest. Just about all were killed in Custer and Pennington counties, aka The Badlands. That's cougar habitat. You think there is an established population in SW MN? or elsewhere in Minnesota? The key word is "population," not a couple animals here or there. SW MN must be antlerless lottery every year because the cougs are eating all the deer. C'mon, gimme a break.

[PurpleFloyd]

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