Cougar sighting

[96trigger]

Quote:

which people can buy from game farms and legally own.

I guess you really don't need to buy them, you can just get them really, really drunk at a Hawkeyes/Gopher game.

[BobT]

Hopefully this can help put those at ease that have been crying wolf....er....cat.

The total number of confirmed attacks on humans by mountain lions in all of the United States and Canada since 1991 is 73 with 10 being fatal.

The average number of confirmed attacks annually throughout the US and Canada since 1991 has remained a very constant 5.6 per year with the average number of fatal attacks at .8 per year.

They are rare indeed and even more rare in Minnesota where we have a very small population of lions.

Bob

[fishinmajishin]

So I'm crying "cat"? I don't lie and neither do people I consider true friends. Rest easy? Go right ahead. My friends' brother and kids won't be. The cougar I originally posted about here was seen three times this fall. First time it was hunting rodents along a field about 100 yards away. The second time one of his boys was in a stand when two deer were coming in...until a cat waiting in the brush took one out. Was about 75 yds from his stand. The third sighting was a week before rifle season. His youngest boy was in a stand when the cat walked right up on him at 20 yds and was growling(not purring)at him. The kid pretty much s**t his pants. The cat wouldn't leave. So he started throwing anything he could at it, until he finally fired a warning arrow at it, and only then did it take off.

And I do have another report from my bro-in-laws' father...talked to him at T-giving. He saw one SE of Crookston during the rifle season.

Attacks may be statistically rare, but it's only a matter of time before you read about one here in Minnesota. Somewhere someone will be in the wrong place at the wrong time.

[BobT]

Somewhere, sometime, in the near future, actually it's very likely happening as I write that someone has been in an automobile accident. Actually it is quite likely someone has died or will die before I finish typing this. I think we have more to worry about just getting to work and back safely every day.

There are 52 recorded deaths in North America attributed to black bear attacks during the same time period (since 1990). Are we raising the red flag about black bears?

There are 50 recorded deaths in North America attributed to brown bears. Are we concerned about them too?

There are 5 recorded deaths in North America attributed to polar bears. Same question.

There have been 10 recorded deaths in North America attributed to mountain lions. Same question.

Do I think you may be crying cat? Well.....maybe a little.

Bob

[sparcebag]

In So california in Cleveland National forest By a town WarnerSprings,We knew of a female with cubs,It took weeks to get a glimpse of her at 200 yds watching the den area and all surrounding hills & valleys.

Fishinma you seem to have lots of others who have a knack of sighting these elusive critters! And in MN!Where the pop. is tiny in comparison to So. Cal.

So its kinda sketchy for me.

I posted this last year or back at one time. The river bottoms around RedWing when I was young early sixties,We saw [once] a cougar cross the back road by the casino on prarie island.A few times lookin for it we did find tracks but sighting a weary,shy critter as a cougar with such low populations is a once in a life time experience! I guess with the exception of here in Mn where their just common.

[BobT]

After rereading my post again, I feel it's only fair to let you know that I am not intentionally picking on you, fishinmajishin. I just don't feel the same sense of urgency that you appear to be feeling. That's all.

Bob

[fishinmajishin]

That was a really nice way of calling me a liar, Bag. Your subtle jabs/sarcasm are much appreciated.

BobT...I guess when you said "crying wolf" I took it as meaning you didn't believe that a cat was even seen. Your stats are most likely right on, but I don't think they're much reassurance to my friend as he walks into his stand anymore. And your right, MOST of us have much more important things to worry about.

[chub]

There are a number of big cats north of Fergus and in the Maplewood SP vicinity.

They've torn up some Horses in the last few months in the area.

As someone said.....

Shoot

Shovel

Shut up

[BobT]

One stat that I didn't include because I couldn't find specifics, only reports, was that bobcats are also known to attack humans on occasion. From what I found, many of these situations are the result of unhealthy animals but some were not.

We even hear of deer, moose, and other animals attacking occasionally. My guess, and it is a guess, is that there have probably been more buck deer that have injured humans in Minnesota than cougars.

Bob

[mrklean]

Im confused on where this is going

[Dave S]

my post was off topic and deleted.

I think BobT's post was just saying that we have less to worry about with a few cats roaming the state than we do with other critters.

[mrklean]

I dont think anyone is worried well i should say there probably are the select few i think more people are like holy cow there are cougars in MN and were seeing more of them, and some people just deny cougars being here. And then there is mine and pinks theory BUT.......we wont go into that again

[BobT]

That's about it. There seems to be this wide-eyed concern about cougars roaming the state as if to say we have to walk outside with one eye watching our back all the time.

I'm saying that yes there are cats around but we have a lot of other reasons to be looking over our shoulder besides them but there's no sense of concern there.

I feel we are making a "moutain lion" out of a "mole" hill.

Bob

[fasternu]

BobT, not to read too much into your post, just wondering where those numbers came from? I was at the North American Bear Center and Wolf Center this summer, and I thought the numbers of deaths and attacks that they had was actually lower than what you posted. I don't remember the specific number, but was surprised at just how low the numbers were.

[pinkfloyd4ever]

MrK/dwight, which theory is that one? The latest one I am working on is the cover-up in the DNR that goes thru the metrodome, hangs a right thru white bear lake, then east to the whitehouse, and that is that the DNR is re-integrating the mountain lion population here in MN, has to be by all the sightings. I am still waiting for "my guy" at the DNR to get back to me on this, I bet he'll deny it though. Like Metallica said, sleep with one eye open

[mrklean]

Im still working with the DNR letting them go with the help of the president

[Dave S]

pauly,

I heard the rumor of the DNR releasing cats in SE MN many years ago, but there just wasn't enough proof there to make me believe it. You're entitled to your opinion. I respect that.

I actually had someone bring this up in one of my turkey hunter clinics. The question started out as, "Can I carry a .45 while turkey hunting". Only after the C.O.'s asked why he needed to carry a handgun turkey hunting did the person provide the reason. There was a good chuckle throughout the room. The hunter has heard so many rumors of Cougars in the river valley between LQP and Le Sueur, he wanted to carry his .45 with incase he was attacked.

Then someone else asked whether it was true or not the DNR was releasing the cats. You already know the answer to that one. I have no reason not to believe the DNR though.

As BobT has mentioned there are other cases of cats attacking people. One case I heard of is a hunter was turkey hunting and was attacked by a Bobcat from behind. They figured the turkey calls attracted the cat which saw some slight movement (the guy in camo) and thought it was the turkey.

What ever the reason for the increased sightings, I find it interesting that we have so many more cats around. Will there ever be a limited season? Possibly. But I have my doubts on that.

[BobT]

The bear statistics came from Wiki. They have a list of the attacks including dates, names, etc.

The only thing I can say is that like anything else, how valid is the information. I have no reason to date not to accept the information as factual.

I'll have to dig a little to find the information about fatalities from cats.

Bob

[BobT]

If you do a web search for Tom Chester cougar attacks you’ll find an org site using tchester.

If you search for list of cougar attacks and check out Wiki’s site you’ll find supporting information similar to the bear data.

Bob

[pinkfloyd4ever]

So my friend's dad who worked for the DNR out of Bemidji, now St. Paul, e-mailed him back and the quote was LMAO!! OMG, so he said, no, of course not. What did you expect him to say. interesting the whole what did you expect him to say? I am trying to get him to go on the record here, cause I smell a cover up!

[Duffman]

Number of people killed by Bear Bites in MN in the last 5 yrs - 0

Number of people killed by Wolf Bites in MN in the last 5 yrs - 0

Number of people killed by Cougar Bites in MN in the last 5 yrs - 0

Number of people killed by Bat Bites in MN in the last 5 yrs - 2

[DuckDog]

Is there a statistic on how many dogs or cattle have been killed by wolves, cougar or bear progressing in the past 10 years?

[Duffman]

I would think it's possible to find out how much livestock is lost to predation, depending on insurance claims and reports. I doubt that's the case with dogs. And you would probably have to throw in some other species that also contribute to livestock predation; Yotes, foxes, raptors, etc...

[sparcebag]

Number of people killed by Bear Bites in MN in the last 5 yrs - 0

Number of people killed by Wolf Bites in MN in the last 5 yrs - 0

Number of people killed by Cougar Bites in MN in the last 5 yrs - 0

Number of people killed by Bat Bites in MN in the last 5 yrs - 2

Looks like I may think twice before I go outside now-a-days! Who knows what stalks me!

Have ya read bout olmstead county bat study? I think they found 3 rabid. But its dem puma dat sneek up on ya watch out!!

[BobT]

I don't know if it's appropriate to poke too much fun at those that have expressed concerns. They may have real concerns for their own reasons. I'm just hoping to help put them realize that maybe it's not so bad.

Bob