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gandle

That is exciting and that is sad

gandle
13 years ago

The exciting news, after rumors of mountain lion sightings and the finding of obviously lion killed white tail deer carcasses a rancher got a couple of pictures on his cell phone, they were on T.V. this evening. Game and Parks says it is a big male. Hasn't been any report of cattle being killed, they would rarely attack a full grown cow a calf perhaps and there has never been a case in Nebraska of a cougar attacking humans but on the news there was a warning if you find yourself facing a cougar don't turn and run, this triggers an attack mode but just face it wave your arms and make a lot of noise and they will invariably run away. They are mainly nocturnal anyway so the chances of meeting one are slim unless you are wandering the river corridor at night. They belong here in NE, they were wiped out in the early 1900's by hunters and they are needed as predators on deer.

The sad news, DIL called and said that Bear, the pyrennes died last night. He had diabetes and they thought they had it under control but the huge old guy didn't make it. She swears that will be the last dog they have since there is no one home in the daytime and no work for a working dog like a pyrennes. Bet she changes her mind in a few months.

More on the lions, there are some established populations in other countys but this is the first confirmed for us.

Comments (7)

  • west_gardener
    13 years ago

    Gandle, I understand about the mountain lion sightings. We live in what's called silicon valley, and we think we are very sophisticated and that we own the neighborhood. But the mountain lions did not get the memo and they come into our neighborhood.

  • pamven
    13 years ago

    How exciting for your area George. One would hope the powers that be will encourage the return of big cats to the area. There have been sightings here in NE Indiana too but not confirmed with a good photo. One can only hope as the deer population is out of hand.
    Sad about the pup. WE lost the Orange Menace last week...he was 16 and a mere shadow of his former bad self. There WILL be a new kitten soon...

  • lilod
    13 years ago

    There used to be one hunting deer in the oaks across the road from us, once she killed a deer right on our property, the horses got a bit exited that time. The County Trapper came and killed her and her off-spring, we felt bad about it.
    Our deer hers have thinned, and so we don't see any Mt.Lions, but we know they are around.
    Sad to lose a dog companion. My little Taschi left last spring and even now I am frequently looking for her hoovering in the kitchen, afraid I may step on her.

  • meldy_nva
    13 years ago

    Deer are common here, even in heavily trafficked suburbs. I haven't heard of any cougars/pumas/mountain lions in my immediate area, but they have been reported just 20 miles away, which is still thick suburbia.

    A couple weeks ago, all traffic stopped (4 lane divided highway) so a doe and her twin fawns could cross from a wooded hill to a small (10 acre?) park which contains a stream.

    We have a fox (vixen?) which twice a day crosses our backyard, south to north, possibly to a big stream and then returning north to south, possibly to an area of wooded ravines. She chases any squirrel on the lawn... that delights me and makes DH grumble.

  • anneliese_32
    13 years ago

    There are supposedly some mountain lions in KY too, forest rangers say they have seen tracks, but no confirmed sightings.
    So sorry about Baer. I too am still looking for pets with have gone ahead.

  • jazmynsmom
    13 years ago

    I just got back from ND and there have been frequent mountain lion sitings in and around Bismarck as well. My dad told me that just a couple weeks ago, one was killed in the Walmart parking lot, to which I replied "See! That's *another* reason not to shop there!"

    A couple summers ago, the rancher whose cows are in the field adjacent to my sister's house, found a calf carcass dragged atop one of those big round hay bales (after a week of the neighbors hearing a "big cat" in the area). That news unnerved my sister a bit.

    I'm sorry to hear about the loss of your granddog.

  • tibs
    13 years ago

    I wish we had a few around here, too many dam' white tails.

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