Cougars and Wolves and Bears - Oh my!!!!

Cougars are spreading to the Midwest

We've had them sighted here in Indiana for a few years now.

Confirmed sightings map of the US

I shine the flashlight off the back deck every evening before I light my cigar, just in case. I then rely on the dog to tell me when a creature ventures near.

A number of years ago we reportedly had a cougar living here in the Quad Cities in the city of Moline. I found it hard to believe that a big cat like that would live "in the city" as opposed to out in the country. I know we have Bobcats around the area as we had one that I used to hear and saw once at our Boy Scout camp.

I seen a couple here in central Iowa along the Iowa river over the last 10 years.

One was spotted in the refuge near here. The refuge called the farms in the area to let them know to give them a heads up for their livestock.

They've been here a long time. You just don't see them too often. I found a skull of one a few years back. Back in 1980 I found one frozen. I was going to have it mounted but it sort of fell apart when it thawed.

About 6 years ago had one south of Brainerd I tracked for about 1 mile. Brainerd area has a couple of sightings every other year.

We currently have one roaming in sw mn. It has been spotted in our town on trail cameras

Saw two cougars down at the club Friday night.

There was one roaming around in Chicago a few years ago.

quote topperone: "Saw two cougars down at the club Friday night."

Was either of them stalking you?

I used to live near Inola(okla.), out in the country. On my north side was a 10,000acre ranch. Twice we saw a cougar, probably a female, in daylight(sun well up), both times the distance was under 50yrds....first time skidding to a stop on a road! Even found a brown pancake(kitten), brown tail black tip, at about the same road location. They're preferred food source is Whitetails, so if the food is there.....

So I hike a lot and am out in the woods. I don't worry about bears or wolves, but...should I think that big cats are a danger?

quote h20: "So I hike a lot and am out in the woods. I don't worry about bears or wolves, but...should I think that big cats are a danger?"

Never worried about bear,or wolves. Cats I never have trusted. Hard to figure what they are thinking.

I heard a big cat when I was on Cherokee lake 4 years ago, no idea what it was but I heard it growl. Kind of unnerving when I'm sitting on the thunder box.

We have had a few big cats down here in Minneapolis by the river bottoms. People get pictures of them all the time with game cameras.

quote Pinetree: "

quote h20: "So I hike a lot and am out in the woods. I don't worry about bears or wolves, but...should I think that big cats are a danger?"

Never worried about bear,or wolves. Cats I never have trusted. Hard to figure what they are thinking. "

+1

of more concern to me...goatman.

Ok, Goatman is freaky.

And we all thought the bare spots in our campsites were from foot traffic!

I saw a big cat in the north suburbs a few years back now. I think it was around 2001-02. I was golfing out in Champlin, not far from Elm Creek Regional park. I was ahead of my partners when I saw the cat running across the groundskeepers yard and into the woods. I turned to my friends as they were arriving on the tee box and asked, "Did you see that?" No, they had not so I was the only witness. No camera, but I'm certain of what I saw. It was cool!

Feral cats scare me.

I think most of the cougars/mountain lions we see in the midwest and further east are young males out roaming. I don't believe they really take up residence in any one area. They are more nomadic so sightings will probably be sporadic.

But they are out there and really all over the upper midwest and further east.

quote Savage Voyageur: "I heard a big cat when I was on Cherokee lake 4 years ago, no idea what it was but I heard it growl. Kind of unnerving when I'm sitting on the thunder box. "

I saw a bear while I was using the thunder box. It's like taking a laxative. You finish up quickly.