Mountain Lion in Backyard

United States
April 11, 2007 1:42pm CST
In a nearby community, people have been having problems with a Mountain Lion prowling their neighborhood. Fish and game won't do anything because the lion avoids people and has not threatened anyone. What would you do if you saw a Mountain Lion in your yard one day/night?
2 people like this
7 responses
• United States
13 Apr 07
I live in an area that has Mountain Lions come down into the community on a regular basis but our fish and game department usually do something about it right away. The reason that they are so responsive is that a couple of years ago a couple of Mountain lions moved into an inhabited area and the nobody did anything at first because they were bothering anybody. Then they started killing pets and after that they started going after people. After a few near misses they finally caught, killed, and ate part of a teenage boy who was out jogging during his PE class. The freaky thing about Mountain lions is that you won't know that they are there until it's too late. Bears are usually more visible so you can take steps to avoid them (though, they can be very good at stealth if they put their mind to it).
• United States
13 Apr 07
Yes. While there hasn't been anyone killed in that immediate area, there have been deaths in the region from them. The latest was a bicyclist that was fixing a broken chain on his bike while he was riding in an open space preserve near a very populated area. I think everyone around there were surprised that there was a mountain lion there. We've also had sightings near where I work. There is a large urban park and I wouldn't be surprised if there were some mountain lions there.
1 person likes this
@ElicBxn (63194)
• United States
12 Apr 07
I'd probably be keeping the dogs in more. I know I wouldn't go out & say "Here kitty, kitty, kitty." I also wouldn't be putting anything out for him/her to eat. But if I saw it, I would hope I have a working camera, at least call the roomie to come look - I know she'd be as excited to see it as I would be. I know we've gotten thrilled just seeing opposums in our back yard.
2 people like this
• United States
12 Apr 07
It's always fun when you can see wildlife. Hopefully, this cat won't get attached to the neighborhood and move off.
1 person likes this
@juls2me2 (2150)
• United States
19 Apr 07
I would freak out. I know my dog would go completely nuts over the big cat. He already goes nuts about the little stray cats that roam around. Gotta love it.
@juls2me2 (2150)
• United States
19 Apr 07
I remember hearing about that in the news. It was a reality check to think I'm so close to the mountains that a mountain lion could meet up with anytime. Even walking around the lake that seems so tranquil.
1 person likes this
• United States
19 Apr 07
He he, Juls. What's funny is that the incident that inspired this discussion happened only a few miles from you, probably on the eastern side.
@sarah22 (3979)
• United States
19 Apr 07
wow, i think the reason for them coming into town is the lack of food they can find. if they are not hurting anyone, why hurt them.
1 person likes this
• United States
19 Apr 07
That's probably the case. It might be a young one looking for a new territory. Of course, humans are building more in their habitat.
• United States
19 Apr 07
Wow. I haven't heard this rumor. I would have to say, I would stay indoors lol. I don't think I would be trying to capture it that's for sure. I would probably sit in my house and call 911.
1 person likes this
• United States
19 Apr 07
I think that's what people did, but since it wasn't doing anything threatening, there really wasn't any response. I haven't heard anything about it lately.
• Sri Lanka
19 Apr 07
in the country of sri lanka there are no mountain lion. we can't say mountain lion is harm, because it want harm for human every time. may be harm some time. in case if i saw a mountain lion in a day/night i try to avoid to meet it or hiding from it.
1 person likes this
• United States
19 Apr 07
That is good. Mountains lions have killed people, but most of them avoid humans. They don't have a tendency towards man-eating and usually it's more of an opportunity thing.
• Canada
12 Apr 07
We have the same problem with Cougars which are Mountian Lions and black bear prowlign around the neighbor hoods most of the time Conservation will not do much other than try to catch them in traps rarely will they try to traquilise them or even put them down. Mostly if the food source dries up liek garbage then they will move on. One problem with cougars is they follow the deer wich peopel liek to see adn have around they are a prime food source for the cougar so if you want one you get the other. I have seen a few but they are mor escared of me adn are goen in a blinnk of an eye i knwo w few peopel have been attacked on Vancouver island by them but were beat off with sticks or lots of noise.
1 person likes this
• United States
12 Apr 07
Yeah, where there's deer, there's usually mountain lions. I know up in the mountains, before we had a big fire, there were so many deers that it was unusual if you didn't even see a mountain lion.
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