Deer hunting in Iowa

[PhiLandShiR 18]

A Cedar Rapids man has shot and killed a 125-pound male mountain lion in Marengo, an official from the Iowa Department of Natural Resources said Tuesday.

http://www.press-citizen.com/apps/pbcs.dll...mp;Profile=1079

If it tests positive, and preliminary indications are that it will, this would be just the fourth mountain lion identified by the DNR in the state of Iowa in the past nine years and the first in the past five years, said Ron Andrews, a DNR furbearer resource specialist based in Clear Lake.

"It's rare to say the least," Andrews said.

However, Andrews said it would be "inappropriate for people to panic" because although mountain lions are predators, there are likely only one or two others in Iowa, if that, and like other animals, they typically leave humans alone unless cornered. Nine people have been killed by mountain lions in the western U.S. in the past 150 years, Andrews said.

DNR conservation officer Brad Baker went on Tuesday to Marengo with Raymond Goebel Jr., 48, of Cedar Rapids, the man who shot the mountain lion while deer hunting on Monday. Baker investigated the site of the shooting and the animal's remains. Upon inspection, Baker confirmed that it was a wild mountain lion.

"Every indication is it's a wild cat," Baker said. "It has its front claws. It was shot out of a tree. It had inch and a quarter teeth. There were no visible ear tags."

Goebel said he spotted the mountain lion in a tree about 4 p.m. Monday while deer hunting on the property of Dean Kinzenbaw about four miles south of Marengo.

As Goebel tells it, he was looking for deer when he sat down on a stump and happened to look over his shoulder and noticed something in a tree about 40 yards off that didn't look right. Upon closer look with the scope on his rifle, he realized it was a mountain lion.

He contacted a friend about the legality of hunting mountain lions -- which is allowed in Iowa -- and got the OK from Kinzenbaw. Turns out, the cat had been spooking Kinzenbaw's horses for a few years, Goebel said. Goebel knew no one would believe him unless he brought it home, he said.

"I just sat there and I sat there for a while and I shot it," Goebel said. "I shot it once, and it fell out of the tree."

The cat was about 4 feet long, 3 feet tall, with 4-inch by 3½-inch paws, 1-inch claws, a beige coat and a white face, Goebel said.

"It's a beautiful animal," he said.

DNR officials told Goebel that the cat appears to have eaten well because of the good condition of its claws, although it wasn't immediately clear what it had been eating, Goebel said.

DNR will take samples for testing, and Goebel will have the cat fully mounted by a taxidermist.

"It's unbelievable. Like they said, it is one that will probably never happen again," Goebel said.

Iowa served as a habitat for mountain lions, lynx and bobcats at the time explorers first came to the state. However, they now primarily live in western states, Andrews said.

DNR began receiving calls about mountain lion sightings early this decade, but officials didn't believe it, Andrews said. Then a mountain lion turned up as road kill in 2001 in Southwestern Iowa, providing the first proof of the animal in Iowa in years, Andrews said.

Two other mountain lions were shot by hunters, most recently in 2004 in Central Iowa, Andrews said.

The three previous mountain lions had been juvenile males, and the male shot on Monday also appears to be a juvenile, Andrews said, which means reproduction could be possible in Iowa.

The Iowa DNR receives three mountain lion sightings a week, but virtually all are deemed erroneous, Andrews said.

Iowa banned any new mountain lions as pets two years ago, Andrews said.

Although some would like to support a return of mountain lions to Iowa, including Andrews, there likely wouldn't be support from the Legislature in this agricultural state, Andrews said.

"In this state, there is little tolerance toward mountain lions coming back to the state of Iowa," Andrews said.

[Nagishkaw 510]

[PhiLandShiR 18]

You would not be angry if it was you that ran into one that was hungry....

[Ban Hammer 13,635]

You would not be angry if it was you that ran into one that was hungry....

quite true. we've had a few sightings around here and i'm strongly considering taking my .44 mag with me when i mow the yard.

[PhiLandShiR 18]

Yup. Not a bad idea...

Time to get the Glock oiled up I guess...

You would not be angry if it was you that ran into one that was hungry....

quite true. we've had a few sightings around here and i'm strongly considering taking my .44 mag with me when i mow the yard.

[Niels Bohr 72]

I will eat you! (No Pun intended!)

[PhiLandShiR 18]

I will eat you! (No Pun intended!)

Always best with a bit of ketchup!!!