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| This photograph of a mountain lion was taken by a Department of Natural Resources motion-sensitive camera in Greene County on May 1, 2010. |
A mountain lion has been confirmed in a rural part of Greene County east of Bloomfield as a result of a new Department of Natural Resources policy designed to systematically collect data and evaluate reported sightings of such animals.
A mountain lion's presence was verified by Scott Johnson, the DNR's non-game mammal biologist and member of the DNR Division of Fish and Wildlife's team that assists in reviewing reports having credible evidence.
Johnson made the determination from photographs taken by motion-sensitive game cameras placed in the area after a preliminary investigation found evidence consistent with mountain lion behavior, including an eviscerated deer carcass buried under a pile of leaves.
The cameras were set on April 30, and multiple images of a mountain lion were captured at approximately 2:30 a.m. on May 1.
Johnson was contacted after a conservation officer from the DNR Division of Law Enforcement received a call from a citizen. Conservations officers helped Johnson set the trail cameras and have been informing local residents of the mountain lion's presence.
Mountain lions are known by many names, including cougar, puma, catamount and panther. Historically, mountain lions (Puma concolor) lived in most of the eastern United States, including Indiana. Different published reports cite the last documented case of a wild mountain lion in Indiana as somewhere between 1850 and 1865.
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| This photograph of a mountain lion was taken by a Department of Natural Resources motion-sensitive camera in Greene County on May 1, 2010. |
The chance of encountering a mountain lion today in Indiana is almost non-existent, but people should be alert to their surroundings. If an encounter does happen, the MLRT points to advice from authorities in Western states, where mountain lions are more common:
* Do not approach a mountain lion. Give it a way to escape.
* Do not run from a mountain lion. Instead, stand and face the animal. Make eye contact.
* Do not crouch or bend over. Do all you can to appear larger. Raise your arms, open your jacket or shirt. Wave your arms slowly and speak firmly in a loud voice.
* Hold children and pets near you.
* Fight back if attacked using big sticks, stones, or any other available items.
"One thing to point out is mountain lions are not stalkers," said Gary Langell, the DNR's private lands program manager and developer of the mountain lion policy. "They don't stalk prey. They tend to pick an active game trail, like a deer trail, and wait for a deer to come by. That's typically why you don't see livestock kills from mountain lions. They lay in wait rather than stalk."
The purpose of the policy is to develop a consistent procedure to investigate reported sightings and to institute a formal data collection and storage system.
"The objective is to keep the public abreast of all developments regarding mountain lions in Indiana based on the best available scientific information," Langell said. "More than anything, it was prompted by increased reports of mountain lions migrating east, specifically out of South Dakota. Of course, there have been a couple reports from Michigan, and one in Chicago. At that point, it becomes more apparent we could have mountain lions show up in Indiana."
Without additional evidence, Langell said it's impossible to say if the mountain lion photographed in Greene County is wild or is a formerly captive cat.
The DNR occasionally receives reports of mountain lion sightings around the state, but typically the evidence has turned out to be something other than a mountain lion, has been inconclusive, or has proved to be part of an Internet hoax.
Since the policy's inception March 1, 19 mountain lion sightings have been reported. The report in Greene County is the only one confirmed to be a mountain lion.
Langell said two reports were confirmed by biologists as animals other than a mountain lion. Sixteen were designated as "unconfirmed" either because of no physical evidence or because photographs provided were of insufficient quality to identify characteristics of any animal type.
Prior to implementing the policy, a DNR biologist investigated and confirmed in late 2009 a mountain lion in Clay County based on evidence submitted by a hunter who had taken photographs from an elevated hunting stand. Another biologist investigated a report near Idaville in White County in December, but evidence was inconclusive.
Mountain lions are a protected species in Indiana, but state law allows a resident landowner or tenant to kill a mountain lion while it is causing damage to property owned or leased by the landowner/tenant. If the landowner/tenant wishes to have someone else take the mountain lion, that person is required to secure a permit from the DNR Division of Fish & Wildlife.
For additional information on mountain lions, visit the Cougar Network at http://www.easterncougarnet.org/, or go to www.easterncougarnet.org/Assets/pumaidgu... for an identification guide.
Note: The nature of the Internet makes it impractical for our staff to review every comment. If you feel that a comment is offensive, please
Here Kitty Kitty Kitty....BANG!
I have a rather vivid childhood memory of seeing one of these in a field in the middle of nowhere (It was surely somewhere within or very close to Greene County). I had no idea they were so rare. Perhaps it was just a bobcat, but I thought that it was only one solid color.
I know a very credibal farmer from up around the old ferry that said he had seen one also.
Hope some idiot doesn't go out looking for the lion to kill it. I would like to see it captured by the pros and have it taken up to the Exotic Feline Rescue center. They are beautiful creatures! Has anyone heard their "scream"?
We've seen one deep on our property.
I heard of cougar sightings along the Richland creek bottoms for years.
Is the credible farmer near Farmers' Ferry the same farmer who said they once seen a Monkey and Kangaroo in the area also?
Maybe it's a NORTH DAVIESS COUGAR!!!
Wooo-weeee, gonna get my gun and some beer, hop in my old pee-yick up and shoot sumpin. That's the redneck way, shooowee, guh-hyuckit.
James30096: I hear they taste of chicken.
I saw this cougar this morning on my way to work. It crossed our county road. Just north of Bloomfield! It is HUGE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I'm the credible farmer, and it was a monkey riding an elephant that I saw.
Uhm..
I kinda think this is a seriouse matter, expecialy for the ones that live around here and have kids that are concerned about there childs saftey anyway. This Beast's pictures were talkin about a mile and half away from my house.
B:014, you must be a cougar yourself!!
Why do you think the team name for the Junior high basketball team is " PANTHER " DUH !!!!
Shoot it? Why? Are you honestly afraid of this animal? I'm sorry, I mean "beast" as someone here called it? The number of mountain lion attacks in a given area is proportional to the number of people times the number of lions. In California,they have an estimated 5,000-6,000 mountain lions and 37 million people. They average one mountain lion attack per year. In Indiana we now have one confirmed mountain lion (likely a few more out there) and 6.5 million people. The odds of a lion attack are very low. We are all much more likely to be killed in a car wreck, by a dog, or struck by lightning than to be attacked by this animal. Also, mountain lions were here in Indiana before people were. This is their land. We ran them out and hunted them to endangerment when we moved in.
PS - I am a hunter...but also a conservationist.
The author uses the term MLRT without ever explaining what it stands for.
ConcernedDad,
Google is your friend...
Mountain Lion Response Team
pjp,
Actually, this is our land, too. We have every right to be here. Since you're so concerned about this animal and claim to be a hunter, why don't you trap it and take it to some rescue center?
One more thing.....they are indeed a beautiful creature.
First rule of going into the woods in bear or mountain lion country: Always travel in pairs.
Second rule: Always travel with someone slower than you.
You don't have to outrun the lion, just the other person!!!!!!!
on the Blood trail: I think I'll take my Mother in Law on a leisurely stroll through the woods today!
lol if u are mauled by the lion use sticks rocks or somthing to deffend yourself OOOOOOKKKKKK like thats gonna help with a 300 lb cat !!!!!!!!!
Shame on you MommyAL lol!
Yes, I have heard their scream, and it's something I'm not really anticipating hearing again!
Maybe you moved onto thier land and ran them out pjp, but I didn't. They were already gone when I got here and I would just as soon they stay gone. As noted by the DNR, they aren't stalkers, they lay in wait. Well, what if a young person happens to walk by the wooded area where they are "laying in wait"? Not a pretty picture. I think we should defend our children by whatever means available, whether gun or tranquilizer gun.
I noticed the DNR didn't say they had any plans for capturing it and removing it to a non-populated area or to the Centerpoint Rescue Center.
Perhaps the odds of an attack by a mountain lion are very slim in Indiana, but I don't think you would care about the odds if one of your loved ones was attacked.
Pretty scary situation. Sometimes you have to look at something like this. Then realize that you're not at the top of the food chain anymore. Which to me. Is a little scary. I have small kids and do alot of work in the creek bottoms in eastern greene county at night. I think anyone who wants a creature like this around here is nuts. Hopefully, we have nothing to worry about. But I know I'll definately be more cautious.
What a beautiful healthy looking lion!
I guess I am nuts then. I think its great that one has actually been confirmed. I am a dedicated outdoorsman but basically a conservationist at heart. Why anyone would want this cat to go to the wildlife sanctuary is beyond me, let it be.
Yes, it would be horrible to be alone and encounter one. That being said however, this should teach us all that while some of us feel quite comfortable walking in the woods/country, you just never know whats out there. There are wild animals of all kinds all over the place. We can't hunt down and kill everything that scares us. Let's all remember to keep our eyes and ears on alert.*And moniter our children!* Different topic, but some people who let their kids run all over town unattended should also moniter their children better. I have seen 6 year olds roaming all over. Anyone checked out the local sex offender list lately? Thats an entirely different predator to be aware of.
I think there are more than enough deer in the area to keep the mountain lion happy for a while. I find it funny that after many, many reports by people over the years it was no big deal, but now that the DNR has actually confirmed the presence of a big cat people are suddenly fearful.
I agree with localyokal and EggMan. Leave it be, because it hasn't bothered anyone. We don't even know how long its been around. The pictures were captured at 2:30 am, so it surely wasn't out hunting man.
as an outdoorsman i think it wouldnt hurt to have a few big cats around it would help keep the deer herds in check we have so many cars hitting deer ur chances of getting hurt hitting a deer in your car are alot more likely than getting mauled by a couger in green county !!!
Okay, you're right. It shouldn't be taken to Center Point. It doesn't need rescuing.
I'm with localyokel.
I am with you, localyokal. I wouldn't want to see it put in captivity.
As for hunting it down and killing it, I don't get that either. I understand that seeing a picture of the cat makes it more 'real'. However, having grown up playing in the woods, I think it's out of line to think that this lone animal is the only thing in the surrounding countryside that could cause us harm or kill us. Just because pictures of them haven't been posted in the newspaper doesn't mean they aren't out there. It's the woods, use caution and common sense. With the ridiculous amount of deer around here, I doubt that it is going to start starving anytime soon, and take to hunting down people.
As feelinyounglookinold so astutely pointed out, we have much more to fear from vicious 2 legged animals than 4 legged ones.
Please people let the Cat be. I live in the area were the Mountain lion has been sighted. We have heard of sighting for years. Although we have lived here for close to 30 years we have yet to see one of these Cats. We live on a 200 acre farm and the Cat or Cats have never bothered anyone or anything around these parts. Dont go out looking for trouble. Just please let the CAT alone. Why would someone want to shoot it or rescue it ? This cat has not hurt anyone nor will it, if everyone just leaves it alone. Enjoy the beauty of this beautiful creature and RESPECT it. Until the Cat causes harm to anyone or anyone's property let it be and lets enjoy the beauty of this magnificent Cat. One reason we live in the Country is to enjoy the aniamals in the wild. There is nothing more exciting than to see Deer, Cyotes, Eagles, and host of many other wild aniamals that makes this part of the Country so beautiful. And to James: dont even think gettin drunk on some beer and gettin in your pee-yick truck and shootin sumpin. Not in these parts of the woods !!! And yes shame on MommyAL.One more thing...2 thumbs up to pjp :-)
Have a neighbor who lost a cow this week, it's throat torn out...looks like the price of beef will be going up!
Aniamal lover, I think some folks in this area have deluded themselves into thinking Greene County is some kind of metropolitan, urban area instead of the most rural area of a rural state.
There are critters here. That's one reason why we call it the country.
Some of you folks may not agree with me but I believe that cougar has a RIGHT to live FREE. I also think its wonderful that this cougar is NOT in a cage pacing back and forth. We humans live free, and fight to protect our freedom! I think the cougar is absolutely beautiful, living free the way they are meant to be.
utudlc....So funny!!! Oh now that a Big Cat has been sighted lets all go blame the death of your neighbors cow on the Mountain Lion !!! :-( I remember years ago in Linton a cow was found chained to a tree and a Human being ( if you want to call it that ) had taken a chain saw and cut the cows legs off while it was still alive !!! Or maybe the Mountain Lion was responsiple for this too.
bparker I so agree with you I hope this cat is left alone and is not captured or killed. There is nothing worse than seeing an aniaml caged up that has the RIGHT to run free. Come on people there are thousands of acres out in this area and no one is in DANGER of this CAT !!!
I saw one run in front of my truck just after sunset near Mineral in the fall of 2005... it was a huge cat with rounded ears. I am sure it was a mountain lion
I for one am quite concerned. I live north of Bloomfield on a hobby-type farm with goats outside all the time and my small dogs inside but outside in a fenced in area when let out. I think all big cats are beautiful but now I am going to have to keep a much more watchful eye on my animals from now on. Instead of just watching for coyotes, wild dogs which are in the area also now I will have to watch for cougers too.
there have been so called sightings of big cats in this area for years now,but now that the dnr have proof all of a sudden our children and livestock are in danger? now if i let my kids wander around in the woods alone at night i might have a reason to be concerned, but since i don't i think we will be ok. as an outdoorsman and hunter myself awareness is the only action we need to take.there are people in this country that live, farm, and raise families on the same land that big cats and bears live on. how do they do it? they know they are there, awareness! this is one cat! don't hunt it, don't trap and cage it, know that it is there and live with it!
Hopefully the idiot that killed that beautiful eagle won't find this cat!
I am very close to saying capture the animal and let it go hungry for three or four days and then take it to Indianapolis and turn it loose in the capital building while the legislature is in session! However I dont believe in animal cruelty though! Freaking property taxes! I guess you are taxed on the ascessed value of your property right? Well if the value of your property lowers how can your tax rate rise? Is that a raise in property taxes? I myself believe that we all are being over ascessed because there is no way I can get out of my property for what its ascessed for. Enough is already too much!
To those who think we should kill or trap this animal, do you also think we should trap all of the deer in Indiana and take them to a rescue center. Think of how many automobile accidents and deaths/injuries are caused by deer every year. Odds of getting killed by a deer are much higher than getting killed by a mountain lion.
I live about 2 miles from the Greene/Daviess line and I have heard that there are mountain lions in my area. I think that everyone should calm down. They are not going to hunt down our children and our livestock. Just let them be. I think they are beautiful animals and I hope we have more around in the future to keep the deer population down.
You ARE in COUGAR COUNTRY!!!!
I did not beleive in cougars or panthers here in Indiana until i moved to an area called possum hollow in 1990 It was an area at the end of a hollow that run from the Wabash river to Gilmore and up to the south end of Jasonville. Im telling everyone they have been here since the settlers first came just read any ole settlers book and the biggest problem they had in Indiana was panthers and wolves.Emanuel Hatfields book from Owensburg, Indiana will explain that they are native to this area and part of Indiana's heritage and i have personally encountered one myself. They are extremely elusive and nocturnal creatures the only time to be of concern about safety is if they are seen often in your area in the daytime repeatedly it is a sign that they might be looking for food and ageing to the point that they cannot catch the food that they normally go after.I now live in an area next to Greene Sullvan forest and their is one in this area i have seen its foot prints in the snow two times in the exact same spot and my wife encountered it one night looking for her demestic cat, it was setting at the edge of the forrest and growled at her when she got too close calling for her pet tom cat here kitty and i am not kidding it is not joke! The reason the panther was their was because i was feeding corn to the animals in my back yard and i have dusk to dawn lights that put out light in the area and the panther was watching the prey from the woods but will never come into the light these kitties are not dumb they have lived around us for years and they know that the lights are their enemy they are nocturnal animals if you live in a rural area and especially close to a river or big creek you have had them close to you with out knowing it. Thanks and God Bless!!!
I hope they start breeding in the area.
They make good mothers too.
i live in indy,but i have hunted an fished in greene county for 40yrs. there have allways been sign's of big cats all over g/s state forrest,plus all over the coal properties,i say let them be,not hurtin anyone
The cougar was turned loose by the DNR to control the turkey population. Turkeys were scratching up all the good mushroom spots and eating quail eggs. They tried another method a few years ago that didn't work. They dropped rattlesnakes out of black helicopters. The rattlesnakes were supposed to eat the turkey eggs. Seems that the rattlesnakes forgot and ate only turtle eggs. Now turtles are a protected species. The black wolf that was hit by a car south of Bloomfield a couple of weeks ago (yep. it's true!) was released by the DNR to breed with the coyotes to make a "super-canine" that would help control the deer population. This was paid for by the car insurance alliance. Also the DNR stocked piranhas in several of the Greene/Sullivan pits to help control the carp population. A little boy disappeared while swimming in one of the them a few years back. Also, bigfoot was spotted on the banks of the White river eating a bald eagle. He said it tasted like chicken. Must go...UFO spotted flying underneath the Newberry bridges!
Don't forget about the Monkey and Kangaroo.
I used to live in Owensburg, and I had a encounter with a panther. I mistakenly thought he was a black labrador. He was standing at the edge of the road and I kept yelling hello to him, thinking he was my neighbor's labrador Jake! He finally leaped once into the air in front of me into the woods! It was unnerving to say the least, My neighbor encountered this panther..it lives by the ICE Cave.before Koleen..My neigbor up the hill, likes to feed animals, and he Had 2 cougars, behind 3 deer by his house..It was caught on film on his security camera.. This happened several months ago. I talked to the DNR about this 5 years ago..so the big cats have been around here for a long time! Watch your children! My son as a little boy, thought there was a monster in the yard! It got very quiet when my husband tracked it into a tree! Then it moved away, he could see its eyes!
I want to let you know one other thing.. Panthers show up early in the morning, and about 5:30 in the evening! I saw the panther in October in early evening..My neighbor across the road by the creek saw it about 9:00 in the morning..Thats what concerned me about the little children standing at the busstop early in the mornings..Thats why I went to the DNR! You would have to be really fast to even shoot one, so be careful. I remember a comment Paul Harvey, spoke of many years, ago on his radio broadcast! Only in Greene County do people disappear, and are never seen again, so remember, BE CAREFul!
Is any of what you said true blood on the trail? How do you get information on what is being released in or around Greene County?
Puhleeeeese Dustin! Of course its true!
Its just that microchip planted in Blood's belly making him rant. He was sworn to DNR secrecy, but it looks like he has gone rogue.
I have lived in this area all of my life and heard screaming and heard of people seeing these animals. I don't think it is anything to worry about. I beleave they have been here all the time.
They have probably been here for some time now, and nothing major has happened, I would be more afraid of the "two legged" critters than the four.
Please dont hurt this cat. You want to be scared
of this animal, you should be scared of all these
parasite bugs we have here. Thats what will kill you.
¿ƃuıʞoɯs uǝǝq ןıɐɹʇ pooןq ǝɥʇ uo sɐɥ ʇɐɥʍ
OWW!! It bit me!
Isn't it something people always want to preserve the "pretty" things? Unless they are good eating. That's OK, unless they are chewing on you.
The cow somehow sounds like one of them their UFO incidents.
This story is another good reason for a carry permit.
I agree that these cats have been here for many years, as a child i lived in the area the cat was spotted, that was about 24 years ago, and my dad always told me the story of the panther in the woods, he said i followed him outside and saw it's eyes glowing in the dark as you would your typical house cat, and ran as fast as i could back in the house!
We've seen one last fall right across the road from our front door. We live in the area described in the article (American Bottoms Road). We also heard it scream three weeks ago at around 2:00 a.m. close enough to wake us up as we were sleeping with the windows open.
Ok heres the real story behind all of this. My cousin heard a deer in distress and went to check it out was not sure what was going on.When he went to the top of the hill he seen the cat had a deer by the neck he then started backing up to get away He snapped a picture on his camera phone. He then came back to our camp area witch is only a 100 yards from the kill. He then called me i was shroom hunting. I and my buddy came back to the camp and he told us what he seen. We then went up to the area the cat had drug the deer 20' or so thats when we all seen him. Just freaked us out. I called the DNR. they gave me the usual Telling me that they get these reports all the time and if i did not have proof they would not check it out.
I told them about the picture. I then returned 2 days later the cat had drug the deer another 30' and covered it with leaves and dirt. I thought this was weird because normally the coyotes would have tore it up. I then called the DNR again and explained to them that they must see this they showed up and seen the deer and took hair samples from a small tree The DNR officer was then convinced that this might be the real thing.
So thats how this come about we still have the camera phone picture. So if your planning on shroom hunting this area think twice.
But was the monkey in the kangaroo's pouch? Now THAT'S a story!!!
I'm on the side of "leave it be; it's been there for years, but no one was scared until the DNR confirmed it"...
OR, follow me here...we capture it and turn it loose in Bloomfield to take care of the "vicious pit bull" problem...
Folks talk as if there is 1 mtn. lion around, but surly there are at least several & there have been for years now. With adequate cover & a huge food supply, why be surprized? These cats often travel great distances to establish new home ranges. Do you-all remember the bobcat that was live-trapped near NWSC Crane,tagged & then ended up as road kill near Saint Louis, MO? That was maybe 12 years ago. I mark & sell timber all over this country (often alone,but seldom at night). Hey, we all gotta go someway. Get cat eaten & buried in leaves & dirt & at least I'd make local history; not bad--for a Purdue Grad!
pjp from 5/8/10 2:15AM,
Although I appreciate your conservatism viewpoints as I agree in most cases, I don't agree here. You fail to point out that California is nearly 5 times the land mass of Indiana when you are discussing # of cats and # of people. Also, a large percentage of Californians live in big cities and along the coast where cats don't frequent. Cougars stick to the foothills and wilderness for the most part, just like this local kitty. Indiana (and Bloomfield) population is spread out across the country side and the "wilderness" areas in Greene County are puny compared to California wilds. So, your comparison to the very low number of human attacks in Cali does not apply in my opinion.
Sue62 from 5/8/10 9:20AM,
Sue, I agree with you. As far as Gary Langell DNR comment that mtn lions aren't stalkers, I'm sure that is an accurate generalization. But even he uses the word "typically" when touching on the infrequency of livestock kills.
But make no mistake, having lived in western Montana and keeping abreast with local news out there, I can tell you that mtn lions will on rare occasion stalk or go out of their way to kill prey... from following hunters to snatching a pet dog from the edge of a house deck. Read for yourself, google The Missoulian and mtn lions and you will read some hair raising tales! This doesn't mean we all need to freak out, but just keep pets and small children under closer supervision when out in the woods or a rural yard. With little effort, there's no reason we can't coexist with a mtn lion or two.
the cat will be safe.... if my gun don't jam!