Anyone think there is cougar in Indiana?
- Thread starter Harley
- Start date
Yes Harley. I think there are cougar in Indiana and especially in Martin County at the Naval base which consists of almost 70,000 acres of uninhabited wildnerness. My stepfather claims to have seen one there as well as one of his friends back in the 70's. I am quite sure I saw a female cougar with 3 kittens in the early 70's near Owensburg. I also recently photographed a track which may have been left by a cougar. I have also seen 3 bobcats in Martin county in recent years. Thanks for the thread, and I would enjoy hearing others comments.
Quote:
There have been a few reports this week of tracks and large cat sounds coming from my area (southern Indiana). I was just wondering if anyone out there has any stories or proof to share about them here in Indiana.
Harley
That is a mountain lion in Illinois found shot this past Dec in the northern half of the state along the mississippi river.
Also, biologists believe that there are cats in the southern part of the state in the Shawnee National forest.
So, could they be in Indiana? I have no doubt.
There have been a few reports this week of tracks and large cat sounds coming from my area (southern Indiana). I was just wondering if anyone out there has any stories or proof to share about them here in Indiana.
Harley
That is a mountain lion in Illinois found shot this past Dec in the northern half of the state along the mississippi river.
Also, biologists believe that there are cats in the southern part of the state in the Shawnee National forest.
So, could they be in Indiana? I have no doubt.
Harley
New member
This week a woman said that she actually seen a large tan colored cat running along the side of the raod heading for cover. DNR checked it out and said that the tracs were of a cat but to large for a cougar. I don't know what to make of that!?!?!? I know that I have heard a few people seeing them but there is no proof yet. I don't doubt it one bit that they are hear.
That sure is a large cat on that truck - I would hate to tangle with one of those alone, deep in the hoosier national forest.
That sure is a large cat on that truck - I would hate to tangle with one of those alone, deep in the hoosier national forest.
Harley
New member
Todays paper had another article in it about a possible cougar. A lady on the other side of town from where the majority of the reports have taken place reported that she had heard something large jump on top of her moble home and was "walking around". She said that she heard it jump off but was to afarid to look out her window. Local DNR went to investigate and found several large tracks around 3.5", DNR said that it looked like couagr tracks as it had 4 toes and no nail marks - they went on to say that there was one problem with the tracks being a cougar - the tracks only had two lobes instead of three at the back of the print. The newspaper showed sightings that were spread out over the entire county. One guy reported that he was sitting in his living room and happened to look up and out is patio window and there was a full grown couagr sitting on his deck staring at him. I just got through talking with the DNR law enforcement office and they stated that off the record "they are out there"
I plan to see if I can call one in.
I plan to see if I can call one in.
Marlin 25-36
New member
I was wondering if it would be legal to shoot one in Indiana?
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I asked the same question and DNR law enforcement told me that there is no season and that if I got him, they would appreciate it if I would bring it by for them to check out.
That is more important than you know. They need to check the pads for signs of concrete wear. They do this to see if the cat was caged recently. They will also check the teeth and stomach contents. They could also take some samples and do a DNA test.
The big argument that only complete autopsy will settle is, "Is this an escaped / released pet?" For years there have been reports of cougar in Michigan's UP. For years the DNR denied any presence. Eventually, a DNR employee confronted one in the woods. Now the DNR sings the "escaped zoo animal" song. Until one is brought in for testing, they will not know for sure. While a single cat will not impact the way any state's DNR handles things, if enough can be verified, then money can be allocated for professional biologists to find out what is going on. How big is the population, etc.
The cat taken in Illinois was never given intact to the DNR. The hunter that found it just refused to cooperate fully. At least that is what the press has stated.
I asked the same question and DNR law enforcement told me that there is no season and that if I got him, they would appreciate it if I would bring it by for them to check out.
That is more important than you know. They need to check the pads for signs of concrete wear. They do this to see if the cat was caged recently. They will also check the teeth and stomach contents. They could also take some samples and do a DNA test.
The big argument that only complete autopsy will settle is, "Is this an escaped / released pet?" For years there have been reports of cougar in Michigan's UP. For years the DNR denied any presence. Eventually, a DNR employee confronted one in the woods. Now the DNR sings the "escaped zoo animal" song. Until one is brought in for testing, they will not know for sure. While a single cat will not impact the way any state's DNR handles things, if enough can be verified, then money can be allocated for professional biologists to find out what is going on. How big is the population, etc.
The cat taken in Illinois was never given intact to the DNR. The hunter that found it just refused to cooperate fully. At least that is what the press has stated.
AmbushCZ243
New member
My dad lived in Rockville for years and there was the local story of the "Whampom Cat" that was know to live around Racoon Lake. A few years back DNR regestered the area as cougar habitat. This is near the Ill border in western In. There are lots of deep hollows, caves, and clifs for them to hide out in.
GC
Well-known member
After many years of speculation Missouri's Department of Conservation finally confirmed a couple of years ago that Missouri does indeed have a population of wild Mountain Lions. Missouri has had way too many sightings, a few killed illegally by hunters pursuing other game, and even at least one that was struck by a car on a major highway. About a mile as the crow flies from one of my deer hunting stands a Conservation Agent videoed a large Cougar on a deer kill. The population is small and scattered, but they are here to stay. Hunting Mountain Lion here is not permitted.
We also have a growing wild/feral hog population with open hunting. They are fairly scattered, wild as all get out, and tough to hunt. I see hog sign often while hunting, just haven't ran into one yet. I have a couple of friends that have killed a few, big, burly, rangy critters (the hogs, not the friends /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif). The hogs stay in the absolute thickest cover during the day and snow is very helpful to track them.
Missouri also has a steadily growing population of Black Bears. Bears aren't as unusual as a few years ago, one was killed this week by a resident not far from here because it attacked his dog. Guy shot it in the head with a .22 rifle! 400 pounder! That'll certainly do it but isn't my ideal of a bear defense gun. A non-resident turkey hunter killed one last year that wouldn't leave his camp one night. Our bear population is estimated to be as high as maybe 900 statewide and growing. Bears are protected just like Mountain Lions. In fact, Missouri has what is called a "permissive code" which means that if it's not permitted in the wildlife code, then it can't be legally done. Thus shooting an odd critter that one wanders into while afield, is illegal. We're getting a lot of armidillos and they can be destructive to gardens, ect... can't shoot one of the armored possums because it isn't allowed in the code book.
There was even a tagged Timber Wolf from Wisconsin killed in northern Missouri a couple of years ago. There was a Moose that wandered around and got friendly with a farmers cows several years ago. And finally a deer hunter here killed an Elk quite awhile back! I guess a fellow needs to keep his eyes open cause ya just never know what you're going to run into.
We also have a growing wild/feral hog population with open hunting. They are fairly scattered, wild as all get out, and tough to hunt. I see hog sign often while hunting, just haven't ran into one yet. I have a couple of friends that have killed a few, big, burly, rangy critters (the hogs, not the friends /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif). The hogs stay in the absolute thickest cover during the day and snow is very helpful to track them.
Missouri also has a steadily growing population of Black Bears. Bears aren't as unusual as a few years ago, one was killed this week by a resident not far from here because it attacked his dog. Guy shot it in the head with a .22 rifle! 400 pounder! That'll certainly do it but isn't my ideal of a bear defense gun. A non-resident turkey hunter killed one last year that wouldn't leave his camp one night. Our bear population is estimated to be as high as maybe 900 statewide and growing. Bears are protected just like Mountain Lions. In fact, Missouri has what is called a "permissive code" which means that if it's not permitted in the wildlife code, then it can't be legally done. Thus shooting an odd critter that one wanders into while afield, is illegal. We're getting a lot of armidillos and they can be destructive to gardens, ect... can't shoot one of the armored possums because it isn't allowed in the code book.
There was even a tagged Timber Wolf from Wisconsin killed in northern Missouri a couple of years ago. There was a Moose that wandered around and got friendly with a farmers cows several years ago. And finally a deer hunter here killed an Elk quite awhile back! I guess a fellow needs to keep his eyes open cause ya just never know what you're going to run into.
Harley
New member
I have no doubt that there are cougar in Indiana. We have wild hogs as well - there are several of them down in Lawrence and Jackson County. My cousins’ husband killed a large one this past November - he had to cut it in half just to get it out of the woods. Last summer the newspaper showed a picture taken by a couple of fisherman, of a large wild hog swimming across white river.
Also last year there was a dead wolf found in a field that had been tagged in Iowa. Some of these animals travel such long distances that they have to occasionally venture into our state lines from the surrounding states.
Here in Indiana, if an animal is not considered a native game species then there is no protection for them (if they do not exist then it is not illegal to shoot them).
I know that the talk of a cougar being on the prowl has caused a lot of people to be worried - last night the wifey and I were cat fishing on a creek until a early in the morning, I had a hard time getting her attention off the woods behind us and onto the fishing, she even made me bring my rifle and sit it beside the chair.
Harley
Also last year there was a dead wolf found in a field that had been tagged in Iowa. Some of these animals travel such long distances that they have to occasionally venture into our state lines from the surrounding states.
Here in Indiana, if an animal is not considered a native game species then there is no protection for them (if they do not exist then it is not illegal to shoot them).
I know that the talk of a cougar being on the prowl has caused a lot of people to be worried - last night the wifey and I were cat fishing on a creek until a early in the morning, I had a hard time getting her attention off the woods behind us and onto the fishing, she even made me bring my rifle and sit it beside the chair.
Harley