Cougar Mistaken For a Deer

[midwesterncrosshair]

Cougar fatally struck along I-88 in far west suburbs: state police

A mountain lion was found dead along Interstate 88 over the weekend after it was fatally struck by a vehicle, Illinois State Police said on Monday.

www.audacy.com

I had to have a laugh when I read this. We love our Chicago brethren in IL but sometimes shake our heads at them.

Can't say I was surprised that this cat was in IL, as the hunting atlas is posting wolves now in the northern part of the state, and not to mistake them for coyotes.

Just waiting for the Elk to migrate into the lower part of the state from Kentucky or Missouri.

 

[Dave N]

The wife SWORE years ago that she kept hearing screaming in our yard for a couple nights. Said she saw a big cat. Ya' never know what's out there!

 

[Stocker]

Just waiting for the Elk to migrate into the lower part of the state from Kentucky or Missouri.

We’re getting more coming inti SE Nebraska. Probably have 2-3 around every year now. This one got hit in I80 just west of Omaha sunday.

 

[hunt1up]

There's always a lion or two being discussed in some area of IL on a yearly basis. Probably 10 years ago there was one in our area. Some people laid eyes on it, others had trail cam pics. I was in my deer stand during gun season and my buddy kept trying to call me. I finally answered in a whispering voice. He was all frantic and explained that that a lion was walking across his field. Him and some others were in his shop between morning and afternoon hunts and a bunch of people witnessed it. My buddy ran and grabbed a rifle and proceeded to shoot at the cat, missing 3 times at around 400 yards. Apparently it actually sat down in the field while he attempted to shoot it.

A few years later our Department of Natural resources deemed the mountain lion, wolf, and black bear as protected and off limits to killing. So if a cat or a bear wanders down they're pretty much free to go about their day.

 

[R.K.]

There's always a lion or two being discussed in some area of IL on a yearly basis. Probably 10 years ago there was one in our area. Some people laid eyes on it, others had trail cam pics. I was in my deer stand during gun season and my buddy kept trying to call me. I finally answered in a whispering voice. He was all frantic and explained that that a lion was walking across his field. Him and some others were in his shop between morning and afternoon hunts and a bunch of people witnessed it. My buddy ran and grabbed a rifle and proceeded to shoot at the cat, missing 3 times at around 400 yards. Apparently it actually sat down in the field while he attempted to shoot it.

A few years later our Department of Natural resources deemed the mountain lion, wolf, and black bear as protected and off limits to killing. So if a cat or a bear wanders down they're pretty much free to go about their day.

Except for that black bear that wandered through Monroe County last year (maybe the year prior?). He did not get safe passage.

 

[Flatbrimmer]

Just waiting for the Elk to migrate into the lower part of the state from Kentucky or Missouri.

And mistake one for deer, am I right?

 

[midwesterncrosshair]

Except for that black bear that wandered through Monroe County last year (maybe the year prior?). He did not get safe passage.

There was one in 2020 that traveled from WI all the way to St. Louis... It was a cool ordeal but after the game wardens darted him and transferred him to the ozark mountains, he was later found to have been hit by a semi.

‘Bruno,’ the wandering black bear who traveled through Illinois in search of a mate, is relocated from a St. Louis suburb

Bruno the black bear, whose interstate wanderlust inspired an international legion of followers, was tranquilized in Missouri and relocated for the safety of the animal and public. Missouri conserv…

www.chicagotribune.com

 

[midwesterncrosshair]

And mistake one for deer, am I right?

yes... shhhhhh... haha

 

[R.K.]

There was one in 2020 that traveled from WI all the way to St. Louis... It was a cool ordeal but after the game wardens darted him and transferred him to the ozark mountains, he was later found to have been hit by a semi.

‘Bruno,’ the wandering black bear who traveled through Illinois in search of a mate, is relocated from a St. Louis suburb

Bruno the black bear, whose interstate wanderlust inspired an international legion of followers, was tranquilized in Missouri and relocated for the safety of the animal and public. Missouri conserv…

www.chicagotribune.com

Nope, the bear I’m thinking of was farther south. And that website is paywalled.

 

[elkantlers]

This lion is really putting on the miles. 700+ since May.

Randy Larsen on Instagram

140 likes, 6 comments - wildlifeprof on October 7, 2022

www.instagram.com