Cougar

[k-hat]

Welp, looks like I fed Mr Kitty this morning!  Heading into the woods I almost walked into about a 100# .  I spooked him off into the woods, headed downwind.  He made enough noise, I guess he and his scent got Kitty's attention.  A few minutes later I heard "the squeal of death".   

Ok by me, if he's got bacon I don' think he'll want to mess with what looks like a walking vegetarian meal!!

[BowEd]

During deer gun season here this year a kid in western Iowa shot a cougar here.Some years ago a cougar was shot 4 miles from my place.A pic.Think he was around a 120# young tom.

Being a very active coon hunter some time back and hunted a lot by myself training single dogs I never really give it much thought about those cats.Now it's mostly daytime bow deer hunting.They can be a very efficient killing machine if they are hungry I'm sure.To tell the truth I never did see one.Although many people here have reported seeing them.I think it's because there is pretty high numbers of deer around here. We've got the bobcats here too.I do see them occasionally though.

[JW_Halverson]

Judging by the size of the head and the ears, that is a young 75-80 lb cat.  Pretty average for the cats we have here in the Black Hills.  It is rare for us to get one over 100 lbs in this area. But then, when they are striplings on their own at 55 lbs, they can take an adult whitetail doe.  Lotta power in them puddy-tats!

[BowEd]

The weight on that cat is just what they told me.I could see he was pretty young.They spotted him dragging a deer underneath a barbed wire fence along a gravel road.It was just after a 11" snow storm and I was busy digging myself out.In Iowa cougar are not a native species so there is no on or off season on them.Hence they can be shot on sight any time of year.

[JW_Halverson]

Dang, I hope they didn't waste the meat. Cat is delicious!

[BowEd]

I have no idea if they ate him or the deer it was dragging.You would have to take that up with them.I have put the word out around though that if more are shot and they want a keep sake from it I would tan the hide for nothing.Personally I can see a very nice quiver in one of those fellas.

[JW_Halverson]

As pelts go, mountain lion has a texture all it's own!