Another cougar sighting in S/W Ontario

[Pydpiper]

Last year I was heading to the range with my spanking new .17 HMR, the range is on a closed road a half a mile from my country house. I rounded a corner in the bush bright and early on a weekday and not 20 yards in front of me a Cougar leaped from the riverbank, touched down on the road right in front of me and in a puff of dust bounded into the bush and out of sight, I was driving my truck, the whole moment was surreal.
Never put much thought into it, I was only thinking of my new rifle.
Later in the day once I had a chance to calm down I thought it may be best to make a call or two about the big, big cat I had seen earlier that day crossed my path.
I called the Ministry, the gal on the phone kinda blew me off a bit, I felt like I was reporting a UFO sighting. In a few minutes she realized that my experience with animals gave me a bit of credibility she immediately forwarded me to the proper person, the next couple days were pretty exciting for me, and still are. Not much came of that cougar though, I didn't see it again, or any sign of it.
Today there is an article in the paper that a Brantford cop seen the animal in town, but dealing with a different jurisdiction the MNR claims to have no information on that animal.
Now, they told me that they think there is a pet escapee that is responsible for the sightings, as well as a valid stool sample found west of here. I got to see/hear some pretty cool stuff because of this animal and my business has taken some pretty cool turns because of it. It will be interesting to see what becomes of it.
This cat is not the same thing as our lynx, this animal was dramatically larger than my full grow German Shepard. Undoubtedly not native to Ontario. Todays artical got me all fired up about it again.

[DropTine]

Ya, i recently heard about that Brantford police officer seeing one! I've got a good feeling they are out there!

[ecoaster]

For the past year I have made a habit of walking in and out of the woods during the twilight hours with my hunting knife in hand. I don't want to be looking for it if something jumps me. Cougars main source of food is deer, so where there are deer there can be cougars!

[catcher]

We had a similar situation in the Belleville area last summer. A cougar had been viewed by police and animal control. Yet the ministry wanted nothing to do with it. They also stated then that it was a pet gone wild. Once it was put in the paper then people had all kinds of reports of seeing the cats in the area. One lady reported seeing a mother with two kittens. It definetly adds a little excitement walking into your treestand in the pitch black.

[GREY OWL]

They (cougar's) scare me the most, quick and quite, bears, wolves, coyotes, are chunk change.

I don't mind being killed, but I'd like to know at least what killed me!!

Grey Owl

[dick195252]

They are definately a hunting, killing machine in one body {They should be taken very seriously}

[chris4570]

I saw a cougar just the other day. Now I'm getting the "what was her name".

All kidding aside, are all the sightings going to be blown off as escaped pets???? Sooner or later the MNR is going to have to admit that there is a small but growing population of wild cougar living in Ontario.


IF there are no wild cougars in Ontario, just escaped pets than would it be legal to shoot one if the opportunity arose???

[Pydpiper]

That is the big question.. Can you shoot it.
Not legally no, it is considered an endangered species, also, if it is an "escaped pet" then there are legal issues about that too. I would bet the MNR would be happy to have it handed to them in a big bag though.
Would I shoot it? Damn straight!
I believe it is an escaped pet, even with all the BS sightings there is only one that can be proven without casting doubt, in London.
The sighting outside of London came along with a stool sample, that was the only time there has been proof in hand of the animal, I spotted it east of London, and now it was seen east of me. That is a pretty straight line.
For as long as this thing has been around there were very scarce reports of sightings, once the scat was identified and the MNR was forced to publicize the info then all kinds of crap came out of the woodwork, the way it always does.
I think if there was more than one there would be kids going missing along with cows and everything else. We have a huge supply of deer here and that is a terrific food supply for it. I really have no idea though, but I am inclined to think if there were more they would have a hard time eluding people so well, especially in a quest for food. I have never met an animal I wouldn't try to grapple with a pair of leather gloves, that cat was breath taking. I think the only reason I got a shot at seeing it was that it was on a fast moving riverbank (noisy) and I was coasting down a steep incline. It never looked at me, but only touched the ground once in the 25' I watched it pass in front of me 20 yards out.
I spent a fair amount of time learning about this cat when I first got in touch with the MNR, and if I hadn't seen this thing with my own eyes I would not believe it to be true. I think what the general public is seeing is Lynx, that is not too far off base from a geographical standpoint.

[bbbwb]

Very interesting to hear of another sighting. As usual there is the feeling of skepticism when the report is made. I had not heard of the feces positive identification. In all the reports I have not heard of foot/paw print casts being made to offer additional validity to these sightings. The reports are numerous. There have been several in London as well as in the surrounding areas. Sightings also are from more distant locations. If there are this many cougars around, proof should be easy. I find it difficult to fully understand why something more concrete doesn't occur. With confirmation lacking of such animals, anxiety builds and fear also takes a grip. I would like a final word on this issue. Hopefully this will come. A bird in the hand is worth 5 in the bush.
bbbwb

[Bow Life]

A couple years back my mother saw a Cougar across the road from my house. Then the a friend of the family called my dad later in the day and asked himt o come over. My dad went over and witnessed what had been in and out of this mans field the entire day. A cougar. The man had the police and someone from the MNR there and they all confirmed it was a cougar however no one knew what the consequences would be had someone shot this animal and eventually it slipped into the bush to not come back out.

A week later my father and i were walking through one of the bushes close by where we hunt deer and saw half a deer 25 feet up a tree. I have no doubt that this was a cougar.

Now this year another friend of the family came over with a picture of a dead cow. The cow had been killed over night in the field and the MNR stated that it must have been coyotes that killed the animal. However you could see from the pictures that some animal had jumped on the cows back, and you could see where it held on attacking the neck. I believe this too was a cougar.

I believe there is a small population (one or two) of escaped pets but no wild cougars.

But i really would like to know wether or not i could shoot it given the opertunity.

[Norlander]

A few years ago I interviewed a few people in the Minden area for the local paper who claimed to have seen cougars (pumas). I also talked to Stuart Kenn, President of the Ontario Puma Foundation, who was adamant that there is a small resident population of cougars/pumas in Ontario. He even produced a map showing sightings from across the province. Check out the website at: http://www.ontariopuma.ca/

Jerry

[Pydpiper]

But i really would like to know wether or not i could shoot it given the opertunity.

Not legally, no. Again, here that animal is considered an endangered species, it would be the equivalent of putting an arrow through a giraffe that just left the zoo.
The difference is that the cougar is a predator, and if you are close enough to see it then your life is in danger, and shooting it to defend your life is an appropriate action, and the MNR would back that up.
There are 3 charges that would follow shooting that animal, plus the fact that the guy who once owned it is also going to step forward too.
I do not understand why you said the MNR came out to investigate the sighting but did not know the rights behind dispatching it. It was likely a biologist not an officer that came out. You said it was confirmed, what did they find that confirmed it? Footprints?

[ecoaster]

Shoot it in self defense . I don't care if it is a dog, cat, snake, etc. if if comes after me to kill, then I hope I get the drop on it first.

[Pydpiper]

Shoot it in self defense . I don't care if it is a dog, cat, snake, etc. if if comes after me to kill, then I hope I get the drop on it first.

Sharpen your broadheads, at this rate it will be in Burlington by fall, you are right in line with the path of sightings.
Problem with this animal is that it exists because it is an efficient killer, 175 pounds of lightning fast silence. Not even fun to think about.

[Dumbazz]

I'm suprised someone hasn't chimed in with the usual "the MNR secretly released cougars to control the deer population" conspiracy.