By Zachary Bauer
The conservation departments are swearing up and down that (mountain) lions do not live in the Ozarks for both Missouri and Arkansas but everyone out in the boonies knows the truth. There are sightings everywhere and they are coming up on game cams.
Game cams are way way more accessible than they were just a few years ago. Most sporting goods stores carry many brands of these and many people are buying them. Just this past month there have been sightings not far from my home in the Arkansas Ozarks. We have definite cat prints on my homestead. And just like the article states…huge rear pad prints, no claw marks. These are not just strays. These are breeding populations. There are just too many of them out here for them to not be breeding. Last fall we found at least one set of baby cat prints along side the larger ones right behind our house.
I am familiar with the goings on in the MDC and I can tell you their denial is intentional based on political and social concerns. Many at these agencies want to bring back these species and do so without the knowledge of the public and media. And they don’t want to admit they are here and breeding so people won’t deliberately try and hunt them as many of these agency officials would secretly like to ban hunting all together.
It was just a few years ago the MDC came out and said there are no lion populations in the state of Missouri. They were responding to all of the “supposed” sightings by silly uneducated rural folks. Then a few days later, they were embarrassed when a motorist killed one in Kingdom City just north of their Jeff City agency offices.
They are hear and breeding. No doubt about it. Don’t let anyone tell you different
Please search using the search box at the top of the site. You are bound to find what you are looking for.
yes, seen 3 different sightings, so did husband, in elkland mo., just near olive mo., off of 38 hywy, back in late 2016, or 2017, on way to work, goin north, , lots of woods, homes, and pastures., , early morning hours, but broad daylight., lying mdc., they have been lying for years, and about everything really., we need updates on these and bears to from different states, and current sightings, updates, thanks for tellin it like it is, mdc, would rather we didn’t hunt, or defend ourselves, put us all and pets in danger for there lies.
Interesting information. I guess it’s no surprise as that we encroach further into their territory with our buildings and farmlands, that they are moving farther afield for somewhere else to live.
Human settlements have forced the puma from the East of the USA but they appear to be making a comeback in mid-America (and even the East coast almost) which is against what the experts state when they draw up the puma distribution map.
I like the opinions of first hand observers on the ground. I value them more than expert opinion.