cougar in central Iowa

Here in NE it would be illegal as heck to shoot one---just cause there's no season doesn't mean they're not protected----better go make sure before you pull the trigger on one.
 
A couple of them have already been shot in Iowa. No reason, IMO for the local CO, to lie to me, as to the legal issue.
 
Spoke with about a dozen of my farmer's last few days, making sure my hunting permission is still granted. One of them said, he & his wife seen a cougar come up out of a ditch & down the other side following a timbered creek 3 yrs ago, early am. The area he spoke of it roughly 4 miles SouEast of where one was seen last Fall.

On another note, he said he grew up in Hardin County[he's 84yrs old]. When as a young guy he & his neighbors trapped for food & pelts back then. Said, an occasional wolf & pr's of wolves were seen & trapped along the Iowa River bottom. He never caught one, but his neighbors caught several.

I told him, I've seen 3 wolves in central Iowa the last 44yrs. Two of the three, were while out hunting coyote. A rarity for sure.
 
Wow, I would like to see a wolf, too. I may see one in WY, they are spreading out and killing big game, better go elk hunting before too long, or they maybe hard to find, if the wolf isn't huntable, soon.
 
I never counted[as a wolf sighting] the large canine. I seen in Winter early pm on my way to Ackley Iowa. Around 15yrs ago or so. Canine was around 700yrds out running the outer edge of a timbered creek bottom. Looked like a wolf from it's size. But couldn'y verify for sure. Canine was stretched out running hard.

Friend & I were calling coyotes in the pm over in Tama County, Iowa a couple yrs ago. No coyotes called. Right before we left a timbered two mile section. We both long howled on our calls. A couple dogs howled, a couple coyotes howled. Then a wolf howled. Made the hair stand up on my neck.
Wolf let out one long wavering howl, all the other canines quickly went quiet.


Farmer seen a wolf in this section last Fall. He said it was very large.
 
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Wow, one is living near you? I wonder if it will find a mate, if it stays? Wouldn't that be a sight to come up on one in your trap! Pictures would be great that close.
 
If your talking about wolve's, then no. I believe wolve's rarely pass through central Iowa. As they have been seen, but not continously seen in a local area.

As for cougars. Yeah one has been seen over the last 5yrs. So I'd say yes, one is living in the area. The last report I heard, was straight South of me around 5 miles or so. This cougar, no doubt has a very large travel route.

A friend of mine, a farmer & retired fellow co-worker. Seen two cougars in one day out deer hunting on Winter snow 2yrs ago. Some laughed at him. I believe him, he doesn't BS.

I take a camera with me everytime I'm out hunting coyote. So I expect to see a track this Winter. If nothing else.
 
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kirby,
I'm gonna give you a new nickname - Jungle Jim Kirby. You got all those large wild critters running around there in central Iowa, it would seem to fit. How does that go, elephants, lions, tigers, and bears, oh my! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif
 
Yeah I know what some people are thinking. Coydogs, cougars & wolves. You've got to be crapping me! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/crazy.gif LOL!

No big whoop, as I've seen two of the three. Perhaps this Winter snowfly I'll get a view of the 3rd.

Reason being, IMO...Why I've seen the things I have. Is I've hunted many yrs & hunt alot. From post harvest, until late Spring[planting time]. Generally 16-18 days a month. Not to mention, the open terrain & I'm well versed in spotting critters way out there.

I like "Yungle Yim" better /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif
 
There most surely are a few cougars in Iowa. A few years ago, I investigated the report of a cougar sighting within the city limits of Council Bluffs. I drove out North Broadway, turned onto Mud Hollow road, and stopped near a very large culvert where Indian creek runs under School Hill road. I found large cougar tracks in the mud at bottom of this culvert. The tracks showed that the cougar had walked up and down the creek bed, and through the culvert both ways. I obtained permission from a retired doctor to try calling this cougar on his land. A nearby neighbor didn't like my being there because he knew about the cougar and wanted it for himself. We both wanted a cougar rug I think. I called the area several times with no luck. I knew that cougars travel many miles in a day, and my chances of the cougar being within hearing distance of my call were very slim. If they hear the call, they will come. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif
 
If someone sees a mountain lion and does not mention how long the tail was, then I usaully think what they say was a bobcat.. Almost everytime someone sees a lion for the first time they say something about how long a tail it had.There are way more bobcats than there are lions and bobcats are much easier to happen upon than lions, however I don't hear much about people seeing bobcats.
 
Marshall County, Iowa[County I hunt mainly]. Does have Bobcat[not many, IMO]. Mainly, they are along the Iowa River.

A retired Fire Capt, who owns some countryside along the North side of the Iowa River. Stopped by the other day. He owns a male German Wirehaired Pointer. Good sized dog full of kick-butt.
This dog has fought coyotes, even pr's of coyotes. On their land that overlooks the river bottom below the bluffs.

He remarked, some days his dog will Not leave the open porch. He suspects, thats when the cougar is near. Otherwise that dog roams his land freely. Et kills or runs off all other animals.

I see a cougar away from that timbered river bottom. He's got heck to pay. As my fatgirl will be knawing on his carass /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

Rich C. You still owe me a cup. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif
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Yea old retired den hole huffer-dogs
 
"Rich C. You still owe me a cup."
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Kirby,
You can stop by my house and drink a whole pot of coffee whenever you like. If I have to drive way up there to buy your coffee, you must allow me to huff a couple of those gopher holes you call "dens". LOL /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif
 
I hunted moose in Northern Alberta. One year there wouldn't hardly be any wolves around and a couple of years later there were way too many. Then hardly any again. I wouldn't think there would be any guarantees on a wolf hunt.
 
Our Captain told my crew the other day. A friend of his,... [his friend] was sitting in a ground blind at the end of a long timber strip that hooked to a timbered creek[he was deer hunting]. This bowhunter, was about to leave & seen something coming through the trees.

He paused with an arrow on his bow. Soon he seen a cougar coming his way. He drew back, but had second thoughts. He was shaking & the arrow came off it's rest. Cougar heard the rattle & turned away. He said the cougar was well within bow range.

I Terraserved the area. It's 3 miles from the Iowa River[timbered creek dumps into the river]. Eastern edge of Marshall County, Iowa. Could be the same lion in my area. Who knows? Come on snow.
 
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a friend of mines family lives in iowa and a few years ago used a pack of dogs he owned to bay a large cougar in a culvert... there were plenty of witnesses there that day bc all of them were after it..
he shot the cougar, im not sure what he done with it but they do have the pictures...... they typically used the dogs to run coyotes and figured they would try there hand at the cougar since everyone was after it that day..
 
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