Anyone Ever See This Many In One Spot?

[Ministik Man]

was told that they introduced 2 cougars into the Elk Island area 10 years ago to manage the deer population as there is little hunting due to all the acreage's.
The farmers tell me there are a lot more cougars in Elk Island and now 2 down in the Ministik Area (Have not seen any paw prints though)

 

[lilduke]

Maybe its just me, but I think that is pretty cool. I hope the cougar population thrives

 

[ferniesnow]

Maybe its just me, but I think that is pretty cool. I hope the cougar population thrives

Be careful what you wish for!

We have cougars lying under decks, porches, behind hedges, and generally just laying about. Most in those situations are shot. They come into town to get the readily available food from "town deer" and resident's pets. As often as I am out in the back-country in the winter, I have only seen one set of tracks in 15 years. Never saw a real live cougar but we know they are around and the cougar hunters with the dogs have a lot of fun.

 

[TylerG]

Be careful what you wish for!

We have cougars lying under decks, porches, behind hedges, and generally just laying about. Most in those situations are shot. They come into town to get the readily available food from "town deer" and resident's pets. As often as I am out in the back-country in the winter, I have only seen one set of tracks in 15 years. Never saw a real live cougar but we know they are around and the cougar hunters with the dogs have a lot of fun.

couple of years back we were heading out "trail 7" towards the FSR towards the Elkford Cabin, and we found a fairly fresh Cat Kill at the intersection of Trail 7..... was spooky, even with 5 or 6 of us there.

 

[lilduke]

Be careful what you wish for!

We have cougars lying under decks, porches, behind hedges, and generally just laying about. Most in those situations are shot. They come into town to get the readily available food from "town deer" and resident's pets. As often as I am out in the back-country in the winter, I have only seen one set of tracks in 15 years. Never saw a real live cougar but we know they are around and the cougar hunters with the dogs have a lot of fun.

They are a powerful animal and to be respected for sure. Cougar attacks on people are pretty rare, Im not worried about it.

And hey Cougars have to eat too!

 

[gates559]

I'm no tree hugger, but why would you want to kill these animals just because your scared of them. Even if they dont attack people.... they are still killed. Meanwhile the pedophile up the street is ok because he cant help it.

 

[Full Curl]

I'm no tree hugger, but why would you want to kill these animals just because your scared of them. Even if they dont attack people.... they are still killed. Meanwhile the pedophile up the street is ok because he cant help it.

Maybe I'm missing your point here but I'll respond.
I don't want every cougar killed...BUT, they are a top of the food chain predator that has no real enemy other than man. If something doesn't help keep the numbers in check, then bad things will happen.
In nature the predator/ prey population cycle should take care of it's own highs and lows, but in populated areas (ie. My back 40.) when the prey such as deer becomes hard to catch for the cougars they will turn to another readily available food source. (ie. my dog, cat, horse, kid)
Therefore I believe that in certain cases there are too many predators in close proximity to my home and it wouldn't disappoint me to see a few meet their demise.
In my instance it's not just fear driven. And I'm not too sure WTH a pedophile has to do with killing a cat?

 

[moyiesledhead]

Let's teach the cougars to eat the pedophiles...since we're not allowed to shoot them.

 

[d mills]

Let's teach the cougars to eat the pedophiles...since we're not allowed to shoot them.

Repped......

 

[X-Treme]

Repped......

Phuck yeah, rep'd!!

 

[007sevens]

Repped that as well

 

[gates559]

My point is, one attack and 3/4 of Alberta is talking about killing every cougar in sight.

Destroying a troublesome one on your property is a different story

 

[Full Curl]

Gotcha.
I see what you meant now.
Media and social media definitely gets the fearful up in arms!

 

[Keith Brown]

Hey thats a mother with this years kittens. No need to control these cats if the deer population drops so to will the cougar population. Those cat will not leave enough of a deer for a coyote to feed on after one night it will be licked clean. Generally if the mother is left alone to teach the kittens they behave very nicely. The lady in Canmore who was so tragically killed in a cougar attack a few years ago was killed by a Juvenile who's mother had been killed. I calve cows in the middle of cougar country and have never had a problem in spite of having several deer killed by cougars on our property.

 

[Full Curl]

That's a mother with kittens but they are definitely not this years young. I have a pile of pics of them and they are not much smaller than her.
In the first pic, she is on the left. In the 2nd pic she is 2nd from left.
That was a concern that I had that if you ended up killing momma, then you might end up with 4 not quite trained teenagers!
I know that they are not likely to have any contact with us or anybody as a rule, but with 3 small kids and the pets it makes you a bit nervous.
Just checked cameras this afternoon and only got pics of a single cat this time but there's a pile of new tracks behind the one camera.
Let's just say that I carry an equalizer when I'm doing my rounds now!
Shed hunting is going to feel a bit different this year.

 

[Keith Brown]

That's a mother with kittens but they are definitely not this years young. I have a pile of pics of them and they are not much smaller than her.
In the first pic, she is on the left. In the 2nd pic she is 2nd from left.
That was a concern that I had that if you ended up killing momma, then you might end up with 4 not quite trained teenagers!
I know that they are not likely to have any contact with us or anybody as a rule, but with 3 small kids and the pets it makes you a bit nervous.
Just checked cameras this afternoon and only got pics of a single cat this time but there's a pile of new tracks behind the one camera.
Let's just say that I carry an equalizer when I'm doing my rounds now!
Shed hunting is going to feel a bit different this year.

Trust me the kittens we born last spring their not quit one yet