DNR officials try to nab mountain lion spotted near Spooner
- 03/06/2009
State wildlife officials say they’ll wait for a day or so before trying to nab a mountain lion spotted in the woods of northwest Wisconsin.
Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources workers shot a tranquilizer dart Thursday, but it failed to immobilize the cougar that was resting up a tree in Washburn County near Spooner.
The animal then ran into a nearby wooded area. Its tracks were found Monday in a yard near Trego.
The next day, a person had a group of hounds push the cougar up the tree.
The DNR was called Wednesday. Supervisor Ken Jonas says they want take samples and put a radio collar on the animal to see where it goes, and how it behaves.
Meanwhile, it’s getting warmer – and officials fear they’ll no longer be able to spot the animal’s tracks if it’s not caught soon.
Cougars have been spreading from South Dakota’s Black Hills in recent years.
One was spotted near Janesville last year, and police later killed the animal in Chicago.
The Washburn County animal appears to be 2- or 3-years-old. It’s a 110-pound male.
Sightings of mountain lions have been common in recent years, but they’ve been hard to confirm.
George Meyer of the Wisconsin Wildlife Federation says it’s a native predator to the Badger State, and he’s glad to see it back. The mountain lion is a protected species. A permit is needed to capture or kill it.
http://www.hudsonstarobserver.com/articl...;property_id=19
- 03/06/2009
State wildlife officials say they’ll wait for a day or so before trying to nab a mountain lion spotted in the woods of northwest Wisconsin.
Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources workers shot a tranquilizer dart Thursday, but it failed to immobilize the cougar that was resting up a tree in Washburn County near Spooner.
The animal then ran into a nearby wooded area. Its tracks were found Monday in a yard near Trego.
The next day, a person had a group of hounds push the cougar up the tree.
The DNR was called Wednesday. Supervisor Ken Jonas says they want take samples and put a radio collar on the animal to see where it goes, and how it behaves.
Meanwhile, it’s getting warmer – and officials fear they’ll no longer be able to spot the animal’s tracks if it’s not caught soon.
Cougars have been spreading from South Dakota’s Black Hills in recent years.
One was spotted near Janesville last year, and police later killed the animal in Chicago.
The Washburn County animal appears to be 2- or 3-years-old. It’s a 110-pound male.
Sightings of mountain lions have been common in recent years, but they’ve been hard to confirm.
George Meyer of the Wisconsin Wildlife Federation says it’s a native predator to the Badger State, and he’s glad to see it back. The mountain lion is a protected species. A permit is needed to capture or kill it.
http://www.hudsonstarobserver.com/articl...;property_id=19
