Mountain Lion in Nebraska

Grand Island, Hastings, Kearney, DesMoines, and the rest of Nebraska and Iowa

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eomaha
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Mountain Lion in Nebraska

Post by eomaha »

Omaha World Herald wrote: Mountain lion sightings in Neale Woods area pile up

State and local officials are checking reports of mountain lion sightings at Neale Woods and nearby farms.

One sighting was made by Gary Garabrandt, director of science and stewardship at Fontenelle Forest and Neale Woods. Garabrandt was walking along the boundary areas of Neale Woods, located in northeast Omaha, at 9:45 a.m. Wednesday when he spotted a large cat in the distance. He estimated he was about 300 to 350 yards away from the cat.

"If I had my binoculars, I could tell you I'm 100 percent sure I saw a mountain lion, but without them, I'm 90 percent sure," Garabrandt said. "We know what we saw was a cat and was much larger then a house cat."

Garabrandt said the cat walked behind a cottonwood tree that was about 18 inches in diameter, and the cat was visible on both sides of the tree. A house cat would not be.

Besides his sighting, a nearby farmer saw what may be a mountain lion twice this week in the same area near his farm.

Garabrandt said there have been about three other sightings he has heard of over the last three weeks.

Jim Douglas, wildlife division administrator for the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission, said the sightings are being classified as probable at this time, meaning there is no physical evidence available to substantiate the animal is a mountain lion. Commission officials will be installing trail cameras at the farm to try to capture images of the cat, Douglas said.

A notification of the possible sightings has been erected at the Neale Woods visitor center so people who use the trails are aware there may be a big cat there.
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Coyote
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Post by Coyote »

Four year old Thread Revival!  :woot:

Lion photos not taken near Fort Calhoun
Blair Enterprise wrote:The latest Internet rumor has made the rounds in Washington County, forwarded on in e-mails by concerned citizens and encouraged by several alleged mountain lion sightings north of Omaha along the highways. However, the photos are nothing more than a harmless lion's tale. "The photo was taken from a game trail camera in the southern Black Hills," said Schlueter.
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Brad
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Post by Brad »

I have got that email a few times... If there was one, may be... BUT THREE???

Besides, I am not a Botanical Expert, but is that tree "Native" to the area... I know we have pine like that, but usually planted in cities, not growing out in nature.
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Post by dandr1229 »

Coyote wrote:Four year old Thread Revival!  :woot:

Lion photos not taken near Fort Calhoun
Blair Enterprise wrote:The latest Internet rumor has made the rounds in Washington County, forwarded on in e-mails by concerned citizens and encouraged by several alleged mountain lion sightings north of Omaha along the highways. However, the photos are nothing more than a harmless lion's tale. "The photo was taken from a game trail camera in the southern Black Hills," said Schlueter.
That picture apparently was proven to have been taken in South Dakota...   not sure the method of validating it; however, heard Greg Waggoner Nebraska Game and Parks Commission discussing it.
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Post by the1wags »

Yes, they can and do, but very rarely. You have better odds of getting killed by lightning.

http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_ ... th_America

P.S. If you did happen to get attacked, fight back.
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Brad
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Post by Brad »

Mountain Lion family before Nebraska Wild Fires:

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Brad
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Post by Brad »

Homeowner kills approaching mountain lion

http://www.omaha.com/article/20130211/N ... ntain-lion
David Hendee WORLD-HERALD STAFF WRITER wrote:The incident happened Friday in the Pine Ridge in northern Sheridan County, according to the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission.
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Post by MadMartin8 »

Reminds me of Jimbo and Ned from South Park. "IT'S COMMIN RIGHT FOR US! Ya gotta say that or it's not legal!"
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Brad
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Re: Mountain Lion in Nebraska

Post by Brad »

Someone just called 911 and reported a Mountain Lion at Standing Bear lake. He didn't see it, but it was growling at him...
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Coyote
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Re: Mountain Lion in Nebraska

Post by Coyote »

Brad wrote:Someone just called 911 and reported a Mountain Lion at Standing Bear lake.  He didn't see it, but it was growling at him...
Eat more Snickers...
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iamjacobm
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Re: @MeanStreetsOMA

Post by iamjacobm »

Mountain Lion killed with a shotgun and a toddler found in a dumpster. Omaha is especially strange today.
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nebugeater
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Re: @MeanStreetsOMA

Post by nebugeater »

iamjacobm wrote:Mountain Lion killed with a shotgun and a toddler found in a dumpster. Omaha is especially strange today.
Just to add a couple more to round out Wednesday


Knife welding cell phone user in the UNO library

Male Streaker tackled in the parking lot of one of the UNO student housing areas during the day in the rain.
For the record  NEBUGEATER does not equal BUGEATER    !!!!!!!
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U R my Helix
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Re: Mountain Lion in Nebraska

Post by U R my Helix »

How does he know it was a mountain lion and not just a bear that hangs out near the lake?
GRANDPASMUCKER
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Re: Mountain Lion in Nebraska

Post by GRANDPASMUCKER »

Im no Greg Wagner but ........Maybe that mountain lion might of been down the street eating some road kill off the interstate the night before and some trucker clucker came along and hit him and just kept on truckin. The wounded mountain lion was too hurt to go back up the interstate to Chalco Hills so he took refuge by that building. Since it was night there was nobody around and it looked like a safe place. By morning the mountain lion was to wounded to move and the place had filled up with people and he was stuck in a bad place..................So how do you think that call from the police to the zoo went? "Hey you want another mountain lion?" "Were full sorry" "So you think we should kill it" "Were not taking it" "Do you know another zoo that will take it" "Its a busy day down here we got a new Yak coming in today so good luck and good bye"........
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Coyote
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Re: Mountain Lion in Nebraska

Post by Coyote »

Or it could simply have been: Should we tranquilize it? The drugs may not take affect for 30 minutes. What could possibly happen in those 30 minutes? A lot of |expletive| |expletive|, creating lawsuits up the |expletive| |expletive|. Gotcha.
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jessep28
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Re: Mountain Lion in Nebraska

Post by jessep28 »

Either the Humane Society or Game & Parts stated that animals can become unpredictable after being tranquilized. The mountain lion was likely going to be euthanized anyway. Shooting the lion was the quickest way to resolve the public safety issue.
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iamjacobm
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Re: Mountain Lion in Nebraska

Post by iamjacobm »

Yeah and I talked to someone else who was mad about them shooting it 10-15 times. I asked if she would rather they shoot it once and have it suffer or to make sure it died as quickly and with as little pain as they could have done. Convo ended right there, she still didn't like it.
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Brad
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Re: Mountain Lion in Nebraska

Post by Brad »

[quote="jessep28"The mountain lion was likely going to be euthanized anyway.[/quote]

Why is that? The last one that they caught down by 114th and Dodge is on display in the zoo.
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BRoss
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Re: Mountain Lion in Nebraska

Post by BRoss »

iamjacobm wrote:Yeah and I talked to someone else who was mad about them shooting it 10-15 times. I asked if she would rather they shoot it once and have it suffer or to make sure it died as quickly and with as little pain as they could have done. Convo ended right there, she still didn't like it.
Well when I watched it on KETV, it did seem a little overkill.
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BRoss
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Re: Mountain Lion in Nebraska

Post by BRoss »

Brad wrote:
jessep28 wrote:The mountain lion was likely going to be euthanized anyway.
Why is that? The last one that they caught down by 114th and Dodge is on display in the zoo.
It had a broken leg.
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Brad
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Re: Mountain Lion in Nebraska

Post by Brad »

HR Paperstacks wrote: It had a broken leg.
Its not a horse. Correct me if I am wrong, but one they caught that is now at the zoo had some injuries too? They didn't lasso it and drag it down to the zoo.
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Brad
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Re: Mountain Lion in Nebraska

Post by Brad »

Found It!

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/993232/posts

10/1/2003
Omaha World Herald wrote:OMAHA (AP) - A mountain lion was captured deep inside city limits Wednesday after being shot by a zoo official with a tranquilizer dart.

The large cat was spotted walking in a park near homes and businesses only blocks away from one of the city's busiest intersections, 114th Street and West Dodge Road.

Henry Doorly Zoo employees were called out by police to help capture and care for the animal. Zoo Director Lee Simmons said he shot the animal with a tranquilizer dart at a creek bed near 112th and Davenport streets around the noon hour.

The cat was tranquilized moments after it lunged at a police officer, who fired upon the animal with a shotgun, said Officer Cathy Martinec, a police spokeswoman.

"The officer had enough time to turn, discharge his shotgun and roll out of the way," Martinec said.

The officer was not injured. His name was not immediately available.

The cat's hind leg was only grazed by the buck shot, Simmons said.

The animal was immediately taken to the zoo, where it was being treated and was in good condition, Simmons said.
Longer story at the link..
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Brad
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Re: Mountain Lion in Nebraska

Post by Brad »

And now the OWH is tweeting the cat did not have a broken let.

While I am not criticizing the police, I think they had to do what they had to do in the situation, I don think with more and more Mountain Lions in the area, someone (OPD or NHS) should keep something on hand to capture or tranquilize Mountain Lions.
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jessep28
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Re: Mountain Lion in Nebraska

Post by jessep28 »

Maybe Game & Parks has a separate policy from the Humane Society or zoo, but Game & Parks' euthanizes all mountain lions found in suburban areas.

http://neblandvm.outdoornebraska.gov/20 ... -in-omaha/
Nebraska Game & Parks wrote: It is Nebraska Game and Parks Commission protocol to euthanize mountain lions found in metropolitan areas. Attempts at tranquilization and relocation are dangerous because lions can become unpredictable once darted.
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