mountain lions in arkansas

Copyright © 2017, Northwest Arkansas Newspapers LLC. As an example, the worst thing you could do would be to go running through woods alone and bend over to tie your shoe. So as I drive the rural backroads of Arkansas, especially during twilight hours, I’m going to let my eyes wander, ever hopeful of seeing that first mountain lion. If you have small children, pick them up. The essays have been collected and published by Butler Center Books in a two-volume set, the first of which is now available to purchase at Amazon and the University of Arkansas Press. Move over Lion King: Arkansas now has mountain lions. We know that cougars rarely attack people they encounter because radio collar tracking reveals that these cats can be mere feet away from hikers yet nobody knows they’re around. I won’t even try to photograph it, knowing an image retained in my mind will last a lifetime. Southeastern Arkansas where lion reports have been most numerous in AY is About You, covering Arkansas food, travel, arts, entertainment, music, culture, living, gardens, health and murder mysteries, Dr. Bruce Sanderson, Lasercare Skin Clinic, Submit Your Event For Our Online Calendar, About You Magazine Named Platinum Media Sponsor for 68th Annual Home Show, Precision Door Service of Central Arkansas, Bosley Construction: The Preserve at the Woodlands, KellCo Custom Homes: Stonehill (Sherwood), Brandy Harp: Principal Broker of Jon Underhill Real Estate, Richard Harp Homes: Master Certified Green Professional, Food Hall of Fame: Q&A with Secretary Stacy Hurst. Little Rock, Arkansas 72201, For advertising info., Protect yourself as much as possible, especially your neck and throat. var absrc = 'https://servedbyadbutler.com/adserve/;ID=167757;size=1161x250;setID=353674;type=js;sw='+screen.width+';sh='+screen.height+';spr='+window.devicePixelRatio+';kw='+abkw+';pid='+pid353674+';place='+(plc353674++)+';rnd='+rnd+';click=CLICK_MACRO_PLACEHOLDER'; This is a still taken from a Game Camera of a Mountain Lion near Fallsville Arkansas Recently I was sent a copy of this video from a game camera near Fallsville Arkansas by David Smith. However, if you have time to assess the situation, be aware that you might be blocking the cougar’s path to its cubs or its cache of food. var plc353674 = window.plc353674 || 0; The AGFC offered bounties and hired trappers to control predators during 1927-29. This document may not be reprinted without the express written permission of Northwest Arkansas Newspapers LLC. var rnd = window.rnd || Math.floor(Math.random()*10e6); Contact: That long tail is a dead giveaway. The controversy over whether mountain lions exist locally is over: they’re here, said the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission (AGFC) last year. In recent years there has been an accu… Mountain lions (also called cougars or pumas) do attack and even kill people, but so rarely that it’s less common than death by snake bite or bee sting, which are pretty uncommon too. "Fourteen sightings … The most common scenarios that can lead to lethal cougar attacks based on every reported death by cougars in North America are: leaving children unattended; jogging, hiking, or cycling alone; and bending over. They say it’s likely the individual was a subordinate male pushed south by other adult males occupying territories. I think the Game & Fish commissio feral) or solitary individuals and not part of a breeding population. It traveled 180 miles in about six weeks, and likely originated in the Wyoming and South Dakota Black Hills breeding population, based on the DNA database. The series is about 11 seconds long total, but clearly shows an adult mountain lion. That’s still under investigation. document.write(''); I’ve seen several bears and a half a dozen or so bobcats in the wilds of Arkansas but have yet to spot my first mountain lion. If one has any doubt, just take the tree in the background for scale. All four areas, except the Ozark Mountains, have large deer populations. This KATV report aired at 10pm on November 25, 2013.Reporter: Elicia DoverPhotographer: Brian EmfingerEditor: Chris Jilka Now that deer populations have rebounded in the past few decades, mountain lions should have plenty of natural prey – and that’s not including the thousands of fat and tasty feral pigs roaming the woods. The mountain lion’s (Puma concolor) original range is the largest of any native terrestrial mammal in the Western Hemisphere, extending from the southern Yukon Territory of Canada to southern Chile (Dixon 1982; Lindzey 1987), and covering most of North America (Currier 1983). MD-7 is governed by the Council of Governors, consisting of the District Governors and the Council Chair. Mountain lions were extirpated from Arkansas by 1920. Attacks are rare, so we can still enjoy the outdoors and give our apex predators the habitat they historically occupied in the balance of nature. But every time someone reports seeing a cougar/mountain lion the Oklahoma Dept of Wildlife will say, we don't have mountain lions in Oklahoma, and we are just seeing mountain lions traveling through from Texas. the western Ozark Mountains north ofthe Arkansas River, and the Ouachita Mountains in westcentral Arkansas south of the Arkansas River. Most of these appeared in game cameras that were set out by deer hunters in various parts of Arkansas. Or, in the case of cyclists, mountain biking alone on a trail and stopping to bend over your bike and fix the fallen chain. Anything you can do to make yourself appear big and loud will help you avoid an attack. The … And if they are just traveling through Oklahoma, then where the heck are they going? Wild mountain lions – or cougars, pumas, or panthers – have been confirmed in Missouri and Oklahoma and have been long-established in Texas. AGFC also confirmed last year that a mountain lion shot in southern Arkansas was from northern Arkansas, based on DNA testing that matched hair samples from the fur with those found in Marion County. If you see a mountain lion, appear as large as possible, make noise, maintain eye contact, and never run or turn your back. Why is the OK department of wildlife denying we don't have have mountains lions. According to the mountain lion’s hunting behaviors, the reason why the mountain lion chooses not to walk away from you is that it views you as either its prey or predator. But is there a breeding population? As the countryside was settled and developed, the large predators were shot. The proof of mountain lions in Arkansas is the fact that last year a deer hunter killed one in Bradley County. - I have personally known people who for several years talked about sightings of mountain lions. These Arkansas Backstories columns appear courtesy of the Butler Center for Arkansas Studies at the Central Arkansas Library System. Mountain lions – also known as pumas and cougars – lived throughout Arkansas until about 1920. I was shocked, yet excited at the same time! In an article titled “Cougars moving toward Midwest” in the 06/18/12 Arkansas Democrat, it was reported that at least 8 mountain lions have been reported in Arkansas. I think it’s reasonable to speculate that these noble beasts are slowly expanding their range and have naturally returned to Arkansas. Lion Scare Has Arkansas Town On Edge. While more and more of our countryside has been domesticated, we still have large wooded tracts in the Ouachitas and Ozarks where humans are relatively scarce. I rushed home and told my husband and son, who both doubted me. Mountain lions – also known as pumas and cougars – lived throughout Arkansas until about 1920. You could throw rocks, backpacking gear, sticks or whatever you can find to dissuade a cougar from viewing you as prey. Despite these and many other reports and a collection of photographs taken by game cameras with infrared motion detectors, the commission’s biologists maintain that any free-ranging mountain lions in Arkansas are merely pets which have escaped or been set free by irresponsible owners. While cougar numbers have slowly bounced back, with small populations percolating in to Midwestern states … All rights reserved. AY Media Group (AYMG) That’s why most of the time, the wise thing to do when you spot a mountain lion nearby is to back away slowly and change your appearance so that the mountain lion won’t think of you as its prey anymore. People also killed almost all of the deer, the mountain lions’ primary food source. Arkansas State Lions, MD-7, represents the Lions Clubs in four sub-districts within the State of Arkansas. With the exception of southern Texas and south Florida, it has been widely thought that mountain lions were largely extirpated from the central and eastern portions of the United States (Linzey 1987). Since that time, my son, husband and myself have heard the "screeching" sound from the woods near our house. Suddenly, the children saw a movement and a mountain lion came walking down the trail they were traveling. Spotted on Video: Return of the Arkansas Mountain Lion What's captured on police dash-cam video has wildlife officials changing their stance on an animal's population in Arkansas. Please read our Terms of Use or contact us. But I know what I saw. Even if the mountain lion actually was in Arkansas, Jim Harris with Arkansas Game and Fish said they may see you, but you won't see them. The reason for this is primarily legal. Mountain lions inhabit a wide range of ecosystems, making their home anywhere there is shelter and prey, including mountains, forests, deserts, and wetlands. 200 Mountain lions, also known as pumas and cougars, lived throughout Arkansas until about 1920. Rice’s goal is to help readers acknowledge that Arkansas is a unique and fascinating combination of land and people – one to be proud of and one certainly worth sharing. The state’s biologists claim these are cases of mistaken identity, but I don’t see how anyone could confuse one of these wary creatures with anything else. This source is saying that even as recently as june 2012 AG&FC were saying that any mountain lions sighted in Arkansas were either captive cats that had escaped (i.e. It was the first time a mountain lion has been killed in Arkansas since 1975 in Logan County. One inadvertently called in a cougar while turkey hunting near the middle section of the Buffalo National River, surprising them both. Mountain lions – also known as pumas and cougars – lived throughout Arkansas until about 1920. Even in Northwest Arkansas, people claim to have seen cubs, or a female with a cub, but so far there is no photographic or research-based evidence of this. The … Just click the sign up button to purchase. An Arkansas man survives a mountain lion attack by strangling the animal. Mountain Lions in Arkansas. If you are already a subscriber, just click log in to continue reading. Although mountain lions, sometimes called cougars, pumas, panthers, painters, or catamounts, were common in Oklahoma and elsewhere in the Plains prior to European settlement, they were eradicated during the 19th century. var pid353674 = window.pid353674 || rnd; Each month, AY will share one of the 165 distinctive essays. One fatal mountain lion attack was reported in New Mexico in the past 40 years, despite a statewide population of up to 3,000 mountain lions. Temporary Jobs Built U.S., Value Creation May Save It, The New Light of Spring in Multiple Shades of Green, Making Ripples: Time For Spring Break Travel, ‘Hangry’ no longer: Cycling, eating come together for Instagram foodie, Truth Or Consequences? For one thing, more and more reports are coming in from across Arkansas alleging mountain lion sightings. 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