Mountain lion in Azalia??

[newdumdum9825]

Was getting breakfast one day before heading out yotey hunting when a guy saw the dog box in the back of my fiancée dad's truck and was asking if the dogs ran lions.. He said no mainly fox, yotes, and coons but if they got on a lion they might run em.. Well turns out this guy had hunted out west numerous times for lions and told us that running around Azalia is a mountain lion. He's followed and identified tracks and has seen the lion on several occasions.
Swapped numbers and said he'll gives a call if he sees the cat again and get us permission to hunt the area if we were willing to try, or be brave enough to hunt the lion.

so anyone live near Azalia can back this story up? Is there really a big cat running around or is this just another rumor of big cats in indiana?

 

[possumpacker]

its aginst the law to kill lions,cougars,pumas,panthhers or whatever you want to call them in Indiana. law was passed in 2007. just make sure its a frontal shot and claim self defense lol.

 

[newdumdum9825]

Yeah sure "self defense" while in blaze orange and hunting dogs! Lol good thing you said that cause I ain't about to loose my hunting privileges the first year I start hunting. I'm gonna relay the message, about not hunting it that is

 

[confused89]

The cat won't care what color your wearing when it sees you. Fight or flight mode will kick in, one will involve pieces of you missing. I can tell you what I would do law or not. Also I have not heard about one in that area, but I can ask some co workers that live near there in January.

 

[ViperJock]

People have been seeing them. Check out some of the hunting threads there are pics. I had a coworker tell me that the DNR loosed a few to decrease the yote population. At first I was like LMAO there is no way they would do something so stupid! Imagine the lawsuit when the first child gets mauled. Then I thought, well...it wouldnt be the first really stupid thing .gov has ever done....

 

[MikeDVB]

If I were out and about and saw a mountain lion I'd probably **** myself while unloading whatever I had in it's direction if it were close enough. I'd hope I'd be paying attention to my surroundings enough not to be snuck up on but I don't think 'watch out for mountain lions' is normally high up on the agenda.

 

[ViperJock]

If I were out and about and saw a mountain lion I'd probably **** myself while unloading whatever I had in it's direction if it were close enough. I'd hope I'd be paying attention to my surroundings enough not to be snuck up on but I don't think 'watch out for mountain lions' is normally high up on the agenda.

Right. I've heard that if you actually see the lion, it's already on. If the decide to run, you never see them. Any experience otherwise?

 

[MikeDVB]

A mountain lion that's coming at me seems like a pretty hard target to hit accurately - short of hitting it in the face/head I wouldn't be sure where exactly to shoot it to put it down as quickly as possible...

I imagine the chest cavity but where, exactly, I couldn't be sure........ Not something I've ever thought about.

 

[Fishersjohn48]

A mountain lion that's coming at me seems like a pretty hard target to hit accurately - short of hitting it in the face/head I wouldn't be sure where exactly to shoot it to put it down as quickly as possible...

I imagine the chest cavity but where, exactly, I couldn't be sure........ Not something I've ever thought about.

Cat coming at me, where to shoot on the cat? EVERYWHERE REPEATEDLY!!!

 

[MikeDVB]

Cat coming at me, where to shoot on the cat? EVERYWHERE REPEATEDLY!!!

Well - I only carry 17 rounds... If I had perhaps a few hundred then 'everywhere' would indeed be accurate. Considering my ammunition on me is limited I'd be going for kill shots but - that said - 'everywhere' is likely where they'd end up...

I've never practiced for, 'Being attacked by a cat larger than myself.'...... An oversight perhaps?

 

[melensdad]

Out west the lions run from the dogs, get cornered or treed, then the hunters pop them with a small caliber round, typically a 22 Magnum. Doesnt seem like much of a sport or a challenge.

Don't confuse them with African lions. Those are far more dangerous. Harder to kill.

Mtn Lions are far more likely to avoid than attack. Especially if there is natural prey for them to feed on. Only places you ever hear of attacks are where urban dwellers encroach on their territory. And those are rare.

 

[halfmileharry]

I've ran into them on a few occasions in Colorado hunting. They do run away at times. I had one stare me down for at least 5 minutes before he WALKED off. I have a picture of one I took with my phone that was 15' away and just sat on a rock ledge licking himself. He had blood on his mouth and was "washing up" after his meal. He wasn't aggressive and neither was I. I did have my old Rem 760 /06 ready in the general direction though.
I saw one take down a full grown Muley and kill him with a neck bite in less than 10 seconds.
I've got a friend that was hiking in her neighborhood and got a phone pic at about 25'. The cat was within a 100 yards of a housing edition.
Bottom line is they're spreading out and I'm sure they're doing more than just surviving.

 

[Lori]

Here is an article from the IndyStar from three years ago. Mountain lions are definitely in Indiana. My family has some property in south-central Indiana and one has spotted there, although it has been a few years since last seen.

No doubt about it: There are mountain lions in state | Indianapolis Star | indystar.com

 

[printcraft]

.............

Don't confuse them with African lions. Those are far more dangerous. Harder to kill.

.............

Video below............... the guy got EXTREMELY lucky.

[video=youtube;f9D64GKHhBw]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f9D64GKHhBw[/video]

 

[MikeDVB]

Video below............... the guy got EXTREMELY lucky.

[video=youtube;f9D64GKHhBw]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f9D64GKHhBw[/video]

I'd have to replace my underwear...

 

[OWGEM]

Yes the DNR confirmed a cougar in Green county with a trail camera a couple years ago. That probably is the one which escaped from the nearby feline rescue center. As for Azalia, I doubt it. I have a friend who is in animal control and will ask, however if there had been reports I'm sure he would have told me.

 

[BiscuitNaBasket]

its aginst the law to kill lions,cougars,pumas,panthhers or whatever you want to call them in Indiana. law was passed in 2007. just make sure its a frontal shot and claim self defense lol.

Yeah...please don't do this unless it's really self defense. Thanks.

 

[Fredo]

NPS Ranger at Yellowstone told me years ago (1997) He had been working in Yellowstone for 15 years and had only seen one mountain lion (it was on a buffalo calf kill). He said you would never see one unless it was already on you. (Most of em will just run from people).

 

[traderdan]

I have no doubt that the population in southern Indiana is greater than we think. In years past I spent a fair amount of time hiking the canyons in New Mexico. I never saw a cat..found fresh tracks and partially eaten deer, ect. But never did see a lion. In one particular area, south of Taos, sign was so common that I started carrying a shotgun with 00 buck. There are a lot of places in Hoosier National, that don't get much foot traffic.

 

[Harry2110]

Im surpised Zephri hasnt chimed in yet as hes :INGO: resident cougar/rock *****

I wondering how hard it would be to trap one not to kill or skin but to use as a really nice security system? Beware of kitty could take on a whole new meaning.

I wouldnt be surprised if they are cougars in indiana personally. Ive heard all the storys and confirmed sighting of bobcats down her in southern indiana in areas that are mostly urban. They were native to her once so could easily survive if not killed by hunters. Also with scarcity of the sightings I would think that theres a 90-99% chance while hunting that you wont even see a cat let alone be attacked by one.