Mountain lion killed in Deadwood city limits

Rapid City Journal ^ | 22 oct 09 | Kevin Woster

[rellimpank]

A mountain lion was killed within the Deadwood city limits Wednesday morning after the big cat, and possibly another, apparently killed a deer in a backyard in town.

A South Dakota Game, Fish & Parks Department trapper killed one lion Wednesday, but the hunt wasn't over, because police reports early in the day indicated that two lions were in the area. GF&P placed four baited live traps in town in hopes that the other cat could be caught overnight Wednesday.

"Our trapper did euthanize one lion, and we're trying to determine what else we have out there," said John Kanta, GF&P regional game manager.

[rellimpank]

--big kitty alert--

[rellimpank]

—ping—

[Leg Olam]

Cougars in South Dakota? Whats her name?

[Roses0508]

When I was growing up in Oklahoma, they called them pumas. Usually they stayed away from houses and barns though.

[careyb]

"Our trapper did euthanize one lion, and we're trying to determine what else we have out there," said John Kanta, GF&P regional game manager.

Somebody from Deadwood managed to complete a sentence without using the F-word? ;)

[rellimpank]

-—you are confusing the fictional Deadwood with the real Deadwood-—

[HighlyOpinionated]

GF&P trapper Jack Alexander used lion hounds to track and tree the adult female lion. He shot the cat in a tree after noticing that it had clear signs of an eye infection or inflammation.

"Once the cat was ID'd as being visually impaired, we considered it to pose a pretty clear public safety issue," Kanta said. "So (Alexander) did go ahead and euthanize the lion."

The lion killed Wednesday did have an eye infection that appeared to be similar to an ailment seen in other cats, including a lion killed west of Custer a few weeks ago that was nearly blind.

"We describe it as cloudy eyes, but it's an inflammation or infection of the eye," Kanta said.

The Deadwood lion, a 5- to 6-year-old female, was still able to hunt and weighed 91 pounds, Kanta said. The Custer lion was very thin and clearly in poor health, he said.

If GF&P traps another lion in Deadwood, the next step will depend on the age of the lion and its ability to survive in the wild. It might be fitted with a radio collar and relocated. Or, if it's too young to survive, it could be taken, held and possibly placed in a zoo.

Seems someone needs to investigate this eye infection and try to cure it . . . how I don't know . . . because if it continues to disable the Mountain Lions, they're going to continue to kill 'easy' prey, which includes pets and people.

[EternalVigilance]

A mountain lion in the Black Hills is no big deal. Dog bites man story, so to speak.

But my uncle, who farms in the Loess Hills of western Iowa, spotted a cat a couple days ago on his home place. First time ever for him, although others have reported seeing them occasionally over the years.

[Tribune7]

"Our trapper did euthanize one lion, and we're trying to determine what else we have out there," said John Kanta, GF&P regional game manager.

I hate words like that. Why not just say shot or whatever. It would be shorter and provide more information.

[ridesthemiles]

But my uncle, who farms in the Loess Hills of western Iowa, spotted a cat a couple days ago on his home place. First time ever for him, although others have reported seeing them occasionally over the years.”

Overflow from California where they are protected?

Maybe they rode the Amtrack.

[jazusamo]

I hate words like that. Why not just say shot or whatever.

I hear you. Every time I see that now I think "sheesh."

I believe every state game agency is doing that now for the benefit of the millions who don't think of predators as wild animals that can be dangerous to man, they think of them as cute, furry little animals that should have all the rights that humans do.