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Big Cat in WDM

l2alphmacchio

l2alphmacchio

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Jul 10, 2006
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Ok, so I come home to my wife freaking out last night. We live just west of Des Moines Golf and Country. She was on her way home from working out and she said she saw a mountain lion cross 88th St by the railroad tracks going towards a water detainment pond. I told her that she probably just saw a big dog, and she flipped out on me saying she knew what she saw. She discribed it as, as big a great dane and its tail was as long as its body.
I called WDM animal control to let them know, and they said that they would look into the matter, but believe it was just a large bobcat or coyote. It was still dark when I got home and left for work this morning, so I haven't had time to go look for tracks, but I will definitely do so after I go home today. Anyone else in the area seen anything peculiar?
 
l2alphmacchio said:
Ok, so I come home to my wife freaking out last night. We live just west of Des Moines Golf and Country. She was on her way home from working out and she said she saw a mountain lion cross 88th St by the railroad tracks going towards a water detainment pond. I told her that she probably just saw a big dog, and she flipped out on me saying she knew what she saw. She discribed it as, as big a great dane and its tail was as long as its body.
I called WDM animal control to let them know, and they said that they would look into the matter, but believe it was just a large bobcat or coyote. It was still dark when I got home and left for work this morning, so I haven't had time to go look for tracks, but I will definitely do so after I go home today. Anyone else in the area seen anything peculiar?
Click to expand...

In WDM? By the Country Club? It was probably a cougar. If you know what I mean.
 
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Sex Panther maybe?

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I live in Wyoming. We have Mountain Lions that live near the edge of my town. They have wondered into town from time to time.
 
DaddyMac said:
Probably because 95% of the "sightings" they get are from people who can't distinguish a cougar from your average tabby.
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Probably true, but if 5% actually do see a cougar... that means cougars have moved into the area (albeit very few). The DNR denies this claim... even though they have been found dead (and also killed by humans) in the recent past in Iowa.
 
cstrunk said:
Probably true, but if 5% actually do see a cougar... that means cougars have moved into the area (albeit very few). The DNR denies this claim... even though they have been found dead (and also killed by humans) in the recent past in Iowa.
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I only said that 5% could identify - not that they in fact did see one.

Subtle difference.

I really don't have any doubt that a few may have made their way into the state - maybe even have setup shop. But I'm pretty confident that the overwhelming majority of sightings are bogus. I also don't buy into this conspiracy that the DNR has anything to do with them being here in the first place.

I've had both experiences - about 2 years ago, I had a neighbor who called me in a mild hysteria because another neighbor saw one along the greenbelt by our house, took pictures and contacted the WDM PD. I thought it at least plausible, and made mention to a few others nearby. A bit later - I got the photos. Needless to say - not even a bobcat but a rather large kitty-cat.

On the otherhand, I had a rural hunter on another board post some pics he took (by Winterset, I believe). I have to say, I don't think it was a cougar - but really can't say for certain.
 
DaddyMac said:
Probably because 95% of the "sightings" they get are from people who can't distinguish a cougar from your average tabby.
Click to expand...

So are you saying that 5% of the time it's a cougar everytime? :biglaugh:

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OK, when I read the thread title, I thought it was going to be about Andres Galarraga

First, If you have never seen a fox, coyote, or bobcat in real life, you would be shocked at how small they are. Most coyote would be considered abnormally large if they were even half the size of a Great Dane. Bobcats and Fox are not that much bigger than a large domesticated house cat.

Second, in the last 10 years the DNR has morphed into a bunch of overweight cubicle jockeys that know very little about the 'outdoors', and spend even less time in it. Unless they can find an answer on Google, you will probably not get a correct response from them.

My guess would be that it was in fact a Cougar or Mountain Lion, and will probably continue to 'migrate' in whatever direction it was heading.
 
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