Big Cat

[JoePa]

https://www.outdoornews.com/2022/10/18/cougar-killed-by-vehicle-in-dekalb-county/?utm_source=ActiveCampaign&utm_medium=email&utm_content=A+BIG+CAT+MYSTERY&utm_campaign=Outdoor+News+Weekly+Newsletter+-+10%2F24&vgo_ee=jpPfn0RIEa%2B4%2FDzUf0fZ%2BQ%3D%3D

[glen]

That’s rare. Low population and one gets hit by a car too.  Looks like a healthy cat.  

[AKRISONER]

even more suprising, that area is not heavily wooded, its primarily farmers fields. My assumption is that there are plenty of deer for it to eat.

[glen]

Into the mountains before deer opener looking for a buck.  A meadow opened up and deer are there.  This is the place to be on deer season opener. 
Sneak into the edge of the meadow.  No deer tracks and no deer in sight.  Scanning the edge two sets of eyes see each other at the same time.  In a split second a big cat bounds across the meadow straight at it’s lunch.  Just enough time for one round at 10y.  It hits solid. The cat is done.  The horse don’t like the cat but he pulls the beast off the mountain.  
 

[CrowMan]

A lot of these seemingly random Cougars that have been sighted or killed east of the Mississippi ( or Manitoba) have turned out to be escapees from private zoos or pets.

Plenty of "Tiger Kings" south of the border, and even a few in Ontario. I remember last year the cops having to corral an adult Cougar from a New York City apartment...where it had spent most of its life. Apparently not that unusual...

[smitty55]

7 hours ago, CrowMan said:

A lot of these seemingly random Cougars that have been sighted or killed east of the Mississippi ( or Manitoba) have turned out to be escapees from private zoos or pets.

Plenty of "Tiger Kings" south of the border, and even a few in Ontario. I remember last year the cops having to corral an adult Cougar from a New York City apartment...where it had spent most of its life. Apparently not that unusual...

Not so sure I agree with that line, been hearing that one for at least 15 years now. Maybe more so out west but around Ontario there have been so many sightings that I've heard of even around here from a farmer I talked to that lost two of his sheep as well as at least two sightings not far apart around Charleston Lake around 10 years back. Chances are they've bred over the years as well which would add to the natural population.

[Terry]

For many years the government has been putting out misinformation about cats here in Ontario 

a farmer had a calf killed by a cougar, he did the paperwork to get some money from the government for that killed calf. They rejected his claim and told him there are no pumas anywhere near him, it must be a bear.  He redid the claim to get the money

a month later he shot , killed and buried that deformed light coloured “bear” with the long tail  that was going after another calf

[CrowMan]

I have no doubt that wild Cougars exist this side of the Manitoba border....but why is the government compensating farmers with taxpayer's money for livestock killed by natural predators  ? I know we live in a welfare and nanny state...but isn't that an inherent risk of farming...jeez I don't even get the rationale behind that. So next time the Deer help themselves to my vegetable garden, the government should cut me a cheque ??

[CrowMan]

This pretty little kitty showed up on a trail cam by my place in Eastern Ontario a couple of weeks ago. These cats are certainly secretive...none of my neighbours ever see Bobcats, but obviously they're around...

[Terry]

2 hours ago, CrowMan said:

I have no doubt that wild Cougars exist this side of the Manitoba border....but why is the government compensating farmers with taxpayer's money for livestock killed by natural predators  ? I know we live in a welfare and nanny state...but isn't that an inherent risk of farming...jeez I don't even get the rationale behind that. So next time the Deer help themselves to my vegetable garden, the government should cut me a cheque ??

Well it’s their livelihoods 

and if they did not agree to pay for lost livestock, farmers would put out many traps and do preemptive strikes  on predators in the neighborhood

the government thought  it was a fair trade off

im sure lots of people don’t like the government stocking fish or paying money to protect animals… they will never make everyone happy

[glen]

When fluffy in the city park gets eaten by a coyote why does the government waste money finding it and killing it.  

[CrowMan]

Just don't get it...that's what insurance is for...leave it to the private sector. If you want to insure your crops or live stock then take out insurance. Let professional actuaries determine the risk, and hence the premiums and payouts. This should be left to to the competitive market place...the government sticks its nose in business that they have no clue about.

Things like fish stocking of public waters are to the benefit of most Ontario citizens, and the scale and scope make it difficult for private business to accomplish. Compensating an individual farmer is a different matter and does not require the involvement of the government. 

[glen]

Leave your keys in your car because you have insurance.  
 

[Terry]

No , you don’t get it they have the right to kill every predator that walks on their property their numbers would be devastated.   If they had to depend on insurance the cost of beef would rise and you would play for it one way or another 

 

1.4 million people fish in Ontario , including visitors. And 15 million people in Ontario. So about one in 12 people fish. I wonder how many of them eat Ontario beef , pork and lamb

i think it all balances out in the end 

[CrowMan]

1 hour ago, glen said:

When fluffy in the city park gets eaten by a coyote why does the government waste money finding it and killing 

So they can get votes from little old ladies that think Coyotes are the coming of Armageddon. 

Seriously...yes, we fund Animal Control Officers to protect the public because they can't protect themselves. Same as any policing.

But compensating an individual farmer for his loss with public funds when he knows there are all kinds of risks associated with farming shouldn't be the government's responsibility. Let the insurance companies do it, not the taxpayer. It's just like farmers taking out crop insurance in case of adverse weather. 

I certainly don't agree with farmers being able to kill any predators at will...just like I can't shoot the Deer that eat my veggies....unless the season is open of course..😁

[AKRISONER]

22 hours ago, CrowMan said:

This pretty little kitty showed up on a trail cam by my place in Eastern Ontario a couple of weeks ago. These cats are certainly secretive...none of my neighbours ever see Bobcats, but obviously they're around...

Really really cool shot crow man. I know there’s plenty of bobcats around in Ontario. 
 

the government doesn’t like talking about coogars because there are too many rednecks around that would love to poach one up if they admit that they are abundantly around in X location. 
 

hard enough to protect the plentiful animals never mind the ones that are critically endangered.