Wisconsin and mountain lions are not three words often mentioned in the same sentence these days. After being extirpated back in the early 1900s, the state has been making efforts to try and re-integrate the majestic cat into the landscape of America’s Dairyland.
While officials don’t believe there is an active breeding population of cats in Wisconsin, there have been numerous sightings as of recent – a promising sign for reintroducing any species into its historical range.
Last week a bowhunter had the rare opportunity to introduce himself personally to one of the state’s cats as he was approached while deer hunting. The cat reportedly approached the hunter in his stand and could not be thwarted from investigating the camouflaged man, who at that time, was waiting on whitetails.
The hunter stated that he attempted to scare the cat away, but it continued to approach him. Finally, stating that he felt threatened by the animal, he let a bolt go into the menacing feline, killing it on the spot.
The hunter immediately called the incident into the Department of Natural Resources where an investigation later determined that the hunter did, in fact, act in self defense.
“After careful review and consideration, no charges will be filed,” a statement from the DNR read.
According to Randy Johnson, a large carnivore specialist with the DNR, the lion weighed in at 128 pounds and was approximately two years of age. Because lions are protected in Wisconsin, the body remains in possession of the DNR where a full necropsy is planned to help determine where the cat originated from.
This was the 25th confirmed sighting of mountain lions this year and marks the first time in 115 years that someone has shot and killed a cat in the state.
