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Author
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Topic: Mountain Lion
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Krimas
Member Posts: 2
From: Wimberley
Registered: Mar 2009
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posted April 14, 2009 12:09 PM
 
Had a great sighting this weekend. We were heading into town on 2325. I had just gone by the main Woodcreek entrance. I saw what I thought was a deer getting ready to run across the road so I slowed down. I looked again and an adolescent mountain lion ran right in front of my car. I know they are here but this is the first one I have ever seen. Very cool.
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Zac
Member Posts: 75
From:
Registered: Feb 2008
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posted April 14, 2009 01:45 PM
What a lucky sighting! They are so stressed now with habitat destruction and blocking of normal migration paths the numbers have really declined. We can only imagine what effect these drought conditions have had on them.Although *some* old rancher types might regard them only as predators, they really are amazing and an important part of the ecosystem. (I sometimes think we need them more than we need some old rancher types.  ) Many years ago a wildlife expert explained to us they are called "Mexican cats" because of their migration pattern from Mexico across Central Texas and back. We spotted one or two each year and always found a lot of evidence of their migration. Fall and spring are the best times for sighting them, but we haven't seen one for years now. Dwindling numbers. What a gift, and I'm so glad you got to see that. I had the same first impression with the first one I saw. It looked like a deer in peripheral vision - coloring can be similar - and when I turned to see what it really was, got a thrill. Thanks for sharing this - I feel better just knowing one is out there.
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Miss Chris
Member Posts: 294
From: Wimberley, Texas
Registered: Nov 2006
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posted April 14, 2009 04:12 PM
Wow! What an awesome siting. We had one pass through our place a couple of years ago. A relative was sitting on the porch and saw it. Now that I think of it, it was about this time of year.
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foxymaw
Member Posts: 82
From:
Registered: Aug 2006
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posted April 14, 2009 04:43 PM
A couple of weeks ago, in this same area, I spotted what I thought was a large housecat..when I shined the flash light in the area where I saw him and it was obviously NOT your typical house cat...very large and was "walking" toward me...fortunately, I was at my front door and got in the house pretty quickly and got my little dogs inside...this was about 6:00 am...I am very cautious when I go out for the newpaper now..
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freewill
Member Posts: 211
From: Wimberley Area
Registered: Mar 2009
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posted April 14, 2009 10:10 PM
Thanks for the warning. These are not pussycats and though they are beautiful animals, they are apex predators and pose a threat to humans when sighted that close to neighborhoods. Though rare, they have been known to attack people, their dogs and cats, as well as livestock. This could be the reason for some lost cat and dog reports.They have been expanding their range recently and it is not surprising that they show up here since we have so many deer. This is another unintended consequence of feeding the whitetails and the overpopulation of them. The does will be dropping their fawns in June so sightings may increase at that time. Texas doesn't classify mountain lions as game animals, and thus has no closed seasons or restrictions on killing them. They are considered varmints.
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Miss Chris
Member Posts: 294
From: Wimberley, Texas
Registered: Nov 2006
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posted April 15, 2009 09:19 AM
They are considered wildlife to me, not varmints. I feel fortunate to have them still in the area. It is the reason I moved here many years ago.
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wymjym
Member Posts: 223
From:
Registered: May 2001
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posted April 15, 2009 10:07 AM
I guess everything should be viewed within some time frame. To that end, I suspect that the 'expanded' range is no where as broad as it once was (before we moved into this arid barren land and started cutting it up into lots, and mini ranches).taken from Texas Parks and Wildlife webs1te: Despite reports of mountain lion attacks on people in California, mountain lion attacks are rare. Only four attacks on humans in Texas have been reported since 1980, all of them in remote areas of West Texas. From 1890–2001, there were 98 attacks across the
U.S. and Canada, 17 of those were fatal. Cougar attacks have increased during the past few decades but are still much rarer than other hazards from animals or nature. For example, dogs annually kill 18–20 people and inflict suture requiring
injuries on 200,000 U.S. residents. Increases in cougar attacks are probably due to increases in their numbers and more people using wildlands and building residences in areas where mountain lions live.
http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/publications/pwdpubs/media/pwd_br_w7000_0232.pdf
wj
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bren
Member Posts: 56
From: wimberley, tx
Registered: Feb 2009
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posted April 15, 2009 04:13 PM
We are fortunate to still have wildlife in this area. We have had a few sightings in my area too & I am thankful that mountain lions are still around. This is their area too & has been long before humans took over. They haven't just moved into area.... they have always been here. They don't migrate from Mexico & back...they are native to Texas. When I was here in the 50's & 60's they were here. In those years there was also an overpopulation of deer at times (before people were feeding them). Some years alot, some years not. There are many factors involved in numbers of deer, but their populations have increased as sheep & goat ranching has decreased and grasslands have reappeared. Considering the lions varmints & killing them routinely could also lead to increased deer & hog populations, since those are their meals of choice. When we stop seeing deer and other wildlife and start seeing mountain lions attacking pets and humans, then there is a problem. Until that happens, we need to leave nature alone and let them do what they do. If people will take the time to learn about the animals they are sharing space with & use common sense, there shouldn't be anything to fear. Take precautions with your children and pets as you would with other dangers. Mountain lions in general will avoid humans at all costs...that is why sightings are so rare. They do seem to know to avoid the most dangerous predators around. The mountain lions used to be throughout the U.S. That is no longer the case since humans have expanded into their areas. I would hate to see them disappear like so many other species have. They are a link in the chain of life with important roles to play.
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Miss Chris
Member Posts: 294
From: Wimberley, Texas
Registered: Nov 2006
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posted April 15, 2009 05:28 PM
Well said and thank you, Bren!
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Ron Lee
Member Posts: 1
From: Wimberley,Tx, USA
Registered: Jun 2009
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posted July 07, 2009 12:10 PM
We live fairly close to 2325 and the old golf course and saw a mountain lion also. I say we meaning the fellow who was building a storage building for me saw it also. He stated he saw it but still didn't believe it. I guess he was about fifty yards away when he passed. Ron Lee
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kayh
Member Posts: 71
From: Wimberley Texas USA
Registered: Feb 2009
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posted April 14, 2010 05:29 AM
My husband and I spotted one, late one night while outside in our driveway. Those things are majestic and can RUN! It ran right past us at top speed, and every dog in the neighborhood went crazy! I came inside. They are beautiful but..from a distance.
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jerry
Member Posts: 98
From:
Registered: Aug 2009
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posted August 23, 2010 07:22 AM
Neighbor spotted (had several other witnesses) what she thought was a mountain lion cub (about 20 lbs) right off her deck this past weekend. Turns out after talking to a game warden and getting additional info that it was likely a bobcat and that they do not always have bobbed tails and mountain lion cubs would weigh at least 70 lbs by this time of year. This area is about ten miles west of Wimberley on the Blanco. Hunters stay home as the warden says this was likely a once time sighting event. He did mention that they trapped a black bear in the Dripping area this spring. Far out of its normal range but they are slowly migrating across the state.
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starstruck
Member Posts: 588
From: Hays
Registered: Feb 2001
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posted August 23, 2010 07:56 AM
Bears in Dripping?
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