That's when James "Jimmy" McElwee and his dogs treed a mountain lion Saturday's killing (red circle) occurred in Macon.Īnd while that shooting may have been justified, it's harder to make the same argument with the killing of a 115-pound mountain lion in Ray County on January 2. Map shows the locations of confirmed mountain lion sightings in Missouri since 1994."We do not condone the indiscriminate killing of wildlife." "We don't want people to think it's open season on mountain lions in Missouri," says Martensen. Rex Martensen, head of MDC's Mountain Lion Response Team, says he's aware of the public perception that can come from Saturday's killing and the decision not to charge the hunters. Wolken says that he and his investigators have no doubt that the first two men who shot the cat Saturday had a legitimate fear for their safety. They can be killed if they're attacking livestock or domesticatedĪnimals or threatening human life.
#MISSOURI MOUNTAIN LION CODE#
Missouri Wildlife Code strictly prohibits the hunting of mountain lions, though "It popped up and was shot again and died," says Wolken. The animal lay down, and a dozen men surrounded the animal thinking it was dead. He shot it, and the animal went running past another hunter who also fired a shot." It was about twenty yards away - two hops and a pounce - and it scared him to death. "One of them walked past a cedar tree and the mountain lion appeared out of nowhere. Wolken says the men had no idea they'd stumble upon a mountain lion. They use shotguns and ignore other game they come across." "They have a legitimate concern with hunting predators. "These are small farmers who lose chicken and other animals to coyotes each year," explains Wolken. Saturday, the men had surrounded a multi-acre farm near Macon and were walking to the center of the property, looking for coyotes and other small predators. non-Amish) to drive them around to different hunting sites. Matt Wolken, northeast supervisor for the Missouri Department of Conservation, tells Daily RFT that the hunters who killed a 128-pound mountain lion Saturday in northeast Missouri feared for their lives.Īccording to Wolken, about 90 Amish farmers were involved in a "predator hunt" January 22 in which they hire "English men" (a.k.a. And once again, no one will be charged with violating the wildlife code. This lion killed Saturday in northeast Missouri weighed 128 pounds.įor the second time this month hunters in Missouri have shot and killed a mountain lion despite laws protecting the animals.
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