An Associated Press story hit the news today about a mountain lion that was shot in Barber County, Kansas. It appears the landowner didn't know it was illegal to shoot a cougar and has been cooperating with law enforcement.
Here is a Wichita Eagle story:
http://www.kansas.com/news/story/352601.html
I'm just very pleased that this question of whether or not cougars live in Kansas can be put to rest. For years, Kansans have reported seeing the big cats (I've heard of several sightings in Washington County over the years), but the Kansas Department of Wildlife & Parks plays coy on the topic by saying there has been no firm confirmation and the animals may be escaped pets (if that were the case, every town would have to have a family with pet cougars.)
Of course, many sightings seem to be bogus. I've had strange stories circulate through this office many times and often it is "a hunter who is a friend of a friend has video of one that he saw from his deer stand." Of course it is always hard... impossible... to get a copy of that video. But that doesn't stop me from believing they are here. And I'll pay $100 cash to anyone who can get me a picture of a cougar that can be confirmed to have been photographed in Washington County.
While we're on the topic, feel free to leave a comment on any of your cougar sighting stories.
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