Dang mountain lion killed and fed on one of my goats. Woke up in the morning and half asleep glanced out the bathroom window thinking the downed branches down by the fence corner looked strange. Started walking away and thought, that almost looked like a goat's legs in the air. Took a closer look and confirmed, and since it was in such a strange part of the pasture and the break of dawn I cautiously went out to inspect.

 

Sure enough, bite marks on the neck and the right shoulder was fed on after being drug all the way to the corner of the fence next to a thick stand of trees. Didn't have time to bury it before heading to work and figured I'd take care of it when I got home.

 

When I got home I glanced over and saw what I assumed was a coyote next to the fence trying to figure out how to get to the carcass. Zoomed my phone to snap a pic, took a look at it, and was shocked to see it was actually the friggin mountain lion. 

 

I was bit surprised it didn't leave when it saw me looking at it, and it stayed right there outside the fence until it got dark.

 

Went out to check on it a bit later when it was dark and it was feeding again. It didn't like my flashlight and didn't return after leaving around 530PM (I waited to bury the goat until the next morning... not playing roulette in the dark with a cat nearby!).

I would've helped it stay by the fence FOREVER. 

10 hours ago, GreenPig said:

I would've helped it stay by the fence FOREVER. 

Yeah, they're very, very protected here and there are certain criteria they have to be doing to get cleared following the mandatory investigation that this cat seemed to know not to do... 

That kitty looks kind of young in the face.

 

I wouldn’t gamble with that thing roaming around either.

 

Have you had encounters with them around your place before?

8 hours ago, 12poundbass said:

That kitty looks kind of young in the face.

I wouldn’t gamble with that thing roaming around either.

Have you had encounters with them around your place before?

Yeah, at first I thought it was an adolescent waiting for its mom when it was lying there because I didn't think it was anywhere near big enough to drag that 150 lb goat over 100ft from where it got him. When I went back later and it had hopped the fence I was shocked to see how big and muscular it was, definitely well over 100 pounds. 

 

I've never had one bother any of our animals before but they're always around with sightings being fairly common. It's rare for a day to go by where I don't see a deer roaming through the unfenced area of my property so I'm not surprised cats are around to hunt them... just need that one to get back to its wild game menu and stay away from people. 

.

 

Predators aren't dumb, it found a easy feeding space and I'd be surprised if it never came back without a deterrent.

 

Are you allowed to, as Dave Chappelle would say, "pepper him up nicely"? More of a deterrent than trying to kill it (if you cant kill it). 

 

Incredible sighting despite the circumstances and new problem. 

They are protected here also unless one is attacking live stock.  That wouldn’t be a lead poisoning deterrent around here.

About 30 years ago I saw a mountain lion while squirrel hunting. I havent told a soul about it because I know nobody would believe me. I spooked it and it ran in the opening into some brush, then stopped and looked back at me.

@scaleface, nobody believed anybody about them here either….. until they got proof!!! Now they can’t deny it