Talked to a guy yesterday who has lost around 8 calves this year to what he believes is a mountain lion. Calves are turning up missing and lion has been sighted in his neighborhood. He contacted MDC and they called BS and refused to even investigate. They want proof in form of cat caught in the act.

Aside from putting up an array of game cameras, what are his options?

In MO, does he have the option of setting traps? Cages? Footholds? Cable restraints? On the other hand, not sure what would happen to a guy if he produced a live cat with collar around it's neck.

MDC has always said they don't exist in Missouri. Then they are proven wrong and its always a young, roaming male lion.
There was one in Ray county several years ago - MDC kept saying nope, bobcat. Then it was killed by hunters coon hunting - big sucker. Can't remember if he got a ticket or not - there was some stink about it. IF I remember correctly, he said it was attacking the dogs and thats why it was shot.

They might not believe him because of the crazy amount of free range dogs that I’ve seen in MO I’ve had a lot of hunts busted by dogs either chasing deer or just out wandering aimlessly.

I’d set up a bait pile and camera and see what hits on it to start with. We had lions for years and GFP did the same thing until they had to admit it.

Their in the AR Ozarks why not MO

HayDay out of curiosity what evidence does the farmer have that it's a lion. There are other possibilities that would be more likely. You as a resident trapper should know what's legal to have set this time of year in your state. Not illegal to catch cats in legally set traps or snares.

These topics always amaze me…grown men asking what they should do for a certain problem.

First of all, work the problem. Some things you just have to man up and handle yourself. After the first I would’ve either had cameras out or been set up watching. When the problem arrives, eliminate it. No need to ask permission or for anyone’s approval. Do what’s necessary to protect you and yours.

Dogs tree it then you have proof with pictures and videos. Be sure it can't be disputed location and date. Or sss and move on. To me you don't need permission to protect your animals and livelihood. We each have our own moral compass and line in the sand. That's an individual decision.

I could see a collar getting dropped off on a rig like a live stock trailer at a truck stop. Boy wouldn't the dnr be surprised how fast that cat travels down the interstate. Of course leave your phone at home on hunting days so you don't get placed in the area like the farmer that shot or poisoned those wolf's did. See I should write a book it would be better than all these AI books coming out.

Mountain loins are everywhere and I'm sure Ozarks too.
With that being said, have black bears been known to kill calves or snall livestock? I've never heard of it but I'm not in bear country neither.

Could also be 2 legged predators. Calves are worth big money.

Do you have any pictures of the dead calves? That could reveal a lot.

it sure happens.

A dead mt lion was found a few months ago in North AR.

Saw one back in the late 80’s coming Ming home at night about a 1/4 mile from my parents house. The Gasconade River is a little more than a mile away as the crow flies. We and several neighbors ran hounds back then but never heard of anyone actually ever getting a chase on one. Bobcats occasionally but never a cougar.

I have questioned what I saw multiple times but the long thick tail was a giveaway.

A bullet works pretty good!

The Arkansas game and fish finally admitted that they are in our state and doing well a lot of them have collars and some if not all are microchipped so if they got collars and chips I’d say they knew for a long time we had them

MDC had one on Peck Ranch killing the elk they introduced - sure I would do something if I was missing a few calves

Yes we got them. Have had for years. Some of the old timers said they never went away. Lots of brushy deep hollers in Stone and Barry county Mo. Isolated places. Plenty of deer and turkey to eat. Hogs.
Coming in from work a few years ago, I had to brake for a juvenile that crossed the road right in front of my truck. That was a mistake an adult cat wouldn't have made IMO. I'm sure momma crossed first and then waited in the brush for it to cross.

Family outside of Boonville has many many trail cam pics from their property.

Not cloudy fuzzy pics either. Good pics that you can easily identify what they are.

A while back I saw a U Tube of a black bear taking down a hog somewhere in Great Smokey Mountain Park. Tourists were driving along and saw the drama on the side of the road so stopped and took a video of it. Bear had a bear hug on the hog and would try to bite it and the hog would squirm and squeal and get away momentarily. Then the bear would catch it again start all over again. We have a bear season here in Missouri now and several around here. Haven't heard of any livestock problems though.



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EcdmUfAVBJ8

Too many Lions have been road killed, and live stock changed over to dead stock for the state to continue denying their existence. At least a decade ago somebody trapped a pair of them, skinned and put up the hide, only to dump them in the woods when they lost their nerve.