Mountain Lion Snared in Western Kerr County
Posted Under: Mountian Lions | May 7, 2008
We’ve all heard the stories about folks seeing mountain lions, and sometimes we even hear about it in the news, but sometimes seeing is believeing. By their nature, mountain lions are extremely secretive and you pretty much have to stumble into one to be lucky enough to see it.
Such was the case April 12 on the Kramer Ranch in western Kerr County, Texas. A routine fence-line ride turned up something out-of-the-ordinary as Jim and Sharon Capeheart noticed something snared in their fence. From a distance, the tan creature appeared to be a deer hung up in a coyote snare, but as they got closer, they realized that it was actually a mountain lion. Dismounting from horseback, the couple approached the cat to inspect with their dogs.
“One horse, the gray, would have nothing to do with the cat,” Sharon said, but several others “nudged and checked out” the curious thing with their muzzles.
In retrospect, she recalled the horses having “acted strangely in this area” most probably due to scent left behind from the mountain lion.
The land owner generally rides the area every day, she said, checking snares, signs, and fences for holes. Having had coyote problems and a decline in whitetail fawns, the Capehearts have enlisted in a co-op program through the United States Department of Agriculture and Texas A&M of Wildlife Damage Management Service.
Although I’m sure that program is intended to target coyotes, you just never know what type of predator you’re going to catch with a snare!
Reader Comments
Yes, and this is exactly what the WDM loves to do – kill any and all animals. So true about snares – why, you could even kill your own child in one! Interesting!
His land, and his family lives there. Go back to the city and keep your comments to yourself.
Would you rather have that big cat kill one of those children, or how about the coyote? How about how they both can irradicate deer populations and small animals as well. How about you be realistic. Sometimes things like this need to be done to keep a healthy balance, so maybe you should think about things like that before you open your mouth. I bet you wear leathers shoes! The poor cow…do you eat steak, fish, eggs, milk, wear wool sweaters? I bet you do!
Oh, I see 2 cowardly anonymous people answered here. Yawn.
CC, do you own the air your breathe, the water you drink and every living thing on your property? What a controlling person you must be.
Jenny, quite an assumption that every animal is out to kill you! You must have a scary life! The word is eradicate, but this cat didn’t, and I’ve never heard of them eradicating any other species. Link please, unless you made this up.
I wear sneakers, and I eat fish, not meat. Tell me, what does this have to do with killing a mountain lion for sport or in this case, through mismanagement and stupidity?