Cougar Loose in North Chicago

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curious1 said:
I do not think the officers were shooting wildly, they were shooting at a moving target. It would have been the same if they had been shooting at an armed man charging at them. Would anyone suggest they not shoot in that situation for fear of hitting someone? If you have ever been charged at by an animal you know how frightful it can get. Heck I was charged at by a cow, not a bull with horns and not a cougar with sharp claws and teeth made for biting and tearing, a cow and it scared the carp out of me. If I had had a gun at the time I would have fired at her. Luckily I was able to get over a fence in time. And we all know if they had not found this cougar and someone had been bitten, not even killed, just bitten then people would have been all over the police for not doing enough.
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So true, curious. Had they not shot the poor cat before he hurt or killed someone or someone's pet the officers would have been harshly criticized. Either way some will see them as the ones at fault. I don't, and I truly love all animals. I've been involved in wildlife and domestic rehabilitation for the majority of my life. I've been training dogs since I was ten, have worked as a vet tech off and on for years, and I was accepted to vet school in 1991. My whole life has revolved around animals since early childhood. And, there is no coincidence in the hat I chose for ws. Yet, still I accept and understand what the officers had to do.

But, I am concerned for the fate of our beautiful wildlife--especially our larger predators such as cougars, wolves, and even coyotes. As we build and inhabit more land in our country we leave less and less for them. I have no answers on what to do about that.

Lion
 
Shrugs ... I checked out the link you provided. I still think that they handled this the best possible way that they could. That is a busy neighborhood, and they had no choice but to immediately put the cat down. It was way to big of a risk to wait for someone to drive up from Brookfield or Lincoln Park to help.

ETA: Especially considering all routes are under construction and during rush hour. It would have taken 2+ hours for someone from Brookfield or Lincoln Park to get there.
 
golfmom said:
Shrugs ... I checked out the link you provided. I still think that they handled this the best possible way that they could. That is a busy neighborhood, and they had no choice but to immediately put the cat down. It was way to big of a risk to wait for someone to drive up from Brookfield or Lincoln Park to help.

ETA: Especially considering all routes are under construction and during rush hour. It would have taken 2+ hours for someone from Brookfield or Lincoln Park to get there.
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Oh really? And driving from downtown Chicago's FOX News studios wasn't??? Give me a break. They didn't handle the situation as well as they should have. Especially since Animal Control was on the scene anyways!

By the way, Lincoln Park Zoo is 4 miles tops from where the cougar was shot. It's a straight shot up Lincoln Avenue to Roscoe Village. NO WHERE NEAR 2+ hours. I'm from Chicago. I know the major thoroughfares and by the way "all routes" are NOT under construction. :rolleyes:

ETA: They were reportedly stalking the cougar all day. This is why Animal Control was on the scene. If these reports are correct then there is absolutely no reason for killing the cougar. They have action plans for situations such as these. I think the entire thing was blundered by CPD.

JMHO...
 
okay it's obvious that some people have an axe to grind with the local police (I can only imagine why someone would have an encounter with LE that would leave them so bitter) so we are not going to get anything objective and it looks like this thread has run it's course so I will take my leave. Peace out folks and enjoy the rest of your day.
 
curious1 said:
okay it's obvious that some people have an axe to grind with the local police (I can only imagine why someone would have an encounter with LE that would leave them so bitter) so we are not going to get anything objective and it looks like this thread has run it's course so I will take my leave. Peace out folks and enjoy the rest of your day.
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Nice of you to make it personal. I didn't think that that was what this site was about, but you, curious1, have proven me wrong.

No axe to grind here. Just being objective and merely stating the facts and my opinions in relation to them. I'm completely entitled to MY opinion just as YOU are to yours. Sorry you don't feel the same way.

Enjoy your day. :blowkiss:
 
I still think LE did the best possible job the could under the circumstances.

DID YOU HEAR ME LISA? I actually think LE did something right for a change.
 
Cougars are common in the area I live. They also travel down into the suburbs from the hills around here. People have been attacked and even my next door neighbor has had sheep taken by cougars. I know how dangerous they are, but I still think something better could have been done to capture this cougar and relocate it to a more appropriate place after determining that it was not an escaped/released pet. Unless the animal was entering a schoolyard or attacking an animal or person, then an animal control officer or zoo personnel should have been called to dart it. I think these city guys just didn't know how to handle a wild animal and panicked. They went all "cowboy" on the poor creature. It was probably freaked out and trying to find it's way back to the wild.
 
golfmom said:
I still think LE did the best possible job the could under the circumstances.

DID YOU HEAR ME LISA? I actually think LE did something right for a change.
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Hallelujah !! My wish has been granted... A miracle recieved!! GM is siding with the police this time!!!

I agree - LE had no other option here...
 
lisag said:
Hallelujah !! My wish has been granted... A miracle recieved!! GM is siding with the police this time!!!

I agree - LE had no other option here...
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If you tattle and tell your dh on me, I'll never forgive you. :snooty:
 
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/chi-skokie-cougar_webapr17,1,162491.story

Police and wildlife biologists hovered low in a helicopter over the Skokie Lagoons Wednesday in a futile search for a second cougar after a police officer, two joggers and another person reported seeing a large mountain lion Monday, hours after a 2-year-old cougar was shot and killed by police in Chicago.

..............
Searchers did not spot the animal or find tracks or other evidence during a two-hour air search, Anchor said. Authorities have no plans to resume the search unless there are reports of another sighting.
 
golfmom said:
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/chi-skokie-cougar_webapr17,1,162491.story

Police and wildlife biologists hovered low in a helicopter over the Skokie Lagoons Wednesday in a futile search for a second cougar after a police officer, two joggers and another person reported seeing a large mountain lion Monday, hours after a 2-year-old cougar was shot and killed by police in Chicago.

..............
Searchers did not spot the animal or find tracks or other evidence during a two-hour air search, Anchor said. Authorities have no plans to resume the search unless there are reports of another sighting.
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OH BOY! I wonder if they're going to shoot this [purported] one dead too! :eek: :mad:
 
This is exactly why they couldn't disperse experts for each sighting. It's like chasing BIG-FOOT.

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/chi-skokie-cougar_webapr17,1,162491.story

UPDATE: Lake County sheriff deputies searched for 45 minutes Thursday morning but found nothing after someone reported seeing a cougar on the southeast corner of Waukegan Road and Illinois Highway 137 near Waukegan, Sgt. Christopher Thompson said.

Authorities received the call at 4:35 a.m. from the security guard at a nearby business, and deputies searched near the intersection but found no evidence of a cougar, Thompson said.
 
My brother reported seeing a black panther in Northern Virginia. They said that there was no way a black panther would live in Northern Virginia. Sure enough, the black panther was found dead on the road the next morning (hit by a car). It was stuffed and is on display at a nature exhibit at one of the local parks. They suspect the panther was an exotic pet that escaped.
 
RainbowsAndGumdrops said:
My brother reported seeing a black panther in Northern Virginia. They said that there was no way a black panther would live in Northern Virginia. Sure enough, the black panther was found dead on the road the next morning (hit by a car). It was stuffed and is on display at a nature exhibit at one of the local parks. They suspect the panther was an exotic pet that escaped.
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How cool. It's funny no one would believe him. :bang:
 
That's about a mile from me! I've been dying to see the Lake County cougar; maybe I should put a roast out in the yard.
Earthquakes, cougars -- Illinois is much more exciting than I expected when I moved here!



golfmom said:
This is exactly why they couldn't disperse experts for each sighting. It's like chasing BIG-FOOT.

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/chi-skokie-cougar_webapr17,1,162491.story

UPDATE: Lake County sheriff deputies searched for 45 minutes Thursday morning but found nothing after someone reported seeing a cougar on the southeast corner of Waukegan Road and Illinois Highway 137 near Waukegan, Sgt. Christopher Thompson said.

Authorities received the call at 4:35 a.m. from the security guard at a nearby business, and deputies searched near the intersection but found no evidence of a cougar, Thompson said.
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RainbowsAndGumdrops said:
My brother reported seeing a black panther in Northern Virginia. They said that there was no way a black panther would live in Northern Virginia. Sure enough, the black panther was found dead on the road the next morning (hit by a car). It was stuffed and is on display at a nature exhibit at one of the local parks. They suspect the panther was an exotic pet that escaped.
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The poor cat was most likely someone's pet. There is no such thing as an actual black panther (black cougar). What we call black panthers are actually black leopards, which do exist. And, we have no leopards native to this country.

Lion
 
The most wicked thing I ever saw in dealing with cats was when I lost my dog once. I was out at night with my son and we were combing areas behind the hill where we lived which was half a block outside of town. The light hit the ridge above where we were standing and all we could see were tons of gold cat eyes staring back at us from different levels!!! They were Bobcats!! It was truly a frightening yet awesome experience. (We did find the dog...not near there tho!)
 
Yet another call ... didn't anyone hear the story about the "Little boy who cried wolf" story when they were growing up?

http://www.dailyherald.com/story/?id=175931&src=3

Gurnee police said they received a report early Friday morning of a possible cougar sighting in a wooded area on the 1500 block of Northwestern Avenue. Police spokesman Cmdr. Jay Patrick said the animal was described as a large, long cat. He said there is no way to confirm the reported sighting. The cougar call came to Gurnee authorities about 2:30 a.m.
 
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