 Here in my home state of Missouri there are an abundant number of white-tailed deer. The harvest of deer taken by hunters in Missouri continues to increase yearly. In 2001, the number of individual hunters statewide was approximately 425,000. The total recorded deer harvested that fall hunting season was 205,867 compared to 2000's statistics of 201,165 individuals harvested. These men and women are willing to do their part in helping to control the deer population. An interesting fact shared by Bill Heatherly of the MO Conservation Department in Jefferson City is that there are fewer younger hunters purchasing deer tags and the majority of this states hunters are older permit holders who tend to harvest fewer animals. This suggests that future whitetail harvests may not be as productive unless our efforts to encourage the younger generation to hunt continue along with our own participation. Maybe as more women and youth step up to the challenge of participating in our hunting heritage we can help change that statistic. What's interesting about Missouri hunters is there are no official records of the numbers of women or the numbers of men with hunting permits or women to men ratio in deer harvests. We must continue to recognize our responsibilities in maintaining the increasing whitetail herds at a healthy population in this state. It seems that we are not alone in our endeavor to manage that responsibility. However slight the contribution; there is in fact an animal equipped with exceptional strength and build whose size enables it as a true whitetail hunter. In years past, fewer people inhabited the land and more of the large predators managed the deer numbers. Now that the tables have reversed with more people and fewer large predators, we have to manage our hunts to control these large deer herds.
What may come as a surprise to some of us in this state is the presence of another natural deer predator. Mountain Lions have been reported as far north as Blue Springs near and in Blue and Gray wild life refuge. That is about 20 miles from Kansas City. Specifically documentation has shown an unfortunate highway death for one of these large mammals in that area. Although no one can say how many large cats of the Puma concolor species we have in our Sho Me State, more evidence exists of one poached cat and the Conservation Department states that they have verified 6 mountain lions here in 10 years. However, the origin of these animals remains a mystery. There does not appear to be a breeding population according to the state of MO conservationists, nor can there be proved the origin of this small number of verified individuals. Is this a remnant from the previously known cat population in Missouri's bootheel? The last known record of a large cat killed there was in 1927 according to MDC. Immigrants from other states are also considered a possibility due to the territory of some of these large cats encroached by other large cats and human development. Another theory on the origin of some of Missouri's mountain lions is that those that are in captivity could be released into the wild by their owners. There is a lot of debate over whether or not these animals actually have been introduced into Missouri, though our conservation department would be best suited to verify prints or any other sign of these magnificent creatures. Any of us can make a claim but those who are trained to recognize wildlife sign are best suited to verifying it. There is not enough evidence to show that the number of roaming or released cats is increasing in the state. However they do identify and confirm the possibility of free roaming individuals by credible photographic proof and by evidence of their natural habits which include kills, scrapes, scat droppings and unique paw prints.
 (Photographed along Pomm De Terre Lake this is an example of a suspected mountain lion track. The Conservation Dept. states that most of these like prints turn out to be from dogs. )
These evasive cats leave scraped piles of leaves covering their waste as well as their kills which are not usually noticed given the terrain and long staying leaf litter in Missouri's wooded regions. Padded paws leave soft impressions, coming and going to water sources, that may also be overlooked. An adult mountain lion's tracks are about three inches wide with tear shaped toes and deeply lobed paw pads. These prints will also be absent of claw marks in all but a few cases. Bill Heatherly with the MDC states that most of the reported paw prints turn out to be from dogs. One of the most striking sign of mountain lion in an area is the deer itself, or better stated the remains of deer killed by a large cat. A mountain lion's habits for killing and eating are very specific for their species in terms of how they kill and what they eat. Given the abundance of deer in our state it is not likely that a cat would attack humans unless cornered or feels its food or kits are threatened. Having not had the pleasure of a chance meeting with this creature, I can only assume that what the literature says about them avoiding confrontation with humans is true, that is unless agitated or forced into aggression. It is an awesome thought to consider Gods provision for the natural selection and reduction of an animal population so that it remains healthy. While my interest in these animals is stirred with such abundant signs of their activity, my responsibility rests in leaving their habitat undisturbed so that I do not interfere with their success. As the true hunter of the white-tail herds in Missouri a mountain lion is sure to leave us exposed in our efforts when compared to his excellence in that purpose.
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