Missouri Officials Confirm Mountain Lion Killed an Elk This Week

There are many that believe mountain lions rarely make an appearance in Missouri. Perhaps they should be aware that authorities in the state have confirmed that one of these big cats just killed an adult elk this week.

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The Missouri Department of Conservation has so many mountain lion sightings around the state, they have a page on their website dedicated to them all. They've just shared a brand new confirmed sighting that they say happened on Tuesday, September 12, 2023 in Shannon County, Missouri:

Adult elk was killed by a mountain lion. LCRT confirmed using photos and other sign.

The US Forest Service warns that if you see a carcass of a large animal that has been killed, you likely have a mountain lion or bear nearby. The state of Missouri doesn't just accept anecdotal reports of people saying they saw a mountain lion. They check game cams and tracks near the reported area to make sure there is confirmation one of these predators are nearby.

There is a definite increase in mountain lion and bear sightings in the state of Missouri as more of these animals are finding the habitat in the forests hospitable to their needs. The large deer population makes for a fertile hunting ground which means you're likely to hear reports of mountain lions like the one this week even more frequently.

You can check the Missouri Department of Conservation website for the latest sightings or even to report your own if you have a close encounter of the mountain lion kind.