Mountain Lion in Oklahoma???

We had a great Memorial Day weekend these last few days!  We took the family up to the farm in Oklahoma. It was a caravan as we towed a “new” 1984 Toyota truck my brother-in-law bought as a farm truck.  A couple new spark plugs and they had it purring like a kitten! The floor board is rotting out, the seats aren’t much more than springs, and the truck bed… well there isn’t much there! However, it runs, it hauls, and it saves our vehicles from getting scratched up. 

It was an eventful weekend! We got there on Saturday and spent the day getting the truck up and ready.  We did our ritual of checking deer feeders and food plots, fixing gates and fences, and just doing an inventory of what work needed to be done.  We woke up Sunday ready to get to work. 

On our way to fill deer feeders, Chad noticed a doe killed in the creek.  We quickly took the kids back to the cabin and went to investigate.  Sadly, a doe birthing two fawns had been attacked by a mountain lion.  There have been very few reports of lions in southeastern Oklahoma, but there is no doubt this was a lion.  The doe had obviously been killed the night before and the claw marks going up the tree were proof enough the lion was close by.  I was just a tad unnerved. 

We were sad to lose three deer – the doe and her two fawns.  We aren’t sure what our options are in regards to the lion.  The Oklahoma Department of Wildlife protects the mountain lion from indiscriminate shooting.  According to ODWC, “Mountain lions can be taken year round when committing or about to commit depredation on any domesticated animal or when deemed an immediate safety hazard.”  We want to protect our deer herd, but understand the protection of the mountain lion as well.  At this point we hope the animal will move out of the immediate vicinity. 

If you’ve had an experience with mountain lions and know ways we can protect the deer in our area, please leave us feedback in the comments below.  We hope everyone had a great Memorial Day!  And, we want to offer a handshake and a sincere hug of thankfulness to those who serve this magnificent country.  I pray for those who have paid the ultimate sacrifice in defending our nation and for those families they have left behind.  “Thank you” isn’t enough.  God Bless.