Mountain Lion sightings continue in Rock County

By Lori EhdeAmong various reports of mountain lions in Rock County, at least one is getting official attention.Larry Swenson called the Rock County Sheriff’s Department Tuesday morning, Oct. 25, after sighting one from his combine northwest of Luverne."It was a big one," Swenson said. "The tracks are, too." He said the big cat jumped from the cornfield he was harvesting, effortlessly cleared a fence and ran north into Touch the Sky Prairie."I was shocked to see it," Swenson said. "It was about three times the size of our chocolate lab."Rock County Sheriff Mike Winkels went out to the farm to investigate, and he called the DNR.Winkels said the animal left behind some large, deep paw prints, and DNR conservation officer Jim Robinson was called to the scene.He told the Star Herald he could not officially confirm the presence of a mountain lion. "It would be highly unusual," Robinson said. "It’s not impossible, but it would be highly unusual."Winkels said he’s checked out reports of mountain lions in other parts of the county, but not all of them were legitimate."In one case, we had a farmer report claw marks on the backs of his pigs," Winkels said."But they were on the animals’ hindquarters, and if it were mountain lion, the injuries would have been near the neck."DNR officials said it’s not impossible for mountain lions to be in Rock County, but they prefer large tracts of unpopulated land — more like that found in the Black Hills.Recent confirmed sightings in southeast Minnesota turned out to be game farm mountain lions that had escaped.Once a mountain lion is reported, the reports tend to generate other reports, because people think they are seeing mountain lions.While some male cats may wander, their preferred habitat wouldn’t be Rock County. Mountain lions are described as extremely secretive, reclusive, mostly nocturnal animals, and human attacks are rare.In areas where humans and mountain lions do occasionally meet, officials offer the following tips.
Keep children close by. Observations of captured wild mountain lions reveal that the animals seem especially drawn to children.
Do not approach a mountain lion. Most mountain lions will try to avoid a confrontation. Give them a way to escape.
Do not try to run away from a mountain lion. Running may stimulate the instinct to chase. Instead, stand and face the animal. Make eye contact. If there are small children there, pick them up if possible so they don't panic and run. Although it may be awkward, pick them up without bending over or turning away from the mountain lion.
Do not crouch or bend over, because it makes humans look like four-legged animals. A person standing up straight simply isn’t the right shape for cats’ prey.The phone number for the Windom office of the DNR is 507-831-2917. In Slayton, the number is 507-836-8739.