Trackers cannot find mountain lion
Posted: Wednesday, March 05, 2008
RAPID CITY, S.D. (AP) -- State wildlife officials say they believe a 33-year-old Rapid City man who says he was attacked Saturday by a mountain lion at Sheridan Lake -- even though investigators did not find any blood at the scene and trained dogs could not locate the cat.
Ryan Hughes says he was ice fishing when he stepped into the woods and a lion jumped him.
He suffered gashes and puncture wounds.
Hughes says he wrestled the cat for 5 minutes.
Although dogs could not pick up a scent, officials are tentatively calling it a confirmed lion attack.
"I don't think he's lying to us," said Mike Kintigh, a state Game, Fish & Parks Department spokesman. "I can't explain why we're not finding any physical evidence, or why our dogs weren't finding scent in that area."
Hughes admits drinking 4 beers, but there's no indication he was impaired, Kintigh said.
Investigators found no blood at the site where Hughes said he was knocked down and wrestled with the mountain lion for five minutes. Nor did they find any recent signs of lions.
Trained hounds tried Saturday afternoon and evening and Sunday morning but could not find a scent trail. That's puzzling, Kintigh said, because it was a mild and calm day -- just right for scent conditions.
If the confirmed lion attack designation sticks, it will be the first known attack by a wild mountain lion on a human in South Dakota. Only about 120 such attacks have been reported during the past century in Canada and the United States, of which about two dozen were fatal.
Ryan Hughes says he was ice fishing when he stepped into the woods and a lion jumped him.
He suffered gashes and puncture wounds.
Hughes says he wrestled the cat for 5 minutes.
Although dogs could not pick up a scent, officials are tentatively calling it a confirmed lion attack.
"I don't think he's lying to us," said Mike Kintigh, a state Game, Fish & Parks Department spokesman. "I can't explain why we're not finding any physical evidence, or why our dogs weren't finding scent in that area."
Hughes admits drinking 4 beers, but there's no indication he was impaired, Kintigh said.
Investigators found no blood at the site where Hughes said he was knocked down and wrestled with the mountain lion for five minutes. Nor did they find any recent signs of lions.
Trained hounds tried Saturday afternoon and evening and Sunday morning but could not find a scent trail. That's puzzling, Kintigh said, because it was a mild and calm day -- just right for scent conditions.
If the confirmed lion attack designation sticks, it will be the first known attack by a wild mountain lion on a human in South Dakota. Only about 120 such attacks have been reported during the past century in Canada and the United States, of which about two dozen were fatal.
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I doubt he was attacked wrote on Mar 5, 2008 1:23 PM:
Nice fishin story though, did the cat steal your record fish at the same time. "
n wrote on Mar 5, 2008 10:52 AM: