Several years back, I heard a guy excitedly talking about he and his wife seeing a cougar on the WMA just east of town.
His statement?
"Yep, I know why they are here, too! The "state" brought 'em in to help cut down on the deer population!"
I laughed to myself just how incredibly inane "that" statement was. With the deer herd here what it is, and no measures to keep 'cats from crossing the borders from adjoining states, well, it was only natural that they would eventually make it here. Geez, it's a "rich" feeding ground for a predator that size!
Telling a "respected" community member about the statement, I said, "Isn't THAT crazy?"
He looked at me and grinned. Then he said, "I was there when Game officials released THREE mating pairs in Horse Creek* bottom!"
I HAVE NOT seen one or evidence of them! Are they here? There is no reason, realistically, for them to NOT be here. I've just not seen evidence!

Bubba
* - not the real creek name!

Bubba, in eastern Oklahoma over 40 years of hunting I have seen two. There was no mistaking what it was I saw. Did the wildlife dep. release them? I have no idea, but I know what I saw.

I have seen lots of tracks an 2 in NE KS.

It's been a couple of years since the conversation gumby, but it seems he didn't point fingers but insinuated it was state.
Now, there is some credibility to the first part that the lions had been released to "...cut down on the deer population...". The deer population is pretty big right now, but there are acres and acres of wheat pasture planted each year, so there are food sources galore.
I just don't see that puma's are a way or the way to make any appreciable cuts to the current deer population.

Bubba

Gumby, you would be suprised what the federal government does without your permission.

I do believe there are transient mountain lions in Oklahoma, particularly in the very tip of the panhandle and along the Red River. I just have a hard time swallowing that "the feds" released them.
Do you mean the ODWC or the federal government?

I was reading the Georgia Outdoor News (GON) magazine the other day and they had people send in photos to see if we really had mountain lions in Georgia i was kinda shocked to see al the different pictures of them from trail cams kinda scary to those things are runnin around down here!

I live in OKC and a friend deliveres papers on the north side of the city by a lake and he shows me pic's he took with his cell phone of mountain lions while he's on his paper route. He see's them 2-3 times a month on average. He says it's been like that for a few years now. He doesn't even get excited when he see's them anymore.

I'll also be sure to let him know they're hanging out around Lake Hefner, probably enjoying the sailboating or restaurants I'm sure.

Thanks for the info "micneador". I to live in OK, not so far from you. Just west of hwy. 64 north of Warner. I hunt the Dirty Creek area alot. I've heard alot of reports, over the last few years, of cougar sightings in several areas of the state. After awhile, you have to think that there MUST be some credibility to these stories. I've also heard the "rumors" of the ODWC releases as well. Makes me think; we do have an awful lot of hogs in the state, and they are a problem. The area I hunt is absolutely torn up from hogs rooting and I have killed several this past year while patrolling my area. I wonder if the ODWC is actually trying to control the hogs. Seems like they would be alot easier for a cat to catch than a deer, and a hell of alot of them. Just a thought though. I haven't seen a cat myself...yet. Good luck !