See the Pic that Proved a Missouri Mountain Lion Killed an Elk

There are officially no mountain lions in Missouri, but there is a photo that proved one of these big cats really did take down an elk this month and I can prove it.

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It was one week ago that I shared the news that authorities in Missouri had said there was a confirmed mountain lion sighting in the state and the animal had killed an elk. Some were skeptical so I reached out to the Missouri Department of Conservation and they kindly provided the game cam photo that helped them confirm one of these predators was present in the state.

Warning: this is a graphic photo of nature in action. This picture was taken by a game cam in Shannon County, Missouri on September 12, 2023 early in the afternoon.

While conservation officials don't believe there is a persistent habitat for mountain lions in Missouri, the sightings keep happening. This map from the Missouri Department of Conservation shows the state is canvased by big cat appearances.

When the state "confirms" a mountain lion sighting, they often use game cam photos like the one above and will also have officials investigate the area for tracks. It's a complete process instead of just accepting eyewitness testimony and stories as truth.

Thanks again to Maddie at the Missouri Department of Conservation for providing the photo that showed the most recent appearance of a mountain lion ruining an elk's day.