IRON COUNTY, Mo. (KSNW) — An investigation is underway after a mountain lion was killed in rural Missouri.
The Missouri Department of Conservation says it is “aware” of an incident that happened over the weekend in Iron County. Our sister station, Fox 2 in St. Louis, says the shooting coincides with the opening of the state’s deer hunting season.
Fox 2 reports that Missouri law allows the killing of mountain lions under certain circumstances, like when they attack livestock or to protect human life. Mountain lions are rare in Missouri, with only 126 sightings between 1996 and 2024.
Details about what led the hunter to kill the animal were not available. However, the Missouri Department of Conservation is actively investigating the incident.
Mountain lion sightings have been increasing over the past 15 years in Kansas, according to Kansas State University.