QUILCENE — A cougar was shot and killed by a Jefferson County sheriff’s deputy last week after it was reportedly eating a house cat near a Quilcene residence, Sheriff Joe Nole said Tuesday.
Deputy Adam Newman shot the cougar late Thursday, Nole said.
Quilcene School District officials had reported a cougar on the football field at about 2:27 p.m. Thursday.
“They put the school on lockdown,” Nole said.
“A couple of deputies went down there, but the cougar was gone.”
A Quilcene resident reported seeing a cougar walking onto a Muncie Avenue property later that evening at about 11:07 p.m.
Two deputies found a cougar feeding on an animal under a vehicle, Nole said.
Nole said it appeared that the cougar was feeding on a house cat. He added that it might have been an opossum.
“The cougar started running when it saw the deputies approach,” Nole said in a telephone interview.
“[Newman] shot it one time and killed it as it was running. He said the cat was extremely thin and obviously had something wrong with it.”
The state Department of Fish and Wildlife took possession of the dead cougar, Nole said.
Fish and Wildlife officials could not be reached for comment Tuesday.
“I know [Fish and Wildlife officials] had met and talked with [the deputies],” Nole said.
“It was determined that the animal was dangerous.”
A deputy told JeffCom 9-1-1 dispatchers that there had been “several” cougar sightings in the Quilcene area in the preceding days, according to a dispatch log.
Deputies have the authority to shoot dangerous or injured animals, Nole said.
“Cougar has been preying on domestic animals and was on the school field at (2 p.m.) today,” Newman wrote in a Sheriff’s Office narrative filed at 12:11 a.m. Friday.
“I jumped the lion from under a car where it was feeding on what looked like a house cat. The cat ran along the residence within feet of the porch and I shot it once, killing it.
“The neighborhood was happy,” Newman continued.
“Cat is extremely thin and obviously has something wrong with it. I will notify WDFW and leave the cat at JCSO for their biologist.”
Nole said cougar sightings have become more common in residential areas.
In March, a cougar was shot and killed by state wildlife agents after it attacked and ate a pet dog near Hoodsport, KOMO News reported.
The Mason County Sheriff’s Office said the dog owner was walking the dog on a beach when the cougar suddenly attacked and ate the dog, according to KOMO News.
A Port Angeles police officer reported seeing a cougar on the Tumwater Truck Route in January 2018.
A cougar that was reportedly prowling the Port Angeles area in the summer of 2017 was shot and killed by an 18-year-old woman along Black Diamond Road in unincorporated Clallam County.
The woman shot the 60-pound female with a hunting rifle from about 50 to 100 yards away to protect her kitten on her property, the state Department of Fish and Wildlife said.
Here are some tips from the state Department of Fish and Wildlife on what to do if you encounter a cougar.
• Stop, pick up small children and don’t run. Running and rapid movements might trigger an attack. At close range, a cougar’s instinct is to chase.
• Face the cougar. Talk to it firmly while slowly backing away. Always leave the animal an escape route.
• Try to appear larger than the cougar. Get above it by stepping onto a rock or stump. If wearing a jacket, hold it open to increase your apparent size. If you are in a group, stand shoulder-to-shoulder.
• Do not take your eyes off the cougar or turn your back. Do not crouch down or try to hide.
• Never approach the cougar, especially if it is near a kill or with kittens, and never offer it food.
• If the cougar does not flee, be more assertive. If it shows signs of aggression — crouches with ears back, teeth bared, hissing, tail twitching and hind feet pumping — shout, wave your arms and throw any available objects.
• If the cougar attacks, fight back. Be aggressive and try to stay on your feet.
To report a problem with a cougar or black bear, call the state Department of Fish and Wildlife’s regional office at 360-249-4628. Only call 9-1-1 if there is an immediate emergency.
For information on cougars, go to www.tinyurl.com/PDN-cougars.
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Reporter Rob Ollikainen can be reached at 360-452-2345, ext. 56450, or at rollikainen@peninsuladailynews.com.
