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80yearold Black Hills woman shoots mountain lion
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Jan 8 2008 7:08AM
Associated Press
80-year-old Black Hills woman shoots mountain lion
FAIRBURN, S.D. (AP) She may be 80 years old, but Martha Smith of rural Fairburn is still a good shot.
She has lived her entire life on the family ranch in the Black Hills and last week encountered her first mountain lion.
Smith says she heard her dog bark, looked outside and saw the big cat in the garden.
She was afraid for the dog's safety so she grabbed her .22-caliber rifle, went outside, took a shot but missed so she called 911.
Smith says she grabbed the gun again, went back out and found the cat "a spittin' and a growlin"' so she waited to spot the light-colored hair where his heart was, took another shot and dropped it.
Game officers picked up the 90-pound carcass. Smith would like to get it mounted but doubts that she'll get it back.
(Thanks KEVN-TV) (Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.) APNP 01-08-08 0652CST |
80 yr old woman drops lion in yard with her 22
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Emily
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more on Martha
http://www.argusleader.com/apps/pbcs.dl ... 08040/1001
Martha Smith, 80, slays mountain lion
By Jeff Martin
jemartin@argusleader.com
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PUBLISHED: January 8, 2008
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When 80-year-old Martha Smith saw the mountain lion out by her fish pond - and put a bullet in his chest - there was no time for fear.
“I could see the tail switching and he was snarling and spittin’,” Smith said Tuesday. Her border collie had confronted the cat in her yard near Fairburn, S.D., just east of the Black Hills.
“For Heaven’s sakes, I thought, I’d have to shoot it.”
After firing one shot that missed, she dialed 911, then realized there wasn’t time to wait for help - she’d have to take care of the matter herself.
So she aimed her .22-caliber rifle for the cat’s chest and killed him Thursday afternoon.
“I shot him in the light spot under his leg where I knew his heart would be,” Smith recalls. “You do what you have to do - you don’t have time to be afraid.”
The lion turned out to be a male about 6 months old. Smith, a retired anesthetist, thinks he weighed less than 100 pounds “with the biggest darn feet I’d ever seen, bigger than a man’s hand.”
Killing mountain lions is legal in South Dakota in some circumstances – including self-defense – and Thursday’s shooting was justified, said John Kanta, a regional wildlife manager for the South Dakota Department of Game, Fish and Parks.
The slain lion was one of dozens in the Black Hills area outfitted with collars to track their movements, Kanta said.
Martha Smith, 80, slays mountain lion
By Jeff Martin
jemartin@argusleader.com
Comment Print Email
PUBLISHED: January 8, 2008
Advertisement
When 80-year-old Martha Smith saw the mountain lion out by her fish pond - and put a bullet in his chest - there was no time for fear.
“I could see the tail switching and he was snarling and spittin’,” Smith said Tuesday. Her border collie had confronted the cat in her yard near Fairburn, S.D., just east of the Black Hills.
“For Heaven’s sakes, I thought, I’d have to shoot it.”
After firing one shot that missed, she dialed 911, then realized there wasn’t time to wait for help - she’d have to take care of the matter herself.
So she aimed her .22-caliber rifle for the cat’s chest and killed him Thursday afternoon.
“I shot him in the light spot under his leg where I knew his heart would be,” Smith recalls. “You do what you have to do - you don’t have time to be afraid.”
The lion turned out to be a male about 6 months old. Smith, a retired anesthetist, thinks he weighed less than 100 pounds “with the biggest darn feet I’d ever seen, bigger than a man’s hand.”
Killing mountain lions is legal in South Dakota in some circumstances – including self-defense – and Thursday’s shooting was justified, said John Kanta, a regional wildlife manager for the South Dakota Department of Game, Fish and Parks.
The slain lion was one of dozens in the Black Hills area outfitted with collars to track their movements, Kanta said.
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uncle Brisco
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no thats not the whole story,she missed it from like 20ft than had to go inside and dig threw the junk drore to find another round,it was 1 of three cats that the GFP was trieing to give to a privet citezen to raise,til it was old enough to turn loose its like the 10th time these cats have come back to town,they don't get it at all,shoot the damn things quit spending my tax money trieing to relocate them heck they are half tame and going to hurt someone90lb s !!!frigen liers it was 42lbs
AHRENDT HOUND TRAINING
605-393-5330
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605-393-5330
SHHHH........LISTEN!!..........SHES TREED!!!!!!
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Emily
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stuffed and going to museum
http://www.rapidcityjournal.com/article ... 714190.txt
80-year-old woman's cougar being mounted for museum
By Ryan Woodard, Journal staff Tuesday, February 26, 2008
1 comment(s) Normal Size Increase font Size
The mountain lion shot and killed by Martha Smith is being mounted and will eventually end up in the Fairburn Museum.
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But it may end up at Smith's residence for a short time before being taken to the museum.
The cougar, which Smith shot in her yard to defend her dog and property in early January, is being stuffed by a Custer taxidermist.
Legislators passed a resolution Jan. 30, urging the South Dakota Department of Game, Fish & Parks to allow Smith to have the lion in her house for a period of time before giving it to the museum.
GF&P regional supervisor Mike Kintigh said he had already made arrangements with Smith to have the cat mounted and displayed in the museum. He said he hadn't yet arranged to take it to her house, but he is not opposed to doing so.
"I haven't had any communication with her, but if she wanted to actually have it in her home and display if for a period of time, we'll work with her on that too," Kintigh said.
State law would not allow Smith to permanently keep the lion, because it was not technically a legal kill, although Smith wasn't cited because she was defending her property.
Smith, 80, shot and killed the 40-pound mountain lion with a .22-caliber rifle. She was alerted to the cat's presence when she heard her dog, Bo, barking furiously outside her Fairburn ranch house.
She was not aware the resolution had passed and wasn't sure she would be able to keep the cat in her house at all.
Smith said she doesn't have a strong desire to do so. If she does, it will probably only be for a week or so.
"It'd be nice if I could show him to my friends, but I can take my friends to our museum just as well as I can keep him in the house," she said.
Smith said the cat would probably just need to be in her house long enough to build a proper display in the museum. She said the mount will cost $2,000, an amount she'll probably have to pay herself. Similar big-game mounts take up to two years, but Smith is hoping it will be done sooner.
Smith, who received national attention for the kill, said things have quieted down quite a bit. She maintains she didn't have much choice in taking out the lion and wouldn't rule out doing the same thing if another such situation arose.
"I assure you, I cannot and could not leave a mountain lion in my yard, big or little, because my housecats would be a nice meal for him every day," she said.
Contact Ryan Woodard at 394-8412 or ryan.woodard@rapidcityjournal.com
80-year-old woman's cougar being mounted for museum
By Ryan Woodard, Journal staff Tuesday, February 26, 2008
1 comment(s) Normal Size Increase font Size
The mountain lion shot and killed by Martha Smith is being mounted and will eventually end up in the Fairburn Museum.
Related Articles
Most Commented
A time to celebrate Mikey P
Printing companies merge into one
West River university plan stalled
Cougar orphans wear out welcome
Cobbler musicians tune up for national stage
But it may end up at Smith's residence for a short time before being taken to the museum.
The cougar, which Smith shot in her yard to defend her dog and property in early January, is being stuffed by a Custer taxidermist.
Legislators passed a resolution Jan. 30, urging the South Dakota Department of Game, Fish & Parks to allow Smith to have the lion in her house for a period of time before giving it to the museum.
GF&P regional supervisor Mike Kintigh said he had already made arrangements with Smith to have the cat mounted and displayed in the museum. He said he hadn't yet arranged to take it to her house, but he is not opposed to doing so.
"I haven't had any communication with her, but if she wanted to actually have it in her home and display if for a period of time, we'll work with her on that too," Kintigh said.
State law would not allow Smith to permanently keep the lion, because it was not technically a legal kill, although Smith wasn't cited because she was defending her property.
Smith, 80, shot and killed the 40-pound mountain lion with a .22-caliber rifle. She was alerted to the cat's presence when she heard her dog, Bo, barking furiously outside her Fairburn ranch house.
She was not aware the resolution had passed and wasn't sure she would be able to keep the cat in her house at all.
Smith said she doesn't have a strong desire to do so. If she does, it will probably only be for a week or so.
"It'd be nice if I could show him to my friends, but I can take my friends to our museum just as well as I can keep him in the house," she said.
Smith said the cat would probably just need to be in her house long enough to build a proper display in the museum. She said the mount will cost $2,000, an amount she'll probably have to pay herself. Similar big-game mounts take up to two years, but Smith is hoping it will be done sooner.
Smith, who received national attention for the kill, said things have quieted down quite a bit. She maintains she didn't have much choice in taking out the lion and wouldn't rule out doing the same thing if another such situation arose.
"I assure you, I cannot and could not leave a mountain lion in my yard, big or little, because my housecats would be a nice meal for him every day," she said.
Contact Ryan Woodard at 394-8412 or ryan.woodard@rapidcityjournal.com
esp