Mountain lion removed from Scottsbluff subdivision

A mountain lion was killed by a member of the Scotts Bluff County Sheriff’s Office the evening of June 19 at a subdivision just north of Scottsbluff.

The mountain lion, twice spotted Wednesday in the Scotts Bluff Country Club subdivision that surrounds a golf course, was shot because it was an immediate threat to the public.

Sam Wilson, carnivore and furbearer program manager for the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission, said the mountain lion was a 1½-year-old male, ear-tagged as part of the state’s research efforts. He said 1½ years is the age young males begin dispersing from their mothers to find their own territory and potential mates.

The mountain lion first was seen and reported by a resident about 1:50 p.m. Mountain time. Scotts Bluff County law enforcement and Game and Parks conservation officers and wildlife biologists searched but were unable to find the animal. Another resident, southwest from the original sighting, reported seeing the mountain lion at about 7 p.m. Officers responded, removing the animal for the safety of the public.

This mountain lion was part of the Wildcat Hills population, one of three established populations in Nebraska.

To learn more about mountain lions in Nebraska, visit OutdoorNebraska.gov and search “Mountain Lion Management.”

Updated June 20, 2024, to correct the day of the week the mountain lion was observed.