Close Call: Dangerous Mountain Lion Enters South Dakota Home

Believe it or not, South Dakota is home to some of the most aggressive wild animals in the Midwest like the rattlesnake and mountain lions. One mountain lion recently surprised a family and went into a house in the Black Hills.

Reports from KOTA Territory News and Fall River County Sheriff's Office confirm a mountain lion entered a home two weeks ago on Tuesday night (September 1st). It happened near the Cottonwood Springs Dam area.

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A close up of a mountain lion on a rock — Photo by Dylan Crawford on Unsplash

The good news? It appears no one was hurt in this incident. However, this latest South Dakota mountain lion encounter provides valuable lessons for all of us.

cougar on brown rock formation — Photo by Priscilla Du Preez 🇨🇦 on Unsplash

In a Facebook post from officials with Fall River County Sheriff's Office, there are certain tips to keep in mind if you want to avoid wildlife in your home:

• Keep windows and doors closed, including home, garage and vehicle doors.

• Don’t leave pet food out

• Close all pet doors and secure pets at night.

• Secure trash cans with tight fitting lids

• Cover window wells with commercially available grates or bubbles or make a cover using quarter-inch hardware cloth or chicken wire.

• Install outside lighting

• Installing Motion sensor deterrents – Floodlights, motion activated sprinklers, ultrasonic repellers etc.

• Close holes (larger than one-quarter inch) and openings around your home and under the foundation so that animals such as snakes, rats, mice, bats, raccoons and skunks will not be tempted to make their homes.

• Seal crawl spaces.

• Screen fireplace chimneys and furnaces, attic and dryer vents and other holes.

South Dakota Game Fish and Parks estimates the state's mountain lion population is between 200-300. So far, officials with the South Dakota Game Fish and Parks have seen 32 mountain lions this year. This number includes 17 females and 15 males.

Some other tips to keep in mind in case you do encounter a mountain lion:

Do not run. Remain calm. Hold your ground or back away slowly.
Continue facing the mountain lion, and maintain eye contact.
Do all you can to appear larger; Stand upright, raise your arms, raise your walking stick, open your jacket.
If you have small children or pets with you, try to pick them up without turning away or bending over.

If you see mountain lions or any exotic animal around South Dakota and in the Sioux Empire, call 9-1-1 as soon as possible.

South Dakota's Weird Exotic Animal Laws Are Amazing

Have an interesting pet or looking to get one? Check this out from South Dakota Exotic Animal Laws before you go trying to adopt one.

You will need a zoo permit to harbor a raccoon dog. That's a real species. It's a small wild dog with a black facial mask and long fur, native to the forests of Asia.

Gallery Credit: Danny V

17 Animals You Can Hunt All Year in South Dakota

South Dakota loves to hunt. It's not only one of the state's most popular pastimes, but it's also big business. Especially South Dakota's famous Pheasant season.

There are seasons for hunting deer, antelope, turkey, and even bison. Plenty of opportunities to get that freezer in the garage stocked up.

The South Dakota Game, Fish, and Parks Department is the place to go for info about hunting licenses and specific rules and regulations for hunting in South Dakota.

GET: South Dakota Hunting and Trapping Handbook

Hunting most game in South Dakota is restricted to specific hunting seasons. Like deer and pheasant seasons in the fall.

But there are also animals you can hunt year-round in South Dakota.

There are still some rules to follow, like where exactly you can hunt. South Dakota has millions of acres of public and private land to hunt on. And you'll still need a hunting license.

So, always check with the South Dakota Game, Fish, and Parks Department for the latest information and regulations.

Close Call: Dangerous Mountain Lion Enters South Dakota Home

Some other tips to keep in mind in case you do encounter a mountain lion:

Do not run. Remain calm. Hold your ground or back away slowly.

Continue facing the mountain lion, and maintain eye contact.

Do all you can to appear larger; Stand upright, raise your arms, raise your walking stick, open your jacket.

If you have small children or pets with you, try to pick them up without turning away or bending over.

South Dakota's Weird Exotic Animal Laws Are Amazing

17 Animals You Can Hunt All Year in South Dakota