According to court documents obtained by 5 On Your Side, a mountain lion was illegally killed in Missouri after traveling at least 400 miles from its home in Nebraska.
Joseph Licklider, the suspect, admitted to shooting the animal in Iron County on November 16th. Consequently, he was charged on Thursday with taking a protected species of wildlife, as stated in the court documents.
A Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) agent responded to the location where Licklider confessed to shooting the mountain lion. According to Licklider, he took the shot from a deer hunting tree stand as the animal was walking away from him. After being hit, the mountain lion ran for about 50 yards before succumbing to its injuries.
Mountain lions, which are a protected species in Missouri, can only be legally killed under specific circumstances, such as when they are attacking livestock, domestic animals, or humans. After conducting a month-long investigation, it was concluded that Licklider’s killing of the mountain lion was not justified for several reasons. This determination was supported by photographs shared on Facebook, which depicted Licklider and others posing with the deceased animal. It is important to note that 5 On Your Side has chosen not to share these photos, as the other individuals involved have not faced charges.
The mountain lion that was killed had double ear tags that bore the inscription “NE125,” suggesting that it had been previously identified by the Nebraska Game & Parks Commission. Despite its proximity to Missouri, it is estimated that the mountain lion had journeyed a minimum distance of 400 miles before it reached Iron County.
In a previous incident, a mountain lion from Nebraska’s Pine Ridge region was killed in Montana after embarking on an impressive journey of over 250 miles, as reported by the Associated Press in 2022.
Both MDC and Nebraska Game & Parks have chosen not to provide any further information at this time, as the investigation is still ongoing.
