Confirmed: Another Mountain Lion Sighting in Oklahoma

There is a running joke surrounding Oklahoma's outdoor community. Hunters and hikers have been spotting mountain lions around the Sooner State for sixty-ish years, yet the state has always been hush-hush on the matter.

The old joke is/was a game warden famously saying "Mountain lions don't come to Oklahoma... but if you see one, call us first and don't tell anyone."

While the official word on mountain lions in the state has eased, at least to the point the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation will now admit there have been some legitimate sightings. Still, it's only when presented with irrefutable evidence that they conclude cougars come through the state.

The evidence shows that sightings are becoming more common still.

The ODWC has only been keeping records of cougars in Oklahoma since 2002. Between then and 2018, the department confirmed 28 official sightings.

Since January 2019, there have been 42. Keep in mind, these are "confirmed" sightings where officers and the department couldn't find a reason to deny things.

Mountain lion sighting #43 is waiting on confirmation right now, and there's no telling how the department will respond. Captured in Osage County.

Technology sure has changed a lot in the last 21 years. Game cameras text and email us our pics instantly, and cameras have never been better. Still, reports of mountain lions are denied with nonchalance.

Without prints or a carcass, the unofficial standpoint of the ODWC is "It was probably a bobcat." Even when presented with a clear photo, they'll still lean towards the bobcat thing pretty heavily for whatever reason it is they do.