Montana man finds mountain lion under his SUV

Aug. 10 (UPI) -- A Montana man said he rushed to cancel a water softener salt delivery when he went outside and spotted a mountain lion under his SUV.

Dannis Ackerman said he spotted movement outside his Ulm home Thursday and he went outside to discover a mountain lion staring back at him from under his SUV.

"There he was looking at me, laying under my Suburban," Ackerman told the Great Falls Tribune.

Ackerman called 911, but he admitted that wasn't his first call after spotting the cougar.

"I called Culligan first, 'Tell your guy don't stop here, keep going,'" Ackerman said. "But I didn't tell him why."

Cascade County Sheriff's Office deputies arrived at Auckerman's home and kept watch on the big cat while waiting for two wardens from Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks to arrive.

The mountain lion was darted by the wardens and taken away.

Ackerman said he was disappointed to learn the cougar was euthanized. Officials explained the state's current policy is not to relocate mountain lions due to Montana having a healthy population in the wild.

Another mountain lion made an unexpected appearance earlier this week outside a home in San Mateo, Calif. Homeowner Xiaochao Yang shared security camera footage of the animal wandering around his back yard and near his front door.