CARSON CITY (AP) - Jack Foerschler (forsh-lur) was convinced a
gunman was to blame for a string of sheep deaths at his Carson City
farm in recent weeks.

But Foerschler says he changed his mind after video surveillance
cameras showed the culprit responsible for the deaths of 12 of his
sheep: a mountain lion.

He says it's the first time a mountain lion has killed his sheep, and he was relieved that he was wrong about his suspicion that someone had shot his animals.

Foerschler called the sheriff's department in early April after he found what appeared to be small-caliber bullet wounds in some of the dead sheep.

After setting up cameras outside the pens to view his flock, he saw videotape that showed a lion leap effortlessly over a six-foot fence from a dead stop and saunter away with a lamb in its mouth.

Foerschler called the U.S. Department of Agriculture, and a trapper captured the 130-pound male lion within days near the farm.

Because the Nevada Department of Wildlife does not allow for relocation of mountain lions, the animal was killed.

(Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)