A young mountain lion was captured without incident just east of Homesteader Park early Saturday morning.The lion was spotted at Road 8 and U.S. 14-A, said Powell Game Warden Chris Queen of the Wyoming Game and Fish Department.

“Apparently, a ditch rider saw this mountain lion run into a patch of trees,” Queen said.

Indeed.

Shoshone Irrigation District Ditch Rider Scott Deans was heading out of town toward Garland when the lion dashed across the highway in front of his pickup at 4:30 a.m.

Deans said he drove into Rick Harrison's farm yard, but the lion vanished in a wind break.

“That cat just disappeared in there,” Deans said.

Later, Deans said he called the Harrisons, informing them of the probable intruder. Sure enough, the Harrisons promptly spotted the feline.

Law enforcement was notified.

Queen got a call at 7 a.m., he said.

The capture went without a hitch.

“The cat was in a tree,” Queen said. “It was very docile.”

Queen said he thought the young lioness — weighing around 100 to 110 pounds — was frightened.

Mark Bruscino, Game and Fish bear management program supervisor, with years of experience capturing predators, was the guy who fired a tranquilizing dart at around 8 or 8:30 a.m., Queen said.

The mountain lion was about 20 feet from the ground. When the sedative kicked in, she sort of rapelled down, Queen said.

The lion was stowed in a bear transport container — a large steel culvert, with stout steel mesh covering both ends, mounted on a trailer. Then it was released without injury in the Sunlight Basin area, said Dennie Hammer, Game and Fish public information specialist.

Queen said there are frequent sightings of mountain lions in areas where abundant deer, their preferred prey, attract them.

There also was a report of a mountain lion in the vicinity of Olive Glenn Golf and Country Club in Cody Saturday, but law enforcement and Game and Fish officials were unable to locate it.

Mountain lions travel extensively, especially young lions out to establish their own territory. One mountain lion, collared in Colorado, journeyed into Wyoming, Queen said.

“They really travel,” Queen said.

Queen said the department will catch and relocate lions and bears for the public's safety, especially in urban settings.

“If there are circumstances that warrant — a trophy game animal like that — we're going to move it,” Queen said.

If you spot a mountain lion in your neighborhood, call the department at 307-527-7125.

“We certainly want to know when people see mountain lions in and around residential areas,” Hammer said.