Imagine that you're at home when you see a mountain lion walking the streets right outside
your window. That's what several Elm Creek residents claim has happened within the past two days.

Mark Stephens, the town mayor, and is wife Wendy Stephens, the town clerk, said they first saw a mountain lion on the street in front of their house late Sunday. The next night they got another visit, which was too close for comfort.

The streets are empty in Elm Creek. Residents there are staying indoors after Mark and Wendy Stephens saw what they believe to be a mountain lion two nights in a row. The first sighting was around midnight on Sunday. Wendy was sitting on her front porch when.

"I caught something out of the corner of my eye. I thought it was probably a dog," said Stephens.

Through the trees, she saw a large animal strut down the street, lay down for a couple of minutes on the pavement in front of her house and walk through the nearby intersection. She says the street lights gave her a clear view.

"It was obvious it was a mountain lion. (reporter) Are you sure? (Stephens) Positive.
Positive," she said.

It then ran between two houses and disappeared into the night.

"So, we were hoping that was the end of it, but last night it happened again," said Stephens.

Around midnight on Monday, the family heard a loud noise right on their front porch.

"When he flipped on the porch light, the swing was moving wildly. He had jumped on it and
pushed it up against the wall so he was pouncing. I assume he was trying to get the kitty," said Stephens.

They called the Buffalo County Sheriff's Department, which alerted the school. The superintendent brought the students in from recess and sent out an instant alert to
parents.

Larry Babcock, the superintendent of Elm Creek Public Schools, said, "So, there for about two hours, we  were locked down. We had a closed campus at lunchtime instead of our open campus where some of our students go downtown."

The Game and Parks Commission and a Federal Game Trapper are searching day and
night for the alleged mountain lion along Turkey Creek, where another resident claims seeing it around 10 o'clock Monday morning. But, dry conditions make finding footprints and tracking
the animal down difficult.

Jan Gunderson, an Elm Creek resident, said, "It's scary. Scary. You just wonder. I always thought mountain lions were in Colorado or in the hills. So, to be down here in the valley is really unusual."

Authorities are waiting and watching through the overgrown brush to see if the
creature makes a third trip back to the Stephens' house.

"My husband said no more porch after dark until they get him caught, of course," laughed Stephens.

The Buffalo County Sheriff's Department is regularly patrolling the area.

Reporter Notes by Jessica Phinney:

Officials with the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission say they have assigned someone to the case. Their investigation involves setting up trail cameras in the area.

They have not confirmed this as an official mountain lion sighting.