Mountain lions/cougars have no protections here in Iowa. You can kill one at any time of the year. No season or permit required.
Just saw a picture of one on a deer hunting site last night. A bow hunter put an arrow through it while it was facing off with a deer.
Afterwards the hunter gave the deer a $100 bill, told him not to spend it all in one place, picked up the cougar carcass and drove away. That part wasn’t filmed.