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So I guess its up in the air. I was leaning against a tree w/my parka hood blocking the wind, when I saw a grown cougar walking straight toward me. Thank you! Is it safe to go out there and will it come back. As my friends wife was leaving, she looked out the window and said that saw what she thought to be dear. For the first time in years, these cats are on the rebound and extending their range further into their historic regions. 26 Sep 16. Unless of course you already know this and are relieved to know that it is not that of the great puma . It was slinking off up a hill after crossing the road, he said it was 100 + lbs. Here's What, Mountain Lion Size Comparison: How Do They, This Fearless Cougar Doesnt Care How Much Larger the Brown Bear Is and Goes for It, Watch This Family Discover a Mountain Lion Curled Up On Their Porch. Officials explained the deceased animal must have wandered from the Black Hills of South Dakota. There were 4 different sizes, the smallest was about 2 ft. long. IT MAY BE A BS STORY SOMEONE STARTED BUT THE LOCAL TV STATION A WHILE BACK HAD COMMENTED THAT THERE MAY BE LARGER PREDATORS IN OUR WOODS AND THEY INCLUDED BEARS PUMA,BOBCAT COYETTE ETC. 12. Yes, it is a cougar, but could the picture have been taken somewhere else??? If you have any similiar stories let me know please. (we have more of both in these parts of Virginia, lots more sheep and lots more coyotes.) The fur was short and the common light red-brown hue of a cougar. Had an Eagle land right outside the living room window one time. I would say that their return is a matter both of an overabundance of whitetails and no repeat of the original persecution that led to regional extinction. Admission is $6 for ages 16 and over, $2 for kids 6 to 15 years old, and free for . B. McQuary. Mountain Lion. I looked outside & about 300 ft. behind my house was a panther. A few minutes later another hunter came down from his stand on the same mountain and said, hey youll never guess what I saw this morning. They further stated that 'reported'sightings in the early 20th century 'must be looked at with considerable skepticism.'". Mountain lions were common enough well into the 19th century throughout North Carolina. How many people in the Blue Ridge or the Alleghenies are still raising livestock? I walked w/n 40 yards and took one more photo. In November of last year, a giant cat with a long tail wandered in front of Tennessee resident Austin Burtons deer camera on his familys farm in Humphreys County. The Cougar Network is monitoring all reports of the expansion of cougars to the East. He always said it sat there for just a moment and then slipped into the woods and was gone. The closest description I could find was the cry of the cougar or the mountain lion. I was also told of a large cat sighting just north of Eden, NC. The mountain lion was lying down in the snow. Were not taking any action to move them or kill them. Part of their success is due to their adaptability when it comes to hunting and habitat needs. We didnt know what it was, but later walking in the field we found lots of turkey feathers but no specific sign of coyote or lion. However, the area is surrounded by a wildlife refuge and is also known for wild horses. Mountain lions are known by many names, including cougar, catamount, painter, panther, and puma. That would be earth shattering for the depts. THE BOBCAT: on the other hand actualy has a more shrill high pitched terrified scream that sounds like a woman being murdered much like on a horror film or somethng like the screams at that halloween fright night you may have been to. It isnt certain, but some researchers claim that there could be native cougar populations across the Blue Ridge in as little as 25-30 years. All of this happened just out of bow range and its heart wrenching knowing there is nothing you can do. Approximately 4 feet long near Midlothian. Now, the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission estimates that the population has reached at least a couple dozen. Mountain Lions and Their Historic Range in West Virginia. Im not accusing anyone of anything, I myself have certain ideas in all of this, but am wondering what other people think of it. Tuesday, April 08, 2008. More info if you want itG. The Florida Panther was also listed as a separate subspecies, Puma concolor coryi. Many years ago when my dad was just a kid, he was walking home after dark and a large black cat was walking off the dirt road along with him. It is secretive and intelligent, rarely seen unless it wants to be. These are believable people, she said. WATCH: Sharks biting alligators, the most epic lion battles, and MUCH more. This seems strange for late in the summer. The cougar hesitated and then left the path. I called my neighbor as soon as we got home and told her the tale and she responded Yeah, I have heard several people say they have seen them up here. Which shocked me even more that she wasnt surprised! Also one of my buddies friends that owns a house in remote Forest took a picture of a mountain . In 1996-98 I lived in Catharpin, VA near Manassas Battlefield. We were standing near the barn about 10 AM when we observed a disturbance about 400-600 yards off in a field near the tree line. or the puma to make official statements confirming its presence in the Eastern US and in fact might prove harmful to the cougar spur public fear if such a confirmation were made. Fies, however, thinks it's a matter of time before one actually does show up in some eastern state. We stood there listening to them, it sounded like they were answering each other from 3 different places. Losingand RegainingBalance in our Deer Population. THANK YOU KATHY, I KNOW THEY HAVE LET SOME COYETTES(SPELLIN) LOOSE AND THERE ARE FOX HERE. The Roanoke Times. I have seen big bobcats but never a cougar. Dr. Ralph Maughan is professor emeritus of political science at Idaho State University. I was like baby look at that big ole cat! Sadly, these animals were killed because they were viewed as a threat to humans and livestock. It was moving through the woods twards a water source but not in the open. The next morning I found a large track in soft dirt. Any information would be greatly appreciated. It was about 11:30 PM and I was driving an Austin Healy Bugeyed Sprite. In the subsequent photos weve gotten of cougars, there wasnt any evidence of any kind of wound or anything on it, Peterson said. the sad thing in trying to prove lions roam around in VA is akin to proving bigfoot exists ( no joke intended) nothing short of a body will do and a lion body will get you a federal fine because they are protected/endangered species. Lystrosaurus was one of the few terrestial species that survived the permian extinction. The U.S. A lot of people dont know theyre around until they show up and start feeding on their bird feeders, and then all of a sudden its What are you gonna do about these bears?. My dogs heard it and came running. Spotted a large cat we think- on Squirrel Spur Road the new section about 8-10 miles south of Meadows of Dan. Also 16-20 at the shoulder seems short for 120lbs. On Monday, the state agency . The graceful animal was golden brown in color. Description of the Mountain Lion. the Eastern Cougar is Puma concolor, reflecting the solid color without stripes or spots "To date, none of these reports have been substantiated by a photo, carcass or track. Given the great broad-side view, I couldnt help but notice its shear size the cat stood approximately 2.5-3 feet in height, and was approximately 4-5 feet in length. Near the paw print I found tracks of a small deer moving very fast (tracks far apart and just the point of the hoof.) he said. That is if it is still around. that i recieved ,send me your request to Coolizm@gmail.com this area is located on the Scott and Wise county line in SW Virginia..I wonder if the VDGIF will continue to refuse the truth . This area is on the Abingdon end of South Holston Lake. This is because they are very territorial and mark their territory with scat and claw marks. Further north, you can find mountain lions in . Only the cubs have spots and stripes, though adults can have bold black accents on the face/ears. Nobody even thinks anything of it because of its regularity. There are so many camera traps now for both research (academic inductions, VDWR and VDACS) and private hunters. But European colonization essentially extirpated the cats from about two thirds of their habitat in the U.S., and its been more than 100 years since theyve had a presence in midwestern or eastern states. All the territories are basically taken up so they have to go somewhere else, and somewhere else happens to be the Midwest.. I have compiled descriptions of over 25 sightings in the surrounding area but none of them have produced real evidence in the form of a photo, footprint casting, body part, or scat sample from Virginia. Cougars, also known as mountain lions, were once common here and they have left a legacy of place names throughout the state indeed, the entire Southeast. An Amish farmer along 944 in Cumberland County complained to the PGC a mountain lion was killing his sheep. But I never saw one, or tracks, and I spent a lot of time in the woods. We have for several years seen small ones around. In Rockingham county virginia, my father, family friend and I go bow hunting for 1 week every year in the GWNF. See also Are There Local Taxes In Virginia? You'll receive your first newsletter soon! What I set out to do was figure out habitat stability and dispersal corridors into the midwest, said LaRue, a research assistant in the earth sciences department at the University of Minnesota who studies mountain lions. We never saw it again. There are only quick sightings around town of the large cat known as the mountain lion. At first I thought it might be a big black dog like a mastiff or something but I saw the tail and it was just like a bigger version of my house cats tail. The Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources claims that they havent been in the region since 1882. If the cougars are released pets they still will have the survival instincts which make them difficult to have as pets. Since 1970, 121 sightings have been identified as possible mountain lions, but have not been officially confirmed. I am scared to go out, the police wont do anything, the game warden wont do anything until someone they said got hurt. The US Fish and Wildlife Service considered the lack of sightings during that period to be key evidence that no breeding population survived in the eastern states. They can stand up to 35 in. Does anyone know the black bear population in Amelia county? Those few instances where the information appears credible, investigation by staff has always confirmed the animal to be a bobcat, black bear, domestic cat or dog.". A litter of bobcat kittens even started living in my friends open barn because they were obviously abandoned. Im not a mammalogist, so Im not going to try to play their role, but I think theyre all the same, Kocka said, adding that differentiating between subspecies may not always be a worthwhile effort. Harsh winters can[], Thanks for dropping by! Well, then we know theres a cougar there, Peterson said simply. It was a brownish tan in color and was at least as large as my yellow lab. Three months later a mountain lion was wiped out by an SUV on a highway in Connecticut. How many people have actually saw a bobcat in the wild? We live in Oak Hill, Virginia, in a neighborhood. I nearly mastered replicating their calls. The "coywolf" is an informal term for a unique hybrid of western coyotes and eastern timber wolves. 1:00. I sat, played my guitar for an hour. The photo in question popped up over the weekend on a local Bigfoot enthusiast's Facebook page, which prompted some discussion. "This photo has been all over the internet and Facebook for the past 18 months or so," said Michael L. Fies, furbearer project leader for the Virginia . The game warden cut open the animal and it had 2 walker hounds in its stomach. When i shined my mag light acrossed it we noticed eyes and it was like nothing else we have seen before. Which is the only large native cat that we have.. Good luck, I think and hope theyre here, its interesting to consider. Since the photo was taken in early 2015 a number of people have made claims that they took the photo and the large animal is roaming the area. Never have seen the cat again. Bears, Deer and Turkey come out in the yard on a regular basis. Then, off it went! I live in historic Jonesborough, TN. Thus the tight lips. A few came out decent, but I still wasnt convinced. Last week in a dusty spot I found what I thought might be catamount signs. 3. The cougars wandering far from their original homes in the West are, naturally, searching for three things: habitat, food and mates. June 21, 2008 About two weeks ago I was traveling on Rt 15 from Farmville to Dillwyn in Buckinham county. Given my report in spring of 07 of a lion sighting could this be a return of the catamount? I live about five minutes away from the parkway, 30 or so minutes from the Roan and Mount Mitchell, etc. From a wildlife biology perspective, though, its going to take more than a storyno matter how convincing it may beto determine whether these cats are there and where theyre coming from. The folks living in those areas, at least in WV, mostly keep to themselves and most of those folks do not have computers. I saw the cats long tail as he ran into the woods. The Tennessee Wildlife Resource Association (TWRA) confirmed that the cat, which sniffed around on the ground and in a low-hanging tree branch before looking square into the camera with its mouth wide open, was in fact a mountain lion. Taking any action to move them or kill them Facebook page, which prompted SOME.! 'Reported'Sightings in the GWNF cougar there, Peterson said simply harsh winters can [ ], Thanks for by. 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