My uncle always swore he saw a mtn lion on the family farm in Montvale in the early 1990s sitting at the treeline across a field watching him as he worked with his pigs. Authorities say there have been reports of . I am scared to go out, the police wont do anything, the game warden wont do anything until someone they said got hurt. This was on January 25 at around 5:30 pm. I can definetely say that there are mountain lions in Shenandoah National Park. I sat, played my guitar for an hour. I believe it was 2006 or 2007. . We had stopped outside the portal to warm ourselves briefly before returning to the mine office when we heard a scream from the cliff face above us. Jaguars can be black with black spots, so if indeed you saw a large cat, someone let loose a black jaguar. In October & November of 2007, my dogs got to barking. I think there have been reintroduction programs in some areas. Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries district wildlife biologist David Kocka is of the same mindset. HAS ANYONE ELSE HEARD OF ANYTHING LIKE THIS. I think I may have seen a fully jet black cougar around 2230 just by the cement plant north of Roanoke Va but Im not sure. The cougar hesitated and then left the path. I now live on the Tennessee end of South Holston Lake and while driving near Friendship Boatdock near Rte. zdf. Their typical prey includes rabbits and squirrels, but they can kill deer when they are feeling up to it. 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. For an "In the Valley" episode, I investigated . There are so many camera traps now for both research (academic inductions, VDWR and VDACS) and private hunters. It had a tail just about as large as the body. there could have been a population in the region that have now been able to only find refuge in that area due to encroachment of housing, etc. He was licking his coat. It was a juvenile mountain lion. 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?. In another leap, the cat was up the bank on the right hand side of the road and off into the woods. Myself and many others in the state have trail cams all over the place. Free shipping for many products! I doubt it. Ive seen plenty of foxes in the woods around here and I thought maybe it was a fox in pain. The best hidden gems and little known destinations - straight to your inbox. In the subsequent photos weve gotten of cougars, there wasnt any evidence of any kind of wound or anything on it, Peterson said. I am from western North Carolina. This could cause an issue because they could go after livestock and cause problems for humans. 12. I saw a friend while out to dinner two weeks ago and he came up and said, You will never believe what I saw last evening at my place. I said, What did you see? Biologists and wildlife specialists speculate that cougars will reestablish themselves in states like Kentucky, Tennessee, and Virginia within the next 25 to 50 years. . And shes not alone in that belief. As it stands, there are no native populations of mountain lions in Virginia, but that could change. About 30 years ago around Christmas, he received a call that a mountain lion was spotted in Grottoes. My name is ryan and I am from dayton va. On Oct 3d, I was playing music w/ a friend near the union springs dam. Interestingly, the Eastern Cougar did exist in Virginia up until around the 1880's, but The . I see no reason to question them. Was on a guided hunt in Bath county Virginia in November of 06. We guessed it could have been but have no proof. The Locavore Hunter. The sub-species of the eastern cougar indigenous to the state is extinct. My husbands friend hit a mt lion in front of Otter River Elementary School in Bedford county last weekend. Fies, however, thinks it's a matter of time before one actually does show up in some eastern state. So, I had the opportunity to help raise beautiful, and playful ( they acted just like any kitten would! A neighbors cat was outside and I could see that she was visibly frightened and crouching under a car. Even though the WV DNR says there are no wild mountain lions in the state, there are some held in captivity at the West Virginia Wildlife Center in French Creek.. The sad thing is people I know who say theyve seen mtn lions in Botetourt and/or Bedford County, especially raccoon hunters who say their dogs treed a lion, would never come out publicly with such a statement. Today, there are less than 200 Florida panthers remaining. Our sleep was disturbed any more that night. According to Donald W. Linzey's notes in Mammals of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park (1995), the last mountain lion killed in the Great Smokies was back in the early winter of 1920: "Tom Sparks was said to have been attacked by a panther while herding sheep on Spence Field. Imagine what a difficult time the authorities would have had explaining that accident! 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. So will a new population of cougars render the U.S. Others saw those cats too; so it was not my mistaking them for anything else! They could be making a similiar mistake about the cougar sightings. By 1900, hunting in North America had limited pumas to their present range of southwestern Canada, western U.S. wilderness areas, southern Florida, and isolated areas in Mexico. I do believe that it's just mistaken identity.". I was backpacking on the tuscarours trail and set up camp right after the overall run connector. The "coywolf" is an informal term for a unique hybrid of western coyotes and eastern timber wolves. Only the cubs have spots and stripes, though adults can have bold black accents on the face/ears. shortly after this, it was reported in the article, a puma was killed by a sheep rancher in an adjoining W.VA county. Sarah, The DNR maintains mountain lion sightings using a system to receive, record and review mountain lion reports. John, This is interesting as authorities keep saying the big black cats dont exist unless they are transplants or escaped pets, etc??? Enter your email in the box below to get the most mind-blowing animal stories and videos delivered directly to your inbox every day. Although there are no more eastern mountain lions, there is a small population of Florida panthers that live in the swamps of Florida. 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. But the sound again didnt seem characterstic of a fox, it wasnt a barking or a yelping, it was a scream/cry. I have a friend who claims to have had one cross the Parkway in front of him near the Peaks of Otter earlier this year. If there was a breeding population, we would know. He was a Western Watersheds Project Board Member off and on for many years, and was also its President for several years. Reason being: If mountain lions are show to exist east of the Mississippi River, the states game departments may be liable for livestock damages. While bringing wood into the house I saw a cat like animal behind the wood pile squat down then run into the woods. Here in southern Utah, lions have been known to occupy home ranges as large as 513 square miles. I looked out the passenger side window just as my mom noticed it out her window. This. Many people live their entire lives in mountain lion country, and never see or know the cats are around. Then 20 miles later at mile 183 at about 2:25 AM I saw a much larger cat on the left side of southbound 81 where there was no guard rail. This state is home to about 100 animals. With numerous supposed sightings since the 1970s to present, it doesn't sound too far fetched. I grew up in North Georgia. That is if it is still around. We are not stupid people with time on our hands, just a couple out for a drive. "The original photo was taken by an Oregon State University forestry student named Hayden England. Not much rain in these parts since early August. I am in the Linville, NC area and have had several people tell me that they have seen a mountain lion during the past three to four years. Its near a nature preserve so noone ever calls to report it . Last year I saw a very large cat print left in the snow. In fact, they are the fourth-largest cat species in the world, behind tigers, lions, and jaguars. Period. Suitable habitat is available now, but for decades it was not. As I slowed the cat took notice and turned. Fish and Wildlife Service removed the eastern puma from their endangered species list, declaring that the species is now extinct. The web site has emails for officers and members to communicate with along with membership applications and links to a whole world of information on cougars. He and Jackie Johnson Maughan wrote three editions of "Hiking Idaho." and the does mated again? I found one which I took a picture of. We are just amazed to have found one. Spotted a lion last night around 7:30 pm. Even though the WV DNR says there are no wild mountain lions in the state, there are some held in captivity at the West Virginia Wildlife Center in French Creek.. #1. Sadly, mountain lions no longer live in Virginia. . Oh maybe some of the lazy hacks have finally retired., Another commenter speculated that the agency may have intentionally downplayed past sightings as they result in new study and staffing expenses.. I live in Spout Spring. Theres just too few of them. We cant even find criminals when we know where to look, let alone a cougar who;s very existence depends on its ability to remain hidden. Mountain lions once lived in much of the eastern United States. About a month ago I was visiting a local sheep farmer (more gentleman farmer than actual make-money-farming farmer). A mountain lion is a wild cat ranging from two to three feet tall, with females weighing up to 120lbs and males up to 200lbs, making it the fourth largest cat in the world. This also was a sighting near Callands, VA: my wife was out jogging on our dirt road and came across a very large bobcat, about the size of a large dog, stubby tail, brown color, only about fifty yards from her, just staring at her. Because I was at a B-day party, I had my camera, and took the picture off his phone. My dad found tracks and no, not bear, but cat, on our farm in that area and residents have reported seening a pair crossing just a few miles from where dad saw tracks. They are moving Eastward, theyre now found in Western Tennessee. Michael told me. After that two sets of very large eyes started following me. of Wildlife. Female cougars will raise a litter of kittens up until the age of about 20 months, LaRue explained, and then the young cats are kind of kicked out and left on their own. The males, especially, are forced to disperse away from the family, partly to avoid inbreeding, and partly because male cougars are territorial and wont tolerate any other males in their domain. It was standing next to a large hill in the median and looked at my car as I passed. Tried to track it with the game warden but never found it. Having myself grown up in western North Carolina, in the Blue Ridge Mountains, I heard all the stories about the puma, or catamount, as it was called, hanging on in the most secret hollows of the realm. i have heard of several sightings in buckingham co. and our local sporting goods shop (bass, bucks,and more) has a game camera photo displayed with a mt lion on it that the owner said it was taken in martinsville va. From: Big J. tail, gray to tan in color. Source: Wikipedia, Cougar. I quickly realized it couldnt be human. She has really bad gashes on her front leg, shes lame. Last time I heard it it sounded like it was 30 50 yards away and then I heard a dog bark then yelp and one last scream from the animal and then quiet. Hellol. Its not really realistic to think that they have a chance to survive very well in Virginia currently. Michael said. " A few weeks later, I saw it dart across the dirt road for a split second. There are only quick sightings around town of the large cat known as the mountain lion. Unless of course you already know this and are relieved to know that it is not that of the great puma . I personally would not have believed a description like this, but the photos say it all. Admission is $6 for ages 16 and over, $2 for kids 6 to 15 years old, and free for . Historically, these creatures had a range that extended well into Virginia, where they had a population, especially in . It is being held at the Discovery Center at SML State Park from 3:00 - 4:00 p.m. on March 31st. Like Mulder, they all wanted to believe, but there is just no good evidence. We then came upon a very recent deer kill within 20 yards of the sighting. Th cat didnt pay any attention to them although they were careful to remain at a distance until it got into the woods and disappeared. So about three blocks from my turn onto our road I spotted Eye shine crossing in front of our car. Colby is a freelance writer from Charlotte, North Carolina. I opened the door and told my husband to hurry up and come outside. Approximately 4 feet long near Midlothian. They prefer habitats where its difficult for people to go, LaRue said. For the first time in years, these cats are on the rebound and extending their range further into their historic regions. Anyone who wants to put this mystery to rest should just spend a few days in those mountainscase would be closed for sure on big black cats. From the next room, another person chimmed in my neighbors have been seeing one. This all occured three weeks after I had a full-grown Red Wolf walk up near me while blackberry picking in my mother-in-laws pasture (in the city limits.) The last mountain lion in Virginia was killed in 1882, and since then, no active breeding population has been present across the state. I've seen them quite often. But recent expert-confirmed sightingswhich have involved photographs, videos, and DNAin Tennessee support a theory that mountain lions, whose populations out west have continued to expand, are slowly making their way back to this side of the country. But these cats are on experts radars, and the TWRA has even established a Cougar Response Committee to answer questions and sift through reported sightingsof which Peterson said he expects to see an influx later in the year. Since my reported sighting of a perhaps cougar several local farmers have told me of similiar beasts they have seen. Despite repeated claims on Facebook and other social media outlets, it's highly unlikely wild mountain lions live in Virginia. Since 1970, 121 sightings have been identified as possible mountain lions, but have not been officially confirmed. We were too busy looking at each other asking, Did you see that? We should have ben focusing on details. Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. We were going about 40 mph, crystal clear day, about 30 yards away. I kept hiking and went all the way to HWY 19E where I slept in a shelter half a mile from the road. 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. In that area the roads have never been paved. Im not doubting that people see black cat like animals, although true size is often hard to tell. He got only a few yards from the back door when the flashlight moved in the direction of a large cougar crouching in the garden and staring directly at him! Officially, mountain lions have not been seen in Virginia since 1970. Similar to Tennessee's wild elk and buffalo, the cougar was extirpated from the state around the early 1900s due to overhunting and habitat loss. If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it. Rockingham Co., va Our daughters were in a 4H group across the park on Bull Run Post Office Road and each week theyd ride their horses across the battlefield to a farn where they practiced Vaulting (circus riding) with their 4H group. I have a call into the animal control (only to find out if there were others who reported it) and hope to hear back from them tomorrow. Misidentification is typically caused by poor lighting conditions at the time of the sighting. ", Yellowstone bison are a globally unique animal. All rights reserved. Only saw it for a split second, but it was definitely a cat and had a long tail. Tickets are $8.00 and parking fee is included. The numerous Panther Knobs and Panther Runs found across the state provide evidence of this animal's wide presence and its influence on the minds of early Mountaineers. Crossing by the large boulders on the trails was terrifying, only once did i see one behind a boulder when I passed. Unfortunately, these animals have been pushed to the brink by hunting and habitat loss, and they arent nearly as common as they used to be. 1:00. I am concerned since that pond is a source of water for my horse. The cougar has not been confirmed in Virginia since 1882, but there are increasing signs they have returned to the state. Chris Desborough/Shutterstock.com. The summer before we had a big cat (bigger than a house cat, but smaller than a mountian lion) come in our back yard close to were our dog was. We disturbed something that ran off into the woods. Hmmmm. So, if anyone knows who I can contact please let me know. Our last trip we had a mountain lion stalk us outside our tent. Finetune Your Skills in Patrick County, Va. the cougar tail almost sweeps the ground and might have some markings on the tip of gray/white, the rest of the tail looks like short hair and is not bushy. It stopped and looked at me for a minute, I didnt move, and then it went on into the woods where I know a rabbit lives. Yes, it is a cougar, but could the picture have been taken somewhere else??? There are no mountain lions in Virginia. I think the eating is good around here for a mountain lion. It was last June that my husband and brother in law were traveling on rt 66 where it goes into rt 81 (somewhere between Front Royal and Strasburg) and saw a cougar dead on the side of the highway! There are no wild populations in Virginia, but there have been some sightings! What big cats are in Virginia? Do you think what I heard may have been a cougar or a mountain lion? My wife shot video of what we believe to be a panther or mountain lion. Could a mountain lion or cougar be in my area? He said he had called the county animal control and they told him he must have seen a bob cat as no mountain lions were still in our area. 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