So I guess its up in the air. If the cougars are released pets they still will have the survival instincts which make them difficult to have as pets. He thought it was just another call of mistaken identity, but in fact he was face-to-face with a legit mountain lion under a family's porch. ", Yellowstone bison are a globally unique animal. 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. 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. About 2 months ago, I seen a very large black cat with yellow eyes, on the side of the road eating what looked like a deer, here in the catawba Va area. However, it is pretty well accepted that there are no cougars living in the east currently.. And thats being done without, from what I understand, any real proof. Probably 10s of thousands across the Appalachian regions of the state. OK. 2 Sept about 12:30 maybe 12:45 I was jolted out of a good sleep by what I first thought was 2 cats fighting below my 2nd story bedroom window. 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. Red wolves have been reintroduced into the state. They prefer deer.. Mountain Lions are back, maybe. Three months later a mountain lion was wiped out by an SUV on a highway in Connecticut. There are so many camera traps now for both research (academic inductions, VDWR and VDACS) and private hunters. (Shooting a mountain lion is illegal in Tennessee, given that theres no hunting or trapping season for the animal, but Alan Peterson said the hunter didnt believe hed mortally wounded the animal, and the case has been turned over to a District Attorneys office to determine whether or not the hunter will be charged.). I stopped the truck and did the did I see what I think I saw routine. Ideas? Cat scratching (claw marks) in a 60 deg arc, drawing back to a point about 2.5 3 feet from the edge of the 4 foot arc. Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. fauquier county Virginia A litter of bobcat kittens even started living in my friends open barn because they were obviously abandoned. I havent heard any scuttlebutt about a dead mtn lion along I-81 near Buchanan and Ive lived here since 1989; but, if a VDOT employee picked it up along with deer and such, since the state of Virginia doesnt recognize we have lions, would they tell you they picked a dead one up along I81? Overall about 3 1/2 inches wide by about 3 inches front to back. Mountain lions are now fairly common in suburban areas of California and have recently been sighted as far east as urban Kansas City, Missouri, where several have been hit by cars. It was great, probably one of the most exciting experiences of my life, and I feel very fortunate.. And shes not alone in that belief. Make noise by speaking loudly and firmly at the lion, slapping a stick, or clapping slowly and loudly. I've seen them quite often. My husband saw it too. 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. Comments have now closed permanently, however. Its not really realistic to think that they have a chance to survive very well in Virginia currently. Michael said. " All the territories are basically taken up so they have to go somewhere else, and somewhere else happens to be the Midwest.. Free shipping for many products! Experience Shenandoah: Make Memories That Will Last a Lifetime. One of her biggest concerns about the recent declaration of extinction is that any cats in the area (whether western migrants or otherwise) and their habitats wouldnt be protected. "I do believe that the vast majority of people who claim to have seen them honestly believe that they saw them, that they aren't purposefully making up stories. We have reports of mountain lions being seen in the area of High Nob/ Fort Blackmore Virginia. Without as many wolves around, coyote populations began to thrive and expand eastward. Speculating that they were mountain lions, we drove to a distance of about 250 yards away to take a second glace. Note: this article expired, but a lot of people want to comment on this thread, so I kept it active, and updated it for quite a while. Had an Eagle land right outside the living room window one time. I just want to confirm that, yes, theyre back and I hope they stay around! They acted like I had schizophrenia though admitted there have been other reports.even though they do not officially exist here. Although this is great, there are a few things to consider. I think I have now seen a mountain lion! Hello Well, then we know theres a cougar there, Peterson said simply. They still occur in parts of Central and South America. "These two were seen and were causing trouble before the guy who owned them knew they were gone," Fies said. 100% sure? He also wrote "Beyond the Tetons" and "Backpacking Wyoming's Teton and Washakie Wilderness." "I thought, 'holy cow, where did that come from?'" #1. Scientific reports one claimed that the Florida Panther was an obligate forest species and used lands only within 100 yards of forests. Eastern cougars are not a distinct species genetically. It had been sent to him on his cell phone. I WAS WONDERING IF THERE HAVE BEEN ANY SIGHTINGS OF A COUGAR OR OTHER LARGE FELINE IN THIS AREA. Period. ANY REPLY IS WELCOME, Dont know if you have any cougar there, but it sure sounds like a good place for wolves. Good Cat food. Fish & Wildlife Resource. At which point we all said a cougar and he said how did you know. I believe it was 2006 or 2007. The cat was totally black with a long tail. Very fast and gracefull. I will have to go back, & look to see if it was an eight point deer, but I did see the rack. Her views represent another twist in the ecological controversy. With their tails, some individuals can be as much as 9 ft. long. No, its one persons opinion of the world around them as they exist in it. Ive heard stories of forest rangers at Apple Orchard Falls BRPkway and Potts Mountain, Craig Co being relocated for taking pics of mountain lions is there anyway to confirm such? doubtful. Could it be because the lion got the spring fawns? The cat was black with a tail nearly as long as its body. I sat, played my guitar for an hour. Large aggressive alpha predator spotted in Central Virginia near Fredericksburg on july, 17 2018 I am from western North Carolina. Moose are notoriously shy creatures, so spotting them anywhere is an exciting experience. I had my food hanging ten feet in the air so i thought it was a bear. By rejecting non-essential cookies, Reddit may still use certain cookies to ensure the proper functionality of our platform. Right now the only natural predator of deer seems to be the feral Toyota Camry population. We are just amazed to have found one. One night our mules and horses had broken through the fence. He then went to our pond & disappeared into the woods. 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.. Mountain lions weigh between 90-160 pounds while bobcats weigh between 20-30 pounds according to an article by the Iowa DNR. But I got into the woods, kept my arms high in the air, and kept making loud noises until I came upon a group of kids hiking with two adults at about 2 am. Last year the U.S. To improve the genetics of the Florida Panther, eight Texas females were brought to South Florida. They wondered if it was a kind of dog or even a cat. An elderly man there once told me a story about a black Mountain Lion living in the area back in his younger days. Only saw it for a split second, but it was definitely a cat and had a long tail. If there was a breeding population, we would know. I'll take any sighting you got, just make a note of location, size and color of the animal, some context on what you where doing when you saw them (hiking a trail, hunting, chilling in your yard, ect), and any behaviors you noticed from the animal. The puma can kill and drag prey up to seven times its own weight, the National Zoo said. I have seen big bobcats but never a cougar. Historically, these creatures had a range that extended well into Virginia, where they had a population, especially in . Despite the widely-held belief in the scientific community that eastern mountain lions have been long gone and any cats seen roaming the region these days must have made the long trek from midwestern states like South Dakota, some Appalachian residents remain convinced that the cats never actually left the area. I work with someone who says that on his familys farm in Virginia (not sure exactly where, but can find out) he said there are wolves. Each year, deer-car collisions kill approximately 200 people.7, the Eastern Cougar was extirpated by excessive hunting pressure, as well as severe reduction in their prime food source of white-tailed deer I remember seeing very large cat tracks(not a normal bobcat track) while hunting the GWNF sw of harrisonburg,va in the mid to late 1980s. Cougars used to roam the entirety of North America, making the mountain ranges, woodland forests, and river corridors from coast to coast their homes. We have for several years seen small ones around. Look how long it took scientists to find the okapi. It is the timeline that is in dispute. I have neighbors that say they have seen them. VIRGINIA CITY, Nev. (News 4 & Fox 11) A Storey County Sheriff's Office deputy took a photo of a mountain lion in Virginia City over the weekend. But the thing about mountain lions is that females dont travel as far or as often, and when they disperse they dont go very far or very well.. Never have seen the cat again. Thursday, April 21, 2005. She ranked top 10 in the MEC in field-goal percentage (third/54.3), free-throw percentage (sixth/78.2), blocks per game (sixth/0.9) and rebounding (eighth/7.9). Still, this is great news for conservationists and animal enthusiasts alike. Staunton entrepreneurs tackle urban farming. In his more than 30 years working for DGIF, he's only been called out for one mountain lion sighting in the area. I think its all the same.. 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. None has ever gotten a clear verifiable shot of a cougar. Today, a new hybrid known as the coywolf is slowly returning to the state. 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?. A lifelong Virginia resident, Beth loves exploring different parts of the world and currently resides in Alexandria. Ancestors of the cougar (also known as catamount, mountain lion, bobcat, puma, panther, painter, wildcat, and ghost cat) crossed into North America roughly 8 million years ago, and the species Puma concolor evolved around 400,000 years ago. He never saw the cat again but never went out at night without a gun. Also the Coyotes up there are getting out of hand in my eyes. "To have this thriving population just doesn't make sense,they don't exist like ghosts in the wilderness.". The cougar has the largest geographic range of any native terrestrial mammal in the Western Hemisphere. We would sit on our back porch and listen awe struck. i just moved to roanoke just wondering are there really mountain lions or any wild animals of size and chances of them attacking people not scrared just try not to invade respect their space and hope they respect mine. There was another report of someone (much less credible) who spotted one near Midway (outside Gate City) about 5 years ago. It was less than a year before that my daughter said she came across a litter of cute puppies while riding her mule in the park. It glanced in my direction but the headlights seemed to blind it and it proceeded to cross the road and enter the grass on the other side. They can stand up to 35 in. 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. (we have more of both in these parts of Virginia, lots more sheep and lots more coyotes.) (near Wise, VA) by a car. We camp along the Potomac on float trips and always see and especially hear them at night. My horse just disappeared- we live adjascent to Havens Wildlife Preserve. We know what we saw. Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for Virginia Taylor Painting on Porcelain Mountain Lion Puma at the best online prices at eBay! It lived across the cove form us, and it would scream out at night sometimes, so loud that chills ran down our spines. When I told another fellow that lives near there, he said he had seen tracks. The cougar has not been confirmed in Virginia since 1882, but there are increasing signs they have returned to the state. In comparison, deer are more dangerous. Virginia's mountain lions were once on the endangered species list and in 2011, they were declared extinct. 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. These felines are quite large. HAS ANYONE ELSE HEARD OF ANYTHING LIKE THIS. Pretty exciting. Those eyes I will never forget as the cars lights stunned it for a moment.. Last night i was driving back to college from home. Were not taking any action to move them or kill them. Even with all these numerous sightings they still dug their heels in, and that was pretty frustrating, she said of the officials at agencies like the U.S. Has anyone else seen a large cat in the Campbell County area? Its paw was as big as a mans face, & its head with the ears was as wide as his body. I know they are on the endangered species list, but I cant help cut be concerned about the horse. Mountain Lions at the West Virginia Wildlife Center. Mountain lions once lived in much of the eastern United States. Source: Wikipedia, Cougar. We were too busy looking at each other asking, Did you see that? We should have ben focusing on details. Definitely not a dog, too big for a cat. Last year I was outside with my lab and I heard that scream that sent my dog running frantically away and stopped me in my tracks. There has been speculation of the cougars being in Rockingham county so I am very excited to hear from the commmunity on any other possible sightings. How many people have actually saw a bobcat in the wild? They were all shiny black with long tails. Virginia's population of mountain lions went extinct in the 1970s, even if there have always been sightings reported in the state. Found no prints, unfortunately. Sarah, I also had the luck to hear them multiple times and catch glimpses of what I thought to be mountain lions scurrying into the woods. At a distance of about 350 yards, we looked out to the distant field w/ a pair of binoculars and noticed that it wasnt deer, but infact a few larger cats. 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. I lived on the border of the Great Smoky Mt Natl Park for 7 years. The dog was close enough I could open the door and bring her in. Get real. Male cougars migrate further than females, but so far only a few have followed the pattern of coyotes and reached the eastern side of North America. i would love their return to our wilds. that is huge for a coyote and could easily be mistaken for a wolf. I am concerned since that pond is a source of water for my horse. It was about 18+ inches tall at shoulder, about 24 inches from hip to neck. Cougar, Mountain Lion, Catamount, Panther, and Puma, (Some of the names for this great cat) and is found principally in the mountains. According to the Cat Specialist Group, Puma concolor cougar is in North and Central America and Puma concolor concolor ranges throughout South America.2. At first I thought it was a dog or coyote but as it got into the grass at the edge of the road it turned and sat down to look at us! We have no intentions, but if they show up, they show up.. I have seen photos of these as well. But their population definitely isnt established here. Near the paw print I found tracks of a small deer moving very fast (tracks far apart and just the point of the hoof.) "They've been found as far east as western Tennessee," Fies said. Being in a residential neighborhood does nothing for a cougar.. If you should see any one of these animals, you might be making a double take: As mentioned before, its highly unlikely that youll encounter any of these creatures in the wild here in the Old Dominion, but it isnt entirely out of the realm of possibilities either. Where are they coming from? Whenever I see a big cat I look for tail characteristics for a sighting confirmation. As for what a new population of mountain lions would mean for nearby residents, education is crucial. By Bill Cochran. In that area the roads have never been paved. If you have any similiar stories let me know please. Add my name to the list of people who have seen mountain lions in the wild. Others have confused the Eastern mountain lion with coyotes, bobcats, or even deer. When rounding the corner in the driveway, my headlights illuminated a light reddish brown cat in a sitting position looking toward my house. It was slinking off up a hill after crossing the road, he said it was 100 + lbs. It would be cool if we reintroduced them and red wolves, especially to keep these deer in check, but so far I don't think we have any. I doubt it. 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. Residents, education is crucial natural predator of deer seems to be the feral Toyota population. Told me a story about a black mountain lion was wiped out by an on... Today, a new hybrid known as the coywolf is slowly returning the! Split second, but it was definitely a cat and had a population, especially in, is! Have never been paved regions of the world around them as they exist it... ( we have for several years seen small ones around Smoky Mt Natl Park 7... Is WELCOME, Dont know if you have any cougar there, Peterson said simply around, coyote populations to! Any cougar there, but I cant help cut be concerned about horse! Sitting position looking toward my house my name to the list of who! Parts of the state but if they show up reports.even though they do mountain lions in virginia... Females were brought to South Florida seen them the proper functionality of our platform predator! How did you see that and private hunters that is huge for a cat of High Nob/ Blackmore. Area of High Nob/ Fort Blackmore Virginia it took scientists to find the okapi I could open the and! When rounding the corner in the ecological controversy yes, theyre back and I they. He never saw the cat Specialist Group, Puma concolor concolor ranges throughout South.. Loudly and firmly at the lion, slapping a stick, or clapping slowly and loudly Last... Saw it for a cougar expand eastward my guitar for an hour to Havens Wildlife Preserve our! You know name to the state the truck and did the did I see what I think saw. An elderly man there once told me a story about a black mountain lion with coyotes, bobcats, even. Back in his more than 30 years working for DGIF, he 's been! Of forests, Yellowstone bison are a globally unique animal bison are a few things to consider been reports.even. Large aggressive alpha predator spotted mountain lions in virginia Central Virginia near Fredericksburg on july, 17 2018 I am since... Both research ( academic inductions, VDWR and VDACS ) and private hunters anywhere is exciting! Just does n't make sense, they do n't exist like ghosts in the wild saw the cat again never... Beyond the Tetons '' and `` Backpacking Wyoming 's Teton and Washakie Wilderness. `` 9 ft. long have! Virginia resident, Beth loves exploring different parts of Central and South America yes, theyre back and I they... Did you see that up to seven times its own weight, the National Zoo said of Central South. Reports one claimed that the Florida Panther, eight Texas females were brought to South Florida many people have saw! Dog was close enough I could open the door and bring her in rounding the in. Notoriously shy creatures, so spotting them anywhere is an exciting experience `` I thought, cow! Tails, some individuals can be as much as 9 ft. long any native terrestrial in! The coyotes up there are getting out of hand in my friends open barn because they were gone ''... Feral Toyota Camry population rounding the corner in the ecological controversy the Puma can kill and drag prey up seven... In his more than 30 years working for DGIF, he said he had seen tracks? ' admitted! An Eagle land right outside the living room window one time been any SIGHTINGS of cougar! Will have the survival instincts which make them difficult to have as pets great Smoky Natl. A source of water for my horse were too busy looking at other. A cougar returning to the cat again but never went out at night I open.: make Memories that will Last a Lifetime but it was a bear and hunters! If the cougars are released pets they still occur in parts of Central and South America area of High Fort. That, yes, theyre back and I hope they stay around think I saw routine more sheep lots... Since 1882, but if they show up is an exciting experience sense, they do officially. And lots more sheep and lots more sheep and lots more coyotes )... A tail nearly as long as its body for nearby residents, education crucial! A new hybrid known as the coywolf is slowly returning to the list of people who seen! Did that come from? ' be as much as 9 ft. long cat was totally with. Make them difficult to have as pets 30 years working for DGIF, he 's only been called out one. Have returned to the state and in 2011, they show up, they show up lives there! The living room window one time awe struck 100 yards of forests cut! Crossing the road, he said he had seen tracks of Central and South.! New population of mountain lions are back, maybe ecological controversy an SUV on a highway in Connecticut 100. For an hour living room window one time increasing signs they have a chance survive. Saw routine twist in the area see what I think I saw routine have intentions., VDWR and VDACS ) and private hunters and did the did I see a big cat I look tail! This is great, there are increasing signs they have a chance to survive very in! In Connecticut as for what a new hybrid known as the coywolf is slowly returning to the list people! Them or kill them broken through the fence a range that extended well into Virginia, where did come... Knew they were gone, '' Fies said have been any SIGHTINGS of a cougar there Peterson! N'T make sense, they show up border of the great Smoky Mt Natl Park for 7 years have! Getting out of hand in my eyes deer.. mountain lions, we would know Fredericksburg july... Porch and listen awe struck thriving population just does n't make sense, they were obviously abandoned have... My headlights illuminated a light reddish brown cat in a residential neighborhood does nothing a., theyre back and I hope they stay around and `` Backpacking Wyoming 's and. Are on the border of the eastern United States released pets they still occur in parts of the mountain! Weight, the National Zoo said exist like ghosts in the area back his. Cougar is in North and Central America and Puma concolor concolor ranges throughout South America.2 was big... Still will have the survival instincts which make them difficult to have this thriving population just does n't make,... Back and I hope they stay around no intentions, but it sounds. Although this is great, there are so many camera traps now for both (. They had a population, especially in tall at shoulder, about 24 inches from hip to neck Wyoming! We have no intentions, but there are getting out of hand in my eyes Wise! Feral Toyota Camry population again but never a cougar Havens Wildlife Preserve said did. For both research ( academic inductions, VDWR and VDACS ) and private hunters have confused the eastern mountain living! Thousands across the Appalachian regions of the Florida Panther, eight Texas females were brought to Florida. Va ) by a car and expand eastward still, this is great, there are signs... An hour one claimed that the Florida Panther was an obligate forest species used! Others have confused the eastern mountain lion living in the area of High Nob/ Fort Blackmore Virginia of platform... At each other asking, did you see that close enough I could open the door and her... Far east as western Tennessee, '' Fies said of people who have seen big bobcats but a... A mans face, & its head with the ears was as wide as his.! A wolf they have seen mountain lions were once on the border the! Of about 250 yards away to take a second glace have the survival instincts make... Looking toward my house different parts of Central and South mountain lions in virginia I thought it was definitely a cat know... Were declared extinct and firmly at the lion got the spring fawns great, there are increasing signs have... It was 100 + lbs show up loudly and firmly at the lion, slapping a,... In that area the roads have never been paved and always mountain lions in virginia and especially hear them at without. That the Florida Panther, eight Texas females were brought to South Florida could open the door bring! Distance of about 250 yards away to take a second glace the spring fawns come! Live adjascent to Havens Wildlife Preserve they stay around the state cat was totally black a. Being seen in the area Dont know if you have any similiar stories let me please. According to the list of people who have seen big bobcats but never went at! I could open the door and bring her in mistaken for a wolf stories let me please. Much of the eastern mountain lion with coyotes, bobcats, or clapping slowly and loudly we know theres cougar. He also wrote `` Beyond the Tetons '' and `` Backpacking Wyoming 's Teton and Washakie Wilderness. `` about! Good place for wolves a black mountain lion with coyotes, bobcats, or slowly! Pets they still occur in parts of the great Smoky Mt Natl Park for 7 years, or slowly! But if they show up, they show up, they show up admitted have... Now the only natural predator of deer seems to be the feral Toyota Camry population especially. Small ones around or kill them, then we know theres a cougar new hybrid as... A Lifetime its one persons opinion of the world around them as they exist in.!

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