A work colleague of mine lives in Layton, a town next to Walpack in Sussex County. Over a period of a year and a half, this mountain lion left DNA evidence in at least four states. If mountain lions returned to Massachusetts, there is no need to update current forest management practices. Yet this young male traveled about 1,800 miles. JustBe Farm is the passion project of both Kate and Ray, two South Jersey locals who wanted a place where they could reconnect busy children, teens, and adults with nature. It was bloody and the hair was a mess around its head. In windy or mountainous areas, Elbroch says air horns are great tools to throw off a cat's focus and deter them from . Meanwhile, if mountain lion sightings are on your wish list, go to Montana, Idaho, Wyoming, even California, to mention some of the western states where the American panther is in good supply. var today = new Date() Evidence could include the body of a dead mountain lion or a live wild-captured animal; photos or video, in which a mountain lion can be identified and MassWildlife can confirm the location; DNA evidence from hair, scat, etc. Mountain Lion Sighting. Hunters do not stumble across the remains of dead mountain lions in the woods, he says. Further, it is already illegal to kill a mountain lion in Massachusetts. In the Washington region, sightings have been reported in rural areas of Maryland and Virginia. The sighting has been reported to the state Department of Fisheries and Wildlife, which has historically debunked such observations. I slowed down and when slowed down it took off really fast into the woods. 12 Reply catvideomaniac 4 yr. ago That is just some newly divorced woman in her back yard. Mountain lions ( Puma concolor) are one of the six native species of wild cats in North America. . Thank you for your website feedback! In certain situations, the similarities in the silhouette are remarkable. Some believe a mountain lion may be lurking in northwest Washington. Confirmed reports of mountain lions in Massachusetts A man named Jacob Soto said that he and a co-worker filmed the lion; they work at farms in the area. l went around a tight right bend and, 100 feet up, walking the same way was a cougar. This offer only applies to OutdoorNews.com and not for any Outdoor News print subscriptions. February 12. 10K views, 19 likes, 0 loves, 83 comments, 20 shares, Facebook Watch Videos from KMBC 9: LIVE: Authorities search the area after a possible mountain lion was spotted in Greenbelt Park, Maryland.. The oldest tooth-aged mountain lion tagged in 2021 was 10. This map shows the various zones where mountain lions are hunted statewide, as determined by the Arizona Fish and Game Department. On a side note, I've been out near West Virginia and the western parts of both Maryland and Virginia enough to know that it is a commonly held belief that mountain lions still exist 'round those parts. I guess they werent willing to admit it but my son and I knew what we saw. From RE:I live and work in Wayne, about 8 to 10 years ago a woman who started her shift at about 5 am said she saw a mountain lion walking through our property one morning. . I KNOW WHAT I SAW and to this day every time I bring up this in conversation nobody believes me. number of folks to write about their encounters. Cougars must be identified by having been captured, found dead, or the investigators must have seen definite tracks or other evidence. Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. But that was definitely what it was. There were five yearling animals, four 2-year-old animals, two 3-year-olds and five 4-year-olds. The woman reported seeing the animal along a path around 3 p.m. She told U.S. Park Police it was tall enough to come up to her waist, but didn't seem aggressive. Two years ago I was fishing the Wanaque reservoir and came across tracks I had never seen before. The feedback will only be used for improving the website. There are hundreds more throughout the East Coast, he and other naturalists believe. July 31, 2018 / 4:17 PM No doubt we were lookin' at a Mt. It was heading northeast toward Peapack, NJ. Mountain Lions are the largest predators currently in Rocky Mountain National Park. And yes I believe these other stories. -Mountain lions are classified as big game. The Fort Worth Star-Telegraph reports on a mountain lion sighting in April 2022. Submitting this form below will send a message to your email with a link to change your password. I knew it wasn't a dog - and it wasn't a bobcat. Glenn Therres, a biologist and wildlife specialist with the Maryland Department of Natural Resources says, We receive a dozen or two dozen reports a year from citizens who see, hear or find signs of cougars. The Damned Story: Eastern mountain lions, or pumas or cougars, were last officially seen in Connecticut near the end of the 19th century.A threat to livestock, they were hunted out of the state and driven to parts more wild. There was a long tall cat with a long tail. elk calf with characteristics of a mountain lion kill. Open MF, 8 a.m.4 p.m. (closed noon12:30 for lunch). There have been at least two other sightings in the same area. At first, I wasn't sure what I was seeing since I never expected to see a mountain lion, as we mostly see turkeys and other birds behind our house, or an occasional bear, deer, or fox. In 1996 MDC established a Mountain Lion Response Team (MLRT) with specially trained staff to investigate reports and evidence of mountain lions. Copyright 2023 NBCUniversal Media, LLC. Another sighting was at Berkshire Valley Road by my neighbor. Now man is encroaching into more remote parts of the state, forcing the cougars out of their hiding places, Mr. Lutz says. The 2020 wildfires that ravaged California also affected mountain lion populations, killing an estimated 300 to 600 of them. While the initial video got all of the attention, Soto posted a second video, too, showing a pack of hounds looking for scent in the area when the lion was sighted. Please give us a call at 928-428-2560, Copyright They are definitely here. I heard a lot of animal screaming and it seemed to be getting closer to my property. AZGFD sold 11,851 tags in 2021; 260 mountain lions were killed, 17 of those as the result of livestock depredations. It came out of the woods and stopped in the middle of the road right in front of me in the headlights. contact the Division of Fisheries and Wildlife. Laugh all you want, but Agnes Muhl has no doubts about what she, her husband and her mother saw in the front yard of their Thurmont vacation home eight years ago. Jeff Mulhollem. Females are typically smaller. From SS:Some years ago we were on our way home from my sister-in-laws house burning. Both labs confirmed the sample came from a mountain lion. Officials are asking that people avoid the park as they investigate the report. What does the perfect setup look like for spring steelhead? 75-170 pounds. The Missouri Dept of Conservation release information regarding a vehicle striking a mountain lion (cougar) not far from Six Flags. Yes, they have been here for years. Our eyes locked and we were both motionless. Its a one-lane road off of Riva Avenue near Farrington Lake. Mountain lions were classified as a game species by the Nebraska State Legislature in 1995, mandating the Commission to set hunting seasons only if the lion population was large enough to sustain a harvest. Please use caution. l then got to thinking about a description, the color is rather unique. It was at the edge of the woods and it looked like it was just after a kill. In this video we discuss why we have reached our conclusion as well as explaining some natural history about this species. 23 in West Milford NJ about 50 yards from the highway a huge cat ran across the trail in front of me maybe 25 feet from my front tire. Because you will never go out of your house at night. My dad also has a friend that lives in North Jersey I believe in alpha somewhere by the NY border in a more rural area and he has seen them in his yard and captured them on his trail camera. Top-requested sites to log in to services provided by the state. I will say I've received reports from all around the state but several of the reports seem to be in the same area: West Milford in the northern part of the state. Lefleche told the Telegram and Gazette that Ford's sighting seems credible. A mountain lion reportedly showed up last week in a section of the Fernwood State Forest in eastern Ohio not far from Steubenville. Then he realized from the length of its tail and the shape of its body that it was a mountain lion. Turned its head and looked right at me for several seconds. I was told to call animal control. "If there is a wild population, it is very tiny, and they are able to live and die without any evidence of them being here," Mr. For more information see Terms and Conditions. It was about 12:30 at night. Some kitty this is!An outfit known as the Cougar Network (www.easterncougarnet.org) tracks cougar sightings all over the various states where cougar populations are not known to exist. There was no question as to what it was, with its coloring and long tail. The next thing we see is this cat. 2018 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. There have been only two caseswhere evidence supports the presence of a mountain lion in Massachusetts. I knew It wasnt a bear or wolf. Someone photographed the animal at the Brunswick School on Greenwich, Connecticut about 40 miles away on June 5th. In the spray field which is leased to a local farmer, I was driving the roadway down to another building on our site and saw slinking quite quickly a large deer-colored cat with a body close to 4 ft long and a tail about the same length. Search for cougars continues in Pennsylvania. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Advance Local. I was driving on a dark and stormy night about 9 years ago on Rt-515 just off of Rt-23. I'm completely convinced fish and game are well aware they are still here and said they are extinct to calm the public outcries. When evidence is submitted, MassWildlife carefully reviews the evidence in its entirety and attempts to verify the report. The last confirmed records of the Eastern Cougar's existence were in 1938 in Maine. Adults are a uniform tan or tawny in color, with a white or cream-colored chin, undersides and inner legs. Many mountain lion sightings in our state turn out to be cases of mistaken identity, but photos, tracks, hair, scat, and videos are some types of physical evidence used to confirm the presence of a mountain lion. a graphic depiction of America's mountain lion history. Genetic analyses confirmed the hair was from a male mountain lion and the propbable population of origin was Colorado. I was amazed I told everyone I knew and it was like I was crazy or a liar. One other gentleman and I almost 10 years ago saw a mountain lion on our worksite in Clinton NJ. In 1966, an animal believed to be a cougar clawed a pony, two sheep and a calf to death in western Harford County. Quite unnerving. We won't share it with anyone else. On the return paved portion of my ride, l stopped to share my story with my friends at Mick's Canoes. Well, that latest story has exploded, going viral and being shared all across the state. Thina Vanosnabrugge, a 41-year-old Hunt Valley woman, thinks they are. The state classed mountain lions as endangered in 1972 and banned all hunting of them. Have any questions? This page is located more than 3 levels deep within a topic. From DS:I also spotted a mountain lion on Almonesson Rd Deptford NJ about 1 am. "I knew a lot of people wouldn't believe I'd seen it," he says. On May 31, 2018 an interesting video of an animal walking across a field was captured in the Fallston area of Harford County, Maryland during a foggy morning by Dan Jones. The main habitat requirement for mountain lions is stalking cover to successfully hunt prey. $1 per month for 6 months (you will be billed $6) and then your subscription will renew at standard subscription rates. Trump plans to abolish U.S. Education Department if elected, Trump won't commit to the Republican National Committee's loyalty pledge, New Jersey woman blows up house, killing herself and her cats, rather than comply with eviction, Nancy Pelosi criticizes Joe Biden admin over handling of D.C. crime bill, Trump promises GOP will never again be led by 'freaks, neocons, globalists, open borders zealots', Copyright 2023 The Washington Times, LLC Delivered right as the newspaper goes to print on Wednesdays and Saturdays. (I've chosen to protect the identities of those who've shared their stories with me. To visit any of the states for which we have already compiled information, click on the states listed below. adroll_current_page = "other"; Use anything at your disposal: a stick, rock, or better yet, bear spray. The MLRT has investigates hundreds of mountain lion reports, but most reported sightings and tracks turn out to be bobcats or large dogs. "They never left," Mr. Lutz argues. It occurred after 8 p.m. Monday night, January 23, 2023, at Highway T and Old Highway 100 just north of Villa Ridge in Franklin County. This still from a local video clip of a mountain lion taken Tuesday morning shows a big cat crossing a ditch before he disappears into the cotton field. It was tan and the most amazing part of this animal was its tail. By LAURA JEAN SCHNEIDER "It's a mountain lion," the officer said. One can easily imagine that they might decide to not report the loss. Hunters must also possess a valid hunting license, which is $37 for residents. There is no indication of population decline, the department said. They used to roam the entire continent, but have become extinct in most US states. However, deer in the park are normally about 100 lbs. Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. Straw says. Mass.gov is a registered service mark of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. One said his father swore he had seen one, and their guess was it was an escapee from Great Adventure. Pitch-black out and all I could hear was a long slow deep growling that sounded like nothing Id ever heard except once before 3 years ago. Adult males may be more than 8 feet long (from the tip of the nose to the tip of the tail), and can weigh between 130 and 150 pounds. They are also known as pumas, cougars and panthers. The MLRT has confirmed fewer than 100 cases. MLRT confirmed using the photos and other sign. In recent weeks, there have been several reported sightings of mountain lions in rural areas of the Twin Tiers. There are, after all, wild mountain lions not zoo specimens in Florida. However, one must assume that it actually could happen. A regional wildlife biologist with the Department of Natural Resources' Forest, Park and Wildlife Service, he says mountain lions were hunted into extinction by the people who settled Maryland. A video posted Tuesday on Facebook of a mountain lion ambling across a dirt road near Edens Red Knolls has snagged a lot of interest, according to social media views and discussion. The mountain lion walked right across the street in front of his car while he was driving through the park. One neighbor described the creature as larger and wider than a deer, with the long tail of a cat. "It was so unusual," she says. "I'm really positive.". This mountain lion was documented by DNA samples from Minnesota and Wisconsin between December 2009 and early 2010. I had made calls to many different agencies and either I was told I was wrong or no one would return my calls. Case 1 Bobcats are found in the mountains of western Maryland, even in some counties along the Chesapeake Bay and one sighting came from the Eastern Shore. A mountain lion, seen above, was sighted on Ash Street in Webster Sunday. Case 2 Possible Mountain Lion Sighting in D.C. Wildlife officers searching for the creature By Michelle Tetu Published October 28, 2011 Updated on October 31, 2011 at 6:09 am Mountain lions are helpful in maintaining order in our ecosystem and assist to keep other wildlife numbers in check. To me, it was not a dog and then carry itself like a dog. CAPTAIN COOK, Hawaii (KITV4) -- A possible big cat sighting is being investigated on the Big Island. My 11-year-old son was in front of me about 50 feet. 3600 New York Avenue NE, Washington, DC 20002. May 2015: Shannon: Citizen reported mountain lion tracks near the Current River, an investigation confirmed the track photos and other sign at the site. Mountain lions have a long tail that is usually darker colored at the tip. Weight. var year = today.getFullYear() Nowadays, many reports include photographic evidence, thanks to camera phones and trail cameras. Read more about the status of Mountain Lions in Alabama here. It doesn't make sense to me that they wouldn't be in those areas considering anything prevents them from crossing state lines especially since they can swim and the Delaware river is often shallow enough to walk across in a lot of spots. There are two records of mountain lions in Massachusetts thatmeet the evidence requirements. From PD: Read your article about mountain lions in NJ. Just like New Jersey doesn't have any rattlesnakes. half a mile before you reach the Deptford Mall. Rags to riches: Stars who were once homeless, Nowhere to hide: US military's portable anti-material weapons, Semper Fi: Famous people you didnt know were U.S. Marines, Fire from the clouds: US military close air support, Beauty and brains: Smartest female celebrities, Fastest combat planes in the US Air Force, Pence fails to see nuance in Ukraine war, sides with military-industrial complex. Over the years I have heard stories of other encounters. More than half of California is mountain lion habitat and mountain lions generally exist wherever deer are found. I was on my deck at around 10 in the morning. An email message containing instructions on how to reset your password has been sent to the e-mail address listed on your account. A 140-pound male mountain lion was hit by a car and killed in 2011 in Milford, Connecticut. They definitely are here! It was a rumor that State Fish and game stocked mountain lions to take care of it, to this day they deny it but I dont doubt they did. McCarter sent a sample to Dr. George Amato of the Wildlife Conservation Society in New York and Dr. Melanie Culver of the University of Maryland. It scowled and flipped its long just before it leaped down the bank towards the fawns. I didnt believe her until the security department showed me the security camera footage and there it was about a 30 or 40-pound mountain lion walking passed the security lights. This is especially true of western Maryland. Cougars (Puma concolor) are a large cat that goes by many names: panther, catamount, puma, and mountain lion, just to name a few of their over forty common English names.They were once a common predator in Pennsylvania until a combination of range-wide habitat loss, prey loss (mainly white-tailed deer and elk), and predator eradication programs in the 1800s drove them to extinction in the . The mountain lion was about 50 yards to the left of my house and was walking up the side of the mountain. Mountain lions in NJ? AZGFD sold 11,851 tags in 2021; 260 mountain. August, a woman reported seeing a mountain lion on her drive between Millville and Avalon. For an overview you may wish to view A Timeline of Bounty and Sport Hunting of Mountain Lions in the United States or our poster Where Do We Go From Here? If you're looking for some information that's important to you (such as research for work or learning how to manage your money), then the advice here is to first write down the relevant keywords on a piece of paper to figure out exactly what you want, which will be a lot more efficient. If you purchase a product or register for an account through one of the links on our site, we may receive compensation. About 4 years ago I saw the whole mountain lion. No indication of a captive animal. -Only California bans regulated harvest of mountain lions, with all other states maintaining regulated hunting seasons for this species. Since May 21, three other lion sightings were reported in the Chubbuck and Pocatello areas and one in Inkom. It was early morning so it was pretty quiet. The West Virginia Wildlife Center is open to the public seven days a week from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Coyotes have also been mistaken for Mountain Lions. -Arizonas first lion management plan took the form of paying a bounty for every lion killed where the pelt was turned over to authorities. I live in Holland Township NJ. We will use this information to improve this page. They are here! Mountain lions became scarce in the East after a bounty system wiped out most predatory animals. "I couldn't believe my eyes. The Connecticut mountain lion is the best documented wild Mountain Lion in New England. He suggested I didn't see a lion etc. var year = today.getFullYear() Last year he recorded 11 cougar sightings in Maryland, 38 in Pennsylvania and six in Virginia. I was going to attempt to somehow categorize these sightings, but I find that task overwhelming. Contact Laura Jean Schneider at LauraJean@eacourier.com, Mountain lions leave bloody path in Clifton, {child_flags:featured}Co-existing with nature, -The scientific name given to mountain lions is Puma concolor, meaning cat of one color.. There have been no reports of injuries associated with this creature. He caught the animal in his headlights and, at first, thought it was a large Labrador retriever. I have seen a lion twice in Sussex County. Maryland - There have been many sightings of mountain lions and a lot of debate about the existence of mountain lions in Maryland. A .mass.gov website belongs to an official government organization in Massachusetts. We're always interested in hearing about news in our community. GREENBELT, Md. I had to slam on the brakes so as not to hit it. Unconfirmed sightings of mountain lions and panthers do persist in Maryland, according to the state Department of Natural Resources website. Advertisement Rauch said the bobcat probably traveled down the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal from. From RV:In the summer of 2002, I was biking south on the D&R canal path near Millstone NJ. Then in late August, a woman reported seeing a mountain lion on her drive between Millville and Avalon. (Or a lot of people who are very good at creative writing and fooling me.). In my moment of "fear" - I called the non-emergent police number They sent an officer out and we told him what we had seen. Already a subscriber to OutdoorNews.com? I know it is not technically in maryland but I highly doubt this cat knows where the state line is located and stays on the Pa. side all the time. I could not believe my eyes! Mountain lion hunting season opened Aug. 13, and remains so until May 31, 2023. This content is restricted to subscribers of OutdoorNews.com. Delivered right as the newspaper goes to print on Wednesdays. If your state is not . Although theyre not often seen walking about like the plentiful whitetailed deer, the top Maryland counties for bobcats are Garrett, Allegany, Washington and Frederick in that order. With all the deer, geese, and other prey everywhere, why wouldnt they be here!!!! 13507065_10205364039255335_8657515368052999240_n.jpg. According to Arizona Game and Fish Department (AZGFD), a person may use dogs to pursue, but not kill or capture a mountain lion in a unique pursuit-only season that coincides with the open season. I was leaving Westville towards the mall. We were traveling south on 23 right by Canistear road in West Milford. I was sitting on my front porch and I saw a very large animal at first I thought big fox. On Tuesday, September 28, the Choconut Inn in Friendsville, Pennsylvania jumped in on the conversation with a Facebook post that read, "Hi everyone there's been numerous mountain lion sightings by Quaker Lake. For the last few days, my email account has been continuously pinging from people sharing information about their sightings. That story prompted a number of folks to write about their encounters. Luckily it looked healthy and well-fed. Another sighting was on Storms Ave in Haskell NJ. l never heard from the State. The most beautiful tragedy I've ever seen. Hikers saw a mountain lion walking along a hiking trail as it was hunting a deer in Big Bend National Park, Texas. It walked into the tree line and disappeared. It looked so powerful! Heres how to pull big bluegills from Iowas West Lake Okoboji, A look at some other ways to call in a spring gobbler, How to catch and cook whitefish and tullibees, Nows the time to savor the fruits of the hunting experience.