1:00. And thats being done without, from what I understand, any real proof. Although this is great, there are a few things to consider. In Wyoming, the season runs from Sept. 1 to Aug. 31, but in Utah, the season runs from Nov. 9 to March 31. At least, that was the case until recently, when a moose was spotted near Lake Frederick in northern Virginia. After passing the long horn pasture over the summit I thought I was clear, hadnt seen eyes at any distance in a while. I havent seen it or signs of it since my 15 May report. Moose are notoriously shy creatures, so spotting them anywhere is an exciting experience. They were last seen in 1882 and have since been killed off. Victim of animal attack treated for rabies. Not high pitched like a house cat but low, sounded like whatever it was had some size to it. It was a brownish tan in color and was at least as large as my yellow lab. It was such a chilling sound at 1:30 in the morning. Mountain lions once lived in much of the eastern United States. My father assumed it was a released pet, but then my good friend a licensed vet tech and very knowledgeable saw one with her husband in Nokesville VA on her horse farm, it was just on the edge of the wood line watching them, when they felt they were being watched and noticed the huge cat it dissappeared quickly, they have 2 miniature horses that are less than 200 lbs, it may have been observing. Reason being: If mountain lions are show to exist east of the Mississippi River, the states game departments may be liable for livestock damages. If theyre still around here, during deer season, Im assuming well get more pictures from trail cameras, he said. we hear them behind our house all the time and a friend killed one last month in botetourt county that weighed 47 lbs. Mountain lions are definitely coming to Virginia. I would guess that the overbundance of whitetail deer could have contributed to the return? of the puma. I would like to add it to my collection if possible. At the beginning of September there was an article in the Caroline Progress about a large cat in Caroline county with a picture from a game camera. 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. It is only a matter of time before the California picture in this blog post is sent back to us as proof of mountain lions in Virginia. It looked to be about 90 to 100 pounds. They might even been reproducing. By Rick Steelhammer. He envisions calls from parents, too afraid to send their kids out to the bus stop knowing theres a mountain lion within miles of the area. Cougars depended heavily upon the white-tailed deer for food. . They are dark reddish-or yellowish-brown dorsally, lighter ventrally, the tail tip is dark, and the fur is short, soft and unspotted. It was a state car. I've met multiple people who claim to have seen mountain lions in Virginia and even had an uncle who claimed two separate sightings while riding his motorcycle on the blue ridge parkway but I've never thought to ask about specific areas until now. I have been compiling reported cougar sightings around the Bedford, Virginia area and will be manning a booth for them on March 8, 2008 Outdoors Show at the Bedford Armory. I saw a large bobcat at around mile 205-203 heading south on I-81. I was taking my wife to work eraly Thursday about 4 am..We had just passed the airport on 58 east in Danville, Va. To the right side shoulder of the road there stood some type of cat. Since there are no breeding populations in Virginia, the likelihood of a secretive population that has existed since 1880 is very unlikely. While mountain lions are native to Virginia, they have been expatriated from the state since 1882. The cougar has not been confirmed in Virginia since 1882, but there are increasing signs they have returned to the state. A French naturalist created the name "cougar" by combining "puma" with "jaguar." Im not 100% sure but thats what i feel it was a COUGAR. I think its all the same.. This medium-sized cat weighs between 9-33 lbs, has stubby tails and characteristic tufts of hair coming out of its ears. Still, this is great news for conservationists and animal enthusiasts alike. Mountain lions go by many names, including puma, cougar, and panther. He and Jackie Johnson Maughan wrote three editions of "Hiking Idaho." 421, I watched a black cat come from under a concrete bridge and jump into the woods when it saw me. A seasoned hiker whos lived in Virginia since the 1970s and is deeply familiar with the areas wildlife, shes confident in what she saw. According to the National Zoo, the puma, also known as themountain lion, cougar, or, in Florida, the Florida panther, originally ranged from northern Canada to the southern tip of South America. Even though we still didnt have any physical proof we were excited because this was the first time wed had an adult verify a cougar sighting here. 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. But shes also realistic. This was on January 25 at around 5:30 pm. Mountain lions and yes black cats. Yes, most sightings, if not all of them have to be taken on 100% trust in the person who has it. They initially didnt want to admit that I saw one, and they were calling it a UFOan unidentified furry object. My house was in a very wooded area and driveway led off into those woods about 1/2 mile from the main road (which was a dirt/gravel road about 1 mile from a paved road). He never saw the cat again but never went out at night without a gun. You want to talk about uneasy its almost like it was stalking us. Published: Oct. 12, 2022 at 9:17 AM PDT. Our youngest daughter was hysterical thinking that her mule would be attacked. 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 We were vacationing near the Shenandoah River. The population of cougars west of the Mississippi River was large enough that it was not listed. Saturday 27 Sept 08 I found a large paw print in the mud from the recent rains. I don't believe any mountain lions are here. at the shoulder, that's nearly 3 ft. tall! This was a night time sighting. 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. Biologists and wildlife specialists speculate that cougars will reestablish themselves in states like Kentucky, Tennessee, and Virginia within the next 25 to 50 years. Mountain Lions at the West Virginia Wildlife Center. As it stands, there are no native populations of mountain lions in Virginia, but that could change. According to the game warden, that is the 3rd one killed on the road in this region in 6 months. I walked to my car and turned my lights on. Sissy, Yes George, it is an eight pointer, & the neck of the deer is dragging between the cougars two front legs. April 9, 2019 edition, High latitude clouds seen at night are getting brighter, Mountain Lions in Virginia: How Theyre Here and Why Its Denied, http://hstallard.blogspot.com/2008/03/mountain-lion-hoax-in-virginia.html, Oklahoma, where the denial comes right before the drought, Plants will be hard put to handle greenhouse gases, scientists say, Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility, Good NewsFeral Cattle To Be Removed From Gila Wilderness, Theodore Roosevelt National Park Proposal To Remove Domestic Cattle and Feral Horses Runs Into Opposition, Oregons Blue Mountains-Opportunities for Carbon Storage and Wildlands Preservation, Travesty of Tribal Slaughter of Yellowstone Bison. 12. He always said it sat there for just a moment and then slipped into the woods and was gone. Email me. Free shipping for many products! On Monday, the state agency . 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. Like I said we never saw the mother just the young cat but I would guess it was somewhere between midway and three quarters fully grown. However it was way too fast, too quiet, and did not move like a deer. She has really bad gashes on her front leg, shes lame. The US Fish and Wildlife Service listed the Eastern Cougar as Endangered in 1973, since it was considered to be a distinct breeding population separate from the western population. No, its one persons opinion of the world around them as they exist in it. 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. There haven't been any cougars in Tennessee since the early 1900s. 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. Im just waiting for ANY government agency to admit there are mountain lions in the state before someone shoots one and says Ooops I didnt know they were endagered. its mate was said to have been heard wailing, for a time, in the distance. (we have more of both in these parts of Virginia, lots more sheep and lots more coyotes.) Misidentification is typically caused by poor lighting conditions at the time of the sighting. Fish and Wildlife Service removed eastern subspecies of cougars from the endangered species list last year and declared them extinct. We had tons of deer, albino too! Though they are pushing steadily eastward from the Rockies. A couple of sightings involved captive . 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! Fish and Wildlife Service has declared the eastern population of cougars extinct, but based on numerous sightings and . As for photos circulating via social media, he thinks it may start out light humored and then get carried away. Cougars prowled nearly all of the United States below Canada, and all of Virginia from mountain . For anyone that has seen a cougar in the East or would like to support or be involved in their return then jointing ECF is only logical. The bobcat is the only existing only wild feline predator in the state of Virginia at . By accepting all cookies, you agree to our use of cookies to deliver and maintain our services and site, improve the quality of Reddit, personalize Reddit content and advertising, and measure the effectiveness of advertising. Although these wild cats are smaller than mountain lions, they are extremely good hunters. Edit: in an attempt to actually answer the question, Ive heard tons of reports of people seeing them in Floyd County. Everyone knows that the panthers that are seen in the East are former pets released. They are moving Eastward, theyre now found in Western Tennessee. Michael told me. Police say man who pointed gun at officers in area of Route 250 Bypass is dead, ACSO looking for suspicious man in the Weyers Cave area, Wreck cleared after crash shut down Woodrow Wilson Pkwy near Staunton, Waynesboro man arrested after eluding police, WPD says, Autopsy shows man in Jefferson Co., Ala was attacked by pack of dogs, Virginia Superintendent of Public Instruction resigns, Bond denied for owner of dogs accused of dogs deaths, Pilot identified in fatal plane crash near Hillsville, Charlie Obaugh RV & Outdoor Student Athlete of the Week. Enthusiasts alike been expatriated from the recent rains, too quiet, and they were it. Weighed 47 lbs there haven & # x27 ; t been any cougars in Tennessee since the 1900s. Eastward, theyre now found in Western Tennessee, any real proof about! 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