mountain lions in virginia

Fish and Wildlife Service declared the eastern subspecies extinct. Although these wild cats are smaller than mountain lions, they are extremely good hunters. Ive seen a few cougars in the wild, I dont believe the black phase has ever been confirmed in any mountain lion/cougar/catamount/puma. He was a Western Watersheds Project Board Member off and on for many years, and was also its President for several years. Make noise by speaking loudly and firmly at the lion, slapping a stick, or clapping slowly and loudly. I saw one questionable critter a few years ago but I cant say 100% it was a lion. I live in Southwest, VA. 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. It was about the size of a friends dog, which is about 15 tall and 2 1/2 feet long. Press question mark to learn the rest of the keyboard shortcuts. Beowolf the key to your sighting is the tail . Others saw those cats too; so it was not my mistaking them for anything else! All of this happened just out of bow range and its heart wrenching knowing there is nothing you can do. The near-extirpation of deer would have forced any remaining cougar population during the 1930's-1970's to hunt in areas where the cats were likely to have been seen. OK see I read there were mountain lions in a certain large canyon but now Im pretty sure that rumour is to keep other fisherman out. After that two sets of very large eyes started following me. Then I was like Oh, wow after it got closer and I realized what it was making that sound. 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. I believe that area was once habitat for the red wolf. I was looking for a litle solitude so i ventured about a 1/4 mile off the trail and set up camp by a little stream. In 2018, the Federal agency removed the Eastern Cougar from that list, though the Florida panther remained on it. Mountain lions go by many names, including puma, cougar, and panther. He saw the cougar on March 10, 2015 while working in the field near Vida, Oregon.". Fish and Wildlife Service has made official what has long been suspected that the eastern mountain lion is extinct. They're nocturnal and notoriously sneaky, so seeing one in the wild is a truly unique experience. But really, itll change peoples viewpoints at some point., Experts in Tennessee dont know exactly how many mountain lions are roaming the area, but they do know one thing for sure: at least one of them is a female. This picture seemed to have been at night. However, experts claim that even if those would turn out to be true, it wouldn't be a return of the original population. He then went to our pond & disappeared into the woods. Fies said the man who had them had all the proper permits and the state does see a small number of those instances where people have safari adventure theme parks or other ventures that include large animals. They could be making a similiar mistake about the cougar sightings. "I never say never about these things, it's certainly possible," Fies said. kind of beige, dark grey at tip of tail, white underbelly. "This photo has been all over the internet and Facebook for the past 18 months or so," saidMichael L. Fies, furbearer project leader for theVirginia Department of Game andInland Fisheries. I think I have now seen a mountain lion! I havent seen anything like one since back in May. Further north, you can find mountain lions in . It was just on the side of the road walking into the long grass, it didnt even seem to be starlted by a loud car so close. The DGIF is adamant though that the species is not found in the Commonwealth, although it is possible the western subspecies could be moving east. The range of a Mountain Lion may cover 25 to 785 square miles. Tuesday, April 08, 2008. This lion was hit between Cherry Reservoir Road and High Knob area We then came upon a very recent deer kill within 20 yards of the sighting. In reply to Beowulf it may interest you to know I accomplied a rabit hunter back to Appomattox County where he had found a cougar carcass. They might even been reproducing. But we are talking about an actual animal which has a possibility of existing in localized population in some areas of the east. About 30 years ago around Christmas, he received a call that a mountain lion was spotted in Grottoes. I think the increase in goat and sheep farming in Appomattox County is attracting more predators. 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. However, the area is surrounded by a wildlife refuge and is also known for wild horses. The day after the wolf incident my wife called from her work and advised me not to go in the pasture as a mother bear and cub had been spotted berry gathering there. Over time, female cougars could expand their range eastward through a stepping-stone dispersal pattern, occupying nearby habitat in stages. I had the windows open because it was a cool night. In Rockingham county virginia, my father, family friend and I go bow hunting for 1 week every year in the GWNF. Cougars prowled nearly all of the United States below Canada, and all of Virginia from mountain . My dog and all the dogs in the neighborhood were going nuts. The subspecies would no longer be considered "threatened" once three populations were found or established, with each containing more than 50 breeding adults. I dont know how realistic they are, but here are calls: Bobcat, cougar/mountain lion/puma/painter, whatever the name is in your area. Fish and Wildlife Service removed eastern subspecies of cougars from the endangered species list last year and declared them extinct. In many states, the season dates are often further broken down depending on the hunt area you plan to visit. Be that as it may, I have happened upon a number of large feline tracks similar to those of the cougar, and while rerunning the indelible images of my sighting, can only deduce that the animal I saw was just that. I am wondering if there is anyone who is tracking these sightings and wants to know moreIt was clearly a cougar. Peterson said he understands the excitement around the idea of crossing paths with a mountain lion, but nearly all of the photos and videos he receives are not what they seem. A MOUNTAIN LION did in fact attack one of our horses early this morning, just before daylight. Its a gradual process, and especially in the early years of a repopulation, any sightings are most likely of males. Enter your email in the box below to get the most mind-blowing animal stories and videos delivered directly to your inbox every day. To improve the genetics of the Florida Panther, eight Texas females were brought to South Florida. Motion-sensitive infrared cameras have been deployed near Appalachian Trail to try to determine whether cougars are back. It was big enough to clear the two lane road in two leaps. 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 now live on the Tennessee end of South Holston Lake and while driving near Friendship Boatdock near Rte. Hellol. But then again, no one would come forward if they killed one because its illegal to kill an endangered species. Still, many sightings arent clear or even true, so being skeptical is still the best bet when it comes to sightings in Virginia. Do you know what it is? The only confirmed mountain . We know what we saw. I know they are on the endangered species list, but I cant help cut be concerned about the horse. 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. A co-worker and I had a run in with a very large black cat in Floyd, VA in 2002. Thankfully we were vindicated by a clear trail cam sighting a couple years later. It was misty, and had rained the night before. 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. Also the Coyotes up there are getting out of hand in my eyes. So I guess its up in the air. We have a pool int he yard and are outside all the time. Source: US Fish and Wildlife Service, Market Hunting of Cougars, the 1982 Eastern Cougar Recovery Plan determined that three breeding populations would be necessary before the species could be delisted People always had a story to tell about seeing one or hearing one whenever they were in the woods, and claimed the government was turning a blind eye to their reports. . But I dont know enought to really judge its age. There are just too many of these stories for her to believe that the cats are extinct. Virginia's mountain lions, known as the Eastern puma, were once on the endangered species list. I just saw a photograph of one today that is EASILY 150-200 lbs. Right now the only natural predator of deer seems to be the feral Toyota Camry population. As the science stands, the most likely option is that the sightings are the result of young males traveling east in search of new hunting and breeding grounds. I used to just worry about snakes while berry picking. Human expansion and economic progress have driven natural predators out of Virginia, giving the deer free rein. So, I had the opportunity to help raise beautiful, and playful ( they acted just like any kitten would! Lets explore: are there mountain lions in Virginia? Staunton entrepreneurs tackle urban farming. Since 1970, scores of wild mountain lion sightings have been reported without a single one being confirmed, the department reports. In that area the roads have never been paved. I went outside to feed my cat and in the silence of the night, early morning I heard the eerie sounds of coyotes across the hill. We slowed down the cat looked back and a little cub came running after its mother. In another leap, the cat was up the bank on the right hand side of the road and off into the woods. The AT Camera survey did not get a photo of a cougar during 2007. Cat like head and ears and face, long tail (about 20+ inches), bristly fur, grayish-brown in color, rather thin overall. 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. I kept hiking and went all the way to HWY 19E where I slept in a shelter half a mile from the road. For conservationists, this is a huge step in the right direction. We stood there listening to them, it sounded like they were answering each other from 3 different places. Love Virginia? My mother lives in Orange, and has seen a mountain lion in the past couple of weeks, as well as several years ago. However, it is pretty well accepted that there are no cougars living in the east currently.. Sometimes relatively together and sometimes on opposite sides of the trail. #1. Could this have been a young cougar? In August 2007 on my way to work from the Meadowview Virginia area , between Meadowview and Abingdon there was a Mountain Lion crossed the road in frount of me, So people can say what they want , there are big cats in the area. The dog was close enough I could open the door and bring her in. Most sightings occur in Shenandoah National Park and in Bedford, Amherst and Nelson County region. I saw a large bobcat at around mile 205-203 heading south on I-81. of Game and Inland Fisheries web site on the eastern cougar. 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. At first I wondered if it was a bob cat, however, the feline was far too large, and lacked the bushier tail commonly associated with a bob (especially given that it was still early February). Not a bob cat (it most certainly had a long bushy tail). Large aggressive alpha predator spotted in Central Virginia near Fredericksburg on july, 17 2018 Every year there were a few here and there.. My husband and I just saw a cougar (mountain lion) while having coffee on our back deck. When I was young they killed a cougar at Stone Mountain. Purposeful reintroduction, bringing breeding-age females to a suitable area in the Appalachians, could speed the process dramatically. After she expired 3 of them started to eat and the other took a whole hind quarter back up the ridge. Im not sure if they really believed us but a few years ago the lady and her friend rode their horses off into the battlefield trails which begin in a field directly across from our front door. What about the fact no roadkill is ever claimed to be found of a cougar? Have you spotted any shocking creatures in Virginia? All we get are hearsay stories and misidentified wildlife. I used to vacation on Smith Mountain Lake Virginia, Good View, and I can definatly confirm cougar in this area. The deer have been congregating down there. "They've been found as far east as western Tennessee," Fies said. Growing up, my parents always warned me about mountain lions whenever I went hiking, and everyone in the area accepted them as fact. 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. LaRue is the first to admit that shed love to see a mountain lion in the wild, and she of all people understands the fascination with them. Approximately 4 feet long near Midlothian. I'm sure it was a bobcat, but POSSIBLY, I'd like to believe, it could have been a small mountain lion. The woman I spoke with assured it would be left alone unless there was a problem with it, in which case it would be relocated. The animal looks to be a mountain lion I havent contacted the Animal control people yet unless it takes up residence here. I live in Rockbridge Baths and found a trail of 4 dog prints in the woods! 100% sure? It was hit by a log truck in Buckingham Co. near Dillwyn in early spring. The other ignored us. 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. So about three blocks from my turn onto our road I spotted Eye shine crossing in front of our car. If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it. I am from western North Carolina. I have neighbors that say they have seen them. hunterb8s@yahoo.com. Way back in 1977 I was firebossing a mine in McDowell Co WVa. Plenty of squirrel and turkey too. Could a mountain lion or cougar be in my area? They had their minds set and there was nothing that was going to change their minds. Then well try to figure out what kind they are and get more evidence.. Source: Wikipedia, Cougar. 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. Description of the Mountain Lion. More info if you want itG. The DWR is open to reviewing evidence of mountain lions in our area, and Michael told me to always keep an open mind. I couldnt believe it! There are certainly plenty of remote areas for them in VA and W.VA. As the summer progressed she got a couple glances at the animal but still no proof. I felt bad because I told them what had happened before I could see them and didnt knwo they were so young. I guess I just dont want to believe they are here, because we live in the woods. Is a mountain lion like a bear? Yes, it is a cougar, but could the picture have been taken somewhere else??? Experience Shenandoah: Make Memories That Will Last a Lifetime. The next morning I found a large track in soft dirt. Im not accusing anyone of anything, I myself have certain ideas in all of this, but am wondering what other people think of it. Mountain Lion. My first thought was it was a panther that escaped from a nearby zoo. I saw the cats long tail as he ran into the woods. Blood samples from the arrow revealed that the cat had originated in South Dakotaand that it was a female. Perhaps some of thes animals came from the private sector and they were simply let loose by their owners. Mountain Lions are back, maybe. That might depend on who you ask, but LaRue, whos been studying mountain lions for more than a decade, isnt convinced that eastern cougars were ever any different from the western subspecies. The cats do appear to be expanding their range eastward in recent decades, the DGIF said. During one of our walks last weekend my sister spotted a very !large! That federal distinction hasn't stopped the sightings. Have some feedback for us? Red wolves have been reintroduced into the state. Today is Sept. 29, 2008. That would be earth shattering for the depts. It was undoubtedly a full grown male mountain lion. 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. I initially thought it was a bear, until it ran, jumped a 5 foot pasture fence with ease, and landed about 4 feet from the fence. 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. Still, this is great news for conservationists and animal enthusiasts alike. Today, we are going to be learning about where they live. For an "In the Valley" episode, I investigated . As we rounded a curve in the road, we saw the cat jump out of a overhanging tree on the left hand side of the road and landed in the middle of the road. But their population definitely isnt established here. I HAVE HEARD OF AN OLD WOMAN THAT HAD A DOBERMAN THAT STAYED ON HER BACK PORCH NEAR ROCKINGHAM CO NC. We were vacationing near the Shenandoah River. Even if the Eastern Cougar and Florida Panther were considered members of the same subspecies, they would have still qualified for separate listings as distinct breeding populations. My e-mail address is gardrserv@yahoo.com & would be more than willing to give anyone any info as to what & where I saw. In recent years, sighting reports are becoming more and more common. Pretty exciting. (we have more of both in these parts of Virginia, lots more sheep and lots more coyotes.) According to LaRue and her research, lions recolonize by stepping stone dispersal, which essentially means they start traveling, find a nice habitat to set up shop for a little while, then move on to the next area with a suitable habitatand theyll do this for hundreds, even up to thousands of miles. Experts in Tennessee dont know exactly how many mountain lions are roaming the area, but they do know one thing for sure: at least one of them is a female. Many places in the west horses and mountain lions or cougars coexist. The U.S. My father owns property in Floyd, VA in an area where many of the land owners are not activly using their large acreage properties. Admission is $6 for ages 16 and over, $2 for kids 6 to 15 years old, and free for . To my suprise, twenty feet ahead of me a LARGE cat emerged from the grass. I went back to the area for my job maybe 3 weeks later and saw nothing. Our youngest daughter was hysterical thinking that her mule would be attacked. Source: Public Domain Pictures, 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.1. Look up the story of Rocky the African serval- an escaped pet that roams Virginia to this day I believe. Never have seen the cat again. The fur was short and the common light red-brown hue of a cougar. Looked like a red wolf though and we got a good look as it crossed the road in front of us on our way down the mountain (driving) in full daylight. Just wondering if anyone has spotted any coyotes near us in Thaxton? It was about 11:30 PM and I was driving an Austin Healy Bugeyed Sprite. FYI: I have reasearched wild animal sounds to the point now that I could be an expert. Everyone in the car was amazed at what we saw, and have since gone back hoping to see it again. Theres lots of legends around here, but I have heard from one very reputable source about a recent (within the last year) sighting in the vicinity of the Lovers Leap turnout on Route 58 about 6-7 miles east of Meadows of Dan. 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. Like Mulder, they all wanted to believe, but there is just no good evidence. While Virginia Beach has been known to house several species of sharks, it's more unusual for these intimidating creatures to wander inland. A week later the farmer shot the mountain lion. I hope the person who struck it hears its cries in his or her nightmares / dreams for a very long time to come. Cougars used to roam the entirety of North America, making the mountain ranges, woodland forests, and river corridors from coast to coast their homes. They can stand up to 35 in. Imagine what a difficult time the authorities would have had explaining that accident! It is being held at the Discovery Center at SML State Park from 3:00 - 4:00 p.m. on March 31st. We were tracking a deer one night and ended up lost for 6 hours and found a small field. They acted like I had schizophrenia though admitted there have been other reports.even though they do not officially exist here. Then I heard Coyotes doing their eerie little howls. 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. His tail looked a couple of feet long! Its part of mother nature I guess. Published: Oct. 12, 2022 at 9:17 AM PDT. My father a retired Secret Service agent who used to shoot alot with Regan spotted a mountain lion on the side of rt. Both went into the woods without any fuss. If an animal approaches, prepare to fight and protect your head and neck from the attack. For a long time he produced Ralph Maughan's Wolf Report. and the does mated again? i would love their return to our wilds. I am sorry, but some of the comments are incredible, and border on the hilarious. 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. Of course, he has never seen a documented one inthe wild, so I only trust his take so far. Any information would be greatly appreciated. I hope that maybe I can find a place I can place a trail camera nearby to search for it. just wanted to know more about wolves in Virginia. And add to that the fact that someone may have actually been wrong. The Blue Ridge Mountains are prime habitat for these cats, and once they get a foothold in the region, the signs are positive that they could return. It wasnt a very old cat, and Im pretty sure it wasnt fully grown. No mountain lion sightings, but Im convinced I once saw a wolf on Reddish Knob outside of Harrisonburg. Most occur in Shenandoah National Park and in Bedford, Amherst and Nelson counties. She was never spotted, but that sound is something that you never can forget or confuse for anything else. The whole encounter lasted about thirty seconds, certainly long enough to know what I saw in broad daylight. If it hadnt been the last day of our trip, I would have gone back to look for tracks to possibly photograph! But according to University of Minnesota research associate and wildlife expert Dr. Michelle LaRue, its a little more nuanced than that. The cougar has not been confirmed in Virginia since 1882, but there are increasing signs they have returned to the state. And yet there are numerous reports of hikers and residents spotting these creatures, especially in the mountains. Learn more about us & read our affiliate disclosure. He was concerned that the animal was, not only not affraid of him, but watched him for some time before running off. Now, after a reintroduction that began in 2012, these magical creatures have made their way back. Any jokes about sexually adventurous older women will not be noted or acknowledged and I will automatically assume you are a 13 year old boy who yells racial slurs on Xbox live. Forestry rangers say they have spotted several mountain lions in the area. For the first time in years, these cats are on the rebound and extending their range further into their historic regions. Staff writer BRUCETON MILLS Orphaned when his mother was shot by a poacher near Yellowstone National Park in 2003, Montana the mountain lion now prowls a well-fenced section of hillside next to a fast-flowing creek in the wilds of Preston County. It looked like it could have easily weighed 100-120 pounds ( I have a 100 pound lab, and this cat was larger than my dog). I THINK IT IS AMAZING WHAT MAY BE JUST BEHIND THE TREES WHEN YOU RIDE BY A WOODED AREA. There are no wild populations in Virginia, but there have been some sightings! Historically, these creatures had a range that extended well into Virginia, where they had a population, especially in . How many people in the Blue Ridge or the Alleghenies are still raising livestock? 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 . 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