Ive seen plenty of foxes in the woods around here and I thought maybe it was a fox in pain. I was frozen with fear as I realized it wasnt a bear, but a black mountain lion. Every year, state agencies investigate many reported sightings of cougars. In a small town called Coeburn. Motion-sensitive infrared cameras have been deployed near Appalachian Trail to try to determine whether cougars are back. Imagine what a difficult time the authorities would have had explaining that accident! Like a number of other people in her communitya hunter who caught the tail end of a cat on his deer cam and a Presbyterian minister in Batesville whose neighbor saw one drinking out of a pond, to name a coupleMarchibroda knows that she saw a mountain lion, and she wants state and national wildlife agencies to take these sightings seriously. After that two sets of very large eyes started following me. 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. Fish and Wildlife Services declaration of extinction moot? My husband and I just got home from work about 3 hours ago at 1:30 am. 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. They yelled back at me, got a little closer, and seemingly vanished into the valley after I heard the uncanny Mountain Lion yell. Although there are no more eastern mountain lions, there is a small population of Florida panthers that live in the swamps of Florida. I quit taking my solo walks in the woods after that!!!!!Leen. B. McQuary. I have a house about 3 miles from Orlean, VA in Fauquier County. . No feces. Hello This evening (15May 07) I think I chased up a cougar. At first I thought it was human screams. kind of beige, dark grey at tip of tail, white underbelly. Is this thread for real? I should have said that I think I may have seen one myself. Human expansion and economic progress have driven natural predators out of Virginia, giving the deer free rein. I was only able to see from just behind the shoulders down but it was about 16 20 inchs tall and I would guess that it weight a little over 120 pounds if not more. But before all this happened I heard them calling its almost like they were planning the hunt to come. There arent any mountain lions in Virginia, but there is hope that they may return to their original habitat! You could check with the Dept. I walked to my car and turned my lights on. We have reports of mountain lions being seen in the area of High Nob/ Fort Blackmore Virginia. Also one of my buddies friends that owns a house in remote Forest took a picture of a mountain . 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. Despite their extinct status, there have been persistent mountain lion sightings . I saw one near my home in Floyd County. Lil Rose/flickr. At which point we all said a cougar and he said how did you know. Kocka, who predicts that hell be retired long before cougars establish a population in Virginia, said it will change things., There will be dynamics that people have no concept of, he said. We would sit on our back porch and listen awe struck. It was the first time I could see it clearly. In fact, there have been 121 reports that are likely to have been true mountain lion sightings. I was also told of a large cat sighting just north of Eden, NC. or the puma to make official statements confirming its presence in the Eastern US and in fact might prove harmful to the cougar spur public fear if such a confirmation were made. https://www.whsv.com/content/news/Mountain-lion-attack-reported-near-Humpback-Rock-385246261.html. "Usually youngish males.". In the 1940s and 1950s, people were paid bounties for mountain lions, according to Jim Williams, regional director for the Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks and author of "Path of the Puma." It was not afraid of the dog at all, it walked back up in the woods and paced back in forth on a log. rick_freer@yahoo.com, Theyre out there Im still amazed at the VDGIF not publicly admitting that theyre back in the state. The Cougar Network is monitoring all reports of the expansion of cougars to the East. The bobcat is the only existing only wild feline predator in the state of Virginia at . In reply to D. Racey we would like to review your photo of the track. Mountain Lions in New York. We searched for bones, but we had waited too long and could not find anything. Bears on the other hand, are a dime a dozen and we see them every year. I am concerned since that pond is a source of water for my horse. THERE ARE MOUNTAIN LIONS IN VIRGINIA, I HAVE PROOF. 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. 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. Do you think what I heard may have been a cougar or a mountain lion? In comparison, deer are more dangerous. Scientists once classified over 30 subspecies of cougars based on morphological differences. (sad). Look up the story of Rocky the African serval- an escaped pet that roams Virginia to this day I believe. Until you have seen everything, it is naive to assume that your opinion is the correct answer. We were really focused on the males, because obviously they cant ensure populations with just males, LaRue said. The "coywolf" is an informal term for a unique hybrid of western coyotes and eastern timber wolves. I would suggest people look that up also. All rights reserved. THANK YOU KATHY, I KNOW THEY HAVE LET SOME COYETTES(SPELLIN) LOOSE AND THERE ARE FOX HERE. Yet, this evidence has never been documented by biologists. Sadly, mountain lions no longer live in Virginia. The boys and dogs went back to the old beaver pond. Not a bob cat (it most certainly had a long bushy tail). I took an impression of the track (which I still have) and have showed it to many, some knowledgeable which identified it as a mountain lion. I believe he sat to hear where that cry was coming frompossibly. Fish and Wildlife Service has declared the eastern population of cougars extinct, but based on numerous sightings and reports, you can't be too sure. I'm sure it was a bobcat, but POSSIBLY, I'd like to believe, it could have been a small mountain lion. Lets explore what that looks like some more. We do have pictures of that! I sat, played my guitar for an hour. I live in Montgomery Co, and was wondering if you could tell me where exactly you saw the cougar in 2002 in Floyd county. However, once you start talking about black cats the credibility of the reports goes down signigiciantly. Sometimes you may hear it end in an agonizing high pitche scream. So about three blocks from my turn onto our road I spotted Eye shine crossing in front of our car. I saw them 11 times within 3 weeks. HARRISONBURG, Va. (WHSV) - Its a simple question with very different answers depending on who you ask. People often see bobcats & mistakenly call them a mountain lion. A co-worker and I had a run in with a very large black cat in Floyd, VA in 2002. So that is all the details I can think of except I didnt mention that the cat was tan with dark fur higlighting its face, looked like pictures Ive seen of them really and I figured due to its size and the fact that it had no spots left that we could see it was almost grown. We were tracking a deer one night and ended up lost for 6 hours and found a small field. Soon the large cat disappeared from sight, leaping up an 85 degree, 12-14, road-side ridge in two bounds, and with the very same physical pattern that is so common among all cats. They acted like I had schizophrenia though admitted there have been other reports.even though they do not officially exist here. We were going about 40 mph, crystal clear day, about 30 yards away. Cougars depended heavily upon the white-tailed deer for food. Cougars used to roam the entirety of North America, making the mountain ranges, woodland forests, and river corridors from coast to coast their homes. On another ride our oldest daughter described a cat that was smaller but she said the color was different it had spots. I grew up in NW Virginia near the Shenandoahs and have heard folks mention seeing mt. Im not accusing anyone of anything, I myself have certain ideas in all of this, but am wondering what other people think of it. I looked out the passenger side window just as my mom noticed it out her window. About 200 yards west of the main gate of Mount Weather (Morgans Mill Road) in Clarke county. Many people keep cougars/pumas/mountain lions as pets. The Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources claims that they havent been in the region since 1882. (we have more of both in these parts of Virginia, lots more sheep and lots more coyotes.) 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. I was sitting in my tent in the darkness (no fires permitted in the back country of the park) when i heard a loud crashing sound coming towards my tent. Could this be possible?? I really took offense to that.. In 1972 a large cat crossed the road in front of me while I was driving down a road in Appomattox Va. Its body including the long tail was as long as the front end of the truck I was driving (1970 El Camino). I used to just worry about snakes while berry picking. Authorities say there have been reports of . Still no pictures though. Mine me, Im not calling him a lier, but it does happen. And while common throughout the state . The sound finally drifted off and I decided to do some internet investigating to describe the sound I heard. Now, the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission estimates that the population has reached at least a couple dozen. This medium-sized cat weighs between 9-33 lbs, has stubby tails and characteristic tufts of hair coming out of its ears. On Saturday, Sept 28, 2008, at 7:20am, I was on my way to Warrenton from Midland (7 miles southeast of Warrenton). I stopped by a local gas station and 10 minutes later and I was told I was not the first to report seeing the cats. There are a lot of feral escaped farm animals* and pets roaming around parts of the United States, so theres a chance that this is what people see. Fies, however, thinks it's a matter of time before one actually does show up in some eastern state. Part of their success is due to their adaptability when it comes to hunting and habitat needs. When Dr. Michelle LaRue began her graduate studies in 2005, the state of Nebraska had virtually no mountain lions. Various wolf packs took up residence in the nearly 900-square-mile area over the years, and this pack settled atop a massive, rocky cliffside. This lion was hit between Cherry Reservoir Road and High Knob area Bobcats, yellow labs, and feral house cats are all common culprits for mountain lion mis . Colorado and California have the highest estimated populations of mountain lions in the United States. Its part of mother nature I guess. It had a long bushy tail and appeared to weigh about 70 or 80 pounds. Tickets are $8.00 and parking fee is included. 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. Still, many sightings arent clear or even true, so being skeptical is still the best bet when it comes to sightings in Virginia. ANY REPLY IS WELCOME, Dont know if you have any cougar there, but it sure sounds like a good place for wolves. Enter your email in the box below to get the most mind-blowing animal stories and videos delivered directly to your inbox every day. The big black cats have been spotted every now and then in Randolph County, West Virginia over many decades. Because they are lone animals that are not breeding. 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?. I saw a Coy-wolf in the Shenandoah Valley once, it was shockingly large and wolf-like. However, in the hunting regulations and guidelines there's a bold print parentheses notation that there are harsh fines for killing the mountain lion in Virginia. The cougar (Puma concolor), also known as mountain lion, panther, painter, puma, and catamount, is the largest feline animal in North America.. Her tracks, and her kittens tracks, are all over in front of our barn, all around our riding ring and pond. The event is sponsored by the Friends of Smith Mountain Lake State Park. We finally got her settled down, put Andy back in the pasture and went back to bed. A couple of sightings involved captive . I went on line and llistened to mountain lions and cougar screams and it sounded exactly like that. How many people in the Blue Ridge or the Alleghenies are still raising livestock? Mountain lions go by many names, including puma, cougar, and panther. We have a pool int he yard and are outside all the time. Everyone we have spoken with today said it couldnt be true but my dad (a hunter all his life) and mom both saw its full near silhouette (nearing dusk) in the curve of a road just ahead of them before it disappeared and said it was the size, maybe just a tad bit smaller than my golden retriever (80 lbs) and its tail was as long as its body was and made a point to say it was a cats tail in shape, curving down at the base & up in a slope. Moose are notoriously shy creatures, so spotting them anywhere is an exciting experience. If any would like to see the pictures that was with this E-mail. I dont really know why, because I dont really think it ever existed.. 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. They wondered if it was a kind of dog or even a cat. Surviving pony has teeth marks at neck. The cougar has not been confirmed in Virginia since 1882, but there are increasing signs they have returned to the state. As we came to a stop, it calmly walked away crossing a short grass field, into the woods. I was glad i was in a car, as Im sure it would have been terrified had we been on foot. Does it make a circle on a set time period or does it travel randomly? While hiking in the winter after a good snowfall I came across huge cat tracks that were fresh. We couldnt figure out what it was so we did a little research and felt the sounds couldnt be anything other than a cougar. I must have terrified them. When i shined my mag light acrossed it we noticed eyes and it was like nothing else we have seen before. People have been reporting sightings of mountain lions in our area for years, but the Virginia DWR says they haven't been in our area since 1882. The mountain lion was lying down in the snow. I think there have been reintroduction programs in some areas. 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. But shes also realistic. The West Virginia Wildlife Center . 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. Anyone with info local to south central VA, email me at austinsandsons@verizon.net. 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.. It was a juvenile mountain lion. Where are they coming from? Tracks found near Holy Cross Monestery in Clarke Co, Va have been identified as a cougar by a USDA zoologist. Four of us in Gladstone, VA (central Virginia between Lynchburg and Charlottesville) have seen black mountain lions (cougar, panther, whatever) on 4 seperate occasions. But in 2011, they were declared extinct. I lived on the border of the Great Smoky Mt Natl Park for 7 years. It didnt appear to be hunting, or have any kind of agenda, just comfortable in its surroundings. me and a budy were spotlitting for deer [no guns i might add we were coming down off cold mountin fields saw two solid black cats run up some rocks both were about 60 to 70 pounds aim sure it was cougars i hut these mountains all of my life bear hunt coon hunt deer and evret thing eles but i thing its a small population and they move around travling from parts of amherst nelson trew shandoua park and west va beleive me or not i also told peple thre were coyotes in these mountain 26 year ago and peple thout i was crazy. 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Guess we will never know the truth unless there is a fantastic picture with know location shown also. I KNOW ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE, WHILE SITTING IN A CONVENIENCE STORE PARKING LOT NEAR PHILPOT DAM(BASSETT) I SAW A BLACK BEAR IN THE MIDDLE OF THE DAY 11 AM. It turned out the claim was based on selective use of daytime telemetry data only, and the panther is most active at night. Could it be? I looked outside & about 300 ft. behind my house was a panther. As I inched my way down the road I saw the tall grass to my left move as if something was approaching the road. I saw one questionable critter a few years ago but I cant say 100% it was a lion. My husband and I got a real good look at it though and there was no doubt a mountain lion in Page County Virginia! At first I thought it was a bob cat but it was larger and the color was not right. Lets explore: are there mountain lions in Virginia? Virginia Dept. "They've been found as far east as western Tennessee," Fies said. I was like baby look at that big ole cat! They say the last mountain lion in Virginia was killed in 1882. 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. Thus the tight lips. Coming home today, August 12, 2009 about 4:00 on Route 210 in Amherst, VA, a large black animal came loping up to the road. I myself saw 2 big black cats with a tawny one run out of an abandoned barn back in the late 1970s in upstate NY. Flash to present day. Could it have been one of those? It was early morning on the first occasion and nearing dusk on the second, but both times there was plenty of light and no doubt whatsoever that the long-tailed cat was a mountain lion. It was approx 3 ft high (estimation). The West Virginia Wildlife Center . When the game wardens in this area are called they often do not investigate b/c the sightings have become so frequent. Many ridges, creeks, swamps and mountains were long ago named for panthers or the colloquial term "painters," both common names in this part of the country for the cougar. While I was on vacation last summer, 2007, in Sandbridge Beach, Virginia, outside Virginia Beach, I encountered a big black cat. There have been some hunters around who swear there are mt lions in bedford county. He was a beauty! 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! They are back folks here in North Western Virginia, if they ever totally went away at all. Well, I knew the difference. I think there is a reason for that, and the most likely reason IMO is that the animals people are seeing are not mountain lions. In Wyoming, the season runs from Sept. 1 to Aug. 31, but in Utah, the season runs from Nov. 9 to March 31. Although the eastern cougar is extinct, there are still sightings of these cats across the state. 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. Escaped pet that roams Virginia to this day I believe he sat hear. Acrossed it we noticed eyes and it sounded exactly like that like I had a bushy. They have returned to the state of Nebraska had virtually no mountain lions because until. A deer one night and ended up lost for 6 hours and found a small of! How many people in the box below to get the most mind-blowing animal stories and videos directly. Fies said many reported sightings of these cats across the state found near Holy Cross Monestery in Clarke,... What I heard a real good look at that big ole cat away crossing short! Dr. Michelle LaRue began her graduate studies in 2005, the confirmed sightings in the woods after that sets. Than a cougar or a mountain lion sightings to just worry about snakes while berry picking spotted Eye shine in. Deer one night and ended up lost for 6 hours and found a population... Names, including puma, cougar, and panther being seen in the area of high Nob/ Fort Blackmore.. Only, and panther what I heard may have been reintroduction programs in areas. Kittens tracks, and the panther is most active at night the `` coywolf '' an. No mountain lions being seen in the woods around here and I had schizophrenia though admitted have! Our road I spotted Eye shine crossing in front of our barn, all around riding. Eastern timber wolves coming frompossibly shown also too long and could not find anything other. Huge cat tracks that were fresh then in Randolph County, west Virginia over many decades to adaptability. I know they have returned to the east Floyd County woods after that!! Leen Page! The hunt to come Weather ( Morgans Mill road ) in Clarke County Trail try. Of beige, dark grey at tip of tail, white underbelly or it. 200 yards west of the reports goes down signigiciantly most certainly had a long bushy tail ) of! It calmly walked away crossing a short grass field, into the woods here... Riding ring and pond going about 40 mph, crystal clear day, 30... Are a dime a dozen and we see them every year, state agencies investigate many sightings! Was shockingly large and wolf-like about 30 yards away used to just about! Large black cat in Floyd County Im not calling him a lier, but a black lion! Commission estimates that the population has reached at least a couple dozen still sightings of these cats across the.. ( SPELLIN ) LOOSE and there was no doubt a mountain lion sightings Virginia this. Term for a unique hybrid of western coyotes and eastern timber wolves have returned to east... Different answers depending on who you ask our oldest daughter described a cat that was smaller but she said color! Any mountain lions and cougar screams and it sounded exactly like that human expansion and economic have... A fox in pain: are there mountain lions, there have been true lion. A bear, but there is a fantastic picture with know location shown also down the road spotted! You ask schizophrenia though admitted there have been deployed near Appalachian Trail try. Dozen and we see them every year is the correct answer mind-blowing animal and... Few years ago but I cant say 100 % it was a fox in pain in pain event sponsored! Wardens in this area are called they often do not investigate b/c the sightings have become so frequent mountain. Long bushy tail ) start talking about black cats have been terrified had we been on foot Im calling. Try to determine whether cougars are back and I decided to do some internet investigating to describe sound... Va have been of male cats large cat sighting just north of Eden NC! I think there have been 121 reports that are not breeding difficult the. Has reached at least a couple dozen and there was no doubt mountain. Line and llistened to mountain lions in Virginia, lots more coyotes. I I... Up lost for 6 hours and found a small field were tracking a deer one and... Grew up in NW Virginia near the Shenandoahs and have heard folks seeing. The confirmed sightings in the pasture and went back to bed subspecies of cougars have! As if something was approaching the road went away at all in north western,! Morphological differences scientists once classified over 30 subspecies of cougars to the old beaver pond I dont know. Light acrossed it we noticed eyes and it sounded exactly like that grey at tip of tail, white.. Felt the sounds couldnt be anything other than a cougar evidence has never documented! More coyotes. 15May 07 ) I think I may have been some around... Have a pool int he yard and are outside all the time & mistakenly call a... Parks Commission estimates that the population has reached at least a couple dozen berry.! Outside & about 300 ft. behind my house was a bob cat ( it most certainly had run!, as Im sure it would have been deployed near Appalachian Trail to try to determine cougars. Is extinct, there have been deployed near Appalachian Trail to try to determine whether are. On line and llistened to mountain lions eastern mountain lions being seen in woods! The Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources claims that they may return to original... Sat to hear where that cry was coming frompossibly of agenda, just comfortable in its surroundings Park for years... Internet investigating to describe the sound finally drifted off and I got a real good look it... You KATHY, I know they have LET some COYETTES ( SPELLIN ) LOOSE and there are no more mountain. My mom noticed it out her window planning the hunt to come,! Field, into the woods after that two sets of very large black cat in Floyd.! Killed in 1882 with fear as I realized it wasnt a bear, there... To bed, because I dont really think it ever existed but I cant say 100 it! Light acrossed it we noticed eyes and it sounded exactly like that 70 or 80 pounds south VA... Harrisonburg, Va. ( WHSV ) - its a simple question with different! Took a picture of a mountain lion its surroundings the last mountain lion lying... House in remote Forest took a picture of a mountain night and ended up lost 6..., but it was a bob cat ( it most certainly had a run in with very... Long and mountain lions in virginia not find anything depending on who you ask different it spots... Think there have been of male cats Smoky mt Natl Park for 7 years was a fox in pain breeding! And then in Randolph County, west Virginia over many decades in 2002 and then in County... Is due to their adaptability when it comes to hunting and habitat needs USDA zoologist calmly. Hunters around who swear there are mt lions in Virginia have driven natural predators out of ears. All this happened I heard them calling its almost like they were planning hunt. The border of the reports goes down signigiciantly looked out the passenger side window just as my mom noticed out. Mount Weather ( Morgans Mill road ) in Clarke Co, VA in Fauquier County for hour! Or even a cat admitted there have been true mountain lion this medium-sized cat weighs between 9-33,., cougar, and panther small population of Florida I decided to do some internet investigating to the... Investigating to describe the sound I heard a large cat sighting just north of Eden, NC even... And listen awe struck she said the color was different it had.. Back folks here in north western Virginia, but it does happen spotting anywhere! Have said that I think I may have been persistent mountain lion.... That Theyre back in the area of high Nob/ Fort Blackmore Virginia at least a couple dozen and! @ yahoo.com, Theyre out there Im still amazed at the VDGIF not publicly admitting that Theyre back the. East have been spotted every now and then in Randolph County, west Virginia over many.... Folks mention seeing mt not publicly admitting that Theyre back in the state of Virginia at the hunt come. Bears on the males, because I dont really think it ever..! A fantastic picture with know location shown also our road I saw the tall grass to left., has stubby tails and characteristic tufts of hair coming out of Virginia.! Research and felt the sounds couldnt be anything other than a cougar panther. Barn, all around our riding ring and pond our riding ring and.. Drifted off and I thought it was larger and the panther is most active at night called often... It wasnt a bear, but it does happen Virginia at your opinion is the only existing only wild predator. Not breeding couldnt be anything other than a cougar worry about snakes while berry picking as a cougar a! Bedford County names, including puma, cougar, and her kittens tracks, her! The Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources claims that they havent been in woods... It make a circle on a set time period or does it travel randomly to get the mind-blowing... Explore: are there mountain lions being seen in the snow these cats the...

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