I had always heard stories about the big cats thriving around Buladean, N.C and even closer areas to my home. This was kind of cool to me so I was on the lookout for any other animals, also keeping in mind that they might run onto the road. The good news is that because it was right beside the road, others undoubtedly saw it, too, leaving no doubt that it was indeed a mountain lion because it was much too good a view for there to be any doubt of its species. It lived across the cove form us, and it would scream out at night sometimes, so loud that chills ran down our spines. I live past the end of the road in the Blue Ridge. 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. There's a whole world to learn about and Colby is content to spend his life learning as much as he can about it! Note: this article expired, but a lot of people want to comment on this thread, so I kept it active, and updated it for quite a while. For a solid four seconds, Marchibroda watched as a large, sleek cat standing about three feet tall with a long, curled tail crossed Skyline Drive near Gavel Springs Gap less than 100 feet in front of them. They then took the trail that went in the opposite direction of the animal. Male cougars migrate further than females, but so far only a few have followed the pattern of coyotes and reached the eastern side of North America. How many people in the Blue Ridge or the Alleghenies are still raising livestock? 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. For years people have reported mountain lion sightings in the Valley, but, according to local DWR officials, they've been extinct in our area since 1882. Ive seen plenty of foxes in the woods around here and I thought maybe it was a fox in pain. I nearly mastered replicating their calls. It certainly is rare to get more than just a glimpse of them. None has ever gotten a clear verifiable shot of a cougar. It was undoubtedly a full grown male mountain lion. hunterb8s@yahoo.com. I live in Southwest, VA. There are certainly plenty of remote areas for them in VA and W.VA. He told me that there are areas in the Valley that could sustain mountain lions, but that the deer numbers there were too low, and theyd eventually make their way towards humans. Mountain lions live in areas that have ample hiding places. I have seen big bobcats but never a cougar. While it's highly unlikely that you should happen upon one, keep in mind that they can spook easily and charge. For an interview on these animals, that dont exist, please call me (John Ballard) at (434) 946-0486. I also am wondering what others think about the fact that so far a documented photo of a cougar in Virginia has not been taken by any of the ECFs cameras. This Fearless Cougar Doesnt Care How Much, Mountain Lion (Cougar) Population by State, Do Mountain Lions Attack Humans? 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. Guess we will never know the truth unless there is a fantastic picture with know location shown also. He got up and armed with only a flashlight he ventured outside to see why the horses were so restless and upset. On Saturday October 11 2008, I was bow hunting on our place in Amelia Virginia and a mountain lion walked right up and sat down about 25 yards in front of me. I have a house about 3 miles from Orlean, VA in Fauquier County. I think the increase in goat and sheep farming in Appomattox County is attracting more predators. The likelihood of seeing one is incredibly rare, let alone interacting with them, she said. It was standing in front of my car. There have been 121 mountain lion sightings in Virginia since 1970. It was great, probably one of the most exciting experiences of my life, and I feel very fortunate.. Email me. Enter your email in the box below to get the most mind-blowing animal stories and videos delivered directly to your inbox every day. They were all shiny black with long tails. In Dec, 1981 my husband, sons and I were out in the woods on our property target shooting with bows. "In others frankly (some people) just make up stories to get attention or to support their beliefs, so they'll come up with a photo from somewhere else to justify their beliefs," he continued. Modern DNA studies have led to a consolidation into just two subspecies, though not all scientists agree. It's practically unheard of! I couldnt find any paw prints. It was a brownish tan in color and was at least as large as my yellow lab. "Usually youngish males.". They say the last mountain lion in Virginia was killed in 1882. Unless of course you already know this and are relieved to know that it is not that of the great puma . 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. He said, I went out at about dusk and I was looking around my property and at the edge of the woods I saw a mountain lion with a half dead groundhog in its mouth and it was tossing it into the air and catching it.. One large paw print about 3.5 to 4 inches wide, three distinct inch+ pads (no claw marks). Since then I have involved myself by volunteering for the AT Camera project and joining Eastern Cougar Foundation (ECF). He said he had called the county animal control and they told him he must have seen a bob cat as no mountain lions were still in our area. Similar to Tennessee's wild elk and buffalo, the cougar was extirpated from the state around the early 1900s due to overhunting and habitat loss. When I was a kid we lived on a mountain in the Shenandoah Valley (near Front Royal/ Linden) and there were several mountain Lion sightings and people who claimed to have heard them. 1:00. Unfortunately, we lost our big barn cat to these predators and continue to see and hear them on a regular basis. (sad). My dog is small but the one my neighboor has is a german shepard and I think thats the one I heard yelp. He and Jackie Johnson Maughan wrote three editions of "Hiking Idaho." Based on the photographs and videos we receive, the primary ones that people mistake them for are bobcats. 28-Aug-08. So I guess its up in the air. TWRA has had their collective heads up their cloacas for a very long time in denial of these sitings [sic] and reports, reads a comment on a December 2015 article about the video footage. Oh maybe some of the lazy hacks have finally retired., Another commenter speculated that the agency may have intentionally downplayed past sightings as they result in new study and staffing expenses.. It was moving through the woods twards a water source but not in the open. The more details the better! If it hadnt been the last day of our trip, I would have gone back to look for tracks to possibly photograph! There are an estimated 3,000 - 7,000 Mountain lions in Colorado. I saw them 11 times within 3 weeks. By 1900, hunting in North America had limited pumas to their present range of southwestern Canada, western U.S. wilderness areas, southern Florida, and isolated areas in Mexico. fauquier county Virginia They prefer habitats where its difficult for people to go, LaRue said. I live about five minutes away from the parkway, 30 or so minutes from the Roan and Mount Mitchell, etc. It isnt certain, but some researchers claim that there could be native cougar populations across the Blue Ridge in as little as 25-30 years. We do have pictures of that! 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. Press question mark to learn the rest of the keyboard shortcuts. Her tracks, and her kittens tracks, are all over in front of our barn, all around our riding ring and pond. My e-mail address is gardrserv@yahoo.com & would be more than willing to give anyone any info as to what & where I saw. But, there is always a chance that one day the sighting will be real. Is it a change in the regime their [sic]? All of this happened just out of bow range and its heart wrenching knowing there is nothing you can do. I also had the luck to hear them multiple times and catch glimpses of what I thought to be mountain lions scurrying into the woods. They are dark reddish-or yellowish-brown dorsally, lighter ventrally, the tail tip is dark, and the fur is short, soft and unspotted. He said it was from the Mattaponi Trial in Caroline County. Both went into the woods without any fuss. I grew up in NW Virginia near the Shenandoahs and have heard folks mention seeing mt. They're nocturnal and notoriously sneaky, so seeing one in the wild is a truly unique experience. The summer before we had a big cat (bigger than a house cat, but smaller than a mountian lion) come in our back yard close to were our dog was. To learn more about "lion country" in Colorado check here. Lets explore: are there mountain lions in Virginia? Mountain lions are known by many names, including cougar, catamount, painter, panther, and puma. It seems common knowledge of all the cats that roam the mountains along the Potomac River in West Virginia. It was a shame no one was with me because no one believed what a I saw, but I know that is was a black cougar or panther. The Concord Mountain Lions are the athletic teams that represent Concord University, located in Athens, West Virginia, in NCAA Division II intercollegiate sports. Sissy. Mountain lions have many names, including the puma, mountain lion,panther, catamount, American lion, and mishibijn. Not many I bet, and there are thousands of those out there. It wasnt too long after we moved in that we began hearing screaming coming from the area of the river (Bull Run). see: http://hstallard.blogspot.com/2008/03/mountain-lion-hoax-in-virginia.html. It moved with grace and without sound. Like Mulder, they all wanted to believe, but there is just no good evidence. The traffic was moving quickly but he had no doubt that it was a cougar. My horse just disappeared- we live adjascent to Havens Wildlife Preserve. Mountain Lions are back, maybe. About 1987 I lived across the river from Holy Cross Monastery. Follow Laura Peters @peterslaura and @peterpants . My dogs heard it and came running. Virginia Dept. Forestry rangers said several ponies killed , others attcked off 811 near Evington, va. Last year I saw a very large cat print left in the snow. Its ribs were showing like it hadnt been well nourished in a while. However, the area is surrounded by a wildlife refuge and is also known for wild horses. I think its all the same.. All we get are hearsay stories and misidentified wildlife. Our last trip we had a mountain lion stalk us outside our tent. Look at his PAWS!. In that area the roads have never been paved. We cant even find criminals when we know where to look, let alone a cougar who;s very existence depends on its ability to remain hidden. He was licking his coat. My husbands friend hit a mt lion in front of Otter River Elementary School in Bedford county last weekend. That federal distinction hasn't stopped the sightings. Im not 100% sure but thats what i feel it was a COUGAR. The sound finally drifted off and I decided to do some internet investigating to describe the sound I heard. I was not a novice to the fauna in the area and knew I had never seen this animal before but I knew what it was! Even with all these numerous sightings they still dug their heels in, and that was pretty frustrating, she said of the officials at agencies like the U.S. We were standing near the barn about 10 AM when we observed a disturbance about 400-600 yards off in a field near the tree line. 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. 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. How many people have actually saw a bobcat in the wild? The cougars wandering far from their original homes in the West are, naturally, searching for three things: habitat, food and mates. There have been some hunters around who swear there are mt lions in bedford county. Today, there are less than 200 Florida panthers remaining. No one has since today, reported seeing one. 26 Sep 16. Thank you for reading! My first thought was, I gotta chase this thing, Marchibroda said. What about the fact no roadkill is ever claimed to be found of a cougar? Could this have been a young cougar? SHE THEN TOLD HER SON THAT A BIG KITTY AS SHE CALLED IT WOULD COME AND EAT THE FOOD AND DRINK THE WATER SHE PUT OUT FOR HER DOBERMAN THAT HAD PASSED AWAY. The cougar has not been confirmed in Virginia since 1882, but there are increasing signs they have returned to the state. 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. This was on January 25 at around 5:30 pm. Others have been clustered in the Valley. I have a friend who claims to have had one cross the Parkway in front of him near the Peaks of Otter earlier this year. But I dont know enought to really judge its age. He was concerned that the animal was, not only not affraid of him, but watched him for some time before running off. They like rugged terrain with forest cover. I was on another random Parkway journey, like always. In fact, there have been 121 reports that are likely to have been true mountain lion sightings. By Bill Cochran. A friend that lives in that community told me it is not uncommon to see them in the area. Despite repeated claims on Facebook and other social media outlets, it's highly unlikely wild mountain lions live in Virginia. Officials explained the deceased animal must have wandered from the Black Hills of South Dakota. However, it is pretty well accepted that there are no cougars living in the east currently.. We were really focused on the males, because obviously they cant ensure populations with just males, LaRue said. Historically, these creatures had a range that extended well into Virginia, where they had a population, especially in . Many places in the west horses and mountain lions or cougars coexist. In fact, they found an African Lion skull in the Blue Ridge mts not too long back. The Tennessee Wildlife Resource Association (TWRA) confirmed that the cat, which sniffed around on the ground and in a low-hanging tree branch before looking square into the camera with its mouth wide open, was in fact a mountain lion. After all, a three-year-old male lion was struck and killed by car in Connecticut in 2011. I don't believe any mountain lions are here. NEW VIRGINIA, Iowa (KCRG) - Law enforcement have confirmed mountain lion sightings in central Iowa. In October, 1987, a cougar & cub was seen by a U.S. Forest Service crew in western Shenadoah County. They can stand up to 35 in. I called my neighbor as soon as we got home and told her the tale and she responded Yeah, I have heard several people say they have seen them up here. Which shocked me even more that she wasnt surprised! My dog and all the dogs in the neighborhood were going nuts. just wanted to know more about wolves in Virginia. Lystrosaurus was one of the few terrestial species that survived the permian extinction. We got a phone call last night that one of our neighbors (in Midlothian, VA) saw a lion in the back yard. Have some feedback for us? Mountain lions are now fairly common in suburban areas of California and have recently been sighted as far east as urban Kansas City, Missouri, where several have been hit by cars. They said mountain lions had always been there, although you didnt hear them often. As my friends wife was leaving, she looked out the window and said that saw what she thought to be dear. They called the police and were told that they had many reports in the last couple of days about what seemed to be the same animal. We then came upon a very recent deer kill within 20 yards of the sighting. I just saw a photograph of one today that is EASILY 150-200 lbs. Species number one is the bobcat, and species number two is the Mountain lion. The Locavore Hunter. I have a 2 year old grandson and a small dog and cat. Purposeful reintroduction, bringing breeding-age females to a suitable area in the Appalachians, could speed the process dramatically. Also 16-20 at the shoulder seems short for 120lbs. like when you see a wolf look at the paws for positive ID. I believe that area was once habitat for the red wolf. I am from western North Carolina. at the shoulder, that's nearly 3 ft. tall! Their conclusion: "Sir, you don't have a mountain lion.". They then have to ensure that the picture hasnt been tampered with in any way, because Peterson said an astounding number of peopleboth misinformed wildlife enthusiasts and tricksters with too much time on their hands and access to Photoshopsend him shots of mountain lions that were clearly either edited or taken in a state out west. Although this is great, there are a few things to consider. Only a few are substantiated, and those have all been from escaped captives or males migrating eastward. Last time I heard it it sounded like it was 30 50 yards away and then I heard a dog bark then yelp and one last scream from the animal and then quiet. The deer seemed to jump into some brush to the side of the path and the paw print seemed to be following. Sadly, these animals were killed because they were viewed as a threat to humans and livestock. My first thought was it was a panther that escaped from a nearby zoo. Holly Kuchera/Shutterstock.com. The Shenandoah Mountains are an excellent habitat for these big cats, and the potential for return is an actual possibility, as we will discover below. I raise miniature horses and am quite concerned as we are surrounded by woods in Warrenton. there could have been a population in the region that have now been able to only find refuge in that area due to encroachment of housing, etc. It had been sent to him on his cell phone. They initially didnt want to admit that I saw one, and they were calling it a UFOan unidentified furry object. I just saw one a couple of hourse ago. 29 and crossed the highway. 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