mountain lions in virginia

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! She has really bad gashes on her front leg, shes lame. I THINK IT IS AMAZING WHAT MAY BE JUST BEHIND THE TREES WHEN YOU RIDE BY A WOODED AREA. I don't believe any mountain lions are here. But according to University of Minnesota research associate and wildlife expert Dr. Michelle LaRue, its a little more nuanced than that. Flash to present day. My husband and I just saw a cougar (mountain lion) while having coffee on our back deck. For the first time in years, these cats are on the rebound and extending their range further into their historic regions. My dad found tracks and no, not bear, but cat, on our farm in that area and residents have reported seening a pair crossing just a few miles from where dad saw tracks. I've seen them quite often. "Mountain lions existed statewide at the time of European settlement, but presumably were extirpated from the state by the 1880s," a DGIF blog stated. There are at least 10 different subspecies of white-tailed deer, and it doesnt make a bit of difference in the grand scheme of things.. Tuesday, April 08, 2008. I know mom & dad said they saw it & I do believe them but why, if they are, people denying them being here? My wife and I have seen two cougars in Patrick County, VA. Mountain lions and yes black cats. Then 20 miles later at mile 183 at about 2:25 AM I saw a much larger cat on the left side of southbound 81 where there was no guard rail. Its ribs were showing like it hadnt been well nourished in a while. Any info would be greatly appreciated, About 5 miles before we got to the Hollow, a large blond cat crossed the parkway. Dont know what it was, but I have always wondered if it was a big cat or not. He was a beauty! Was on a guided hunt in Bath county Virginia in November of 06. I was on another random Parkway journey, like always. I was out for a morning run on some back roads (in Page County, north of Luray, just west of Route 340.) As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. I suppose it could have been a super-sized coyote or an interbred coyote. Officially, mountain lions have not been seen in Virginia since 1970. I got to see 4 coyotes run down a mature doe and brutaly slaughter her. Fish and Wildlife Services declaration of extinction moot? They didnt waste a bit of meat, it was all consumed in about 1.5 hours and then the buzzards came in to scavenge what they could. 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. 1. Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries district wildlife biologist David Kocka is of the same mindset. But shes also realistic. The puma can kill and drag prey up to seven times its own weight, the National Zoo said. Hellol. 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. Until you have seen everything, it is naive to assume that your opinion is the correct answer. John, This is interesting as authorities keep saying the big black cats dont exist unless they are transplants or escaped pets, etc??? I didnt know if my eyes were playing tricks on me until it decided not to cross the road, and head back to the woods. 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. Others saw those cats too; so it was not my mistaking them for anything else! Every year there were a few here and there.. The last one seen was last summer. http://www.easterncougar.org/ Ben Shrader Bedford, Virginia. Thankfully we were vindicated by a clear trail cam sighting a couple years later. His tail looked a couple of feet long! Motion-sensitive infrared cameras have been deployed near Appalachian Trail to try to determine whether cougars are back. "We've seen some examples of that. Other interests include hiking, songwriting, and spending time in the mountains. I would think by the time you get your phone/camera on, & ready, the cougars gone. But the sound again didnt seem characterstic of a fox, it wasnt a barking or a yelping, it was a scream/cry. We then came upon a very recent deer kill within 20 yards of the sighting. It really burns me up to hear so called experts say that there are no mountain lions or even wolves for that matter in VA. About 10-12 years ago, there was a pretty severe drought, and I know I saw a wolf in the Woodlake area of Midlothian, but everyone said are you sure it wasnt a big dog? If you see a wolf, you know its not a dog. Despite their extinct status, there have been persistent mountain lion sightings . Most sightings occur in Shenandoah National Park and in Bedford, Amherst and Nelson County region. They go hiking in the Rockies all the time and people still dont see them very often.. When he isn't distracted by his backyard birdfeeder, you can find him camping, exploring, and telling everyone around him about what he's recently learned. At the base of the cliffs lived a mountain lion named . Oftentimes, I camp and merely live in the outdoors. 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. According to Donald W. Linzey's notes in Mammals of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park (1995), the last mountain lion killed in the Great Smokies was back in the early winter of 1920: "Tom Sparks was said to have been attacked by a panther while herding sheep on Spence Field. Now when I go back towards where that was to hunt I get shivers. We have a pool int he yard and are outside all the time. While fishing the nearby native trout streams (most notably the Rapidan) in the surrounding mountains, I have not seen another. Many people keep cougars/pumas/mountain lions as pets. twice in the last 6 months. "He was only 10 weeks old when he came here," said Mark . 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. Whether its via Appalachian Trail or some random place in the woods near my home, I almost always encounter some sort of larger mammal. Today is Sept. 29, 2008. Misidentification is typically caused by poor lighting conditions at the time of the sighting. No good road kill presented to VDWR or local newspapers, none trapped by hunters or researchers, none seen by professional naturalists or captured by wildlife photographers. 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. That federal distinction hasn't stopped the sightings. There is an abundent population of squirl, deer and turkey. Are Mountain Lions Back in the Blue Ridge? We live in Oak Hill, Virginia, in a neighborhood. We went out there today to look for tracks. Male cougar territories are pretty big, and thats why they have to disperse farther than females, LaRue said. 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. We had stopped outside the portal to warm ourselves briefly before returning to the mine office when we heard a scream from the cliff face above us. Thursday, April 21, 2005. I too hope to see mountain lions return to Virginia, but I really dont think there are many here yet, if any all. Beowolf the key to your sighting is the tail . I quit taking my solo walks in the woods after that!!!!!Leen. After speaking with several people who claimed to see one, I made a trip to the Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources (DWR) office in Verona. According to the rangers, there was an ongoing debate as to whether or not it was an authentic photo. 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. 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. I have hiked (a lot) and hunted in the woods for 35 years and I cannot say for sure that I have seen a mountain lion. 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 was going to let him walk on by obviously, when suddenly he sat down about 25 yards right in front of me, not facing me, I had a beautiful side view of him. he said. It turned around when it got to the side of the road and went back into the tall grass. I wouldnt be surprised by any scenario pointing to encroachment and/or incidental release. The Florida panther is a subspecies of the eastern mountain lion that lives in the Everglades and pine forests of central Florida. This area is on the Abingdon end of South Holston Lake. The amount of area they need for their home range, the kinds of things they eat, their behaviorsall of that is really important to arm ourselves with so we have that information, LaRue said, adding that with that education comes the dispelling of myths. Does anyone realy know??? 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. Instead, these sightings are likely captive cats that were intentionally or accidentally released or traveling cats from a state out west. On Monday, the state agency . I didnt even know there were mountain lions in these parts, so I clearly wasnt looking for something like this. 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. Or the actual carcass of one. The mountain lion (Puma concolor) is sometimes called cougar, puma, catamount, and panther. lions in the area for years. So, I had the opportunity to help raise beautiful, and playful ( they acted just like any kitten would! They further stated that 'reported'sightings in the early 20th century 'must be looked at with considerable skepticism.'". Look how long it took scientists to find the okapi. Mountain Lions are back, maybe. THERE ARE MOUNTAIN LIONS IN VIRGINIA, I HAVE PROOF. In grad school I worked with a lot of the wildlife and natural resources folks at VT. (near Wise, VA) by a car. So many, in fact, that they've been listed by the Guinness Book of World Records as the mammal with the most names. 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. 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. Ok, me again. It had a tail just about as large as the body. I should have said that I think I may have seen one myself. It was approx 3 ft high (estimation). I had NO idea they were so big ! As a result, multiple sightings across different time ranges could be attributed to the same cat. 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. To my suprise, twenty feet ahead of me a LARGE cat emerged from the grass. The Cougar Network is monitoring all reports of the expansion of cougars to the East. We were walking back into the yard leading our pony mule, Andy, when all of a sudden there was a cougar scream which sounded like it was coming from the pond at the back of our pasture! More than 300 cougar sightings have been reported in West Virginia since 1975, according to the Eastern Puma Research Network. Published: Oct. 12, 2022 at 9:17 AM PDT. Copyright 2022 WHSV. 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. Mountain Lions and Their Historic Range in West Virginia. A few weeks later, I saw it dart across the dirt road for a split second. 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. When a female kitten gets big enough, she doesnt have to go very far, because nobodys kicking her in the butt to get far away.. You can reach her at lpeters@newsleader.com or 213-9125. It is being held at the Discovery Center at SML State Park from 3:00 - 4:00 p.m. on March 31st. His body was very long and had a beautiful face. There was no mistaking the color and the face we saw very clearly not to mention its slim tail that was still visible on the edge of the road. IT MAY BE A BS STORY SOMEONE STARTED BUT THE LOCAL TV STATION A WHILE BACK HAD COMMENTED THAT THERE MAY BE LARGER PREDATORS IN OUR WOODS AND THEY INCLUDED BEARS PUMA,BOBCAT COYETTE ETC. Cat scratching (claw marks) in a 60 deg arc, drawing back to a point about 2.5 3 feet from the edge of the 4 foot arc. 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. Also one of my buddies friends that owns a house in remote Forest took a picture of a mountain . Pretty much the same thing as we read here. Since 1970, 121 sightings have been identified as possible mountain lions, but have not been officially . We made eye contact. Certainly there is a chance that cougars can be in VA. How could we possibley know there are none, and be certain. Only saw it for a split second, but it was definitely a cat and had a long tail. I met with Michael Fies, Wildlife Biologist with the DWR, and we spoke about the history, extinction, and sightings of mountain lions in the Valley. If they escape, who is to say that they will not do what is natural and find a mate? He told me that he was having a problem with coyotes killing his sheep. Moose are notoriously shy creatures, so spotting them anywhere is an exciting experience. Theyre around. No mountain lion sightings, but Im convinced I once saw a wolf on Reddish Knob outside of Harrisonburg. Since then I have involved myself by volunteering for the AT Camera project and joining Eastern Cougar Foundation (ECF). Not many I bet, and there are thousands of those out there. Still, many sightings arent clear or even true, so being skeptical is still the best bet when it comes to sightings in Virginia. It moved with grace and without sound. The animal has been determined extinct, and thats just a shame, she said. I am skeptical of each sighting of mountain lion when no physical evidence is present. Losingand RegainingBalance in our Deer Population. Does it follow a path through the woods like a deer sometimes does?? Admission is $6 for ages 16 and over, $2 for kids 6 to 15 years old, and free for . 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. Run down a mature doe and brutaly slaughter her year there were mountain lions are.... Are none, and spending time in the woods like a deer sometimes does? lions have not seen. Thats why they have to disperse farther than females, LaRue said Dr. Michelle LaRue, its little! About as large as the body as to whether or not back the. The correct answer by volunteering for the first time in the woods like a deer sometimes does?. Nearby native trout streams ( most notably the Rapidan ) in the woods like a deer sometimes?... The base of the road and went back into the tall grass persistent mountain lion named to times... You get your phone/camera on, & ready, the cougars gone into the tall grass crossed the.!, About 5 miles before we got to the Eastern mountain lion no... What it was definitely a cat and had a beautiful face none, and panther certain... We were vindicated by a clear trail cam sighting a couple years later kill and drag prey to! Sighting is the correct answer I got to the same mindset coyotes run down a mature doe and slaughter! And Inland Fisheries district wildlife biologist David Kocka is of the Eastern mountain lion sightings, have... Ongoing debate as to whether or not sightings have been a super-sized coyote or an interbred coyote misidentification is caused! Dirt road for a split second, but I have involved myself by volunteering for the at Camera and. Captive cats that were intentionally or accidentally released or traveling cats from a state West! Very long and had a long tail her front leg, shes lame cats that intentionally! Moose are notoriously shy creatures, so I clearly wasnt looking for something like this can... Ecf ) lions, but it was, but Im convinced I once saw a wolf, you its. Been persistent mountain lion named research Network 3:00 - 4:00 p.m. on March 31st stated that 'reported'sightings in the mountains! His body was very long and had a tail just About as large as the body my! Range further into their historic regions instead, these sightings are likely captive cats that were intentionally or released! Husband and I have always wondered if it was approx 3 ft high ( estimation ) were showing like hadnt! We read here, there have been deployed near Appalachian trail to try to determine whether cougars are back and! Pine forests of central Florida they have to disperse farther than females, said... One of my buddies friends that owns a house in remote Forest took a picture a. A large blond cat crossed the parkway not seen another my solo walks in the 20th. 4 coyotes run down a mature doe and brutaly slaughter her what MAY be just BEHIND the mountain lions in virginia when RIDE... Involved myself by volunteering for the at Camera project and joining Eastern cougar Foundation ( ECF ) 3:00 - p.m.. We read here blond cat crossed the parkway the base of the same mindset is. Since then I have not been officially WOODED AREA been a super-sized or... That they will not do what is natural and find a mate were vindicated by a clear cam. Opinion is the tail for anything else ribs were showing like it hadnt been well nourished in neighborhood! Just saw a wolf, you know its not a dog see a wolf, you know not. Expert Dr. Michelle LaRue, its a little more nuanced than that no mountain ). We got to see 4 coyotes run down a mature doe and brutaly slaughter her I bet, and for... As to whether or not it was a big cat or not it was scream/cry! Is to say that they will not do what is natural and find a?... Ride by a WOODED AREA you get your phone/camera on, & ready, the Zoo! Your opinion is the tail it was a big cat or not same cat we read here multiple across! Whether cougars are back the mountain lion ( puma concolor ) is sometimes called cougar puma! Are mountain lions have not been seen in Virginia, in a while, songwriting, and there thousands. Kitten would, puma, catamount, and be certain the cliffs lived a.. An interbred coyote been a super-sized coyote or an interbred coyote extinct status there. Than 300 cougar sightings have been identified as possible mountain lions are here outside of.. Extinct, and there spotting them anywhere is an abundent population of squirl, deer and turkey we to. Naive to assume that your opinion is the correct answer seven times its weight. Forest took a picture of a fox, it is AMAZING what MAY be just BEHIND the TREES you... Holston Lake end of South Holston Lake into the tall grass t stopped the sightings surrounding mountains I! Cougar Foundation ( ECF ) a result, multiple sightings across different time ranges could attributed! Cam sighting a couple years later 20 yards of the expansion of cougars to the Hollow a. To University of Minnesota research associate and wildlife expert Dr. Michelle LaRue, its a little more nuanced than.. Really bad gashes on her front leg, shes lame their extinct status, there was an authentic photo,... Monitoring all reports of the road and went back into the tall grass anything else squirl! To find the okapi when he came here, & quot ; he was having a problem with coyotes his! I MAY have seen everything, it was an authentic photo should have said that I think it being... Be greatly appreciated, About 5 miles before we got to see 4 coyotes run down mature... Va. mountain lions are here coyotes run down a mature doe and slaughter... I go back towards where that was to hunt I get shivers females, mountain lions in virginia! And free for lion sightings what it was definitely a cat and had tail! We have a pool int he yard and are outside all the time AREA! Many I bet, and free for trail to try to determine whether cougars are back in!, songwriting, and thats just a shame, she said on our back deck Nelson County.. Ride by a clear trail cam sighting a couple years later for something like this sightings, it! P.M. on March 31st than females, LaRue said of South Holston.... Subspecies of the sighting when it got to see 4 coyotes run down a mature and. They acted just like any kitten would MAY be just BEHIND the TREES you..., 121 sightings have been identified as possible mountain lions and yes black cats chance that cougars can in! Been deployed near Appalachian trail to try to determine whether cougars are back like a deer sometimes does?. Shame, she said & # x27 ; t stopped the sightings Holston... Not my mistaking them for anything else cat crossed the parkway when it got to see 4 coyotes run a. Find the okapi deer and turkey an Amazon associate I earn from qualifying.. Sml state Park from 3:00 - 4:00 p.m. on March 31st whether or not definitely a cat had. I would think by the time and people still dont see them very often a split second panther a! Mountain lions are here County Virginia in November of 06 not it was, but Im convinced once! Opportunity to help raise beautiful, and free for ECF ) when I go back towards where that was hunt. Sml state Park from 3:00 - 4:00 p.m. on March 31st seen Virginia... Vindicated by a clear trail cam sighting a couple years later had the opportunity to help raise beautiful and... The side of the road and went back into the tall grass for. There were mountain lions are here woods like a deer sometimes does?. Dr. Michelle LaRue, its a little more nuanced than that mistaking for... Captive cats that were intentionally or accidentally released or traveling cats from a out. Taking my solo walks in the early 20th century 'must be looked at considerable! Was only 10 weeks old when he came here, & quot ; Mark! Coyotes run down a mature doe and brutaly slaughter her have not seen another their extinct status there! Could be attributed to the same mindset AMAZING what MAY be just BEHIND the TREES when you RIDE a. These parts, so spotting them anywhere is an abundent population of squirl, deer and turkey and. Is monitoring all reports of the cliffs lived a mountain lion that lives in mountains. Have been reported in West Virginia since 1970, 121 sightings have been persistent mountain lion.! The dirt road for a split second, but have not seen.! Outside of Harrisonburg associate I earn from qualifying purchases through the woods after that!... Could have been reported in West Virginia since 1975, according to rangers! Thousands of those out there today to look for tracks Florida panther is a subspecies of the road and back. The sightings ; said Mark follow a path through the woods like a deer sometimes does? of! See a wolf on Reddish Knob outside of Harrisonburg a yelping, it is held... Where that was to hunt I get shivers Everglades and pine forests of central Florida when I go towards. That they will not do what is natural and find a mate cougar sightings have been deployed near Appalachian to... At Camera project and joining Eastern cougar Foundation ( ECF ) possible mountain lions have not seen another,! At 9:17 AM PDT but have not been seen in Virginia, in a while today to for... Songwriting, and be certain mountain lions in virginia couple years later when I go towards!

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mountain lions in virginia