These creatures dont call Virginia home, but have been known to stop by for an occasional visit. Now, they are mostly relegated to a few states in the west. But anyways, I just completely got off of the Mountain Lion subject. They produced over 20 kittens, expanding the gene pool successfully.5, the Eastern Cougar is prefers a habitat with trees In fact, bobcats take down prey that weighs as much as 8 times their weight when the situation arises. What could be mistaken for a mountain lion? Sorry I dont have anymore details other than location but I didnt see it myself! The folks living in those areas, at least in WV, mostly keep to themselves and most of those folks do not have computers. Speculation over what kind of animal attacked a hiker near Humpback Rocks on Friday namely, a bear or mountain lion was resolved Monday, thanks to the victim's mother. However, according to growing reports, they are here. I walked w/n 40 yards and took one more photo. Does it make a circle on a set time period or does it travel randomly? 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. 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. In recent years, sighting reports are becoming more and more common. Cat like head and ears and face, long tail (about 20+ inches), bristly fur, grayish-brown in color, rather thin overall. I couldnt find any paw prints. This picture seemed to have been at night. I can definetely say that there are mountain lions in Shenandoah National Park. They acted like I had schizophrenia though admitted there have been other reports.even though they do not officially exist here. Could this have been a young cougar? Concord University (Concord) is a public university in Athens, West Virginia.It was founded on February 28, 1872, when the West Virginia Legislature passed "an Act to locate a Branch State Normal School, in the town of Concord Church, in the County of Mercer". Use bear spray or pepper spray on mountain lions. It was about 100 pounds with a tail about 3 feet long. It stood about 3 feet tall, and had a rounded face with low-set ears. No breeding female has been found east of the Mississippi River since the 1920's.3. Im not 100% sure but thats what i feel it was a COUGAR. There are no wild populations in Virginia, but there have been some sightings! A mountain lion sighting was reported at, Showshoe West Virginia. Does anyone know the black bear population in Amelia county? Admission is $6 for ages 16 and over, $2 for kids 6 to 15 years old, and free for . The tail was furry but with short hair like the rest of the body that I saw and was round kind of curving down and out like my house cats tail when he hunts birds. The Mountain Lion will return to feed on the prey for up to 10 days. I'm sure it was a bobcat, but POSSIBLY, I'd like to believe, it could have been a small mountain lion. It is only a matter of time before the California picture in this blog post is sent back to us as proof of mountain lions in Virginia. It 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. While driving down a winding mountain road in Madison County (Northwest, VA), I witnessed a large cat trotting up the road toward me. I was only about 50 feet away. I would say that their return is a matter both of an overabundance of whitetails and no repeat of the original persecution that led to regional extinction. 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! They are dark reddish-or yellowish-brown dorsally, lighter ventrally, the tail tip is dark, and the fur is short, soft and unspotted. I have since seen a picture of a lion spotted in Buckingham co. and realize that was the animal I saw. Mountain Lions and Their Historic Range in West Virginia. Many people live their entire lives in mountain lion country, and never see or know the cats are around. I bearly got a glimpse, thought at first it was a deer. It screeched two more times then seemed to move off. We gathered the kids and went to retrieve them. Today two of us saw a very large cat with a rabbit in its mouth run across the golf course from forest to forest. Holly Kuchera/Shutterstock.com. I never had heard anything like it before. Create an account to follow your favorite communities and start taking part in conversations. My wife shot video of what we believe to be a panther or mountain lion. 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. The question is how big is the population. It does not benefit the DNR, Fish and Game Dept, etc. This seems strange for late in the summer. Hello This had Caroline County, on the bottom of the screen. This lion was hit between Cherry Reservoir Road and High Knob area Hickories and pecans seem sparse this year. Can they fix it so it looks like it was from Caroline. At first I thought it was human screams. 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. We have not had effective predators for deer, such as wolves or mountain lions, in Virginia since the early 20th . I havent seen it or signs of it since my 15 May report. My husband and I got a real good look at it though and there was no doubt a mountain lion in Page County Virginia! He was a beauty! "On average, DGIF has received approximately three to foursightings of large cats a month in recent years," the blog post stated. I live in Montgomery Co, and was wondering if you could tell me where exactly you saw the cougar in 2002 in Floyd county. 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. Myself and many others in the state have trail cams all over the place. The last one seen was last summer. We had a secluded cabin off of cedar key road, private property (no hunting/trespassing) that ran for acres and acres, as well as a private and protected cove, as bass spawn there, no wake, no loud noises, no people. This video footage of a confirmed female lion was captured in November 2015 in Obion County, Tennessee. I just saw one a couple of hourse ago. Historically, these creatures had a range that extended well into Virginia, where they had a population, especially in . 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. The New York Times reported that a cougar killed in Connecticut by car in 2011 was from the Black Hills of South Dakota:6, If a cougar population was e-established in the east, it would pose a risk to backcountry hikers similar to that posed by bears. Source: US Fish and Wildlife Service, Eastern Cougar Recovery Plan, morphological differences identified from museum specimens was used to classify over 30 subspecies of the Eastern Cougar, before DNA analysis was available Are there mountain lions in the Shenandoah Valley? Any information would be greatly appreciated. On Monday, the state agency . Cant say what it was and hope to never see again. smokymtman, But I never saw one, or tracks, and I spent a lot of time in the woods. Yep, The big cats have been in Virginia for a good while. 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. I was on another random Parkway journey, like always. The photo in question popped up over the weekend on a local Bigfoot enthusiast's Facebook page, which prompted some discussion. Oct 3, 2017. Lets explore what that looks like some more. The only confirmed mountain . I have friends in Wyoming and Montana, where mountain lions have always been. I, a CPA, saw one 15 years ago. I have been compiling reported cougar sightings around the Bedford, Virginia area and will be manning a booth for them on March 8, 2008 Outdoors Show at the Bedford Armory. They can stand up to 35 in. While he was sitting his tail came to his front side and swept the ground floor back and forth. The young cougars stay with mom for 1-2 years and slows down all migration to the east. It is being held at the Discovery Center at SML State Park from 3:00 - 4:00 p.m. on March 31st. In fact, there have been 121 reports that are likely to have been true mountain lion sightings. I'll take any sighting you got, just make a note of location, size and color of the animal, some context on what you where doing when you saw them (hiking a trail, hunting, chilling in your yard, ect), and any behaviors you noticed from the animal. For an interview on these animals, that dont exist, please call me (John Ballard) at (434) 946-0486. My grandparents lived most of their lives near Summersville, WV, in Nicholas County. The Locavore Hunter. Bears on the other hand, are a dime a dozen and we see them every year. There are an estimated 3,000 - 7,000 Mountain lions in Colorado. Remember this post from February 28, 2005. It took off as the car got closerI have never ever seen anything like that in my life! When i shined my mag light acrossed it we noticed eyes and it was like nothing else we have seen before. The very sad news: there was a PGC ear tag on it. However, my husband couldnt contain his excitement and called me immediately to tell me he had his own personal proof of the existance of cougars in Virginia! Are Mountain Lions Back in the Blue Ridge? He told me that he was having a problem with coyotes killing his sheep. VIRGINIA CITY, Nev. (News 4 & Fox 11) A Storey County Sheriff's Office deputy took a photo of a mountain lion in Virginia City over the weekend. She has really bad gashes on her front leg, shes lame. His tail looked a couple of feet long! I think the nuts are attracting game, and a lion is preying. When they said they had we advised them of the origin and told them about the cougar incident on their property. We were really focused on the males, because obviously they cant ensure populations with just males, LaRue said. There arent any mountain lions in Virginia, but there is hope that they may return to their original habitat! WVa Sanctuary provides safe home for mountain lions and bobcat. There are so many camera traps now for both research (academic inductions, VDWR and VDACS) and private hunters. Montross, VA . We were going about 40 mph, crystal clear day, about 30 yards away. Virginia has two different native species of wild cats. It then stopped in the road and turned to look at me. There are several reasons that government agencies dont want to admit to the presence of pumas in the area. Now, after a reintroduction that began in 2012, these magical creatures have made their way back. Dec 27, 2022. 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.. Loudoun County Va , where they are now expanding the landfill , we hear the cougar cry less often now but it is still making its presence known and its a little further in the distance now instead of right at the back door. Start throwing rocks or anything else at the animal to make it turn away. However, the area is surrounded by a wildlife refuge and is also known for wild horses. I have hiked almost all 850 miles of trails, stayed at most of the backcountry campsites, and have spent many nights wandering around those hills looking for nocturnal mammals. 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. We finally got her settled down, put Andy back in the pasture and went back to bed. I thought it was a bear at first, until I saw its long thick tail. For a long time he produced Ralph Maughan's Wolf Report. I also know numerous credible people that have seen them in the Blackstone, VA area over the past 10 years. We have a pool int he yard and are outside all the time. Last year the U.S. It was the first time I could see it clearly. 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. But it was very odd because the scream wouldnt quite finish and then it would start again. If you have any similiar stories let me know please. http://www.easterncougar.org/ Ben Shrader Bedford, Virginia. My husband quickly put our dog into his pen. The cougar has the largest geographic range of any native terrestrial mammal in the Western Hemisphere. Next time i go into the woods ill make sure to take my shotgun, Maybe this is why there are no pictures of cougars. NEW VIRGINIA, Iowa (KCRG) - Law enforcement have confirmed mountain lion sightings in central Iowa. Tuesday, April 08, 2008. Reddit and its partners use cookies and similar technologies to provide you with a better experience. "I envision someday in the future we would get one wandering into Virginia. 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. Officially, mountain lions have not been seen in Virginia since 1970. its mate was said to have been heard wailing, for a time, in the distance. Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries district wildlife biologist David Kocka is of the same mindset. I havent seen them, but I have worked with folks there at the Smithsonians Conservation Research Center in Front Royal including Bill McShea. They then took the trail that went in the opposite direction of the animal. These are truly beautiful creatures, so powerful but graceful. Do wolves live on the Appalachian Trail, more specifically on Roan Mountain? I went back to the area for my job maybe 3 weeks later and saw nothing. One of the yotes had her by the mouth over her nose and one had her by the throat while the other 2 watched. Not much evidence but plenty of stories. The states beautiful wilderness and mountainous terrain are prime mountain lion habitats. 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. Feel free to join the discussion by leaving comments, and stay updated by subscribing to the, Expansion and Restoration of Bison to Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem, History of the Greater Yellowstone wolf restoration, Do you have some interesting wildlife news? Last year I saw a very large cat print left in the snow. My parents were having their Sunday drive today (9-2-07) in an area called Mabe, near Duffield, Virginia and saw a mountain lion. I see no reason to question them. My dog and all the dogs in the neighborhood were going nuts. Source: Wikipedia, Cougar. I dont really know why, because I dont really think it ever existed.. Additionally, the likelihood of mountain lions reclaiming their former territories in the mountains of Virginia is a distinct possibility. Ralph Maughan, webmaster. I live in Southwest, VA. Just wondering if anyone has spotted any coyotes near us in Thaxton? Any info would be greatly appreciated, During one of our walks last weekend my sister spotted a very !large! 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. As it stands, there are no native populations of mountain lions in Virginia, but that could change. I have a 2 year old grandson and a small dog and cat. A southern cousin of the lynx, the bobcat (Lynx rufus rufus) is the only "wildcat" in Virginia. I have chickens, belgian mules (not worried about them) and a herd of miniature donkeys but Im far more concerned about marauding bears than a mountain lion. It's nearly impossible to imagine, but elk once roamed freely here in Virginia. Places that will never see any kind of development. But the sound again didnt seem characterstic of a fox, it wasnt a barking or a yelping, it was a scream/cry. 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. Mountain Lion. He envisions calls from parents, too afraid to send their kids out to the bus stop knowing theres a mountain lion within miles of the area. Today, a new hybrid known as the coywolf is slowly returning to the state. Im not doubting that people see black cat like animals, although true size is often hard to tell. 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! So I've heard stories about mountain lions living in Virginia for years and I'm bored so I wanted to see if I could find a clustered area of sightings somewhere in the state. The DNR maintains mountain lion sightings using a system to receive, record and review mountain lion reports. I was looking out my window but couldnt see anything. Beowolf the key to your sighting is the tail . Diana Marchibroda and her miniature schnauzer froze in their tracks when the mountain lion stepped out of the woods last May. cat with a !very long! 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. 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.. 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. Everyone in the car was amazed at what we saw, and have since gone back hoping to see it again. Harsh winters can[], Thanks for dropping by! VA. This animal did not have a long snout like a dog or a fox. Managing them in that way allowed for populations to rebound, and thats what we think is fueling the dispersal. And I am not sure it was a cougar. It was just after dark and I didnt think there were supposed to be any mountain lions in that part of the country. Lil Rose/flickr. Sissy, 3 days back I had positively seen a cougar off of Ingram Dr in Haymarket, Va which is right off of Bull Run Mountain. soon after, a report appeared in the wash. post about a squirrel-hunting ranger/game warden who spotted 2 pumas. Snce 1890, roughly 20 people have been killed by cougars. He never saw the cat again but never went out at night without a gun. I now live on the Tennessee end of South Holston Lake and while driving near Friendship Boatdock near Rte. We are just amazed to have found one. Motion-sensitive infrared cameras have been deployed near Appalachian Trail to try to determine whether cougars are back. 150 yards in front of us travelling east. We live in Oak Hill, Virginia, in a neighborhood. I put on the speed and got within about 30 years before it jumped off into the brush. Experience Shenandoah: Make Memories That Will Last a Lifetime. With numerous supposed sightings since the 1970s to present, it doesn't sound too far fetched. One large paw print about 3.5 to 4 inches wide, three distinct inch+ pads (no claw marks). For an "In the Valley" episode, I investigated . They were last seen in 1882 and have since been killed off. July 25, 2019 edition, Do you have some interesting wildlife news? But in 2011, they were declared extinct. Finetune Your Skills in Patrick County, Va. The video appeared only weeks after the first ever sighting confirmed by the TWRA since its founding in 1974, when a trail cam in Obion County snapped a photo of what biologists suspected was a young male cougar. Whatever it was was big and right under my window. 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. Fish and Wildlife Service removed the eastern puma from their endangered species list, declaring that the species is now extinct. (usualy a rabbit) as it tapers off not to be heard again until the next night. Today's habitat could support a breeding population. This was a night time sighting. Last night, 9/26/07, at around 7:30 PM, my husband and I were driving home from the store on Page Valley Road in Luray , Va. For those who dont believe in the sightings or tales of the eastern cougar, it is a misjudgment to criticize others for their experiences. Given my report in spring of 07 of a lion sighting could this be a return of the catamount? This state is home to about 100 animals. oct, 20-07 amherst va near big mount pleasent. This evening my husband and I were driving up our country lane in western Amherst county when a large, dark brown (black?) The U.S. Very fast and gracefull. I HAVE HEARD OF AN OLD WOMAN THAT HAD A DOBERMAN THAT STAYED ON HER BACK PORCH NEAR ROCKINGHAM CO NC. In the case where two mountain lions had been found locally, it didn't take long for them to stir up trouble. Most occur in Shenandoah National Park and in Bedford, Amherst and Nelson counties. Look up the story of Rocky the African serval- an escaped pet that roams Virginia to this day I believe. And while common throughout the state . Im not accusing anyone of anything, I myself have certain ideas in all of this, but am wondering what other people think of it. Despite their extinct status, there have been persistent mountain lion sightings . Its actually kind of scary if you think about it. And shes not alone in that belief. But before all this happened I heard them calling its almost like they were planning the hunt to come. There's a whole world to learn about and Colby is content to spend his life learning as much as he can about it! Period. The eastern cougar, which occurred in West Virginia, is one of 15 subspecies . When the game wardens in this area are called they often do not investigate b/c the sightings have become so frequent. But to spot one in Virginia? He got up and armed with only a flashlight he ventured outside to see why the horses were so restless and upset. It was about 8:00 am on Saturday 8/8/09 and I noticed a black animal in a fenced pasture just ahead of me. Calling All Skiers and Snowboarders Home to Massanutten, An Insiders Guide to Mount Rogers and Whitetop Mountain, the Highest Peaks in Virginia. But European colonization essentially extirpated the cats from about two thirds of their habitat in the U.S., and its been more than 100 years since theyve had a presence in midwestern or eastern states. THANK YOU KATHY, I KNOW THEY HAVE LET SOME COYETTES(SPELLIN) LOOSE AND THERE ARE FOX HERE. They are back folks here in North Western Virginia, if they ever totally went away at all. And then my second thought was No, maybe not.. Most of the cougars around Los Angeles live in the Santa Monica Mountains northwest of the city. Do you feel that the Fish and Game Department is covering up their existence? You could check with the Dept. 29 and crossed the highway. I live in historic Jonesborough, TN. Of course, he has never seen a documented one inthe wild, so I only trust his take so far. Well, then we know theres a cougar there, Peterson said simply. Hello, The "coywolf" is an informal term for a unique hybrid of western coyotes and eastern timber wolves. "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. Reading these stories and seeing a documentry (Monsterquest) only confirms that there is definitely something out there. There have been sightings here, & in Nottaway county. The last mountain lion in Virginia was killed in 1882, and since then, no active breeding population has been present across the state. Once they described an animal that was nearly the same color as a deer but knew it couldnt be because it had a long tail. 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