I didnt think any more of it until we had our coyote visitor but now shes certain what she saw was a little of coyote pups. Rockingham Co., va Holly Kuchera/Shutterstock.com. The 1982 Eastern Cougar Recovery Plan defined the establishment of one population containing at least 50 breeding adults as the threshold for moving the Eastern Cougar from "endangered" to just "threatened." It was undoubtedly a full grown male mountain lion. In fact, there have been 121 reports that are likely to have been true mountain lion sightings. 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. She got quite close to them while on Jake but as soon as she began to dismount they scattered. It was moving through the woods twards a water source but not in the open. An elderly man there once told me a story about a black Mountain Lion living in the area back in his younger days. 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. Dr. Ralph Maughan is professor emeritus of political science at Idaho State University. The total length of this species is 5-9 feet (cylindrical tail 2-3 feet) and it weighs from 100-200 pounds. I went to Chestoa, which is an awesome overlook pretty much between Altapass and Linville. He was a Western Watersheds Project Board Member off and on for many years, and was also its President for several years. Several times theyd reported seeing strange animals crossing their path in the woods. It was a state car. 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. There's a whole world to learn about and Colby is content to spend his life learning as much as he can about it! I couldnt believe it! Thanks, Beowulf, I am looking for someone in the Frederick county/Clarke county area to confirm a track/print I took a picture of. It has to be a good, clear photo, and we get all kinds of fuzzy stuff that could be a bobcat, could be a yellow lab, but its so far away or so fuzzy we cant tell.. The cougars wandering far from their original homes in the West are, naturally, searching for three things: habitat, food and mates. According to the Cat Specialist Group, Puma concolor cougar is in North and Central America and Puma concolor concolor ranges throughout South America.2. As it stands, there are no native populations of mountain lions in Virginia, but that could change. But their population definitely isnt established here. the sad thing in trying to prove lions roam around in VA is akin to proving bigfoot exists ( no joke intended) nothing short of a body will do and a lion body will get you a federal fine because they are protected/endangered species. the Eastern Cougar is Puma concolor, reflecting the solid color without stripes or spots 111 1. We disturbed something that ran off into the woods. What about the fact no roadkill is ever claimed to be found of a cougar? The deer have been congregating down there. Not a bob cat (it most certainly had a long bushy tail). Historically, these creatures had a range that extended well into Virginia, where they had a population, especially in . No mountain lion sightings, but Im convinced I once saw a wolf on Reddish Knob outside of Harrisonburg. In daylight I am sure I would have thought it was only one cat. Period. Can they fix it so it looks like it was from Caroline. Mountain lions weigh between 90-160 pounds while bobcats weigh between 20-30 pounds according to an article by the Iowa DNR. I WAS WONDERING IF THERE HAVE BEEN ANY SIGHTINGS OF A COUGAR OR OTHER LARGE FELINE IN THIS AREA. Dec 27, 2022. The road in paved, but long(14 miles+) winding and has very few streets that are off it back here. Although the eastern cougar is extinct, there are still sightings of these cats across the state. In Rockingham county virginia, my father, family friend and I go bow hunting for 1 week every year in the GWNF. 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. "They've been found as far east as western Tennessee," Fies said. Well deal with a lot of the same stuff thats related to bears in Virginia. This particular animal was chasing a dog across the road when hit. Oftentimes, I camp and merely live in the outdoors. Female cougars will raise a litter of kittens up until the age of about 20 months, LaRue explained, and then the young cats are kind of kicked out and left on their own. The males, especially, are forced to disperse away from the family, partly to avoid inbreeding, and partly because male cougars are territorial and wont tolerate any other males in their domain. Dont know what it was, but I have always wondered if it was a big cat or not. Although these wild cats are smaller than mountain lions, they are extremely good hunters. I never had heard anything like it before. It was just too big to be a bobcat nor did it have bobcat coloring. I doubt it. When Dr. Michelle LaRue began her graduate studies in 2005, the state of Nebraska had virtually no mountain lions. Then I heard Coyotes doing their eerie little howls. Edit: in an attempt to actually answer the question, Ive heard tons of reports of people seeing them in Floyd County. 100% sure? As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Fish and Wildlife Service declared the eastern subspecies extinct. ), Bobcat kittens!- They were just thicker-coated & boned kittens with a bobby tail and whisky ears for the most part. 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. 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. There is no reported melanistic phase of cougars or pumas in the literature. Not much rain in these parts since early August. If a mountain lion walks around an area enough, many different humans will notice. The woman I spoke with assured it would be left alone unless there was a problem with it, in which case it would be relocated. Source: Public Domain Pictures, Ancestors of the cougar (also known as catamount, mountain lion, bobcat, puma, panther, painter, wildcat, and ghost cat) crossed into North America roughly 8 million years ago, and the species Puma concolor evolved around 400,000 years ago.1. Experience Shenandoah: Make Memories That Will Last a Lifetime. Every year there were a few here and there.. Its probably only a matter of time though their territory is expanding steadily. These creatures dont call Virginia home, but have been known to stop by for an occasional visit. We were too busy looking at each other asking, Did you see that? We should have ben focusing on details. The wind chill was absolutely tremendous in the portal and the -20 outside felt balmy in comparison. 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. But then again, no one would come forward if they killed one because its illegal to kill an endangered species. Mr. Lutz do you have internet picture of the Virginia cougar that you show arround? Losingand RegainingBalance in our Deer Population. Way back in 1977 I was firebossing a mine in McDowell Co WVa. During one of our walks last weekend my sister spotted a very !large! On Saturday, Sept 28, 2008, at 7:20am, I was on my way to Warrenton from Midland (7 miles southeast of Warrenton). I guess I just dont want to believe they are here, because we live in the woods. With their tails, some individuals can be as much as 9 ft. long. Tracks found near Holy Cross Monestery in Clarke Co, Va have been identified as a cougar by a USDA zoologist. 12. They deny mt lions are here still. For conservationists, this is a huge step in the right direction. few turkeys this spring and summer. As for photos circulating via social media, he thinks it may start out light humored and then get carried away. These are believable people, she said. But really, itll change peoples viewpoints at some point., Experts in Tennessee dont know exactly how many mountain lions are roaming the area, but they do know one thing for sure: at least one of them is a female. The last mountain lion in Virginia was killed in 1882, and since then, no active breeding population has been present across the state. If some one ask if there are lions in Danville, Va tell them hell yes! It had been sent to him on his cell phone. On June 17, 2015, the U.S. The Roanoke Times. Further north, you can find mountain lions in . Are there mountain lions in the Shenandoah Valley? 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. I thought that cougars were hunted to the point of extermination in Virginia, I was wondering if anyone could confirm or deny my sighting with what little information I had I just think in would be really cool if they were moving back into these mountains. Does it make a circle on a set time period or does it travel randomly? Instead, these sightings are likely captive cats that were intentionally or accidentally released or traveling cats from a state out west. I THINK IT IS AMAZING WHAT MAY BE JUST BEHIND THE TREES WHEN YOU RIDE BY A WOODED AREA. ", "These cats are moving east looking for new territory," Renee O'brien posted on Facebook. It was, without question, a mountain lion. Something ran across the road in front of my car at a high rate of speed. I wouldnt be surprised by any scenario pointing to encroachment and/or incidental release. Upon her return she stopped by to tell us that theyd followed what was apparently an old or injured cougar! Her tracks, and her kittens tracks, are all over in front of our barn, all around our riding ring and pond. Thank you for reading! My father a retired Secret Service agent who used to shoot alot with Regan spotted a mountain lion on the side of rt. "I thought, 'holy cow, where did that come from?'" "Mountain lions existed statewide at the time of European settlement, but presumably were extirpated from the state by the 1880s," a DGIF blog stated. Enter your email in the box below to get the most mind-blowing animal stories and videos delivered directly to your inbox every day. 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. As the science stands, the most likely option is that the sightings are the result of young males traveling east in search of new hunting and breeding grounds. They exclusively populated western states for decades, but according to LaRue, some shifts in hunting regulations began to change things about 50 years ago: lions were switched from the bounty hunter category to a game species managed by the states. Most sightings occur in Shenandoah National Park and in Bedford, Amherst and Nelson County region. 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. As we came to a stop, it calmly walked away crossing a short grass field, into the woods. The Mountain Lion will return to feed on the prey for up to 10 days. "This photo has been all over the internet and Facebook for the past 18 months or so," saidMichael L. Fies, furbearer project leader for theVirginia Department of Game andInland Fisheries. My first thought was it was a panther that escaped from a nearby zoo. In reality, the mountain lion had escaped from a nearby property, where it was being held captive along with three other mountain lions. I called the game warden, but they told me they didnt exist in this area. This evening my husband and I were driving up our country lane in western Amherst county when a large, dark brown (black?) They were all shiny black with long tails. Yet within the last decade, bull sharks have been known to swim all the way to the Potomac River. 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. Sometimes you may hear it end in an agonizing high pitche scream. 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." Cougar, Mountain Lion, Catamount, Panther, and Puma, (Some of the names for this great cat) and is found principally in the mountains. SHE WAS OLD LIVED BY HERSELF AND IN A SECLUDED AREA.AND THE KITTY AS SHE CALLED IT WOULD NOT TRY TO GET IN THE HOUSE AND SHE NEVER TRIED TO PET IT IT WOULD RUN IF SHE OPENED THE DOOR BUT SHE COULD SEE IT THROUGH A WINDOW(SCREENED IN BACK PORCH. It screeched two more times then seemed to move off. We have spotted a mother black bear and cub over by the damn while hiking, scary sight but very awsome. It was a brownish tan in color and was at least as large as my yellow lab. I have since seen a picture of a lion spotted in Buckingham co. and realize that was the animal I saw. I was almost back to sleep when it happened again and this time it was no house cat! I havent seen anything like one since back in May. They are dark reddish-or yellowish-brown dorsally, lighter ventrally, the tail tip is dark, and the fur is short, soft and unspotted. 21 years ago Nancy Hugo published an article in Virginia Wildlife Feb 1987. I couldnt see their relative sizes, as they were not close together until right before I entered the woods, and one was very low in the grass, could only see its eyes reflected. Spotted a lion last night around 7:30 pm. Hello This evening (15May 07) I think I chased up a cougar. 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. Its not really realistic to think that they have a chance to survive very well in Virginia currently. Michael said. " Large aggressive alpha predator spotted in Central Virginia near Fredericksburg on july, 17 2018 You could check with the Dept. 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. Females have gradually made their way into states like Nebraska, South Dakota, Arkansas, and Missouri, but according to LaRue, it turns out the midwest largely is not a great habitat. So its not unreasonable to assume that theyll continue on and eventually end up in states near and on the eastern seaboard, where lush mountain ranges like the Blue Ridge and Smokies offer prime habitat and sustenance (deer, primarily) for the cats. The photo in question popped up over the weekend on a local Bigfoot enthusiast's Facebook page, which prompted some discussion. One night our mules and horses had broken through the fence. My wife and I have seen two cougars in Patrick County, VA. Flash to present day. Its near a nature preserve so noone ever calls to report it . And thats being done without, from what I understand, any real proof. Thursday, April 21, 2005. As my friends wife was leaving, she looked out the window and said that saw what she thought to be dear. Lets explore: are there mountain lions in Virginia? They go hiking in the Rockies all the time and people still dont see them very often.. Wed love to hear about it! I live in Southwest, VA. Start throwing rocks or anything else at the animal to make it turn away. Mountain lions live in areas that have ample hiding places. He told me that he was having a problem with coyotes killing his sheep. Ihad only one game warden to believe me. So yes, there are mountain lions in the Blue Ridge. I live past the end of the road in the Blue Ridge. The sound finally drifted off and I decided to do some internet investigating to describe the sound I heard. I got into the bald on Big Hump and I heard an odd noise, like a quick screaching bird and something ran off. Free shipping for many products! I saw one near my home in Floyd County. Despite their extinct status, there have been persistent mountain lion sightings . We have heard them up near the edge of the mountains but never this close. So were assuming there are at least two different animals, one that was hit by an arrow and one that wasnt.. Want to see the pics? The mountain lion (Puma concolor) is sometimes called cougar, puma, catamount, and panther. 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. But before all this happened I heard them calling its almost like they were planning the hunt to come. 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. This single escaped cat showed up on several security and trail cams in a year or two and there haven't been recordings of mountain lions in a very long time. I used to vacation on Smith Mountain Lake Virginia, Good View, and I can definatly confirm cougar in this area. Guess we will never know the truth unless there is a fantastic picture with know location shown also. 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. 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. "According to Handley and Pattons 'Wild Mammals of Virginia'published in 1947, the last Virginia mountain lion was killed in Washington County in 1882. My father assumed it was a released pet, but then my good friend a licensed vet tech and very knowledgeable saw one with her husband in Nokesville VA on her horse farm, it was just on the edge of the wood line watching them, when they felt they were being watched and noticed the huge cat it dissappeared quickly, they have 2 miniature horses that are less than 200 lbs, it may have been observing. 211 just north of Warrenton VA. I live in Spout Spring. After that two sets of very large eyes started following me. A lifelong Virginia resident, Beth loves exploring different parts of the world and currently resides in Alexandria. They prefer habitats where its difficult for people to go, LaRue said. Yet, this evidence has never been documented by biologists. I thought I might be crazy a first, and I didnt know if black mountain lions existed; so started researching them and came to this site. We had tons of deer, albino too! Fish & Wildlife Resource. 421, I watched a black cat come from under a concrete bridge and jump into the woods when it saw me. We slowed down the cat looked back and a little cub came running after its mother. Follow Laura Peters @peterslaura and @peterpants . They dont know that, theyre not genetically testing these animals.. While fishing the nearby native trout streams (most notably the Rapidan) in the surrounding mountains, I have not seen another. I live about five minutes away from the parkway, 30 or so minutes from the Roan and Mount Mitchell, etc. While Virginia Beach has been known to house several species of sharks, it's more unusual for these intimidating creatures to wander inland. In August 2004, a cougar was captured on film near Craigsville, Virginia and identified by professional wildlife biologists of the Eastern Puma Research Network. I was leaning against a tree w/my parka hood blocking the wind, when I saw a grown cougar walking straight toward me. 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. We were vacationing near the Shenandoah River. Im not 100% sure but thats what i feel it was a COUGAR. Blood samples from the arrow revealed that the cat had originated in South Dakotaand that it was a female. They said mountain lions had always been there, although you didnt hear them often. This was a night time sighting. 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. Long enough I was wishing he would be quiet so that I could hear if any deer were coming. 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! Fish & Wildlife Resource declared the eastern cougar extinct, LaRue said. Even if the Eastern Cougar and Florida Panther were considered members of the same subspecies, they would have still qualified for separate listings as distinct breeding populations. We camp along the Potomac on float trips and always see and especially hear them at night. We are not stupid people with time on our hands, just a couple out for a drive. Hellol. In fact, bobcats take down prey that weighs as much as 8 times their weight when the situation arises. 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. I started yelling and making as much noise as i could and heard the sounds of claws running up a tree. But she was familiar with (and disturbed by) the U.S. How do we find out about sightings of this mountain lion(s). i live close to the cement plant in botetourt co and know 4 people personally ( 2 are my sons) who have seen mountain lion near the cement plant. Which is the only large native cat that we have.. Now when I go back towards where that was to hunt I get shivers. The US Fish and Wildlife Service listed the Eastern Cougar as Endangered in 1973, since it was considered to be a distinct breeding population separate from the western population. 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. And add to that the fact that someone may have actually been wrong. Ive heard stories of forest rangers at Apple Orchard Falls BRPkway and Potts Mountain, Craig Co being relocated for taking pics of mountain lions is there anyway to confirm such? The traffic was moving quickly but he had no doubt that it was a cougar. I lived on the border of the Great Smoky Mt Natl Park for 7 years. 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 THERE ARE MOUNTAIN LIONS IN VIRGINIA, I HAVE PROOF. Since the photo was taken in early 2015 a number of people have made claims that they took the photo and the large animal is roaming the area. Look forward to talking more. 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. Though they are pushing steadily eastward from the Rockies. Fish & Wildlife Resources recent decision to declare eastern cougars extinct, and she knew unless she was able to produce some sort of physical evidence like a photo, shed be hard pressed to convince any wildlife expert of what she saw. Right now the only natural predator of deer seems to be the feral Toyota Camry population. He got up and armed with only a flashlight he ventured outside to see why the horses were so restless and upset. There are no mountain lions in Virginia. Today is Sept. 29, 2008. My son and I definitely saw a mountain lion today while I was taking him back to college this morning on I-81 near Buckhannon in Virginia near the Blue Ridge Parkway exit; unfortunately, it had been killed by a car before we saw it. I have compiled descriptions of over 25 sightings in the surrounding area but none of them have produced real evidence in the form of a photo, footprint casting, body part, or scat sample from Virginia. A French naturalist created the name "cougar" by combining "puma" with "jaguar." 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. I know another person in Albemarle Co. who sees them sunning regularly there and has for years. I do not know of any dogs in the area with feet that big. When very quietly without any noise I saw movement coming out of a clearing. It was shocking to see something so unexpected! There is wide open space there, high cliffs, and an abundance of deer. I suppose it could have been a super-sized coyote or an interbred coyote. We have no intentions, but if they show up, they show up.. Rabbits everywhere. 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