So, thanks to all who reached out, and to all who are as fascinated about this subject as I am. I guess they werent willing to admit it but my son and I knew what we saw. Mountain lion hunting season opened Aug. 13, and remains so until May 31, 2023. Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. MassWildlife receives dozens of reportsa year, most are simplyreportsor sightings with no evidence. Mistaken reports of Mountain Lions in Massachusetts are most commonly bobcats, the state said. With land cleared for farms and factories (nearly the entire state was deforested at the turn of the 20th century), there was no place for big cats to hide and nothing for . When the deer in those days were shot into near oblivion by market hunters, the cougar apparently looked for greener pastures elsewhere. From TP:I was driving on the parkway in Toms River back in the late winter and I swear I saw a dead mountain lion in the median. Pearson said people should be vigilant on the Greenbelt, especially between dusk and dawn. -Arizonas first lion management plan took the form of paying a bounty for every lion killed where the pelt was turned over to authorities. No doubt we were lookin' at a Mt. Brigantino Park notice. I knew It wasnt a bear or wolf. Some believe a mountain lion may be lurking in northwest Washington. In her post, Lefleche told her friends not to panic. This occurred in the spring of 2017. Again, there was no doubt as to what it was. We see dead deer all of the time, but deer do not have big paws as this thing did. All rights reserved, Officers Shoot, Kill Man With Knife: Frederick City Police, DC Health COVID Centers Are Closing March 31, Driver Dies in Frederick, Maryland Tanker Fire; Northbound US Route 15 Lanes Closed, Family Explores Legal Action After Student Forced to Pick Cotton in Class, Washington Dulles International Airport (IAD), Chaos': Matthew McConaughey, Camila Alves Were on Harrowing Lufthansa Flight Diverted by Turbulence. I will say I've received reports from all around the state but several of the reports seem to be in the same area: West Milford in the northern part of the state. I was excited for my husband to see it too, so I kept calling him and going to the dining room so he could hear me, as he was downstairs, but unfortunately by then, the mountain lion was no longer in my sight. A recent rumor of a cougar killed by a vehicle on Interstate 80 attracted some attention at Penn State. adroll_version = "2.0"; AZGFD sold 11,851 tags in 2021; 260 mountain lions were killed, 17 of those as the result of livestock depredations. Not valid with other promotions. document.write(year) 23 in West Milford NJ about 50 yards from the highway a huge cat ran across the trail in front of me maybe 25 feet from my front tire. Today, their range stretches from the Yukon Territory in Canada along the western coast of the United States, all the way to the Southern Andes in Chile. The cat, which she believes is a mountain lion, ran off into some nearby woods. I wish I had turned around and taken photos but, where it was located, it would have taken me too long. Turkey vultures return to Ohio a sure harbinger of the coming spring? Contact Laura Jean Schneider at LauraJean@eacourier.com, Mountain lions leave bloody path in Clifton, {child_flags:featured}Co-existing with nature, -The scientific name given to mountain lions is Puma concolor, meaning cat of one color.. There are, after all, wild mountain lions not zoo specimens in Florida. They are definitely here. POCATELLOMountain lions are being sighted throughout Pocatello, according to official reports and social media posts from local residents. On the subject of large wild cats, you should know that Maryland and neighboring states like West Virginia, Virginia, or Pennsylvania, are definitely home to thriving populations of bobcats. -Only California bans regulated harvest of mountain lions, with all other states maintaining regulated hunting seasons for this species. It was when the reservoir was really low. From TR:l just dug out my NJ Rare Wildlife Report Form of September 14, 2013. l was taking a favorite off and on-road bike ride that l call the Harrisville/Oswego Loop, which starts on Rt 679. (I've chosen to protect the identities of those who've shared their stories with me. One neighbor described the creature as larger and wider than a deer, with the long tail of a cat. Receive the digital, interactive PDF of the newspaper in your inbox. The Pa. Game Commission investigated this picture. Another woman said she was walking her dog in McLean Gardens at the edge of Glover Park when she spotted the large cat last week. I was leaving Westville towards the mall. Straw says. He tells the story of a friend who managed to snap a picture of a cougar prowling in his backyard in Phoenix. The mountain lion is also known as cougar, panther, or puma. Therres says the last of Marylands natural cougar populations disappeared in the late 1800s, probably due to the lack of the cats favorite food: venison. Females are typically smaller. One said his father swore he had seen one, and their guess was it was an escapee from Great Adventure. Someone else reported seeing the cat last February. Then in late August, a woman reported seeing a mountain lion on her drive between Millville and Avalon. There are occasional reports of people who think they saw one, maybe they even took a blurry picture, but those are most likely bobcats. I had people bash us for telling our story - but we've never wavered. The Connecticut mountain lion is the best documented wild Mountain Lion in New England. 13507065_10205364039255335_8657515368052999240_n.jpg. Mountain lion sighting reported in Worcester County. Luckily it looked healthy and well-fed. The hikers did not see the prey animal, but the mountain lion was focused and had zeroed in on something in the bushes. After reading your article I'm not so sure, maybe she really did see them. Mountain lions are helpful in maintaining order in our ecosystem and assist to keep other wildlife numbers in check. -Anyone bitten by a mountain lion must immediately seek medical attention for rabies shots unless the biting animal can be captured and tested for rabies. It was an event I can remember like it was yesterday. In Zone K, which includes areas 1 and 27 and covers some of Graham and Greenlee counties, 17 lions were killed in 2021. (DS says her sighting was from earlier this summer.). "I couldn't believe my eyes. Video sent in to KITV4 from a local hotel in the Captain Cook area showed the reported sighting . "I believe that they're there," says a Baltimore County police officer, who claims he saw a cougar in Ruxton in 1980. In my moment of "fear" - I called the non-emergent police number They sent an officer out and we told him what we had seen. Have any questions? Jeff Mulhollem. Suggestions are presented as an open option list only when they are available. None of the rumors are true. Truly terrifying encounter even compared to a bear. Sighting of this animal also occurred in Michigan and New York. If youre still curious, read on to brush up on your mountain lion knowledge. There was an animal that ran very quickly across the road and we both said that it looked like a mountain lion. This still from a local video clip of a mountain lion taken Tuesday morning shows a big cat crossing a ditch before he disappears into the cotton field. contact the Division of Fisheries and Wildlife. Well, as luck would have it, my co worker took this very nice pic of a mature female mountain lion last week just south of Uniontown Pa. I have seen it more than once. PRINCE GEORGE'S COUNTY, Md. Please use caution. There is no indication of population decline, the department said. Many people do not realize how large a grown Bobcat is. Five other people also allegedly saw what they thought was a mountain lion in the area, Lefleche said. It also looked to be at least 4-5 feet in length, not counting its long, thick tail. (A valid mountain lion pursuit-only permit or a valid, unused mountain lion non-permit tag is required.). It was about 6 or 7 years ago. Meanwhile, if mountain lion sightings are on your wish list, go to Montana, Idaho, Wyoming, even California, to mention some of the western states where the American panther is in good supply. I slowed down and when slowed down it took off really fast into the woods. It was at the edge of the woods and it looked like it was just after a kill. $1 per month for 6 months (you will be billed $6) and then your subscription will renew at standard subscription rates. Citizen reported a mountain lion jumped through a fence and sent in hairs suspected to be from the lion. The Fort Worth Star-Telegraph reports on a mountain lion sighting in April 2022. This is the longest documented travel distance of a mountain lion. Create a password that only you will remember. Lefleche told the Telegram and Gazette that Ford's sighting seems credible. 24K views 4 years ago #cougar #mountainlion #maryland On May 31, 2018 an interesting video of an animal walking across a field was captured in the Fallston area of Harford County, Maryland. Tracking experts Paul Rezendes, Charles Worsham, George Leoniak, and Dr. Mark Elbroch examined the photos. Below is the information about mountain lion sightings in maryland 2021 . When I got up to where I think it was it was gone and to me, if it was a bear well bears don't have tails and two to me a bear would kind of struggle to get into the woods and lose stamina after a certain point maybe this thing it ran it took off and didn't look back. Get up-to-the-minute news sent straight to your device. MLRT confirmed using the photos and other sign. Advertisement Rauch said the bobcat probably traveled down the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal from. We're always interested in hearing about news in our community. They vary in size and weight, with males reaching up to 200 pounds and eight feet in length (one-third of their length is the tail). Purported mountain lion sighting causes stir FALLING WATERS Fliers and a plywood sign warning of purported sightings of a mountain lion near the area where two miniature horses and a donkey were killed in recent animal attacks caused a stir for local residents Tuesday, but authorities say there's no definitive indication such an animal is in the area. I live in Holland Township NJ. Your account has been registered, and you are now logged in. MassWildlifecannot investigate or confirm mountain lion reports without any evidence. The most recent sighting of a mountain lion in a Randallstown field Tuesday has revived claims that cougars aren't extinct in Maryland. Quite unnerving. Residents should also report any mountain lion sightings to by calling Fish and Game's Southwest. It was early morning so it was pretty quiet. Then it turned and went back into the woods. From ED:Im a believer. Are there mountain lions in Massachusetts. Nowadays, many reports include photographic evidence, thanks to camera phones and trail cameras. adroll_current_page = "other"; As of Sept. 7, 12 animals have been tagged statewide thus far. An official website of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, This page, Are there mountain lions in Massachusetts?, is. Photo courtesy of Mountain Lion Foundation. JustBe Farm is the passion project of both Kate and Ray, two South Jersey locals who wanted a place where they could reconnect busy children, teens, and adults with nature. Standing in profile on top of the mound was a mountain lion. It had a small animal hanging from its mouth. Possible Mountain Lion Sighting in D.C. Wildlife officers searching for the creature By Michelle Tetu Published October 28, 2011 Updated on October 31, 2011 at 6:09 am Forget Big Foot or the Loch Ness monster. "They were nearly exterminated by the early 1900s, but they retreated into the wild.". All rights reserved (About Us). Some of these photos have taken on urban legend status. State law protects all species unless otherwise noted. However, one must assume that it actually could happen. A pretty severe thunderstorm had just ended so for the afternoon it was quite dark. l never heard from the State. In comparison to our GSD, I estimated it to be around 70lbs. What drew me to it was the seeming paws. "She was hesitant to report it because she thought people wouldn't believe her," Lefleche told the paper. We both stopped. elk calf with characteristics of a mountain lion kill. In the '70s, Jungle Habitat was located here in West Milford. I only saw the back half of the animal which was muscular, tan colored with a long tail that curled at the end. Idaho Fish and Game officers and personnel responded to . Copyright 2023 NBCUniversal Media, LLC. They are here! There are only quick sightings around town of the large cat known as the mountain lion.