Virginia has two different native species of wild cats. 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. It then stopped in the road and turned to look at me. 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. But the sound again didnt seem characterstic of a fox, it wasnt a barking or a yelping, it was a scream/cry. Does it make a circle on a set time period or does it travel randomly? The web site has emails for officers and members to communicate with along with membership applications and links to a whole world of information on cougars. Biologists and wildlife specialists speculate that cougars will reestablish themselves in states like Kentucky, Tennessee, and Virginia within the next 25 to 50 years. The question is how big is the population. It does not benefit the DNR, Fish and Game Dept, etc. Just wondering if anyone has spotted any coyotes near us in Thaxton? Not many I bet, and there are thousands of those out there. Species number one is the bobcat, and species number two is the Mountain lion. I think I have now seen a mountain lion! All we get are hearsay stories and misidentified wildlife. It had a tail just about as large as the body. Published: Oct. 12, 2022 at 9:17 AM PDT. Here's What, Mountain Lion Size Comparison: How Do They, This Fearless Cougar Doesnt Care How Much Larger the Brown Bear Is and Goes for It, Watch This Family Discover a Mountain Lion Curled Up On Their Porch. We camp along the Potomac on float trips and always see and especially hear them at night. Hello This evening (15May 07) I think I chased up a cougar. The Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources claims that they havent been in the region since 1882. 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. Additionally, those unaccustomed to living near apex predators will need to adjust their way of thinking! 111 1. 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. When the game wardens in this area are called they often do not investigate b/c the sightings have become so frequent. I would like to add it to my collection if possible. Historically, these creatures had a range that extended well into Virginia, where they had a population, especially in . Because I was at a B-day party, I had my camera, and took the picture off his phone. Holly Kuchera/Shutterstock.com. Mountain lions once lived in much of the eastern United States. I have seen photos of these as well. Misidentification is typically caused by poor lighting conditions at the time of the sighting. Most sightings occur in Shenandoah National Park and in Bedford, Amherst and Nelson County region. They then took the trail that went in the opposite direction of the animal. And thats being done without, from what I understand, any real proof. Mountain Lions in Virginia: How Theyre Here and Why Its Denied. NEW VIRGINIA, Iowa (KCRG) - Law enforcement have confirmed mountain lion sightings in central Iowa. 211 just north of Warrenton VA. Mine me, Im not calling him a lier, but it does happen. Mountain lions go by many names, including puma, cougar, and panther. I just want to confirm that, yes, theyre back and I hope they stay around! Yes, most sightings, if not all of them have to be taken on 100% trust in the person who has it. "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. 0. Flash to present day. 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. Had an Eagle land right outside the living room window one time. Still, many sightings arent clear or even true, so being skeptical is still the best bet when it comes to sightings in Virginia. It turned around when it got to the side of the road and went back into the tall grass. Cougars, also known as mountain lions, were once common here and they have left a legacy of place names throughout the state indeed, the entire Southeast. The animal looks to be a mountain lion I havent contacted the Animal control people yet unless it takes up residence here. A large heel pad larger than the others but blurred. I saw one near my home in Floyd County. Start throwing rocks or anything else at the animal to make it turn away. I would love to get a photo of it. VA. Tuesday, April 08, 2008. So will a new population of cougars render the U.S. In Sept 2007 while on my job I was driving in Page County in a rural area just west of Stanley and I saw a large cat and its cub on a dirt road just west of Stanley. The Florida Panther was also listed as a separate subspecies, Puma concolor coryi. I also had NO idea they lived in that area, so close to my home :). But I dont know enought to really judge its age. 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.. Email me. His tail looked a couple of feet long! I don't believe any mountain lions are here. There were 4 different sizes, the smallest was about 2 ft. long. 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. Be that as it may, I have happened upon a number of large feline tracks similar to those of the cougar, and while rerunning the indelible images of my sighting, can only deduce that the animal I saw was just that. I stopped thinking I would see a deer cross the old farm road. It was about 11:30 PM and I was driving an Austin Healy Bugeyed Sprite. It is being held at the Discovery Center at SML State Park from 3:00 - 4:00 p.m. on March 31st. 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. Some of the Forest Service questioned whether or not it was just a wild cat. 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. 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. 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. They dont go after dogs and cats or people. Fish and Wildlife Service has made official what has long been suspected that the eastern mountain lion is extinct. He charged at the Fish and Game guy in the process. There have been 121 mountain lion sightings in Virginia since 1970. Peterson said he understands the excitement around the idea of crossing paths with a mountain lion, but nearly all of the photos and videos he receives are not what they seem. Also the Coyotes up there are getting out of hand in my eyes. This normal school was founded by veterans of both the Union and the Confederacy, Concord is named for the ideal of "harmony and sweet . And yet there are numerous reports of hikers and residents spotting these creatures, especially in the mountains. In August 2007 on my way to work from the Meadowview Virginia area , between Meadowview and Abingdon there was a Mountain Lion crossed the road in frount of me, So people can say what they want , there are big cats in the area. While I was on vacation last summer, 2007, in Sandbridge Beach, Virginia, outside Virginia Beach, I encountered a big black cat. We were really focused on the males, because obviously they cant ensure populations with just males, LaRue said. Forestry rangers said several ponies killed , others attcked off 811 near Evington, va. Thursday, April 21, 2005. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. We gathered the kids and went to retrieve them. I know another person in Albemarle Co. who sees them sunning regularly there and has for years. I told him I had no doubt that he had seen a mountain lion. "Mountain lions existed statewide at the time of European settlement, but presumably were extirpated from the state by the 1880s," a DGIF blog stated. Like I said we never saw the mother just the young cat but I would guess it was somewhere between midway and three quarters fully grown. i would love their return to our wilds. FYI: for those who dont know HOW A COUGAR CRY AND BOB CAT CRY DIFFER: Even thou the cougar is a much bigger ,more powerful fearsom cat than the bobcat , the cries differ this way: COUGAR: the scream is more of a stronger from the bottom pit of the stomach frantic yell(like a 14 yr old thats been tramatized) and it repeats itself over and over and moves rather quickly from one place to the next. Blood samples from the arrow revealed that the cat had originated in South Dakotaand that it was a female. The game warden cut open the animal and it had 2 walker hounds in its stomach. Cant say what it was and hope to never see again. Today, there are less than 200 Florida panthers remaining. I am in the Linville, NC area and have had several people tell me that they have seen a mountain lion during the past three to four years. . he said. I looked outside & about 300 ft. behind my house was a panther. Theres just too few of them. They could be making a similiar mistake about the cougar sightings. It was approx 3 ft high (estimation). My horse just disappeared- we live adjascent to Havens Wildlife Preserve. Now when I go back towards where that was to hunt I get shivers. After she expired 3 of them started to eat and the other took a whole hind quarter back up the ridge. me and a budy were spotlitting for deer [no guns i might add we were coming down off cold mountin fields saw two solid black cats run up some rocks both were about 60 to 70 pounds aim sure it was cougars i hut these mountains all of my life bear hunt coon hunt deer and evret thing eles but i thing its a small population and they move around travling from parts of amherst nelson trew shandoua park and west va beleive me or not i also told peple thre were coyotes in these mountain 26 year ago and peple thout i was crazy. It wasnt a very old cat, and Im pretty sure it wasnt fully grown. That would be earth shattering for the depts. There is an abundent population of squirl, deer and turkey. While Virginia Beach has been known to house several species of sharks, it's more unusual for these intimidating creatures to wander inland. I grew up in Lynchburg, VA. Definitely not bobbies. The range of a Mountain Lion may cover 25 to 785 square miles. Reading these stories and seeing a documentry (Monsterquest) only confirms that there is definitely something out there. A lot of people dont know theyre around until they show up and start feeding on their bird feeders, and then all of a sudden its What are you gonna do about these bears?. lions do not inhabit the Virginia mountains. I quickly realized it couldnt be human. Mountain lions in Nebraska are a division of the larger population spread through all western U.S. states, and predators move unobstructedly among Nebraska and neighboring U.S. states, especially South Dakota and Wyoming. they may have migrated there by way of fractured habitat that has forced them into the area due to encroachment. Also 16-20 at the shoulder seems short for 120lbs. Lets explore: are there mountain lions in Virginia? But, there is always a chance that one day the sighting will be real. Blue Ridge Outdoors is your guide to fly fishing, the Appalachian Trail, biking, travel, and more in the Blue Ridge and beyond. How did they know this isnt an eastern lion? Except for a remnant population of Florida Panthers in southern Florida, there have been no wild cougars on the eastern side of North America since the last one was trapped in Maine in 1938. For anyone that has seen a cougar in the East or would like to support or be involved in their return then jointing ECF is only logical. This medium-sized cat weighs between 9-33 lbs, has stubby tails and characteristic tufts of hair coming out of its ears. And yet, there have been more than a few bizarre sightings over the past few decades that have us scratching our heads. Four very distinct toes and a large pad. Approximately 4 feet long near Midlothian. Experience Shenandoah: Make Memories That Will Last a Lifetime. They prefer habitats where its difficult for people to go, LaRue said. On Saturday, Sept 28, 2008, at 7:20am, I was on my way to Warrenton from Midland (7 miles southeast of Warrenton). A little more certain, I took a kodak camera along and started taking pictures. It was, without question, a mountain lion. I doubt it. Staunton entrepreneurs tackle urban farming. My husband and I just saw a cougar (mountain lion) while having coffee on our back deck. I stress that this is not a joke so please write it anyone knows how to reduce the distortion of the photos. This picture seemed to have been at night. shortly after this, it was reported in the article, a puma was killed by a sheep rancher in an adjoining W.VA county. The populations are doing well enough in the west that when young males get old enough, they dont have anywhere to go, she said. Since 1970, 121 sightings have been identified as possible mountain lions, but have not been officially . The fur was short and the common light red-brown hue of a cougar. Have you spotted any shocking creatures in Virginia? I am not 100% certain but I would like it if someone could identify the cats for me. 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. So I guess its up in the air. The more details the better! 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. Beowolf the key to your sighting is the tail . Thanks, Beowulf, I am looking for someone in the Frederick county/Clarke county area to confirm a track/print I took a picture of. Which could be a pretty big deal, because up until now, the confirmed sightings in the east have been of male cats. This Spring we had few deer and fewer fawns, but lately (since mid August) I have seen plenty of deer sign. Still, this is great news for conservationists and animal enthusiasts alike. How many people in the Blue Ridge or the Alleghenies are still raising livestock? "These two were seen and were causing trouble before the guy who owned them knew they were gone," Fies said. Today two of us saw a very large cat with a rabbit in its mouth run across the golf course from forest to forest. Im not suggesting this a farm animal. This had Caroline County, on the bottom of the screen. A MOUNTAIN LION did in fact attack one of our horses early this morning, just before daylight. So about three blocks from my turn onto our road I spotted Eye shine crossing in front of our car. I hope that maybe I can find a place I can place a trail camera nearby to search for it. She has really bad gashes on her front leg, shes lame. Lots of fawns this year. Human expansion and economic progress have driven natural predators out of Virginia, giving the deer free rein. Their typical prey includes rabbits and squirrels, but they can kill deer when they are feeling up to it. My e-mail address is gardrserv@yahoo.com & would be more than willing to give anyone any info as to what & where I saw. Forestry rangers say they have spotted several mountain lions in the area. Bears, Deer and Turkey come out in the yard on a regular basis. At which point we all said a cougar and he said how did you know. 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. It finally took off on the other side of the road into the woods, and I made a U-turn to the nearest farmhouse! I live in Chilesburg, Caroline county. doubtful. Learn more about us & read our affiliate disclosure. 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. . I do not know of any dogs in the area with feet that big. 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. "According to Handley and Pattons 'Wild Mammals of Virginia'published in 1947, the last Virginia mountain lion was killed in Washington County in 1882. 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. Add my name to the list of people who have seen mountain lions in the wild. More info if you want itG. You want to talk about uneasy its almost like it was stalking us. It was extremely cold out, maybe -20F and we had just come out of the portal against the strong winds of the ventilation fans. THanks CArole. When rounding the corner in the driveway, my headlights illuminated a light reddish brown cat in a sitting position looking toward my house. I am concerned since that pond is a source of water for my horse. In Nebraska, the mountain lion is the largest carnivore. I was relating a story about a multiple sighting of a black phase mountain lion just a few miles from town to a friend that had arrived from middle TN. . Is it safe to go out there and will it come back. One of the first things we asked was if theyd heard screaming sounds. A few minutes later another hunter came down from his stand on the same mountain and said, hey youll never guess what I saw this morning. Thank you for reading! Eastern cougars are not a distinct species genetically. 26 Sep 16. Without as many wolves around, coyote populations began to thrive and expand eastward. It was completely jet black, with a very long tail 3-4 feet long. Look up the story of Rocky the African serval- an escaped pet that roams Virginia to this day I believe. Definitely not a dog, too big for a cat. 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. The first is that many sightings during certain periods are the same cat. 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