It was about 4 feet tall and just walked slowly crossing the highway. Mountain Lions have a status of extirpated in Alabama, there have been no confirmed sightings in the state in over 50 years. Courtesy photo Mike Jacobsen was checking his fences near Denton after last month's windstorm when his kids pulled. FRANKLIN COUNTY, Mo. Luckily it looked healthy and well-fed. A mountain lion, seen above, was sighted on Ash Street in Webster Sunday. For the smooth consistently colored short hair l came up with a greyish tint to a deers summer color. Because you will never go out of your house at night. 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.. More Local News to Love Start today for 50% off Expires 3/6/23, Laura Newberry | laura.newberry@masslive.com, Are there Mountain Lions in Massachusetts? I had my head tilted to the side sitting in the backseat with my daughter and I saw a very large cat jump clear across Route 23. 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. From C:About 15 years ago we were on our motorcycles riding around Delaware NJ by the Gap we went on a gravel road came to a bridge we couldn't cross turned around driving real slow cause we all had Harleys I kept like 10 bike lengths between us because of the dust kicking up and right in front of me crossed a mountain lion no more than 10 feet away from me no way I was mistaken. Reported Mountain Lion In Maryland Park Actually A Coyote , Mountain Lion Population (In Each U.S. State) Wildlife , Whiting Ranch remains closed with near-daily mountain lion , Video Evidence of a Cougar or Mountain Lion in Fallston , Confirmed Mountain Lion Reports | Missouri Department of , Mountain lions in little old Maryland? adroll_current_page = "other"; Eastern Arizona Courier 301 E Highway 70, Suite A, Safford, AZ 85546 | Terms of Use | Privacy Policy | Contact Us | The EASTERN ARIZONA COURIER is owned by Wick Communications. There are hundreds more throughout the East Coast, he and other naturalists believe. Citizen reported a mountain lion jumped through a fence and sent in hairs suspected to be from the lion. "I couldn't believe my eyes. There are occasional reports of people who think they saw one, maybe they even took a blurry picture, but those are most likely bobcats. There are two records of mountain lions in Massachusetts thatmeet the evidence requirements. So, thanks to all who reached out, and to all who are as fascinated about this subject as I am. Hunters do not stumble across the remains of dead mountain lions in the woods, he says. document.write(year) On May 31, 2018 an interesting video of an animal walking across a field was captured in the Fallston area of Harford County, Maryland during a foggy morning by Dan Jones. Although theyre not often seen walking about like the plentiful whitetailed deer, the top Maryland counties for bobcats are Garrett, Allegany, Washington and Frederick in that order. Genetic analyses confirmed the hair was from a male mountain lion and the propbable population of origin was Colorado. Wisconsin - Mountain lion sightings in Wisconsin are rare but there have been confirmed sightings within this state. I live in Holland Township NJ. Copyright 2023 NBCUniversal Media, LLC. An email message containing instructions on how to reset your password has been sent to the e-mail address listed on your account. I dont doubt that womans experience in South Jersey one little bit! MassWildlifecannot investigate or confirm mountain lion reports without any evidence. A spokesperson for the Washington HumaneSociety said someone may have been keeping the cat as a pet and then released it once they couldn't take care of it anymore. Receive the digital, interactive PDF of the newspaper in your inbox. Crews were seen from a D.C. chopper searching the park with long guns. The feedback will only be used for improving the website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites. It was light brown with a long tail. It WAS a mountain lion. A recent rumor of a cougar killed by a vehicle on Interstate 80 attracted some attention at Penn State. Adults are a uniform tan or tawny in color, with a white or cream-colored chin, undersides and inner legs. That story prompted a number of folks to write about their encounters. Both labs confirmed the sample came from a mountain lion. It was at the edge of the woods and it looked like it was just after a kill. State law protects all species unless otherwise noted. I had seen a police officer in the parking lot at the mall and told him what I saw. From JK:I had a mountain lion bounding across Weldon Road Jefferson Township Morris County about 75 yards in front of me. In this video we discuss why we have reached our conclusion as well as explaining some natural history about this species. There was a problem saving your notification. This is the longest documented travel distance of a mountain lion. But I know what I saw. Admission is $6 for ages 16 and over, $2 for kids 6 to 15 years old, and free for . Alaska 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. The sighting has been reported to the state Department of Fisheries and Wildlife, which has historically debunked such observations. I slowed down and when slowed down it took off really fast into the woods. There is also a small population in southern Florida. If mountain lions returned to Massachusetts, there is no need to update current forest management practices. Yes, they have been here for years. In the Washington region, sightings have been reported in rural areas of Maryland and Virginia. One late afternoon on my way back home I, unfortunately, saw one dead in the middle of 287 on the southbound lane approximately around the exits near Delaware water gap (between 53 and 36) I was in the lane closest to it, was driving slow enough past it and got a clear long look at it, it was clearly a giant beige cat with a long tail. I heard a lot of animal screaming and it seemed to be getting closer to my property. If you are not and would like to read this and all the other great . In Zone J, area 24A, which is close to the border of Graham and Gila counties, a 2-year-old lion, a 3-year-old lion and one of indeterminate age were killed in 2021. ". These tracks may have been made by the mountain lion documented in Greenwich, Connecticut on June 5, 2011, and killed by a vehicle six days later. . Please do not include personal or contact information. We had a tree that was partially blown over in a Noreaster creating a lifted-up mound of earth. Sixty-nine percent of mountain lion kills involved the use of dogs, and the majority of animals were killed in the period between January and March. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Advance Local. Habitat. For more information see Terms and Conditions. We were traveling south on 23 right by Canistear road in West Milford. Mountain lions are helpful in maintaining order in our ecosystem and assist to keep other wildlife numbers in check. Some of these photos have taken on urban legend status. A couple of sightings involved captive mountain lions that escaped from licensed facilities in New York State. From BK:I am so happy to read your article I have been telling people for years my friend and I saw a cougar and Greystone Park in Morris County I believe it was 2013 it was the end of September or early October we were coming from fishing and as we were riding I saw it stalking a bunch of deer. These areas are heavily wooded reserves owned by Morris County and the State of New Jersey. In the '70s, Jungle Habitat was located here in West Milford. It turned and saw us. In the interest of gathering credible mountain lion sightings when mountain lions actually arrive in the east the research team here at eMammal has put together a guide to identifying mountain lions. Cougars (Puma concolor) are a large cat that goes by many names: panther, catamount, puma, and mountain lion, just to name a few of their over forty common English names.They were once a common predator in Pennsylvania until a combination of range-wide habitat loss, prey loss (mainly white-tailed deer and elk), and predator eradication programs in the 1800s drove them to extinction in the . Information gathered from AZFGD and the Arizona Mountain Lion Foundation, Hunters who dont want to miss getting their spring 2023 tag should take the time now to update their credit card information with the Arizona. I was sitting on my front porch and I saw a very large animal at first I thought big fox. About 10 years ago I saw one crossing a narrow, rural road in Chester Township, NJ. 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. Lefleche told the Telegram and Gazette that Ford's sighting seems credible. From RD:I live in Cumberland in Maurice River township. (Facebook / Michelle Lefleche) Advertisement Rauch said the bobcat probably traveled down the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal from. MassWildlife uses evidence-based criteria for confirming reports of mountain lions. Are there mountain lions in Massachusetts. Already a subscriber to OutdoorNews.com? I posted my sighting on a neighborhood social media site, and of course, many did not believe me and said they don't exist here in NJ; however, a number of people also chimed in that they have seen one here or there in different locations not far from me. There have been no reports of injuries associated with this creature. Suddenly my son stopped on the trail due to a large cat on the trail. Shirley Ford took photos of the svelte creature she saw lurking by her home on Ash Street Sunday, The Telegram and Gazette reports. But John Lutz, a cougar buff who runs a Baltimore-based group called the Eastern Puma Research Network, says there are at least 100 wild mountain lions roaming Maryland. It was about 4 feet tall and just walked slowly crossing the highway. (WJZ) --A reported mountain lion sightingin a Prince George's County park turned out to be a coyote. Video sent in to KITV4 from a local hotel in the Captain Cook area showed the reported sighting . The most beautiful tragedy I've ever seen. While they haven't confirmed it is a mountain lion, they say it could very well be one. The hikers did not see the prey animal, but the mountain lion was focused and had zeroed in on something in the bushes. Copyright 2014 The Washington Times, LLC. This content is restricted to subscribers of OutdoorNews.com. This mountain lion was documented by DNA samples from Minnesota and Wisconsin between December 2009 and early 2010. "I knew a lot of people wouldn't believe I'd seen it," he says. Our wildlife research team decided to help take the mystery out of the sighting by going to the location and comparing the size of the animal to stationary objects in the frame as well as a human subject. 2023 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. in Montague, Sussex County, east from the swampy area of High Point Golf Club west down behind the Vet's office on Millville Rd. This is especially true of western Maryland. Delivered right as the newspaper goes to print on Wednesdays. However, one must assume that it actually could happen. "They were nearly exterminated by the early 1900s, but they retreated into the wild.". 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. From ED:Im a believer. Pearson said people should be vigilant on the Greenbelt, especially between dusk and dawn. I have seen a lion twice in Sussex County. riding my dirt bike up a trail right off Rt. The state classed mountain lions as endangered in 1972 and banned all hunting of them. They definitely are here! It was killed in management Zone D, area 10, which appears to be mostly in Coconino County. The West Virginia Wildlife Center is open to the public seven days a week from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Straw says. From D:My wife came home a couple of years ago and told me she saw two cougars crossing Range Road, a joint jurisdiction road between Fort Dix and Browns Mills, NJ, I told her they must have been something else. In her post, Lefleche told her friends not to panic. In Zone K, which includes areas 1 and 27 and covers some of Graham and Greenlee counties, 17 lions were killed in 2021. Inasmuchas he didn't see it himself - he could not (would not) confirm what we had seen. A 140-pound male mountain lion was hit by a car and killed in 2011 in Milford, Connecticut. Mountain lions inhabit the badlands and Missouri River breaks regions of North Dakota. The mountain lion was lying down in the snow. We contacted the Somerset County Park department who assured us that there are no mountain lions in their parks. All rights reserved. My dad also has a friend that lives in North Jersey I believe in alpha somewhere by the NY border in a more rural area and he has seen them in his yard and captured them on his trail camera. These tracks were fresh and well photographed. var year = today.getFullYear() The main habitat requirement for mountain lions is stalking cover to successfully hunt prey. Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. In recent weeks, there have been several reported sightings of mountain lions in rural areas of the Twin Tiers. Although they're not often seen walking. Receive the digital, interactive PDF of the newspaper in your inbox. ), So, while the state of New Jersey says "there are no mountain lions in New Jersey," there are a lot of people who would beg to differ. The mountain lion is also known as cougar, panther, or puma. I knew it wasn't a dog - and it wasn't a bobcat. I then said to my friend, oh wow he said what did you see I said no you tell me, he then described that he saw a big brown animal with a little face and a big tail in a different color brown than the deer, I then told him I saw it as well and it was a cougar he thought I was crazy for saying that and then I showed him an article where someone had just seen it at Burnham Park in Morristown a week or so before that was only a few miles away. Forget Big Foot or the Loch Ness monster. Lioneither a young one or a female I figured..went home, called NJF&G at the time, and reported it.. asked if they were interested in setting a culvert-type trap to capture it.they seemed pretty disinterested at the time, said it wasn't feasible as we were in a residential type area.. the day after with fresh snow on the ground we returned to find where it had stalked and killed a wild turkey.it was obvious to us with the winged slash marks still in the snow and where it walked downhill with the turkey in its mouth pushing the snow to the sides of it making a smooth pathway..it was something my son and I will never forget. Saw one in Warren County in 2007 & 2008 while camping. Another sighting was on Storms Ave in Haskell NJ. We will use this information to improve this page. There were five yearling animals, four 2-year-old animals, two 3-year-olds and five 4-year-olds. l thought "oh shit" and figured l could try to use my bicycle for protection and dismounted. From EW:Lions in NJmy son and myself were on a hunt in a ground blind on a friend's farm in Liberty Corner, NJ Somerset CoFebruary 19, 1996.roughly around 4:00 pm in the afternoon I thought a deer had entered the pine forest we were adjacent to.we were actually hunting bushy tails with flintlock smoothbores as deer season was closed. Over a period of a year and a half, this mountain lion left DNA evidence in at least four states. In 1966, an animal believed to be a cougar clawed a pony, two sheep and a calf to death in western Harford County. No doubt we were lookin' at a Mt. I wish I had turned around and taken photos but, where it was located, it would have taken me too long. 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I mentioned it to several coworkers and nobody believed me! "If there is a wild population, it is very tiny, and they are able to live and die without any evidence of them being here," Mr. GREENBELT, Md. Hunters must also possess a valid hunting license, which is $37 for residents. (WJZ) -- A reported mountain lion sighting in a Prince George's County park turned out to be a coyote. Cougars must be identified by having been captured, found dead, or the investigators must have seen definite tracks or other evidence. Despite this fact, Massachusetts residents continue to report mountain lion sightings. And, if. Many believe mountain lions still exist in Pennsylvania. Mrs. Muhl isn't alone. Brigantino Park, on San Juan Road in Hollister, closed July 19 following the sighting of an adult mountain lion with a cub and will remain off limits until further notice, according to the park . Last year he recorded 11 cougar sightings in Maryland, 38 in Pennsylvania and six in Virginia. I could not believe my eyes! White-tailed deer are the most abundant large animals in the park. A resident called police about 8:30 p.m. to report what they believed was a mountain lion seen by multiple people along the Gedern Trail, which runs through the Gedern Estates subdivision and connects to the GM&O Heritage Trail along the former railroad right-of-way in Columbia. Click here to login. l then got to thinking about a description, the color is rather unique. More than half of California is mountain lion habitat and mountain lions generally exist wherever deer are found. Mountain lions occur across much of the state and bring about a wide range of complex conservation and management challenges. It was an event I can remember like it was yesterday. I know bobcats and it definitely wasnt one especially having a 3+ foot tail that was quite thick. Night-time trail camera photos indicate one or possibly two mountain lions are still using neighborhoods near the river corridor in McCall. Shes 18 now. Then it continued crossing the road and into the woods. It was bloody and the hair was a mess around its head. The Missouri Dept of Conservation release information regarding a vehicle striking a mountain lion (cougar) not far from Six Flags. "It ran right in front of my truck a few weeks ago," said Kenneth Basler, a town official who said he saw the large cat around Stevens Pond . The Damned Story: Eastern mountain lions, or pumas or cougars, were last officially seen in Connecticut near the end of the 19th century.A threat to livestock, they were hunted out of the state and driven to parts more wild. The same spot, just trying to get to my donkeys late at night. It walked into the tree line and disappeared. Females are typically smaller. On the return paved portion of my ride, l stopped to share my story with my friends at Mick's Canoes. ". Big cats suffered the same fate all over the East Coast except in Florida, where a small, endangered group of panthers still roams the Everglades. Evidence could include the body of a dead mountain lion or a live wild-captured animal; photos or video, in which a mountain lion can be identified and MassWildlife can confirm the location; DNA evidence from hair, scat, etc. Other people say they have seen these beautiful cats and have also caught them, in the past, on camera in the woods. The same year, The Sun ran a story headlined "A Mysterious Big Cat Roams Maryland," which focused on a flurry of cougar reports in Western Maryland. There is no proof. We both stopped. adroll_adv_id = "T6XR4YM2C5FGXNZIDZPFXI"; Copyright 2023Outdoor News. I am sincerely amazed at the number of emails I continue to receive about mountain lion or cougar sightings in New Jersey. Then it turned and went back into the woods. California: 4,000 - 6,000. -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. If you purchase a product or register for an account through one of the links on our site, we may receive compensation. Let us know what's going on! From PD:Read your article about mountain lions in NJ. According to Arizona Game and Fish Department (AZGFD), a person may use dogs to pursue, but not kill or capture a mountain lion in a unique pursuit-only season that coincides with the open season. 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. Very interesting piece. However, deer in the park are normally about 100 lbs. Mountain lion sighting reported in Worcester County. Arizona mountain lion tags are available over-the-counter or can be purchased by mail for $15 to Arizona locals. 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. "They never left," Mr. Lutz argues. They used to roam the entire continent, but have become extinct in most US states. Many people do not realize how large a grown Bobcat is. adroll_currency = "USD"; A .mass.gov website belongs to an official government organization in Massachusetts. A mountain lion sighting was reported at, Showshoe West Virginia. Create a password that only you will remember. Use of and/or registration on any portion of this site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement, Privacy Policy and Cookie Statement, and Your Privacy Choices and Rights (each updated 1/26/2023). ) or https:// means youve safely connected to the official website. 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 . Rags to riches: Stars who were once homeless, Nowhere to hide: US military's portable anti-material weapons, Semper Fi: Famous people you didnt know were U.S. Marines, Fire from the clouds: US military close air support, Beauty and brains: Smartest female celebrities, Fastest combat planes in the US Air Force, Pence fails to see nuance in Ukraine war, sides with military-industrial complex. They are also known as pumas, cougars and panthers. Mountain Lion Weight: 80-160 pounds Length: About 7-8 feet long Tail: 2-3 feet long (up to half of the total length) Identification The mountain lion is a large, slender cat, with a long rope-like tail. Now man is encroaching into more remote parts of the state, forcing the cougars out of their hiding places, Mr. Lutz says. My house, which is located in Hewitt, NJ (West Milford township), faces the woods, which is actually the edge of Wawayanda State Park. AZGFD sold 11,851 tags in 2021; 260 mountain lions were killed, 17 of those as the result of livestock depredations. It was crossing Clove Rd. YouTubes privacy policy is available here and YouTubes terms of service is available here. MassWildlife receives dozens of reportsa year, most are simplyreportsor sightings with no evidence. The animal just stood there for a few minutes and then walked off towards the lake. Also, Bobcats are spreading into areas in which they have not been seen before. For a limited time, you can get full access to breaking news, all original Outdoor News stories and updates from the entire Great Lakes Region and beyond, the most up-to-date fishing & hunting reports, lake maps, photo & video galleries, the latest gear, wild game cooking tips and recipes, fishing & hunting tips from pros and experts, bonus web content and much, much more, all on your smartphone, tablet or desktop For just a buck per month! half a mile before you reach the Deptford Mall. Washington, D.C., Maryland and Virginia local news, events and information. It was about 6 or 7 years ago. contact the Division of Fisheries and Wildlife. From AM:Yes, we DO have them in NJ, regardless of whether the state denies it or not. It looked so powerful! One other gentleman and I almost 10 years ago saw a mountain lion on our worksite in Clinton NJ. Mountain lions became scarce in the East after a bounty system wiped out most predatory animals. After reading your article I'm not so sure, maybe she really did see them. If youre still curious, read on to brush up on your mountain lion knowledge. From SS:Some years ago we were on our way home from my sister-in-laws house burning. After the male mountain lion was removed from Red Hill Trail on May 11, additional sightings in that area were reported: one on May 16, and two over the weekend of May 19 and 20. . Many believe mountain lions still exist in Pennsylvania. Using DNA and physical evidence, state environmental officials said they determined that the animal . The report stated that a woman spotted a mountain lion in Greenbelt. Maryland - There have been many sightings of mountain lions and a lot of debate about the existence of mountain lions in Maryland. Thank you for your website feedback! 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. .it walked right out downwind of us and broadside to both of us at 25 yards or so. ", With its long tail and sleek, cat-like body, the animal was unquestionably a mountain lion, Mrs. Vanosnabrugge says. The policeman, who didn't want to be identified, says he was on his way home from work about 3 a.m. when the cougar crossed Circle Road in an wooded area adjacent to Robert E. Lee Memorial Park. From RE:Hi Joe, no one believed me but back in about 1986 I was. Then, a gentleman who worked in our IT department said, I believe you. Offer valid thru 3/31/23. Brigantino Park notice. 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). We had just finished setting up the stuff on the driveway and were just sitting enjoying the silence when we both spotted what looked like a giant cat across the street on the edge of the field near the tree line. A mountain lion reportedly showed up last week in a section of the Fernwood State Forest in eastern Ohio not far from Steubenville. I saw it too while jogging at lunchtime. At least someone else believed me. With all the deer, geese, and other prey everywhere, why wouldnt they be here!!!! It was heading northeast toward Peapack, NJ. From PD: Read your article about mountain lions in NJ. While the initial video got all of the attention, Soto posted a second video, too, showing a pack of hounds looking for scent in the area when the lion was sighted. A lock icon ( Someone photographed the animal at the Brunswick School on Greenwich, Connecticut about 40 miles away on June 5th.