Track ID Please and a Introduction

[FreezOrBurn]

I live on a secluded property in North Jersey that borders state land. On Sunday 5/4 after the rain, I went to go start my Tractor and I saw this print in the Mud.




Keep in Mind I live in NEW JERSEY.



The print was less then a foot away from my 3 year old son"™s footprint.



I never let my boys outside without supervision. Now that I found that print I"™m worried to even leave them outside alone for even a few seconds. I moved my shot gun from the safe to a ready position.

The animal this print matches in my field guide, is supposed to be extinct in New England.

My name is Ken and I am new to the Forum. I don"™t hunt but I shoot a recurve. A few hunters park on my land and in exchange they give me part of there harvest for the Grill.

[brucelanthier]

Welcome to the forum.

I googled "cougar print" and this was one of the hits:

http://homepages.dordt.edu/~mahaffy/mtlion/print_id/cougar_print_id.html

[crutch]

It does look like the picks on the link that BL posted. I would say if its a cougar, it's a pretty good sized one!

[FreezOrBurn]

People would think I'm nuts, Catamounts (cougars) are not supposed to exist in the north east any more and this is New Jersey.

[twildasin]

Time to get your hunters in there and let them do some trapping.

[FreezOrBurn]

Lets not have any confusion Those are my pic"™s from my house. I have a plaster cast.

Cruth, can you post the link to the post? Before this post, Only the DEP and A local cop had the pictures.

I'm surprized it could get around that fast.

[crutch]

Not sure how to post a link to this? I am sure someone on here can easily do it!

[Austin/WI]

I'd say that's a real big kitty!

And welcome to forum! This place rocks!!

[brucelanthier]

ORIGINAL: FreezOrBurn

Lets not have any confusion Those are my pic"™s from my house. I have a plaster cast.

Cruth, can you post the link to the post? Before this post, Only the DEP and A local cop had the pictures.

I'm surprized it could get around that fast.

I posted a link to pictures of other cougar tracks. I believe that is what he is talking about. The link is in my first post.

here is some info on the size of a cougars home range:
Home ranges of females range from 26 to 350 square kilometers, with an average of 140 square kilometers. Female home ranges may overlap extensively. Male home ranges do not overlap with those of other males and typically encompass the home ranges of two females. They range in size from 140 to 760 square kilometers, with an average of 280 square kilometers.

from here: http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/site/accounts/information/Puma_concolor.html

[Deleted User]

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