Long story short..........nothing against the good people of WMU 2G and their opinions and sightings but until someone comes up with REAL PROOF rather than second hand anecdotal evidence I don't believe any of them.
Like I said it's been PROVEN here that a frightening number of people cannot tell the difference between a Bobcat and a Mt. Lion on a trail cam picture in the open, in broad daylight........I don't CARE if they've lived there for 100yrs. Show me a body, or a picture that proves it's in PA or your wasting your time trying to convince me.
Someone SAYING they saw one means NOTHING, ZIPPO, NADDA. Sorry.
I know basically the entire area from Keating to Pottersdale, from the Sinnamhoning to the W. Branch of the Susquehanna. We drive it every year with a fairly large crew for over a week in muzzleloader season WITH SNOW ON THE GROUND. We've seen NOTHING, except a couple bobcats ,deer, some nice elk and black bears and obviously coyotes. I saw one that sat down on a rock 20 yards from me and he was BIG. Easily confused for something else had he been at a distance.
I don't disagree that the predator numbers are up, farmers don't shoot hawks anymore or pole trap them like they did back in the 70's.......that's a little expensive now. Gone are the days of high fur prices for foxes , almost nobody traps like they did 30 years ago when a red would bring $75.
Bobcats populations have always been pretty healthy and coyotes just aren't profitable or easy to hunt. They're dogs and dogs breed like crazy.
Look at the original wolves released around Yellowstone..........look what that small number has become in only 12yrs since release.
Of course animals migrate to and from NY, last I heard they can't read maps and there isn't a 10ft high fence across the border.......just lots of shared forest and farmland.
I love the idea that there could be a population of cougars here, I just don't believe it for a second. SHOW ME A BODY, SHOW ME SOME PROOF. SIGHTINGS ARE NOT PROOF. I don't care if the person lived there their entire lives over generations. People see what they want to see, people believe what they want to believe.