Moutain Lion in Western NY?
11-18-2005, 08:52 AM
#11
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: Western NY
Posts: 339
RE: Moutain Lion in Western NY?
I am a firm beliver that there are at least a couple mountain lions in the southern tier especially in Cattaraugus county seems like that's where I here the most about sightings. I do however belive that more than half of the stories out there are people jumping on the band wagon and talking alot of BS. But I'll extend an invitation to anyone out there to go out and go predator calling at night with me - I know I am not going alone at all this year from what I have seen and herd. I don't mind a coyote running in on me and blasting it with the 12gauge but I'm not so sure a mountain lion running in on me would be the ideal situation.
My brother goes to finger lake community college and he is in the environmental science program there. He said that about a week ago there was some type of forum that was closed to the public - invite only and supposably had something to do with all the mountain lion sightings that have been popping up around NY. He said that he tried to get one of the professors to get him in but he wasn't able to and said that there were DEC officers from all over on campus that had been invited. He is trying to find out more on what the details of the meeting were about but I have not talked to him in a couple of days.
Phade - when I found my deer there had been a pretty good wind storm that night and the leaves came off most of the trees and covered the ground. I didn't really look for tracks and the ground wasn't that soft in the area I found my doe so i'm not sure if it would have left tracks anyways. I did fid those other tracks along the logging rd though and they definately looked to be big enough to be lion tracks. I really need to start carrying a camera with me in the woods and in the car though. I see alot of really cool things that I would like to get photos of not just having to do with mountain lions. i saw one of the biggest bucks I have ever seen on my way to work they other day and over the summer saw a bald eagle about 20 ft of the rd sitting in a tree. Not things everyone gets to see everyday.
My brother goes to finger lake community college and he is in the environmental science program there. He said that about a week ago there was some type of forum that was closed to the public - invite only and supposably had something to do with all the mountain lion sightings that have been popping up around NY. He said that he tried to get one of the professors to get him in but he wasn't able to and said that there were DEC officers from all over on campus that had been invited. He is trying to find out more on what the details of the meeting were about but I have not talked to him in a couple of days.
Phade - when I found my deer there had been a pretty good wind storm that night and the leaves came off most of the trees and covered the ground. I didn't really look for tracks and the ground wasn't that soft in the area I found my doe so i'm not sure if it would have left tracks anyways. I did fid those other tracks along the logging rd though and they definately looked to be big enough to be lion tracks. I really need to start carrying a camera with me in the woods and in the car though. I see alot of really cool things that I would like to get photos of not just having to do with mountain lions. i saw one of the biggest bucks I have ever seen on my way to work they other day and over the summer saw a bald eagle about 20 ft of the rd sitting in a tree. Not things everyone gets to see everyday.
11-18-2005, 07:11 PM
#12
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location:
Posts: 427
RE: Moutain Lion in Western NY?
I saw the news tape on the mountain lion citings and the cat in the video was a mountain lion.I have heard they have been cited near the thruway near where I live.I can't get out in the woods but if I see one near the road,I will try to get a picture.
11-18-2005, 11:36 PM
#13
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Brockport, NY
Posts: 613
RE: Moutain Lion in Western NY?
Bottom line...no wild mountain lions in NY state. Captive reared and accidental releases or escaped animals, MAYBE. No DEC conspiracies either. Before folks run these silly rumors, they ought to use their heads. This would be a liability nightmare. I know JHoffman and Rwalter63 are honest and not starting trouble, and Im not aiming my comments at these good guys. But the whole scenario is silly at best. Big cats drag kills and/or carrion off some distance and also at least partially bury it. Thats just what lions do. Coyotes, even just 2 or 3, will strip a deer overnight. Like many canines, they eat like gluttons, and literally gorge themselves with as much as they can carry.
Another thing...they say it "appears" a large animal attacked a decoy. Hmmm, could it have been...a buck? They do it every year, slash them to bits with antlers (look like claw marks) and knock them over and spread them across the yard or field where theyre left unattended. We see this every year.
By the way, wanna see the truth with some of these "witnesses"? Ask them what a mountain lion sounds like. Then ask them what a grey fox, young horned owl, and birds like great blue and green herons sound like while on the roost at night. Now theres some animals that can make some very loud, very unusual vocalizations at night.
Outside of the odd captive animal thats been let go or escaped, we just dont have em! Heck, and I for one wish we did!
Another thing...they say it "appears" a large animal attacked a decoy. Hmmm, could it have been...a buck? They do it every year, slash them to bits with antlers (look like claw marks) and knock them over and spread them across the yard or field where theyre left unattended. We see this every year.
By the way, wanna see the truth with some of these "witnesses"? Ask them what a mountain lion sounds like. Then ask them what a grey fox, young horned owl, and birds like great blue and green herons sound like while on the roost at night. Now theres some animals that can make some very loud, very unusual vocalizations at night.
Outside of the odd captive animal thats been let go or escaped, we just dont have em! Heck, and I for one wish we did!
11-19-2005, 12:39 AM
#14
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: Sackets Harbor, New York
Posts: 2,509
RE: Moutain Lion in Western NY?
what i dont get is people are all saying there are no wild ones, they must be captive ones that were released or escaped. so what?
the fact is they are still out there in the wild either way.
I do think a DEC stocking and coverup theory doesnt hold water, but i think they are out there.
But at the same time, I think its pretty closed minded for people to deny any possibility that one could have come into the area on its own from up north. There are always extremes in any case. It is a possibilty that they are out there, and could have come naturally, just not in huge secret populations that nobody seems to get on video.
the fact is they are still out there in the wild either way.
I do think a DEC stocking and coverup theory doesnt hold water, but i think they are out there.
But at the same time, I think its pretty closed minded for people to deny any possibility that one could have come into the area on its own from up north. There are always extremes in any case. It is a possibilty that they are out there, and could have come naturally, just not in huge secret populations that nobody seems to get on video.
11-20-2005, 07:12 AM
#16
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Upstate New York
Posts: 2,435
RE: Moutain Lion in Western NY?
But at the same time, I think its pretty closed minded for people to deny any possibility that one could have come into the area on its own from up north.
11-20-2005, 06:59 PM
#17
Thread Starter
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location:
Posts: 135
RE: Moutain Lion in Western NY?
Bill,
Thanks for the support, I am not trying to stir up trouble. I don't believe that there are wild mountian lions in WNY either. I do think it is possible that one was released or escaped and that is the main reason I posted this. I have family and friends who live in Hamburg and was just curiuos to see what people have seen and heard. I didn't see the video of this cat they supposed caught on film in Hamburg only the news story. On another note of wild rumors I don't believe I ran accross a hunter that lives in Springville with weekend and he said that someguy he knowskilled a 100+ lb wolf and that they had a photo of it next to a deer that it had just taken down. My guess is that they couldn't guess wieght and it was a large coyotte (possible with some wolf DNA in it.) . Eastern coyotes according to what I have read are starting to show signs of wolf DNA.
Thanks again
Thanks for the support, I am not trying to stir up trouble. I don't believe that there are wild mountian lions in WNY either. I do think it is possible that one was released or escaped and that is the main reason I posted this. I have family and friends who live in Hamburg and was just curiuos to see what people have seen and heard. I didn't see the video of this cat they supposed caught on film in Hamburg only the news story. On another note of wild rumors I don't believe I ran accross a hunter that lives in Springville with weekend and he said that someguy he knowskilled a 100+ lb wolf and that they had a photo of it next to a deer that it had just taken down. My guess is that they couldn't guess wieght and it was a large coyotte (possible with some wolf DNA in it.) . Eastern coyotes according to what I have read are starting to show signs of wolf DNA.
Thanks again
11-22-2005, 02:31 AM
#18
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Brockport, NY
Posts: 613
RE: Moutain Lion in Western NY?
RWalter, I saw that "wolf" pic too...last year! In fact, the time I saw it the text said it was from Hilton NY and examined by C.O. Doe...a friend and neighbor of mine. Of course, it wasnt true, and just another fab photo. As for moose's comments about dragging kills up trees, I hope he wasnt referring to MY comments, I mentioned drags, but no trees. Anyone with even basic knowledge of mt lions knows all about cats dragging large game away from a kill site and covering it with ground litter.
I guess we all would love to have a lion sighting, or a wolf, or just something thats not the norm, if for no other reason then to be able to say "what if?" Heck, every year we supposedly break the world record deer around here, only to find out later it wasnt even close. Its kind of fun in a way, really. But, things like bigfoot and others just doesnt happen enough. I think if we had the high deer populations of the nineties during the seventies, before so much land had been developed, maybe cats WOULD have expanded to the northeast from their current range. With all the exotic game breeders Ive heard of, getting pinched by new regs, I dont doubt a few were released or escaped. I just know better then to think the state could legally stock them.
By the way, I doubt anyone feels youre stirring up trouble, just pointing out an article on this stuff.
I guess we all would love to have a lion sighting, or a wolf, or just something thats not the norm, if for no other reason then to be able to say "what if?" Heck, every year we supposedly break the world record deer around here, only to find out later it wasnt even close. Its kind of fun in a way, really. But, things like bigfoot and others just doesnt happen enough. I think if we had the high deer populations of the nineties during the seventies, before so much land had been developed, maybe cats WOULD have expanded to the northeast from their current range. With all the exotic game breeders Ive heard of, getting pinched by new regs, I dont doubt a few were released or escaped. I just know better then to think the state could legally stock them.
By the way, I doubt anyone feels youre stirring up trouble, just pointing out an article on this stuff.
11-22-2005, 04:28 AM
#19
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location:
Posts: 326
RE: Moutain Lion in Western NY?
i believe they are out there, ive never seen one my self , but ive talked to a few people who are reputable , and would absolutly know what they were looking at.the sightings were around the n.y. city resovoir area . and an unnamed semi populated area . wild or released or stray pets or whatever a couger is a cougar!!!
11-23-2005, 11:50 AM
#20
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: Western NY
Posts: 339
RE: Moutain Lion in Western NY?
With as many people as there are getting into the exotic animal business do any of you think it is possible that enough of these big cats were released not by the DEC but by people that got in over their heads with caring for these animals that there could be a breeding population of these animals in isolated areas?
I read an article recently about the same problem in the everglades with people releasing reticulated pythons that got way bigger than expected and became a danger to the owners. Their is not a sustainable population in the everglades and it has wildlife biologists worried about what effects it could have on the ecosystem down there. There was a picture with the article of a 16' python that had eaten a don't quote me on this but I think it was a 9' aligator - they both killed each other - The python actually swallowed the gator but before dying the gator ripped open the side of the snake - The problem is that the gator was the dominate predator in the glades and now they are not sure which of the two are going to win that battle in the long run.
Another article related to this one had to do with people releasing captive raised mountain lions over in England and there is now supposably a breeding population that is causing a problem with livestock over there.
Just a thought - it gets off the DEC conspiracy theroy bit - and gives a different perspective on things.
I read an article recently about the same problem in the everglades with people releasing reticulated pythons that got way bigger than expected and became a danger to the owners. Their is not a sustainable population in the everglades and it has wildlife biologists worried about what effects it could have on the ecosystem down there. There was a picture with the article of a 16' python that had eaten a don't quote me on this but I think it was a 9' aligator - they both killed each other - The python actually swallowed the gator but before dying the gator ripped open the side of the snake - The problem is that the gator was the dominate predator in the glades and now they are not sure which of the two are going to win that battle in the long run.
Another article related to this one had to do with people releasing captive raised mountain lions over in England and there is now supposably a breeding population that is causing a problem with livestock over there.
Just a thought - it gets off the DEC conspiracy theroy bit - and gives a different perspective on things.