Cougar Sighting in Central NY
 

Any one else hear about this>

I heard that there was a confirmed Cougar sighting in Madison County NY last week, and that DEC was on the scene and verified it.

It seems like if this were true - it would be big news - but I haven't heard much more than the rumor.

Can anyone verify it?????//

RE: Cougar Sighting in Central NY
 

Well a few months ago one was spotted a few times in Nothern Bergen County, New Jersey. Local Police and workers from either a UPS or Federal Express warehouse spotted it, the NJF&W came to investigate, but I never heard anything else after that. Typical of either federal or state goverment to keep things on the "QT".

RE: Cougar Sighting in Central NY
 

lol--do a seach on this topic and see what u get....:D

RE: Cougar Sighting in Central NY
 

the reason it wasn't big news was that they didn't want to alarm the public of a big cat around the area. The dec is pretty sneaky when it comes to stuff like this. Probably the cat was intoduced to limit the coyote problem in the area.

RE: Cougar Sighting in Central NY
 

yeah, then when theres too many cougars, they will introduce KODIAK BEARS to limit the cougars.....do you people really...nevermind, it will only fall on deaf ears.
flame away, conspiracy theorists:D

RE: Cougar Sighting in Central NY
 

I'm sure that the DEC would secretly reintroduce an animal as dangerous as a mountain lion with no public hearings.......................................... ........................Come on like I said on the last 5 Mountain lion in NY threads some one post a picture.

RE: Cougar Sighting in Central NY
 

I thought at least half of our so called 'black bears' were actually Grizzly bears, either painted black, or genetically altered to grow black hair and that are trained to hunt down any reintroduced lion that as shown himself before a picture can be taken. After all, just as the mountain lion and coyote are mortal enemies so are the grizzly and mountain lion. Of course keeping this secret isn't hard as the media is always willing to cooperate if you just ask them nicely and everyone in the whole world is real good at secrets.

RE: Cougar Sighting in Central NY
 

Well I guess no one else heard the report. I only heard it 2nd hand, but it was from a semi-reliable source - so I was curious.

by the way - I did a search:

http://www.google.com/search?q=couga...n&lr=&ie=UTF-8

if anyone wants to read through it.

- Farm Hunter

RE: Cougar Sighting in Central NY
 

Farm hunter, it is plausable that there was a sighting, was it a "wild" cougar, or was it one that some idiot thought would be a "cool" pet and then took it out to turn loose?? Who knows... I can say that they do exist in the NE as I have what I believe to be a male cross my property every year. I have only seen the cat 3 times now and he is moving along so I do not have the time to get pics...but I know what I see. Whether it is an Eastern Cougar, or a pet someone has turned loose to go feral I am not sure. All it does is cross thru my acreage and thats that. The DNR did confirm a cow kill on the top ridge of my acreage as a large cat kill....that was somewhat humbling. LOL This cat just crosses thru the area I think...but I still worry when my son is out playing as a Cougar if they attack is after only one thing....FOOD!!
My guess is it is perhaps the same in your area?? Btw, Cats as a general rule go back to their wild nature more so than a domestic canine will and much faster too. Just a thought....

RE: Cougar Sighting in Central NY
 

E X T I R P A T E D....................get it?

RE: Cougar Sighting in Central NY
 

moose just beause one has not been found dose not mean they are not there. the wolf is in the adarandak still the dec even said so]

RE: Cougar Sighting in Central NY
 

Moose - What's up with your attitude? Seriously, it was only a simple question.

I never said I even thought there might be a cougar - just curious if others heard the report -

What an IDIOT!!!

RE: Cougar Sighting in Central NY
 

I live in N.W. New Jersey (watergap area) and have heard some pretty reliable people tell me that they thought they saw Mt. Lions....These are hunters and outdoors type people.........
My question is this???? If they are around...Why don't they leave tracks in the snow????? I'm a trapper and advid outdoorsman who spends counless time in the outdoors during the winter ,and have never saw Mt. Lion tracks in the snow!
Till I see hard evidence, I will remain sceptical !

RE: Cougar Sighting in Central NY
 

lets get it straight-

Beaconboy- there has been ONE wolf in NY in 100 years (confirmed) and they are pretty sure it was a loose pet...one animal does not a population make

Farm hunter- i was not attacking you personally, but since you called me an idiot for no reason, then you can get bent.
if i had a nickle for every jackass that believes ENCON would release cougars/wolves/sasquatch to controll the coyote/cougar/human population, i'd be a wealthy man. like i said, do a search on the subject. it's a joke.

there are no WILD cougars in New York. they've been gone for a century, and while everyone and there brother sees them, it's amazing that these animals survive, having no paws to leave tracks or anything.

oops, gotta go, there's a crocodile in my sewer line just waiting to eat my poodle.

;)

RE: Cougar Sighting in Central NY
 

Hey Malloy apparently you guys arent harvesting enought deer, so the need to put out something that will keep the population in check.. How are you doing with that camp, last photos, you sent me it looked sharp, really good enough to live in, I could deal with that......

RE: Cougar Sighting in Central NY
 

Hey Ron - I'm well, it good to see you posting every so often. The cabin's come a long way, but alas - it seems we always have something to do - (staining this year, and interioir painting 2 rooms.) Did you get your's built the way you wanted?

Moose- I apologize - I should not have called you an idiot. If you knew me, then you would understand that I studied NYS Fisheries and Wildlife in college. That, while I did not choose my profession as such, its is still my passion. Also, I know that there are no cougars in NY. I heard the story from my father - who heard it through a good friend of one of the local DEC employees - supposedly. I figured that someone might know the true story (bobcat?, Pet?, Coyote?) so I posted the question.

I depise the rumors that you elude to as well. I dislike even more, how gulible some people are, when the facts can be so easily obtained - the one that I remember best is the email that went around showing a HUGE Coyote - dead laying next to a nice 8 point buck - and so many people beleived the 200 lb coyote story!

Another one I hate is the "Black Wolves" and "coydogs" in NY.

RE: Cougar Sighting in Central NY
 

moose i know one dose not make a pop. but it do open the chance for more. but there is a great chance they might be hear deep in the adaranaks, so why rule out the the chance of it . i know for a . and farm hunter black is a collor of some wolves and yes there is a chance that the mighit have been released by people who had them as pets. but if a pair was onwened there is a pop started.
as for coy-dogs i do belive they have been some of this hybred shot.

RE: Cougar Sighting in Central NY
 

gentlemen, i'm glad we're all still friends. have a good day!

RE: Cougar Sighting in Central NY
 

I am glad that I have now met the all-knowing expert on the 100% truth about wildlife in NY. now i know where to turn if i need the 100%, absolute, no doubt facts about all things wild in NY

how can anyone say that there is a 100% certainty that there are no cougars in NY whether "natural" or loose pets (however, i do think most sightings are misguided). some where probably saying the same thing about moose a few years back. no they are rather common in the adirondacks. the sam could be said for bear in the souther tier. they are migrating farther and farther north from PA and the Catskills. now there are sightings in chenango and other counties where bears were not "native"

my point is - animals move, migrate, adapt and inhabit areas that may not be their "natural" habitat. whether pets or not - they could be hear - same goes for wolves

by the way - i do think there are coydogs (just my belief, based on what i've seen)

RE: Cougar Sighting in Central NY
 

Just one stinking picture, come on guys. There have been quite a few people that have said they have seen a pictures of everything from a huge black cougar to a regular cougar,show me one stinking picture.:eek:

RE: Cougar Sighting in Central NY
 

If there are no Eastern Cougars living in NY I'll be very surprised, because we have them here in NH---seen 'em myself. Last year we had one that no less than 15 people saw and it even took a fawn off of one guys' field while he was watching. The NH F&G responded to the area many times due to the frequent sightings.

Also while shooting a 3D in Townsend MA in February of 2002 we came across a set of pug tracks in the snow---having seen Mountain Lion tracks before out West, we immediately knew what they were. When the club officials were asked they said the State Wildlife Commission had been contacted and they came out for a look two days prior---and confirmed what we already knew---said it was "probably just passing through".

Bottom line is that mountain lions/cougars/pumas are around in most states tho probably scarce in many of the eastern ones---but Wildlife Commissions do not want to cause a panic so say little on the subject. Having personally seen a mother and kit run across our field a few years ago,(1999) and knowing many of the people who witnessed the one last year, I know for certain that 1) these people are credible, and 2) I know what I saw myself. They are here in the Northeast-- I can guarantee you that. Good shooting, Pinwheel 12

RE: Cougar Sighting in Central NY
 

Got a picture??[8D]:D;)

RE: Cougar Sighting in Central NY
 

charlie p the only thing that will settle this is a dead on being found or one killed or worse yet a couger kill a person

RE: Cougar Sighting in Central NY
 

CharlieP---

I think one or two of the people who saw the one last year here in NH has some pics---I'll try to get ahold of one in the next few days as time permits---I personally do not have one of the female and kit I saw in 1999, no. My sighting was much like most people who see them-- it is a total surprise--- not "choreographed" like funniest home videos or whatever. I honestly don't know too many people that lug a camera around with them all day around these parts ready to snap a shot at a moments' notice! haha... All kidding aside, Cats are very reclusive, so it's tough to get them on camera, especially in areas where the population is sparse.;) Good shooting, Pinwheel 12

RE: Cougar Sighting in Central NY
 

hey charlie P-- who is "the all knowing expert" , you or me?:D

RE: Cougar Sighting in Central NY
 

You guys wanted things backed up---well I do not as yet have pics in hand, but I do have documented confirmation of cougars in the Northeast. Click on the link below. The one of the Quabbin Res in 1997 gives ample proof of cougars in our area---Quabbin Res. is only 13miles from our home as the crow flies(and where we have had sightings both in 1999 and then the ones last year) Hope this helps until I can contact those who have the pics and see if I may borrow one or two. Pinwheel 12

http://www.easterncougarnet.org/4-97.htm

RE: Cougar Sighting in Central NY
 

Hey Moose 1915, I'm one of the so called jackasses that believe that the nysdec would put cats out to control the coyote population, without public notice. I guess that if you don't see them they don't exist, right? Ask anybody if they seen a 200 class whitetail deer in NY, just because you don't see them dosen't mean they don't exist? Last time I checked, central NY is a pretty big place, I highly doubt that you have checked everyplace, oh yeah, I forgot, your all seeing and all knowing so you have been everywhere? Just because it is written in the paper or written on the internet dosen't mean it is 100% true, and maybe you can find thousands of articles on the topic that you can show us jackasses, But the bottom line is we only know what they want us to know. I know first hand that they are in NY, seen them ,touched them, released them. So before you run off at the mouth and insult all the people who view this website, get your facts straight, and don't believe everything you read.

RE: Cougar Sighting in Central NY
 

A little more detail would go a long way in makeing your statement credible - not saying it isn't, just hard to accept without some verification.
Steve

RE: Cougar Sighting in Central NY
 

As for my reply, to my earlier statement about the cougars, I understand that more info would make my comments more solid, and shed light on alot of topics, but I am restricted by certain THINGS. I will tell you this, you would be suprised to find out the animals we don't have here, or so they say. Sorry can't help.

RE: Cougar Sighting in Central NY
 

moose what are you that you know for sure they are not here in nys .and lou lou i do blive they are a rag tag band of cougar here as for the dec part in it i dont belive it the put them there out the have just come home so to speak but if they are here the dec knows it ? maybe they dont want a panic. all i can say is if you in a spot and they have been reported a lot keep a camra with ya and get picture proof and the the rest might start to belive they are hear

RE: Cougar Sighting in Central NY
 

Animals have a great tendancy to repopulate suitable habitat, if given have a chance. I don't doubt for a minute that captive cougars have been set free by unprepared pet owners. I don't know if they'd have the ability to survive long, but they would probably be seen on occassion.

I recently read an interesting study where they had done some gene profiling on the Eastern Coyote. They found that it contained a percentage of wolf genes, but no dog genes. It appears that it is a wolf hybrid (small percentage of wolf), not a coydog.

RE: Cougar Sighting in Central NY
 

loulou.So you have taken part in this black op for the DEC? Your the person that has released cougars in NYS with out the publics knowledge,just can't talk about here even though you just did.

You got any secret pictures?

I guess somone should find out who you really are(not that hard to do) and supeona your butt into court. Because if what you say is true it's an illegal act.

RE: Cougar Sighting in Central NY
 

LMAO- The only thing insulted is my inteligence, by reading your last post. i am supposed to believe that you released cougars into NY? dude , this is off the handle! hey i'm sure they could be in maine, new hampshire, whatever, but thats not the the topic at hand. the topic is "COUGAR SIGHTING IN CENTRAL NEW YORK."
and to this date , there has been no scat, tracks, hairs ,videos, kill sites, photos, NOTHING to back up this statement. last time this thread went around, someone sent me a picture of a black housecat in a cornfield. it's laughable. Man, every state that HAS cougars has an issue with them, and new York is covertly releasing them..............riiiiiiiiight.
go to www.snopes.com (the urban legend homepage) and look around. every story that gets regurgitated here is documented there. giant pike -catfish- bluegills that scared underwater welders so badly they quit thier jobs, DEC releasing rattlesnakes to control the wild turkey population (my favorite)... the 200lb coyote in PA that turned out to be someones 120lb pet wolf-malamute hybrid, it's all there.

i've no interest in getting into a pissin match here, just think about what you're laying out for us to believe.

hey, you very well may have been involved in a conspiracy/black op to release cougars in NY..........cool.
i think that would make climbing into a tree at 4 am to go bowhunting quite interesting.... but till i see some proof, i'll remain skeptical.
the jackasses i was refering to are the ones that come to my fathers taxidermy shop with a coyote thinking its a timber wolf, or a bobcat saying it's a cougar. happens at least 2 times a season.
have a good one
-moose

RE: Cougar Sighting in Central NY
 

Shelly Lefever, (716) 793-4817, 91 Union St, Westfield, NY 14787 That you Shelly?

RE: Cougar Sighting in Central NY
 

so moose is that your back ground taxidermy. and that lets you know whats here and whats not. as for snops if it where a news papers it would not be fit tolite reading

RE: Cougar Sighting in Central NY
 

and your background is what, English major?
sorry could not resist;)

ding ding --- i'm done with this thread permanently

RE: Cougar Sighting in Central NY
 

http://www.easterncougarnet.org/northeast.htm

Sad to see that recently on most threads nowadays everything results in a pi$$ing match with few facts or documentation links to support anything. Opinions don't cut it when trying to prove oneself IMHO.

I guess the bottom line is that people will believe what they want to.;)

Me, I cannot personally fathom the fact that there have been CONFIRMED instances of Cougars in the Northeast, and yet some still say no, no, there are none in NY, even tho you have a pretty nice chunk of Wilderness out there!! It always had to be a pet, had to be this, must be a figment of your imagination, etc. Too many biologists and Wildlife Officials out there that know better, and some even go to the trouble of proving things beyond a shadow of doubt thru DNA testing for that type of response to hold water IMO.

While it is in fact true that they are certainly SCARCE in the Northeast, and admittedly some may have been captive pets that escaped or whatever, one cannot simply say "nope, none here" when there are in fact increasing amounts of regular sightings and scientific documentation to prove otherwise. Might not be a large population, no, but they have been documented throughout the region with definitive confirmations and also have a high number of "probables" nonetheless.

And if we have confirmations of them in Southern NH, Northern MA, and Southern ME, you can bet your bippy that you have eastern cougars in NY too.;) Still trying to get ahold of a couple of pics, I'll keep trying. Good shooting, Pinwheel 12

RE: Cougar Sighting in Central NY
 

it sad that some people refuse that the chance might be their to the fact that the cougar is here in ny but it is only a matter of time be for they are found true. let hop it is not when a hiker loses their life/

RE: Cougar Sighting in Central NY
 

Well, I have been away for a while, and yet I see things are still the same. The last time I read this inlighting topic it was pretty much the same thing some people belive and some people are skeptical, who can really say for sure weather or not there are cougars in central NY, I know I can't and I don't belive anyone else can honestly say they aren't. If there are cougars in NY so be it! If there aren't well what difference does it really make, It is possible, just like the moose in the adirondacks, animals migrate, habitat changes, people build, inturn running out the wildlife that once lived there, So who's to say it couldn't happen? I just hope that come sept, oct, I don't run into one while climbing into my tree stand. If cougars live here they live here. No need to get all uptight about it.

RE: Cougar Sighting in Central NY
 

they said the same thing up in bellville henderson. rumors like that have been floating around up here for years