b tip 06

Now before i do this let me just say, i'm not the kind of person to start something just for the he## of it. But i would like some honest opinions and factual info. on this subject. So please leave any bull**** outta this post.

A few months ago, on one of the nastiest, coldestnights we had all winter,something veryeye opening happened here in my part of Va.This "thing"camedownthrough the valley from the north covering tens of miles, crossing a river several times, and terrorizing cattle all the way, in app. a 12hr span.I'm not going to go in to too much detail here because i know it's going to openme up to some judgement. But myself, and a couple other HuntingNet regulars, one in particular (he knows all to well) and even a State Biologist or two, are pretty much convinced of what it was. This is actually my buddies story to tell and maybe he'll come in later anddo just that. But, like i said people are quick to judge on stories like this and he may not want to be in the spotlight.Anyway, i personally am 100% convinced at this point that it was a Mt. Lion. We have black bear aplenty and a few coyotes around, butthey do notnegatively affect cattle the way this did. Much besides, the distance this thing covered in one night is tremendous. Again,please keep the bull**** out and give me your thoughts or facts on the possibility of cougars in the East.

tyleryeags

i dont know about in the east but here in pa ive have heard people seeing them in potter county up at my camp but i belive you that you seen it

b tip 06

No, i never saw anything, in fact no onedid that we know of. Like i said, it was a miserable night with sleet and freezing rain and bitter cold temps., few people were out and about. This is an assumption based on facts that we have gathered ourselves and fromother farmers in the area.

2 Lunger

Just how many miles did this "thing" cover in one night? Exactly what did it do? If you want opinoins then you are going to have to give us more detail. Cats do cover a lot of territory. But for one cat to cover 10-20 miles terrorizing the whole county is something else.

SteveBNy

1000's of reported "siteings" - more in fact then from states where they are known to exist - and not one documented photo, scat, hair or any other proof has been posted.

Show me the proof - not just a feeling from a "night of terror".

Steve

Lanse couche couche

A generation ago you would have gotten laughed at for suggesting there could be panthers in Iowa, Missouri, Wisconsin, or Illinois. But that has changed. Think that there have been panthers from the Black Hills that have been tracked up toas far away as Oklahoma. Not saying that it was a panther that caused the ruckus under discussion, just that I will not be surprised when a confirmed sighting doesoccur in the eastern U.S.

b tip 06

In April 2008, Chicago law enforcement authorities shot and killed a wild western mountain lion.The cat was proven to be wild, and not just an escapee, through autopsy reports and DNA suggestions.This is a long way from Va. but there have been several Class 1 confirmations (dead ,or live captured animals, photographs or video, and positive DNA analysis)and multiple Class 2 confirmations (tangible, physical evidence,scat ,hair, tracks)in the Northeast including Mass., New York, and Maine, all confirmed by researchers and biologist.And reports of "sightings" in almost every state in the union.
Sources; Outdoor Life March 2009
Cougar Network .com

2lunger, this "thing" did'nt terrorize all cattle inthe whole county, just those within sight or smell of it's line of travel (within a couple hundred yards either side of it). And as a matter of fact you can draw a line on the route this thing took and it did go between 10-20 miles.This was proven by a farmer with anenquiringmind who, after his "very tame" cattle had broken 3 strands of barbed wire fence, set out on a mission to find out "why". After several phone calls to neighboring farmers he found that they also had the same problem the same night. Now remember, not all farmers, just those in the path of this thing experiencedproblems.Weeks later, after manyphone-logged hours to farmers, even into an adjacent county,he was able to create a line of travel that stretched over atremendousterritory and it all took place the same night. He reported this to the Game Dep't.with whom he ended up speaking to numerous times. They gave a few suggestions that my buddy quickly discredited, and finally admitted that they could not and would not throw out the idea of this being amt. lion, but again there is no concrete evidence. That is why i was asking for feedback on this subject. I know the guys on HuntingNet are alwaysin and around the outdoors and maybe would have some interesting thoughts or experiences.

2 Lunger

Don't think that I wouldn't believe it. Shoot, I think we are up to four dead wild cougars in IL in the last 8 years. A cat does travel a lot. If this thing traveled 10-20 miles in one night it was definantly on a mission.

b tip 06

2lunger, I also believe that it was on a mission. Perhaps searching for a mate because in all the distance it traveled we have yet to find, or hear about anything that it may have preyed upon. Either that or maybe a subordinate establishing a home range, don't know for sure.

Phil from Maine

They are believed to travel threw this state from time to time going across from Canada threwEastern Maine andgoing across WesternMaine into Canada again. But no one knows for sure. Also the fact that a guy was caught with one that was going to be released into Maine. He went to jail with a felony coonviction.