Author Topic: Cougars in Virginia (Read 7722 times)

galster69 · « **Reply #30 on:** August 12, 2010, 12:44:51 PM »

I personally saw a dead cougar in Mt Vernon Springs, NC. It's the central most point of NC. An older friend of mine out in the country was coming home from work and ran into this wounded cat that weighed about 70 lbs in his driveway. Looks like the cat had been hit by a car and couldn't move any of his hind limbs. He was crawling into my buddies field right next to his driveway with just his front legs. My buddy got out with his pistol and put the cat out of his misery, then called the wildlife department to come check it out and take it away. I got there right before the Game Warden did and I'll tell you what....it damn sure wasn't de-clawed. I sure wouldn't want to meet up with a live one unarmed! Anyone who says there are no cougars east of the Mississippi (besides FL) must be crazy! Cougars are an elusive animal and adapt well. There's no way in hell they haven't migrated north from FL in search of more remote areas with all the development going on. Keep drinking the gatorade the media is feeding you!

Casull · « **Reply #31 on:** August 12, 2010, 04:39:57 PM »

Quote

Anyone who says there are no cougars east of the Mississippi (besides FL) must be crazy!

Crazy or just plain ignorant. I'm a recent transplant to central VA, having moved here from IL. A simple google search would show that at least 3 lions have been killed in IL in the last 8 or 9 years. And yep, they were not declawed and had no mouth tattoos or other signs of having been pets. Last I checked, IL was east of the Mississippi.

SHOOTALL · « **Reply #32 on:** August 16, 2010, 08:38:53 AM »

casull , central Va. great place ! If by chance you travel RT. 460 between Blackstone and Petersburg keep your eyes open seems several have been seen on that part of the road. I have seen 2 in that area. Story is they were transplanted to Fort Pickett for deer control. Guess some would rather eat out

Rodent · « **Reply #33 on:** August 29, 2010, 03:53:46 AM »

People been seeing Mountain Lions here in Virginia for years. What's the big deal? We have a coyote broblem and there are idiots that say that there aren't any of them east of the Mississippi too.

freetrapper · « **Reply #34 on:** September 06, 2010, 07:28:16 AM »

About ten years ago my son and daughter-in-law live in the high Knob area. One day talking to her on the phone she told me about the bobcat in the back yard and was goneing to take a pitchure of it. It was as big as thier lab and had a long tail. THATS when I told her that was a mountain lion.

Mack in N.C. · « **Reply #35 on:** October 20, 2010, 04:00:59 PM »

Quote from: Ruskin on February 11, 2010, 09:39:36 AM

Re: Cougars in Virginia
« Reply #3 on: February 08, 2010, 03:43:48 PM » Quote

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

There are no cougars east of the mississippi river except in FL.

They are in Sun City Center, Florida.

absolutly there are cougars east of the mississippi.................one killed in tennessee a few years back.....one killed in ga 2 years ago.... one killed in middle georgia was thought to of been a captive gone wild but dna testing proved it to be a florida panther that was searching for new territory......and yes cats can travle hundreds and hundreds of miles....................and whats all the fusss about captives or not.....doesnt matter.....if a male and female released captive find each other and breed then thats a breeding population......

Do your research....if england can have captives go wild and breed(yes there have been some seen in england) then surely a few captives released in eastern north america can hook up with other released captives or others searching for new homes from florida or other places......

jlwilliams · « **Reply #36 on:** October 22, 2010, 03:47:00 AM »

I've been atacked by cougars in my youth. Oh, wait....when you say 'cougar' you mean the animal, not hot older women? Oh....well.....never mind.

SHOOTALL · « **Reply #37 on:** October 22, 2010, 04:33:03 AM »

some have all the luck !

Range Rider · « **Reply #38 on:** October 22, 2010, 06:20:38 AM »

I have lived in lion country most of my life. We here in Wyoming did not have a season until around 1974. You could take a lion on sight, and we did. The state found out that they could make money off them now we have a limited season. I have taken lion seen lions in different conditions. I saw a picture of one taken in Indiana by a wild life camera. This was one well cared for well fed and curried kitty. The picture was a set up or some ones pet. I read all these post on how the eastern states are under attack by lions, panthers of different shades. They are killing life stock and making fools out of other wise smart hunting dogs. The one thing about lions they are short range runners small lungs and will tree rather fast if given a chance when chased. They also hunt by night, even in lion country they are seldom seen in the day light hours. My point is this, where are all the kills by hunters. You should be finding road kills with all the traffic on eastern roads. These night hunters even in the open west are found dead on road ways. When we see pictures of dead or trapped lions in the east we can agree that it is a fact. I think that this is driven by some primal fear and major imagination.

RR

Range Rider · « **Reply #39 on:** October 22, 2010, 06:28:04 AM »

Please post photos of the drive way killers taken in the heat of battle with a handgun. And by the way a 70 lb cat was either very young or very sick. With all the post on this subject you have to have piles of photos and news print. Please post some of these confirmed kills.

RR

Casull · « **Reply #40 on:** October 22, 2010, 01:06:21 PM »

Quote

When we see pictures of dead or trapped lions in the east we can agree that it is a fact. I think that this is driven by some primal fear and major imagination.

Try doing your own research. Like I said, there have been at least 3 killed in Illinois in the last decade (with pictures, articles, etc). Try looking it up before throwing around accusations.

Range Rider · « **Reply #41 on:** October 23, 2010, 05:17:58 AM »

Why would I do research on your "Cat Tails"? I would think you would want to dispaly all these pictures and news account of "Big Cats", prowling the streets of Chicago and East St. Louis. Its like I said where are all these killed and captured lions. There should be road kills reported once in a while. In cat country its very common for town dogs to tree a lion in some ones yard or out buildings. The fact that you are very defensive about this says a lot.

RR

Casull · « **Reply #42 on:** October 23, 2010, 08:04:51 AM »

Quote

Why would I do research on your "Cat Tails"?

Possibly to learn the truth? Oh hell, what am I thinking. You don't care about the truth, just puffing yourself up and proclaiming that you know "things" and us dummies East of the Mississippi don't know anything. Whatever floats your boat. But, in case you are interested, you might check the following:

From a USA Today article dated 11/30/2004:

"In Illinois, a train killed a male cougar on July 15, 2000, in Randolph County, near the Mississippi River, about 70 miles south of St. Louis. It was that state's first documented wild cougar in more than 135 years"

From the Evansville Courier Press dated 11/15/2009:

"Three Illinois mountain lions have met their demise through auto and train hits."

There was also one shot by Chicago Police that dna confirmed came from a South Dakota population (I tried to copy the pic, but it didn't "take").

Quote

There should be road kills reported once in a while.

Ooops. See above.

Range Rider · « **Reply #43 on:** October 23, 2010, 08:37:52 AM »

Chacago cops gun down a Mtn. Lion from South Dakota??? Yes it was found out later that they had bought a ticket to Akron, Ohio on a Trailways Bus. These are escaped pets. The traffic in lion cubs is a major problem. I would like to see pictures of these wild 70 lb weenie lions. What about the terrible Driveway Lion I am sure many pictures were taken of this kill?

? Its not that I think your living in the Wilds of the Corn belt renders you stupid. It is that your post seems to bear it out.

RR

Casull · « **Reply #44 on:** October 23, 2010, 12:13:23 PM »

Yeah, people are buying pet cougars from wild South Dakota stock.

Just goes to prove you can't reason with some people. You claim there is no proof and then when confronted with it, you make snide remarks and show what an ass you are. Oh, well.

243dave · « **Reply #45 on:** October 23, 2010, 07:46:12 PM »

RR, I'm from WV(way out in the sticks) and people has always seen mountain lions. I admit its a rare thing but they are there and they are not escaped pets. I've only seen one and thats all the proof I need. My family has lived in those hills for generations and sightings happen every now and then. People up there see black-ones sometimes. Growing-up I didn't know there was not suppose to be such a thing as black panthers and I suspect a lot of people up there still don't know it. The last sighting of a black-one I know of that can be counted on was about 15-20 years ago by my Dad and uncle in an old womans backyard that had been seeing it for a good portion of that summer. I wasn't there but if they say its so you can believe it as if it was gospel. I'm not trying to argue with anyone I'm just telling what I know to be fact. Dave

scootrd · « **Reply #46 on:** October 23, 2010, 10:04:14 PM »

Folks in Vermont are convinced they are back.. one woman snapped a pick that is being analyzed. She said it was the size of a German Shepard. 12 Bikers also saw one and watched it for quite some time.

http://www.wcax.com/Global/story.asp?S=12880091

http://www.mtbytes.com/mpbridge/article.cfm?articleid=1

I also believe they are back east of the Mississippi in places like upper state new York, Vermont, New Hampshire, Maine.

Range Rider · « **Reply #47 on:** October 24, 2010, 07:54:01 AM »

I have no doubt that Big Cats live in the forest of the upper NE. That area is remote enough to have lions. The Big Cats have to have a some what large hunting range and isolated range for their young. These nut cases that see lions every where and kill them in their drive ways and do not take any pictures??? The same folks that have the Chicago PD fighting off South Dakota Lions in the streets is a little much for anyone to accept. I am sorry we got off the subject. This is about Virginia a beautiful state I am sure and their cat problems. Adiose

RR

Casull · « **Reply #48 on:** October 24, 2010, 08:05:29 AM »

Quote

The same folks that have the Chicago PD fighting off South Dakota Lions in the streets is a little much for anyone to accept.

I didn't "have the Chicago PD fighting off" anything. It was a news story with pictures. If you weren't such an arrogant know nothing you might have checked it out instead of shooting off your mouth and proving your ignorance.

SHOOTALL · « **Reply #49 on:** October 25, 2010, 02:41:46 AM »

Quote from: Range Rider on October 24, 2010, 07:54:01 AM

I have no doubt that Big Cats live in the forest of the upper NE. That area is remote enough to have lions. The Big Cats have to have a some what large hunting range and isolated range for their young. These nut cases that see lions every where and kill them in their drive ways and do not take any pictures??? The same folks that have the Chicago PD fighting off South Dakota Lions in the streets is a little much for anyone to accept. I am sorry we got off the subject. This is about Virginia a beautiful state I am sure and their cat problems. Adiose

RR

Range Rider when it is aginst state law to kill one taking pictures seems some what counter productive really.

Mack in N.C. · « **Reply #50 on:** November 01, 2010, 07:41:26 PM »

of couse there isnt enough woods in virginia or nc for matter to have mtn lions.....you have got to be kiddin me........you neeed to look at all the down east swamps where plenty of 600 lb plus bears roam and the mountains........nc and virginai are slam full of bears fromthe atlantic ocean to the mountains......surely if nc can support thousands of black bears some going over 800 lbs , 100 or so red wolves then i guess a few lions couldnt find enough room!...............mack

also...cat killed in middle geogia was killed by deer hunter......

luckydawg13 · « **Reply #51 on:** November 15, 2010, 12:00:30 AM »

i live in a small town in illinois each year or so we hear of big cats out by us we do have a lot of deer in this state for them to live on

SHOOTALL · « **Reply #52 on:** November 15, 2010, 01:40:12 AM »

There is a rumor of a mt lion being killed a couple weeks or so ago in south east Va. The local news paper offered to pay for pictures and interview. They then found out it was illegal to shoot one and offered to pay all fines etc. if the hunter came forward. I think jail time could be involved and loss of hunting rights would almost be assured so I would be suprised if someone did agree. It was supposed to have been shot in the same area of Va. I have seen two. I really don't understand why folks think they aren't around . The black bear has come back to the same area . We have State and National forest in millions of acres along with the Dismal swamp that both could have survived unnoticed for a hundred years.

slim rem 7 · « **Reply #53 on:** December 30, 2010, 11:28:16 PM »

the man with the big hat ,has the right to his opinion.. i have the right to know he is just wrong..
my eyes don t lie..
i recommend a plate of grits an eggs, as a cure for what ails him.. :)slim

Eltweed · « **Reply #54 on:** March 02, 2011, 02:29:47 PM »

I don't know if they are around in large numbers but did get a very good look at one in broad open daylight crossing a paved road near Boiling Spring Lakes in Brunswick County last fall. I do not generally drive with my camera ready so I did not get a picture. I have also talked to a local surveyor and a local Forest Service fire boss who have both seen some.

scratcherky · « **Reply #55 on:** March 03, 2011, 10:18:09 AM »

Must be having hallucinations! Check this out.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/41871301/ns/us_news-environment/?gt1=43001

Eltweed · « **Reply #56 on:** March 03, 2011, 11:35:10 AM »

The Eastern Cougar is a subspecies of cougar that the folks claim is extinct. That does not mean that other subspecies are not here. The text even suggests that other cougars may be the source of the sightings.

I don't know what subspecies I saw but I do know that I saw a cougar. That is not contradicted by what the people in the post found.

Taxonomy is a funny thing that is often misunderstood. All Eastern Cougars are/were cougars, but not all cougars are Eastern Cougars.

scootrd · « **Reply #57 on:** March 03, 2011, 12:42:42 PM »

Quote from: scratcherky on March 03, 2011, 10:18:09 AM

Must be having hallucinations! Check this out.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/41871301/ns/us_news-environment/?gt1=43001

in a simple phrase - U.S Fish and Game are full of Crap. They're here in upper New England and they exist. too many sightings by to many prominent people. Heck 12 bicyclists all saw one and watched it for quite a while. What is Fish and game going to say about that ? mass hallucination? . Give me a break.

BTW
Here is a Photo of a Coelacanth in 2007 after scientist swore they were extinct ! Oops!! guess they were wrong

The Horton plains primate thought extinct for 60 years ....OOPs!! found in 2010.

Madeiran land snail thought extinct in 1996 but found again in 1999.

Here is a link to 13 more animals once believed extinct but guess again oops they were wrong ..

http://www.mnn.com/earth-matters/wilderness-resources/photos/lazarus-species-13-extinct-animals-found-alive/rediscovere