Mountain lion confirmed in NY

[tcencore3006]

For years I have been hearing stories about mountain lions in NY.  I figured I wasn't the only one so I thought I would share this article. 
 
http://www.wivb.com/dpp/news/new_york/DEC-confirms-cougar-passed-through-NYS

[DANNY-L]

Why don't they just admit that they are here. My brother see one in the early 90s in his meadow (St.Law.County),he called the dec and they told him there are none here so he told them if he see's it again that he's going to shoot it and they told him not to shoot it so he asked how can I shoot it if there's none here and that was the end of the conversation.

[tcencore3006]

I have spoken to about a dozen people that I know and trust who claim to have seen them in Tioga County. 

[The Hermit]

There was a pair released in Jefferson county and as I understand it, several more pairs have been released through out the state. I saw one myself several years ago off RT 12 in the old Seven Bridges area. They have been photographed locally.
The explanation to the release is because we have too many deer. (gotta quit feeding them out of my garden, but they help themselves).   
I'm more concerned about feral hogs.
 
 
 
 The Hermit

[Doublebass73]

I can't believe they actually admitted it! New Hampshire Fish and Game refuses to admit their existence despite tons of evidence.

[FP1201]

There was a pair released in Jefferson county and as I understand it, several more pairs have been released through out the state. I saw one myself several years ago off RT 12 in the old Seven Bridges area. They have been photographed locally.
The explanation to the release is because we have too many deer. (gotta quit feeding them out of my garden, but they help themselves).   
I'm more concerned about feral hogs.
 
 
 
 The Hermit

One of my best friends is a veteran DEC Officer and has no knowledge of any releases in Jefferson or elsewhere in the State.
That said, another friend that ran sled dogs was out training them and spotted one very large black cat, and it wasn't a house cat either.

[The Hermit]

I got the information from a conversation that a farm neighbor had with a DEC conservation officer that he used to work for at the Brownville management area. I guess they are not here after all, neither are the tracks I saw, or the one I saw. 
 
 
The Hermit

[FP1201]

I got the information from a conversation that a farm neighbor had with a DEC conservation officer that he used to work for at the Brownville management area. I guess they are not here after all, neither are the tracks I saw, or the one I saw. 
 
 
The Hermit

There were/are cats at the Thompson Park Zoo.
Think about it: There's no way the State or its agency the Department of Environmental Conservation IS NOT going to release a breeding pair of Cougars without fully making it well known, and illegal to do anything to them.
I have heard this same report of DEC involvement before, and it's been categorically denied. As for the issue of there being big cats in the wilds of Northen New York; I not only think it's possible, but based on eye witness accounts proable.
Did you ever hear about the schit storm that ensued when Wolves were reintroduced out west? It's really not an argument that big cats are here, only that DEC is responsible...if they were it's a closely held secret.

[DANNY-L]

Sounds like they are just another target.

[SHOOTALL]

Maybe they followed the snow birds home from FL. We have then in Va but they denied it for years. It was claimed an insurance agent had then imported . Then it was the Fort Pickett military base that had them imported , both were to have got them out west. Now the state claims they are from the Fl. strain and are protected by the feds . Better check ya'lls cats pass port before shooting one .