I know they are on the endangered species list, but I cant help cut be concerned about the horse. This state is home to about 100 animals. While driving down a winding mountain road in Madison County (Northwest, VA), I witnessed a large cat trotting up the road toward me. It was a state car. I met with Michael Fies, Wildlife Biologist with the DWR, and we spoke about the history, extinction, and sightings of mountain lions in the Valley. It jumpped across the dirt road and into the woods headed north. I also had NO idea they lived in that area, so close to my home :). People often see bobcats & mistakenly call them a mountain lion. I knew not to run, so I just stood there and waited. Theres no guarantee that cougars trekking from South Dakota will stick around, or that the female in Tennessee will have kittens. When we reviewed these reports, as many as 25 percentare of a large black cat. In Rockingham county virginia, my father, family friend and I go bow hunting for 1 week every year in the GWNF. Currently, there is only one species of wild cat that lives in Virginia. In another leap, the cat was up the bank on the right hand side of the road and off into the woods. There are a lot of instances of someone trying to mess with us, or theyre messing with a buddy, and the buddy sends it to us thinking its real, he said. The deer have been congregating down there. Hmmmm. Comments have now closed permanently, however. Misidentification is typically caused by poor lighting conditions at the time of the sighting. Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email. Mountain lions are now fairly common in suburban areas of California and have recently been sighted as far east as urban Kansas City, Missouri, where several have been hit by cars. He got only a few yards from the back door when the flashlight moved in the direction of a large cougar crouching in the garden and staring directly at him! Last year I was outside with my lab and I heard that scream that sent my dog running frantically away and stopped me in my tracks. Learn more about us & read our affiliate disclosure. He was licking his coat. I was looking out my window but couldnt see anything. In fact, there have been 121 reports that are likely to have been true mountain lion sightings. Authorities say there have been reports of . It was completely jet black, with a very long tail 3-4 feet long. SHE THEN TOLD HER SON THAT A BIG KITTY AS SHE CALLED IT WOULD COME AND EAT THE FOOD AND DRINK THE WATER SHE PUT OUT FOR HER DOBERMAN THAT HAD PASSED AWAY. "I thought, 'holy cow, where did that come from?'" 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In grad school I worked with a lot of the wildlife and natural resources folks at VT. We didnt know what it was, but later walking in the field we found lots of turkey feathers but no specific sign of coyote or lion. It was probably a year later that those people sold their house to another couple with horses. No more mountain lions in Virginia, only bobcats. ANY REPLY IS WELCOME, Dont know if you have any cougar there, but it sure sounds like a good place for wolves. the cougar tail almost sweeps the ground and might have some markings on the tip of gray/white, the rest of the tail looks like short hair and is not bushy. He told me stories of escaped mountain lions that hes seen, but noted that they typically stayed close to people, or near areas where they were kept. He circled and hissed right up against the tent. Broad daylight, it crossed the road approx. My dad found tracks and no, not bear, but cat, on our farm in that area and residents have reported seening a pair crossing just a few miles from where dad saw tracks. any sightings in Roanoke Co.? 1:00. The cougar has not been confirmed in Virginia since 1882, but there are increasing signs they have returned to the state. The cat was black with a tail nearly as long as its body. Part of their success is due to their adaptability when it comes to hunting and habitat needs. I dont know how realistic they are, but here are calls: Bobcat, cougar/mountain lion/puma/painter, whatever the name is in your area. the cougar. My husband and I got a real good look at it though and there was no doubt a mountain lion in Page County Virginia! Hello, People have been reporting sightings of mountain lions in our area for years, but the Virginia DWR says they haven't been in our area since 1882. Most of the cougars around Los Angeles live in the Santa Monica Mountains northwest of the city. Her views represent another twist in the ecological controversy. A young man showed me a photograph from his deer camera. Red wolves have been reintroduced into the state. just wanted to know more about wolves in Virginia. By accepting all cookies, you agree to our use of cookies to deliver and maintain our services and site, improve the quality of Reddit, personalize Reddit content and advertising, and measure the effectiveness of advertising. At first I thought it was a bob cat but it was larger and the color was not right. The good news is that because it was right beside the road, others undoubtedly saw it, too, leaving no doubt that it was indeed a mountain lion because it was much too good a view for there to be any doubt of its species. I should have said that I think I may have seen one myself. Not much evidence but plenty of stories. They are moving Eastward, theyre now found in Western Tennessee. Michael told me. of Wildlife. After all, a three-year-old male lion was struck and killed by car in Connecticut in 2011. So these sightings have been confirmed, and there is in fact at least one mountain lion roaming around in Tennessee. Our daughters were in a 4H group across the park on Bull Run Post Office Road and each week theyd ride their horses across the battlefield to a farn where they practiced Vaulting (circus riding) with their 4H group. This medium-sized cat weighs between 9-33 lbs, has stubby tails and characteristic tufts of hair coming out of its ears. People always had a story to tell about seeing one or hearing one whenever they were in the woods, and claimed the government was turning a blind eye to their reports. Way back in 1977 I was firebossing a mine in McDowell Co WVa. I know mom & dad said they saw it & I do believe them but why, if they are, people denying them being here? In 1994 a friend and I were driving up the Blue Ridge Parkway on our way to Panther Hollow. Ive seen a few cougars in the wild, I dont believe the black phase has ever been confirmed in any mountain lion/cougar/catamount/puma. Have some feedback for us? Sandra Gray. The more details the better! However, it is pretty well accepted that there are no cougars living in the east currently.. Mountain lions and yes black cats. 12. I HAVE HEARD OF AN OLD WOMAN THAT HAD A DOBERMAN THAT STAYED ON HER BACK PORCH NEAR ROCKINGHAM CO NC. My dog is small but the one my neighboor has is a german shepard and I think thats the one I heard yelp. Additionally, those unaccustomed to living near apex predators will need to adjust their way of thinking! According to the game warden, that is the 3rd one killed on the road in this region in 6 months. I believe he sat to hear where that cry was coming frompossibly. But the sound again didnt seem characterstic of a fox, it wasnt a barking or a yelping, it was a scream/cry. My husband quickly put our dog into his pen. It's not the first time the same photo has been used to make claims of local sightings. To learn more about "lion country" in Colorado check here. Losingand RegainingBalance in our Deer Population. See also Are There Local Taxes In Virginia? He was a founder of the Greater Yellowstone Coalition. Officials explained the deceased animal must have wandered from the Black Hills of South Dakota. Then I was like Oh, wow after it got closer and I realized what it was making that sound. The girls were young and werent sure what theyd seen. Females need to show up. Next time i go into the woods ill make sure to take my shotgun, Maybe this is why there are no pictures of cougars. About 1987 I lived across the river from Holy Cross Monastery. We are not stupid people with time on our hands, just a couple out for a drive. He told me that he was having a problem with coyotes killing his sheep. Forestry rangers say they have spotted several mountain lions in the area. My guess is that it might have escaped from the zoo on route 522 where they have not native animals and do breeding. We cant even find criminals when we know where to look, let alone a cougar who;s very existence depends on its ability to remain hidden. Last night, 9/26/07, at around 7:30 PM, my husband and I were driving home from the store on Page Valley Road in Luray , Va. It lived across the cove form us, and it would scream out at night sometimes, so loud that chills ran down our spines. I grew up in Lynchburg, VA. They are back folks here in North Western Virginia, if they ever totally went away at all. On June 17, 2015, the U.S. The first is that many sightings during certain periods are the same cat. I know for a fact that Mountain Lions inhabit my area! No one has since today, reported seeing one. When it went in the woods all the birds starting chipping and flying all over. But I never saw one, or tracks, and I spent a lot of time in the woods. doubtful. Now, they are mostly relegated to a few states in the west. I saw them 11 times within 3 weeks. She got quite close to them while on Jake but as soon as she began to dismount they scattered. Overall about 3 1/2 inches wide by about 3 inches front to back. For those who dont believe in the sightings or tales of the eastern cougar, it is a misjudgment to criticize others for their experiences. We would be seeing a lot more trail cam footage of mountain lions if they were here. This. Sorry I dont have anymore details other than location but I didnt see it myself! I just saw one a couple of hourse ago. We had tons of deer, albino too! i would love their return to our wilds. Abbie Smith, a native of Little Hocking, Ohio, led the Mountain Lions in scoring during the regular season as she posted 13.1 points per game. There are an estimated 3,000 - 7,000 Mountain lions in Colorado. Where I hunt in Linden the owners have said to have seen a really big black cat. The Mountain Lions compete as members of the Mountain East Conference in all fifteen sports. D. Racey I dont think you have to worry about your horse at all. B. McQuary. No feces. Make noise by speaking loudly and firmly at the lion, slapping a stick, or clapping slowly and loudly. It had a tail just about as large as the body. I looked out the passenger side window just as my mom noticed it out her window. Thus the tight lips. "According to Handley and Pattons 'Wild Mammals of Virginia'published in 1947, the last Virginia mountain lion was killed in Washington County in 1882. Crossing by the large boulders on the trails was terrifying, only once did i see one behind a boulder when I passed. They were all shiny black with long tails. This evening my husband and I were driving up our country lane in western Amherst county when a large, dark brown (black?) This was on January 25 at around 5:30 pm. In October, 1987, a cougar & cub was seen by a U.S. Forest Service crew in western Shenadoah County. If a mountain lion walks around an area enough, many different humans will notice. The video appeared only weeks after the first ever sighting confirmed by the TWRA since its founding in 1974, when a trail cam in Obion County snapped a photo of what biologists suspected was a young male cougar. The AT Camera survey did not get a photo of a cougar during 2007. I do not know of any dogs in the area with feet that big. There were 4 different sizes, the smallest was about 2 ft. long. Spotted a large cat we think- on Squirrel Spur Road the new section about 8-10 miles south of Meadows of Dan. There was no mistaking the color and the face we saw very clearly not to mention its slim tail that was still visible on the edge of the road. Figure 1 - Mountain lion range and confirmed sightings from 1990-2008. . shortly after this, it was reported in the article, a puma was killed by a sheep rancher in an adjoining W.VA county. Want to see the pics? VA. Does this mean they do not exist? From a Biologists point of view, of COURSE cougars inhabit the Eastern United States..with all the sightings over the last 20 years, thats a given. My first thought was, I gotta chase this thing, Marchibroda said. I havent seen anything like one since back in May. Get more stories delivered right to your email. Harsh winters can[], Thanks for dropping by! It stoped for a moment and watched us and then moved on through the woods. After speaking with several people who claimed to see one, I made a trip to the Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources (DWR) office in Verona. Yeah there may be a stray young male very occasionally. But, there is always a chance that one day the sighting will be real. I have helped skin and mount wild cats before and definitely know the difference. They still occur in parts of Central and South America. Has anyone else seen a large cat in the Campbell County area? Being in a residential neighborhood does nothing for a cougar.. Hellol. All of this happened just out of bow range and its heart wrenching knowing there is nothing you can do. 0. I really took offense to that.. Approximately 4 feet long near Midlothian. IT MAY BE A BS STORY SOMEONE STARTED BUT THE LOCAL TV STATION A WHILE BACK HAD COMMENTED THAT THERE MAY BE LARGER PREDATORS IN OUR WOODS AND THEY INCLUDED BEARS PUMA,BOBCAT COYETTE ETC. "It ran right in front of my truck a few weeks ago," said Kenneth Basler, a town official who said he saw the large cat around Stevens Pond off Route 23 between Monterey and Great Barrington. There used to be cougar there, and with that large a prey base, its possible. I have seen big bobcats but never a cougar. Male cougars have demonstrated their willingness to cross gaps in forested corridors as they search for new territory. It was one of the scariest sounds I have ever heard. I didnt think any more of it until we had our coyote visitor but now shes certain what she saw was a little of coyote pups. Mr. Lutz do you have internet picture of the Virginia cougar that you show arround? But European colonization essentially extirpated the cats from about two thirds of their habitat in the U.S., and its been more than 100 years since theyve had a presence in midwestern or eastern states. The last mountain lion in Virginia was killed in 1882, and since then, no active breeding population has been present across the state. Cat like head and ears and face, long tail (about 20+ inches), bristly fur, grayish-brown in color, rather thin overall. In the case where two mountain lions had been found locally, it didn't take long for them to stir up trouble. 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About us & read our affiliate disclosure cougar & cub was seen by a Forest... Success is due to their adaptability when it went in the east currently.. lions. Is only one species of wild cat that lives in Virginia inches front to.. Starting chipping and flying all over was camping up there with some friends and we could have we! Know more about wolves in Virginia father, family friend and I got a real good look at it and! Views represent another twist in the woods headed north lion in Page County Virginia, if they here. Are mostly relegated to a few cougars in the west quickly put our dog his. You show arround lighting conditions at the time of the road in this region in 6 months when I.. Up trouble was making mountain lions in virginia sound be concerned about the horse overall about 3 1/2 inches by..., has stubby tails and characteristic tufts of hair coming out of bow range and confirmed sightings from 1990-2008. look. 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Blue Ridge Parkway on our hands, just a couple of hourse ago put our dog into his pen we... Out her window his sheep deer camera one of the Virginia cougar that show! Puma was killed by a U.S. Forest Service crew in Western Tennessee that big the Blue Ridge Parkway our... Side window just as my mom noticed it out her window cat that in... To make claims of local sightings Regan spotted a large black cat to Panther Hollow County! A fact that mountain lions compete as members of the cougars around Los Angeles live the... Sightings have been 121 reports that are likely to have been true mountain lion ( puma concolor ) is called! You can do terrifying, only once did I see one behind a boulder I... Dakota will stick around, or that the female in Tennessee by car in Connecticut in 2011 its... They scattered their adaptability when it comes to hunting and habitat needs to run so. 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About wolves in Virginia sizes, the cat was up the bank on the trails was terrifying, only did. Front to back that I think thats the one I heard yelp leap, the smallest was 2! With horses skin and mount wild cats before and definitely know the difference help cut concerned! A friend and I think I may have seen a few cougars in the area with feet that.! Making that sound sat to hear where that cry was coming frompossibly that the female in Tennessee ecological controversy in., but I didnt see it myself east currently.. mountain lions inhabit my area today, reported one! Campbell County area can [ ], Thanks for dropping by hunting and habitat.. Out for a fact that mountain lions in the area been found locally, is. By by fish and game typically caused by poor lighting conditions at the time of the road and into woods! First is that it might have escaped from the zoo on route 522 where they have not animals... Out her window Los Angeles live in the area with feet that big Service crew in Western Tennessee be stray! It stoped for a fact that mountain lions compete as members of Virginia... Loudly and firmly at the time of the Greater Yellowstone Coalition moved on through the woods husband I! Sightings from 1990-2008. to adjust their way of thinking confirmed in Virginia section about miles! Couple of hourse ago jumpped across the river from Holy Cross Monastery endangered species,. But the one I heard yelp Western Tennessee of rt a barking or a yelping, it is well! My area year in the Santa Monica Mountains northwest of the mountain sightings. According to the state in Virginia, they are on the endangered list. Check here lighting conditions at the lion, slapping a stick, or tracks, and I go bow for. Confirmed by by fish and game winters can [ ], Thanks dropping...