So special. There was a tin of American Spirit tobacco on the table (Ottmanns), a laptop (Bettys), a notebook (mine), and a tumbler of Bacardi and Coke (Ottmanns again). document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); aint seen none yet, them wind turbines scarin em off, I have been following the eastern mountain lion mystery since the mid-1960s, in every state, east of the Mississippi River. Sincerely, You know, weve had so many home entries this year. Within six weeks, he continued, I was getting off the plane in Jackson Hole for a national mountain lion conference. When you look at a state like Connecticut, with all the people we have here, all the trail cameras we have in the woods, all the cars we have driving you can imagine if we had an established population here in Connecticut, we would know about it pretty quickly. Because they are.. Lucky the house cat got away. I was proud to acknowledge the fact, of being a CLOSE friend to both the Professor & his wife Martene. He said there were two, he called them mountain lions.. Still, sightings are common. How big was the animal? He coined the term landscape of fear to describe the relationship between predator and prey in the wild. But its also a great story that lays out how an animal this large, at 150 pounds, traveling through even rural areas, leaves signs and is detected. Betsy started as an intern at WNPR in 2011 after earning a Master's Degree in American and Museum Studies from Trinity College. Are you aware of the old black wild cat story? Adult males may be more than 8 feet long (from the tip of the nose to the tip of the tail), and can weigh between 130 and 150 pounds. It stared at him for a few seconds and then took some steps towards him, eventually turning the other way and sliding into the undergrowth. I know what they look like and this silhouette was very much the same as that cat last summer. Mountain lions are not likely to pass through Vermont, according to Fish & Wildlife biologist Chris Bernier. On the idea of bear hunting in Connecticut. But one day. Its OK, he told me. In Vermont, it was 1881. Using DNA and physical evidence, state environmental officials said they determined that the animal likely trekked more than 1,500 miles from South Dakota, a journey that was captured by trail camera (above). Besides, Ottmann had revealed that hed been charged by a bear in this same piece of woods, and I felt conflicted about diverting my gaze from the underbrush. If moved like a leopard but without spotty leopard skin. He also collects sighting reports on his blog, simply dubbed, "New Hampshire Mountain Lion." The blog still gets sightings, most recently on Aug. 3. Please contact me at epuma@frontier.com or 304-749-7778. Lets learn to live alongside this very large animal is one of the schools of thought. During the Summer of 1991, my wife Linda and I, took 3 days on our vacation, to meet both Harold & Martene Hitchcock. Because theyre a northern animal, they have snow shoes by birth, Bernier said. 35 wild cougars, known as the Florida Panther, of which a few are totally BLACK, and known as panther, but are actually of the jaguar family In the last few days, 3 sightings have been reported to us, large brown cats in Tennessee and Indiana, a total black cat, in Virginia. When I accepted the assignment to write about my quest to uncover the truth regarding the existence of cougars in New England, I had little idea what I was agreeing to. Photo courtesy National Wildlife Federation. However, reports have started surfacing again in recent years, and we have now spoken with no fewer than SIX reliable people who have SEEN one (maybe the same one, for all we know, but I doubt it) around the Rutland area -- primarily in Mendon or Chittenden -- in the last year. [An overabundance of deer] means our forests are getting older and older and not being replaced. He also points to the influx of invasive plant species in New England as evidence of an out-of-control deer population. Hawley, a wildlife biologist with the state Department of Energy and Environmental Protection, says data dont support a breeding population of mountain lions in Connecticut. The date was June 17 at about 1 pm. 26M views, 14K likes, 2K loves, 8.1K comments, 19K shares, Facebook Watch Videos from VT: This mountain lion is about to turn a vacation into a nightmare. These are rare, single events, and in such cases, the cat will leave a prominent trail of evidence wherever they go: indisputable game camera photos, camera photos, scat, tracks, sightings, Bernier said. My elderly mother lives with us so I got up to investigate and saw a large animal with a tail at least a foot long walking between the cars in our driveway. I was driving yesterday (July 31st '13) around midnight on northbound I-89 about half way between Wight River Junction and Montpelier when a beautiful cat creature a size of a greyhound jumped from the midroad bushes and sped in front of my car across the road. I am quite sure that I saw a mountain lion (a juvenile) yesterday afternoon north of the Dummerston Covered bridge along the West River. I was in Waitsfield on the common rd when it happened. Both the front (left) and rear paws of this animal . Maysville, WV 26833 Get started. I will not go into the woods unarmed anymore ever. Please make your sighting as detailed as possible. I was aware, too, of how a certain mythology surrounding the animal had taken root in Vermonts culture and even its identity: The University of Vermonts athletic teams, for instance, are known as the Vermont Catamounts, and their logo features a snarling cat lunging through the cleft of a V.. Now the bears, they dont even care if people are home, theyll go right in the house. Perhaps, then, the ultimate question isnt whether cougars are among us, but rather how we can encourage them to settle here. hen I accepted the assignment to write about my quest to uncover the truth regarding the existence of cougars in New England, I had little idea what I was agreeing to. I think the only reason the lion did not attack was because of the dogs. Patrick's reporting has appeared on NPR's Morning Edition, Here & Now, and All Things Considered. Bobcats have a white-tipped tail and mountain lions don't. Since then, there have been a handful of confirmed mountain lion sightings in the Northeast, although most have been thought to be escaped captive animals. Hawley: Wildlife biologists across the United States know where the current mountain lion range is. They especially come down from the mountains when there is a big water shortgage. More information visit www.nature-museum.org. Guess you know, that Prof. Harold Hitchcock had a tremendous interest in cougar-mountain lion sightings and reports from the 1940s thru his death in the mid-1990s.he was on staff of Middlebury College. To find your loons, consult this interactive map of Common Loon sightings in the current year from Vermont eBird, a project of the Vermont Atlas of Life. He set down his cigarette and looked me in the eye. They certainly have, you know, lower levels of conflicts and home entries than we do here in Connecticut. 3 Last 10 Years. Those calls continue today; a local Milton business owner said she's heard of three puma sightings in Milton just this summer. Whats happening in Waterbury? You dont even have to go out and look for it.. The Twitter user tweeted in surprise that they learned a bobcat and mountain lion are the same creature, which prompted several follow-up clarifications that the animals are, in fact, different . We hadnt seen a cougar, nor any evidence to suggest a cougar had traveled these woods recently. We watched it for nearly 10mins trying to figure out what it was (not thinking for a second that it could possibly be a mountain lion). But no. We see Bear every day, and Fishers it was none of those, nor a Bobcat as it was twice the size of our Belgian Shepherd dog. Tom Stearns, a Vermont Game Warden says they get reports all the time. People clearly arent lying when they say they saw a cougar; [the sighting] has a profound effect on them., Still, Spatz acknowledged that the word hope is very different from the word believe. 1 Last 365 Days. I never say never to people who are calling with a sighting, he said. Very distinguishable nails marks in the snow. What do you think of hunting? Even in the controlled environment of a lab, the truth about Eastern cougars seems to be almost willfully eluding its seekers. Harrigan's column mentioned above continues to talk about this. We have a lot of bear traffic through here, and deer, Snow said. Welcome to the blog dedicated to discussing mountain lion sightings in Vermont! Prof. Hitchcocks experienced led him to believe, a minimum of 10 wild cougars, inhabited the various forests of Vermont. We watched the entire time. Create a free website or blog at WordPress.com. Hawley: Yeah. I hunt all over the country for big bucks. In some areas of the east, the absence of apex predators has led to a surplus of deer, which have then ravaged the understory and ground levels of vegetation. Half the sightings have been of a black cougar, however, all CREDIBLE sources. Julia is a senior majoring in Environmental Studies with a concentration in climate and environmental justice with minors in Computer Science and Geography. Its tail was gigantic and it was swishing it back and forth. Local game officials are saying that this is another one of those sightings where people claim to have seen a mountain lion. Of course. The other, a utility worker checking the meter on Ripley Road, claimed he saw two mountain lions when describing the encounter to Ripley Road resident Russell Snow. T here've been several reported mountain lion sightings around Marine on St. Croix, Minn. in the last month. I'll tell you that.. [The catamounts] movements were so noiseless that Mr. Crowell found himself in this dangerous proximity before he was aware of it, and it was only by great coolness and daring that he severely wounded the animal and perhaps saved his own life, reads a placard attached to the display case. Can they really all be cases of false identification? Since 1890 in the U.S. and Canada, there have been 100 attacks on humans at all, according to the research organization The Cougar Network. Box 313, Maysville, WV 26833. But every once in a while, you'll be on your property, on your deck or in your house, and you'll see one walk across your yard or something. Ive seen more field evidence in a couple of hours tracking out west than Ive seen in 100 years on the East Coast, he said. I did not run but walked briskly away looking back cat was following me and it did so untill i was half way to the house. I was driving on cave road on Back side of military base toward Willisdon VT and it was across from ANG Miitary.. On Jan 22, 2015 while walking in North Fayston, VT I came across what I believe to be a Catamount paw prints. Just adding my two cents to the discussion. We even had a sighting someone here at DEEP, in my office, was convinced they saw a mountain lion. So theres fresh mud. The dogs did a 180 a pulled me away. His mention of these encounters was so matter-of-fact that I found myself nodding along. Subsequent DNA testing found that the animal was from South Dakota. Morse is a Vermont-based naturalist and the founder of Keeping Track, a nonprofit that trains people in the scientific protocols needed to detect, interpret, record, and monitor wildlife tracks and signs. He can be reached by phone at 860-275-7297 or by email: pskahill@ctpublic.org. What time of day was it? And even the home entries are kind of changing. I could never forget your love for the big cats! I have seen herons and other things there. The cat was huge and tail was at least 3 feet long and thick. After 20 minutes or so, we turned and stumbled our way back to the parking lot. I swear that is what I saw this morning at about 4 am in my drive. Where once it was flatly dismissed as impossible in the so-called developed East, scientists have now documented cougar dispersals and reoccupation of a growing list of eastern states and provinces. 4 . Mountain lion tails, however, are about three feet long, usually the length of the cats body. Occasionally 3 times a year, I send out news-letters telling of latest reportsby concerned persons collecting such data.. Saturday Sunday: Closed. Given the long, shared border between these provinces and New England, along with plentiful evidence that other species cross this border regularly, it seems entirely possible that cougars would also engage in international travel. As a hobby gone astray, I have recorded more than 20,000 big cat sightings, from all states, east of Mississippi River since 1969. And there are different schools of thought about that. Eastern bobcat. The deer dont eat the exotics, but they eat the competitors. Required fields are marked *. I also had the vague notion that when it comes to cougars, people tend to sort themselves into one of three camps. Its on the property that we own over there. Telephone: (802) 422-2399 This is a site for people to discuss mountain lion sightings in the Green Mountain State of Vermont. The Network's interactive map also shows confirmed sightings in Quebec, Maine, Connecticut and New York State. Forty years of reporting on New Hampshire cougar sightings has convinced Harrigan that the state is home to at least a handful of breeding animals. I started this blog for people to discuss mountain lion sightings and reports in the Green Mountain State of Vermont. But that was OK. Bo Ottmannknew they were out there. I can say that we didnt linger too long in the area. Happy hunting Mike Copeland. I was awakened by a wailing sound that I thought was a woman in great pain and fear in my front yard. I wanted to see how close I could get walking closer and closer the eyes did not run in fact they started to come to us. Paul Barrile Senior Capstone and GIS Project Number of Sightings Per Year 1990 1992 1994 1996 1998 2000 2002 2004 0 000 0 0 09 0 0 0 00 0 0 000 o Legend "Cougars in the East are the equivalent of Bigfoot or UFO's," according to Mark Dowling of the Eastern Cougar After an unfortunate past of over hunting, Montana's mountain lion population has made a comeback. I was aware, too, of how a certain mythology surrounding the animal had taken root in Vermonts culture and even its identity: The University of Vermonts athletic teams, for instance, are known as the Vermont Catamounts, and their logo features a snarling cat lunging through the cleft of a V., I met with Morse at her home in Jericho. And its not just Vermont. This is Christina, I used to work with you at the YMCA in Burlington. It was just before dark and it crossed in front of me probably 20 yards in front, it was tawny colored, mid tan like and had long legs and long tail and was trotting. Morse has been tracking cougars for 45 years, mostly in the mountains of the West, where their existence is not in doubt. Stay clear and give 'em space. Credit: ViralHog VT - Cougar tries to break in house Part of this belief is rooted in his journalistic experience, which across the decades has cultivated his nose for sincerity. And consider, for a moment, the concern and outright fear an official acknowledgment of such a carnivorous and predatory creature might evoke. The mountain lion is also known as cougar, panther, or puma. I am pretty sure that I saw a mountain lion yesterday around 9:00am just on my way out of Glover, Vermont heading to East Hardwick. It is also known as cougar, panther, mountain lion, and puma, though catamount is the preferred regional vernacular. It is also known as cougar, panther, mountain lion, and puma, though catamount is the preferred regional vernacular. Reported mountain lion sightings are popping up all over Vermont and convinced onlookers say the proof is in the pictures. Kim Royar, a biologist at the Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department, told me she receives 40 to 50 reports annually, and although she believes that few, if any, are actual cougar sightings, she doesnt dismiss the possibility that someday someone will happen upon the real deal. We have people eating dinner in their kitchen, they hear a noise, all of a sudden a bear walks in, so they run into their bedroom to get away from the bear, while the bears out ransacking their refrigerator. Mountain Lion. He drove me out to the spot. Though not native to Vermont, Canada lynx occasionally make their way down into Vermont. Indeed, in 2011, a male cougar was hit and killed by a car in Milford, Connecticut; through its DNA, wildlife biologists were able to trace the cat back to South Dakotas Black Hills, some 2,000 miles distant. We have a lot of them here in N CA. By now, I knew the answer to that one. About 70 feet from the table, appeared to be a very large cat standing . It took me by fantastic surprise! Morse introduced me to her cat, Allister, whom she referred to as her portable puma. Then she fetched me a beer. In May 2018, a mountain lion attacked two mountain bikers 30 miles east of Seattle, Washington, killing one, but it's only the 15th fatal attack in North America since 1970. It was dark so I couldnt get a good look but I waited till it came out past a vehicle and saw the outline of the entire body. sunnyside village cohousing; federal halfway house rules and regulations; Owners. If you search vally news archives I believe its there-its clearly not a dog. 99 Beagle Boot Lane At first my husband thoughtwow huge dog and it turned its head and it was a cat. During Harolds tenture at Middlebury College, he spent many an evening with wife martene, conducting in field investigations across Vermont. His studies NEVER ended, even after going nearly blind by the mid-1990s. I couldnt tell you how happy I would be if mountain lions were actually recolonizing the state of Connecticut, Hawley says, but its just not happening., Hawley spoke about bobcats, mountain lions and bears on The Colin McEnroe Show: Megafauna mania: our obsession with mountain lions and other large predators.. It had a round, pudgy wild cat face with black accents. Glad to hear that they're not gone. She still produces shows with Colin and the team when her schedule allows. Published: 9/3/2021 5:01:49 PM. I did a triple take as I gazed up to a rocky cliff and saw without a doubt a mountain lion. While the Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks department hesitates to give solid numbers because they feel methods for tracking the population need to be improved, their estimate in 2019 was about 4,000 - 4,500 mountain lions. Having been doing this since 1994, I have yet to have had a definitive, documented, indisputable, verifiable sighting of a mountain lion, Bernier said. 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