Mountain Lion seen in my hometown

[KiljoyKutlery]

Well,
They say it isnt so..but about 10 different witnesses have seen what appears to be a mountain lion in my hometown. My Mom and Stepfather called and said they made the news...The State of MA is denying the possibility of it being a mountian lion (Cougar) but yet one of the witnesses is the Police Chief! I still hunt there..I live a few miles away..but I go there all the time. The pictures last week of me dropping the Oak Tree were taken about 1/2 mile from the sightings! I am now wondering if bowhunting is as fun as it used to be Oh well, if I get into a scrap with it..it will get stabbed..as you guys know, I usually have WAY to many sharp things on my person at all times...and while hunting the size and number goes up ( I am kidding..)
Why does it seem that states deny that Cougars are around...is it because of the endangered species act..or because of tourists?? Anyway..I thought it was cool, I wish I had a link, but I havnt found anything yet..I will keep you posted. Gene

 

[Robert H]

Why does it seem that states deny that Cougars are around...is it because of the endangered species act..or because of tourists??

Remember, if the state doesn't see it, it doesn't exist.

Obviously the people are hallucinating. Once the state biologist sees it, it's real.

 

[Rotte]

Cool. We have 'em out here too. I've never seen one, but I have seen tracks in the snow. Every once in a while someone's dog goes missing....

 

[KiljoyKutlery]

Remember, if the state doesn't see it, it doesn't exist.

Obviously the people are hallucinating. Once the state biologist sees it, it's real.

Well, there was some hallucinating going on around there when I was a teenager...could be a relapse

 

[KuRUpTD]

Would be amazing to see one of those creatures up close .... although wouldn't want to encounter one on a hike.

 

[andrew7978]

I think they are afraid of starting a panic if they admit a mountain lion exists. However, I feel it would be smarter to educate people on how to deal with it as opposed to denying that there is one there.

My town did the same thing. We had multiple siting and it was never officially acknowledged as being in our area.

 

[wildmike]

The state authorities don't want to admit the increase in cougar populations and depridation due to the fact that it makes all of the laws preventing their hunting and protection look as foolish as they actualy are. The amount of damage done to wildlife and livestock by even one of these cats is astounding. State officials hate to admit they have been so foolish as to embarrass themselves.

 

[RescueRiley]

mountain lions are almost anywhere where there is sufficient woodland and game for them to be..a native animal will exist anywhere where it can it's just the way of things...I know there are foxes (obviously different but poving a point) in my neighborhood (a suburb 2 miles out of manhattan) no one sees em know one knows they're there... animals can remain very secretive if they choose to be (articularly cats) for everyone that's seen you can bet there are ten that aren't

 

[Fox Creek]

I believe it Bro. We have black bear in Anderson County, KY!! Back around the Taylorsville Lake WMA it is very rugged country, lots of overhangs and sharp ravines to burrow in, plus abundant mast and small critters. The good ole' boys in E KY sez the Elk and Black Bear are THICK! I understrand the 2009 season in KY will include a beAR SEASON...

 

[mr2blue]

Mountain lions are in our area all the time. Ever since a couple of mountain bikers were attacked and killed the authorities have been pretty clear about the danger to hikers and dogs left out at night. Our property backs up against the Cleveland National Forest and supposedly the mountain lion thruway is right in our backyard. My wife saw one not long ago. I am still waiting but I did come face to face with a nice size bobcat not 10 feet from my BBQ a while back. He just looked at me a second and then bounded over a 6" fence like it wasn't even there.

 

[Wandering_About]

We have mountain lions around here as well, two shot inside of cities within 50 miles of here (Not far out here in the boonies) and I know a lot of neighbors that have seen them within just a few miles of the house here on the farm.

We had the same problem with the state not seeing the mountain lions. Then several people caught them on trail cameras. Kind of hard to deny that kind of stuff.

 

[KiljoyKutlery]

I will be setting up a trail camera with bait tomorrow if the rain stops...I hope the tuna doesnt get me eaten before I get home! Gene

 

[Pshrynk]

I think they are afraid of starting a panic if they admit a mountain lion exists. However, I feel it would be smarter to educate people on how to deal with it as opposed to denying that there is one there.
.

X100

...teaching people what to do is important with cougars!!!!!

We have them all the time in Calgary... along with black bears.

 

[Todd A]

I live on the CT/MA/RI border and we have had sightings too. But the cats don't exist here either.

Of course it took years,plus photos in the paper, for them to admit to Black Bears here.

 

[coaldigger]

They say no big kitties here either But I have seen tracks with my own eyes, I was coyote hunting last Feb. when I came across the tracks had my brother with me for a witness They spotted one on a Golf course in Hazard Ky & one was killed in Floyed Co. Ky on the highway (still had it's spots) but the state still say's no big cats are around here

 

[coaldigger]

Well,
if I get into a scrap with it..it will get stabbed.. Gene

Well 'Ol Bud if that Cat is stalking you then you have a Very slim chance at getting away, it is a surprise hunter, It is a master at stealth hunting & stalking it's prey, it can take down Deer & elk so I don't think you woud have a fighting chance if it hits you from behind (goes for the back of the neck) Your only hope would be to see it before it strikes & hope for the best

 

[shecky]

Perhaps one reason States are reluctant to acknowledge big cats is because their threat potential is out of proportion with their actual record. Folks tend to make too big a deal over them. Just look at the way forum members react to the topic. Mountain lion threads always bring up the same litany of finger wagging posts.

 

[glamdring]

I live in Chicago and about two or three months ago a Chicago police officer killed a cougar in a residential area on the northwest side of the city it was front page news. It sounds kind of strange because this took place in a large city but this area has a large amount of quality white tail deer that could easily sustain a cougar population. One of the reasons I think it ended up on the northwest side is because we have railroad tracks that crisscross the whole city that act like highways for for the wild life that lives in the forested areas. On occasion we have coyotes that come into the city following the railroad tracks to prey on dogs. Its also not uncommon to see opossoms, fox, deer, racoons and skunks in the city.

 

[KiljoyKutlery]

Well 'Ol Bud if that Cat is stalking you then you have a Very slim chance at getting away, it is a surprise hunter, It is a master at stealth hunting & stalking it's prey, it can take down Deer & elk so I don't think you woud have a fighting chance if it hits you from behind (goes for the back of the neck) Your only hope would be to see it before it strikes & hope for the best

You edited out the part where I said I was kidding..I dont have a chance..yeah, I know. I am kinda sneaky to...if its in my hunting ground...I am the predator.

 

[KiljoyKutlery]

Perhaps one reason States are reluctant to acknowledge big cats is because their threat potential is out of proportion with their actual record. Folks tend to make too big a deal over them. Just look at the way forum members react to the topic. Mountain lion threads always bring up the same litany of finger wagging posts.

Actually..if I get your logic..according to official statistics..they dont exist in the Northeast..and are VERY rare in the rest of the country..so when they attack 4-7 people a year, and a bunch of pets..sometimes right in peoples bedrooms..then they are attacking people over 100% of the time. I know that its best to keep us dummies in the dark, cause we cant handle the truth (Jack Nicholson) but..really..if they are in my hometown where the witnesses say it was..thats only about 1/4 mile from the elementary school, that has a "recess field" which borders a stream and woods...now..I know, the chances of a mountain lion getting one of those little kids is slim..but man, wouldnt the nanny state treehuggers feel like Doodoo if it did??