Mountain Lion seen in my hometown

gunknifenut said:
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:D) 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??
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I am from mass. and now live in so. NH. What town are they seeing them in?
 
gunknifenut said:
Shirley..central MA
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Im from Chelmsford. Now in Merrimack Nh. Im 40 miles from there. Wow, a cougar, that is scarey. They are killers, from what I have read. I hunt in Hollis Nh which is 35 miles from you. Getting closer, I wonder if they are up here now.
 
I drive up to that area from time to time..Hollis that is..I like the area..nice. I havnt been to the Flea market in years..20 or so. We arent that far apart at all. I go up your way whenever I can..I would like to move near Hollis..I work off of 119 east..Gene
 
IIRC Vermont had done DNA studies on scat and proved they are in that state !
 
WIldlife agencies seem to prefer poo-pooing sightings of large cats, even when film, track, scat and witness evidence exists. When they just can't deny, they obfuscate by suggesting it is someone's escaped pet. Even when human death is involved some agencies will continue to deny, such as the case of Leigh Ann Cox in Arkansas some years back.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_fatal_cougar_attacks_in_North_America_by_decade

Our own agency reps claim none exist in Tennessee. Some of us hunters said fine. If they don't exist, we can shoot them. No, they said, if you do you will be in big trouble because they are not on this state's list of lawful game animals.

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??
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You would think so, but from what I've seen that usually is not the case. A lot of them believe that a few human lives is a small price to pay for restoring a population of wild carnavores to an area they have been extrapated from. There is a good reason they were removed in the first place. They eat livestock, pets and people. It's their job. It is what they do.

Codger
 
Boy, Mass. has alot of woods in central and western areas. So does NH. I hope these viscous beasts don't come around here. I don't want to get attacked by them. How big do they get typically? Can they take down a full grown man? I know they have killed women, but maybe the girls were small in stature. what do we do now knowing these cats are around and possibly hunting people.
 
dipbait said:
When I was in my twenties ,a cougar stalked me. She rocked my world.
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AHHH! THat my friend can be rough...I am glad you came out OK! I had the same thing happen not to long ago...I barely escaped alive! :D
 
rick43t3 said:
Boy, Mass. has alot of woods in central and western areas. So does NH. I hope these viscous beasts don't come around here. I don't want to get attacked by them. How big do they get typically? Can they take down a full grown man? I know they have killed women, but maybe the girls were small in stature. what do we do now knowing these cats are around and possibly hunting people.
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Sent out search parties with torches and pitchforks:D If a Cougar is living in central MA..and 10 people have seen it already...It wont be long before its on the news, captured on a camera phone or something. Central MA is heavily populated.
 
I wouldn't worry about being attacked..I also wouldn't go jogging in the woods at dawn..I've spent alot of time when I was younger in the rockies in prime cougar country.. I've seen a few but there are a fair amount out there.. attacks occur but are few and far between..Mostly small women or children..
 
gunknifenut said:
I drive up to that area from time to time..Hollis that is..I like the area..nice. I havnt been to the Flea market in years..20 or so. We arent that far apart at all. I go up your way whenever I can..I would like to move near Hollis..I work off of 119 east..Gene
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Gene, It is pretty nice up here. Not very far from where you are, but in NH. I live in so. Merrimack, right near Hollis. It is very nice here. nice farms for fresh produce, eggs, apples, etc. I love it here. Alot of stores and restraunts to. All you need. Rick
 
RescueRiley said:
I wouldn't worry about being attacked..I also wouldn't go jogging in the woods at dawn..I've spent alot of time when I was younger in the rockies in prime cougar country.. I've seen a few but there are a fair amount out there.. attacks occur but are few and far between..Mostly small women or children..
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Thanks pal, I'm not familiar , or have I ever had the reason to be, with cougars. I guess that has changed. but the strong adapt to change don't they. I will do some research on them, I have seen fishers quit a bit around here, but they are not in the same league.:)
 
This is an interesting thread. The same situation exists here - periodic sightings, same lame reasons by officials.

There was an earlier thread. Does anybody have a link?

Doc
 
One cougar sighting means at least a small breeding population. They can kill grown men, especially with their technique of a surprise attack from behind. That's why it's a good idea to have a partner or dog with you.

I'm going to guess that cougars are more of a problem in relatively built-up areas than in more natural habitat, since on their own home range they have access to familiar prey.
 
DOC-CANADA said:
This is an interesting thread. The same situation exists here - periodic sightings, same lame reasons by officials.

There was an earlier thread. Does anybody have a link?

Doc
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Yes Doc, it is interesting to me..the fact that the main witness is the towns Police Chief speaks to me. I had heard a few stories over the last year..but now its really out in the open. The Town also had several Black Bears living out the winter right in hte middle of the town...not far from the town pool/ park..a large playground built for kids. The population is only 7,400 or so, but it is heavily wooded, as is most of the surounding towns..anything west of the interstate 495 is considered the boonies in MA! I myself have found alot of Bear sign this year..Tracked one out in the Leominster state forest..ofcourse its well know that they are living here.
The thing that is a bit scary is the way the town lays out..the wooded corridors are all around heavily populated areas..with a bunch of small kids. Lots of short wooded trails that kids use to get from A to B. Overall, I am not worried..but officially stating that its BS isnt what I think is a good idea, as far as for the safety of the townsfolk. I agree Codger, whats a few kids in the big picture right?! I hope its just an interesting story and nothing more. Gene:thumbup:
 
Esav Benyamin said:
One cougar sighting means at least a small breeding population. They can kill grown men, especially with their technique of a surprise attack from behind. That's why it's a good idea to have a partner or dog with you.

I'm going to guess that cougars are more of a problem in relatively built-up areas than in more natural habitat, since on their own home range they have access to familiar prey.
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Esav,
We have been talking alot around the table..the deer population is very small this year compaired to last..last year someone found a deer up in tree about 6 miles from my hunting ground...now the sightings are right over a hill from me...I havnt seen much this year. My trail camera cought a nice young buck about 3 weeks ago..now the cameras have nothing on them for weeks...strange since I know the area like the back off my hand. I know where the deer run..year round. The way I see it, something has pushed them further out..Gene
 
Codger_64 said:
Our own agency reps claim none exist in Tennessee. Some of us hunters said fine. If they don't exist, we can shoot them. No, they said, if you do you will be in big trouble because they are not on this state's list of lawful game animals.
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Fvkk them. People around here say a gut shot takes care of everything, even if the cat or wolf has a transmitter tag.

A lot of them believe that a few human lives is a small price to pay for restoring a population of wild carnavores to an area they have been extrapated from.
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Fvqq them too. I think we should transport cats and wolves to NYC and LA and all those other left fringe havens. Then we'll see how they feel about large carnivores.
 
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this does not surprise me one bit. In Acton MA there have been dozens of sighting in the last three years as well as a decrease in fox and coyotes population.

Stay safe! :)
 
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