"It's amazing how many experts came out of the woodwork.". MassWildlife officials who checked out the photo are also adamant that it depicts a bobcat. May 17, 2016. For foraging, the preferred habitat is semi open areas to forested swamps. If you are at an office or shared network, you can ask the network administrator to run a scan across the network looking for misconfigured or infected devices. The stare-down lasted about10 minutes. Another way to prevent getting this page in the future is to use Privacy Pass. ODWC requires evidence to confirm a sighting. The same webpage includes trail cam photos of what were claimed to be mountain lions in Lee and Brookfield that turned out to be a bobcat and housecat, respectively. In an emergency, call 911. The Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation takes mountain lion sightings seriously. If you are on a personal connection, like at home, you can run an anti-virus scan on your device to make sure it is not infected with malware. Vermont's last known cougar was killed in 1881 in Barnard. MassWildlife's online compendium of misidentifications and hoaxes includes photos of mountain lions purportedly taken in Colrain in 2013 and Belchertown in 2012. We mentioned it to a DEC employee a few weeks later, who insisted there were no mountain lions … If you should see a mountain lion consider yourself lucky and enjoy the moment. It has pointed ears, it's not the right size, it's not the right color.". This is a site for people to discuss mountain lion sightings in the Green Mountain State of Vermont. Debate over whether the Stockbridge feline is a bobcat, mountain lion or even something else has played out -- often quite vociferously -- in the comments on Fournier's Facebook page. Bobcats can weigh 35 pounds or more and measure 28 to 47 inches long, according to a MassWildlife webpage. Mountain Lion sightings continued around West Virginia, with people reporting sightings or evidence of a Mountain Lion. “People swear that [their sighting] could be nothing but a mountain lion. If mountain lions are making a comeback in Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Donald W. Linzey, a wildlife conservation instructor in Virginia Tech's College of Natural Resources and Environment, will be one of the first to know. The U.S. The photos were ultimately determined to have been taken by trail cameras in Michigan and Montana. "It's very fascinating that the interest is out there," he said. Your IP: 188.166.225.205 But sometimes, instead of mountain lions, people thought they saw other creatures in the Connecticut woods, of which authorities were supposedly aware. In 2011, a cougar was hit by a car and killed on a Connecticut highway. According to the Department of Environmental Conservation, “mountain lions do not have a native, self-sustaining population in New York State. As of today, Pittsfield resident Bob Fournier's July 28 photo has drawn more than 1,100 shares, 500 likes and 260 comments on his Facebook page. I saw a catamount (mountain lion) yesterday, April 23, 2013 at about 3:15pm when I was going southbound on Interstate 91 and was halfway between Lyndonville and St. Johnsbury, Vermont. The 54-year-old Fournier said he is amazed at the attention his photo has generated. The length of their thick tails runs some two-thirds of the body. A number of the commenters in Fournier's thread speak to their belief wildlife officials are willfully concealing their presence here. Cloudflare Ray ID: 641fbe753875dcfa The two stared at other and Fournier eventually drifted into a patch of weeds that kept his kayak in place about 30 feet away from the cat. It says the sightings may also be smaller bobcats or the Canada lynx. DNA analysis revealed the cat had traveled some 1,800 miles from South Dakota. The last wild mountain lion in New Hampshire may have been killed in the White Mountains in 1885. Lynx sightings and Catamount sightings have been on the increase every year since 2003. • Facts-first reporting from the source you trust. (BOB FOURNIER / FACEBOOK). Mountain lions can weigh more than 175 pounds and measure some 6 to 8 feet from nose to tail tip. But through resource extraction and other acts of man, mountain lions, have been extirpated from much of their original territory, including the Northeast. The last wild mountain lion known to be killed in Vermont was taken in Barnard in 1881. Rumors of their hidden presence persisted. STOCKBRIDGE -- A photo taken late last month of a big cat sitting on the banks of the Housatonic River has sparked lively debate, with many believing it's a mountain lion -- even as the photographer and state wildlife officials say otherwise. Community Rules apply to all content you upload or otherwise submit to this site. Prior to the mid-1990s, the late Wildlife Professor Harold Hitchcock of Middlebury College, became Vermont’s Official Big Cat ‘hunter’, who sought evidence of the Big Cats across the Maple State. Debate over the existence of mountain lions in Massachusetts -- or even within the entire Northeast for that matter -- often puts state wildlife officials and their need for hard scientific evidence at odds with those who insist they have seen the big cats lurking in backyards, leaping across roadways or melting into forests. According to the Vermont Fish & Wildlife Department only four confirmed sightings occurred in the state from the late 1700s to the early 2000s. Mountain lions can weigh more than 175 pounds and measure some 6 to 8 feet from nose to tail tip. Only about 9 miles out of Rutland, in Pittsford on the Common Hill Road, travelers had lined up beside the road to watch an animal roaming about freely in an adjacent field. "You can tell by the size and the shape of the head. © 2021 Advance Local Media LLC. Subscribe now. A far less likely environment for finding a mountain lion than just about anywhere in Vermont. if you do a little research into sightings in New Hampshire, you will find a confirmed and documented sighting by a Fish and Game officer In the State of New Hampshire just a few years ago. Please enable Cookies and reload the page. • Along the thick riparian habitat of the Sacramento River, mountain lions are often seen. In Vermont, the last known mountain lion was shot near Barnard in 1881, ending an era when the predators were such a nuisance that the state offered a $20 bounty per pelt. They have been absent from this state since the late 1800s; however, there have been a few isolated sightings. "I am a wildlife artist, l paint the animals of North America," one person wrote. The latter lion may have been a young male killed by a vehicle in Greenwich, Connecticut, two months later. You may need to download version 2.0 now from the Chrome Web Store. Vermont’s last known cougar, also known as a mountain lion or catamount, was killed in 1881 in Barnard. Body size, of course, is a much more dramatic factor. Clay tells FOX31 a report of an unusual mountain lion sighting first came in two weeks ago. The eastern bobcat can be found in a variety of habitats including coniferous forests, bogs or swamps, and partially forested mountain areas. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Advance Local. There have been several sightings of mountain lions in New Hampshire recently. Their tails typically range from 31/2 to 71/2 inches long. Vermonters Say They Saw a Mountain Lion – Again. Regarding the Last Mountain Lion Killed, It is the last reported Mountain lion killed in the state. "I am certain it is a bobcat," Fournier wrote in a comment on his Facebook post. Only a few confirmed sightings of mountain lions have occurred in Tennessee in recent years. Cougars were once the most widely distributed land mammal in the West- ern Hemisphere. "Even if i didn't see the tail I'd say it's a bobcat," said Marion Larson, chief officer of information and education for MassWildlife. Completing the CAPTCHA proves you are a human and gives you temporary access to the web property. Mountain lions can be found anywhere there are deer. George Graham | Special to The Republican. It HAD NO TAIL to speak of. Particularly in the northeast, rocky ledges are important features to its habitat, as courtship rituals and denning often occur around them. But zooming in I can see the telltale sideburns bobcats have.". All rights reserved (About Us). Therefore not a mountain lion.". Note to readers: if you purchase something through one of our affiliate links we may earn a commission. Bobcats, which are common in Western Massachusetts, have short or bobbed tails relative to their body size. Fournier said he has seen bobcats before and this particular one "was bigger than any bobcat I have ever seen.". And it is a creature of which state officials are quite mindful these days. Registration on or use of this site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement, Privacy Policy and Cookie Statement, and Your California Privacy Rights (each updated 1/1/21). The last mountain lion killed in this state was in Amherst in 1858, according to MassWildlife, which explores the controversy in a series of webpages. The animals are known by a variety of names: mountain lion, puma, panther, catamount. The last known wild mountain lion in the Northeast died in Maine in 1938. For more than a decade now, coywolves have been living in Vermont. The “captive” narrative also helped explain why there had been so many sightings reported, including some in Greenwich, among the richest and most domesticated suburbs in America. A what? Officially, there are no documented mountain lions living in New England but Fish and Game says it's possible. ODWC is building a database of sightings for mountain lions. In fact, it is a hybrid of wolf, coyote and dog. Another sighting involved a wild cougar that traveled through New York as it trekked nearly 1,800 miles east … Potential Home Ranges Based on Three High Quality Sightings oo 00 - Until recently, it was thought that the last mountain lion (a very big cat -- aka a catamount) … Mountain lions, also known as cougars, pumas, panthers and catamounts, have substantially longer and thicker tails. When the cat finally walked away, Fournier said he saw no sign of a long tail. "It never took its eyes off me," Fournier said, adding that the cat remained still even as he reached into the stern compartment of his kayak -- making a considerable amount of noise in the process -- to grab his cellphone and take the photo. There are eight to 10 reported sightings of mountain lions, also called cougars or pumas, in Great Smoky Mountains National Park each year. "l have a painting of a cougar in the exact same pose, same body, same face, that is undoubtedly a mountain lion.". he or she is in good shape, but they are bold, so if you live nearby keep your kitties inside. (Photo courtesy of Vermont Historical Society) Tail size is a key way to differentiate between the two species. Vermont offers plenty of habitat in which mountain lions could thrive. The last catamount killed in Vermont stands under glass just inside the doors to the Vermont Historical Museum in Montpelier, a hop, skip, and a jump down the block from the statehouse. "I watched it walk off. Each sighting involved cougars that are not native to New York. Wildlife experts say, however, it can sometimes be tricky to get a sense of scale from a photograph -- or even out in the field. Fournier said he was kayaking along the shore of the Stockbridge Country Club when he saw the cat around 5:30 p.m. "It was pure luck," Fournier said of the sighting -- adding that he was reasonably sure he was seeing a bobcat, but wanted to see its tail to be sure. Please report any sightings to headquarters at 530-934-2801. There's absolutely no doubt what we saw was a mountain lion. But Fournier is convinced the wild feline he encountered and photographed during a kayaking trip is a bobcat and not a mountain lion because he did not see a long tail when the animal finally walked away after a lengthy stare-off. If you have evidence in the form of tracks, photo, video, or a kill you will be contacted by an ODWC employee. Fish and Wildlife Service declared the eastern mountain lion extinct in 2011, sparking many calls to the Vermont Fish and Wildlife office about potential sightings. But be sure Leave a Comment of your sighting. Just when most of us have forgotten about the numerous reports over the past few years of mountain lion sightings, along comes another. Subsequent DNA testing found that the animal was from South Dakota. In recent years, the presence of mountain lions in Western Massachusetts have been scientifically documented twice at Quabbin Reservoir: once in April 1997, via a scat found near a cached beaver carcass and then in March 2011, via tracks left in snow. Since then, there have been a handful of confirmed mountain lion sightings in the Northeast, although most have been thought to … "it's a bobcat, they get quite dark in summer, and the build, eyes and ears say bobcat. The length of their thick tails runs some two … “They certainly are in Vermont,” said Louis Porter, commissioner for the Vermont Department of Fish & Wildlife. A couple of sightings involved captive mountain lions that escaped from licensed facilities in New York State. Each sighting involved cougars that … They are considered a transient species in the state, with no breeding population. Nice pic, they are here in W Mass", "The photo is far enough away to hide some key features. The animal was shot in the town of Barnard on Thanksgiving Day 1881 by a … It was the size of a small deer, with thick legs, big paws, pointy ears and a long tail that hung down and curled at the end, just short of the ground. 6 talking about this. He notes that supposed mountain lion sightings spiked in the late 1800s and early 1900s shortly after the animals disappeared from New England’s woods. The big cat has been extinct here since the mid-1800s. Those calls continue today; a local Milton business owner said she’s heard of three puma sightings in Milton just this summer. mountain lions have returned to Vermont. Performance & security by Cloudflare, Please complete the security check to access. Some factors in the bobcat's selection of habitat seem to be prey abundance and cover. MassWildlife also has a webpage debunking rumors claiming the agency has been introducing mountain lions to the wilds of Massachusetts to control deer, or intentionally concealing knowledge of well-established populations. In Vermont, it was 1881. MOUNTAIN LION SIGHTING REPORT. Its taxidermied body is on display at the Vermont History Museum in … It does NOT surprise me, you would have seen a wild, free-roaming, native ‘eastern’ cougar, aka puma, mountain lion in Vermont. In Vermont, it was 1881. ", "Look at that muzzle, more bigcat than bobcat. 7-28-17 -- Stockbridge-- A photo of a big cat sitting on the banks of the Housatonic River, taken late last month and posted on Facebook, has sparked lively debate, with many claiming it to be a mountain lion -- even as the photographer and state wildlife officials say otherwise. Canada lynx are breeding in Vermont’s Northeast Kingdom. "This is a continuing issue in the Northeast," Larson said of the conjecture that often swirls around the big cats. Recently logged areas and farms often provide food and cover for the … "It's not just in Massachusetts.". United States - Mountain Lions Are Back in Vermont! You can find out more about the confirmed sightings on the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency page here . 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