Please keep scrolling - ALL the Puma posts are included. In personal contacts, that monthly average might even be higher. The last of three glaciations covered 30% of Pennsylvania, including much of the Poconos, from around 20,000-10,000 B.C. . Can so many people be wrong? Interestingly, almost all of the people I've spoken to who claim to have seen a puma have not seen a bobcat, an animal that is common enough in Pennsylvania to support a legal trapping season! A Game Commission vehicle was there, and the Fed Ex driver, after reaching the bottom of a long hill, turned back to check on what he saw. If you see or photograph a puma in the mid-Atlantic states, please email or call me. Mary saw the photo, too, and she immediately agreed, it was a puma. Here in central Pennsylvania we live on the outskirts of what one puma-tracking website has as almost the high point of sightings, extending from north-central Pennsylvania in a southwestern diagonal that extends into the mountains of West Virginia. That's significant because, in states where mountain lions live, they're often struck by vehicles or otherwise found dead. No projectile points or spearheads were found with the remains, indicating the animal may have died naturally rather than killed by native hunters. For example, one man I interviewed said he saw a 'black' puma, and this should disqualify his sighting as a black puma has never been recorded. Unless I am only dealing with a lot of delusional people with little judgment, something is out there. Cookie Settings/Do Not Sell My Personal Information. A placard affixed to the fence outside Rocky's pen states that "cougars are solitary creatures and rarely seen by humans." Here's an example: A man is holding a dead eastern diamondback rattlesnake, which was found in North Carolina and measured more than 9 feet long and weighed 95 pounds. As a state known for its mountains, its no wonder that mountain lions live here! Have all of those who have seen a puma really seen a bobcat? Over 1,100 people follow her page. Mountain Lions in Pennsylvania? Geologist Dr. John Yolton made the identification. "I thought I had a sighting in the late '90s," Delaware Water Gap National Recreation park ranger Chris Kross said. No An official form of the United States government. Mountain lions roamed all of the continent prior to the arrival and westward spread of European settlers, but only the eastern and Florida subspecies were found east of the Mississippi. "It's one of those things where I'll believe it when I see it," said Jason Farmer of Pocono Summit, my hunting partner for the last eight years. Discover the Little-Known U.S. River Gorge That's, The 9 Best Books About National Parks for Travelers, mountain lions seem to be making a comeback. Reports of a mountain lion have come from several residents of Hemlock Farms who were hiking on. A bobcat gives you a warm, that-kind-of-looks-like-my-cat-but-slightly-bigger feeling. The northeastern U.S. population is thought to have disappeared in the 1930s. Perhaps my Fed Ex driver was simply recalling a rural legend, but he said it was an employee that he knew, and it was a story he heard first-hand. We hope you enjoy this foray into the most weird and wonderful our beloved Pocono Mountains have to offer. DCNR gave the following as examples: the saber-tooth cat; a small, three-toed horse; the Pleistocene beaver, and the mastodon. It was decided that this shouldn't influence the decision and, in fact, an infusion of new genes produces a hybrid vigor, lessening the chance of in-breeding. A mastodon's skull was first located in Marshalls Creek, Monroe County, on July 5, 1968. Remember, this one was photographed in Arizona in good puma country, although this was the first one I've recorded there. Heres What the Data Says. In books I've read critical or skeptical or down-right dismissive of the idea of pumas in the East, the argument has been advanced that the hopefull puma-dreamer/spotters arguing that the State needs to prove pumas don't exist does not mean that in the State not proving this means that pumas indeed do exist in this state. Is there a correct position for the upright on a Wimberley actionhead? Mountain Lions in Pennsylvania - Hoot Hollow Mountain lion sightings could indicate its comeback to Pa. I don't want to seem like a nut case here, but I must ask this question and you'll soon understand why? Officially extinct, mountain lions still haunt the Adirondacks What does a Mountain Lion look like on a game camera? Mountain lion killed in Connecticut was on the opposite side of Pennsylvania a year ago, Is it real? The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Advance Local. The life cycle then repeats itself. What would account for the long tails? I've seen scores of leopards in the grasslands and deserts of East Africa and I've never seen, nor spoke with anyone, who has seen a black leopard there. All of these forests are, with few exceptions, open to hunting, and hunting is a very important industry in Pennsylvania, New York, West Virginia, Maryland, and Virginia. a high priority. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Advance Local. He's sitting in a plastic doghouse, paws crossed, amber eyes locked on the two men ticking him off by their mere presence out beyond the fence. Their are two web sites I know of that dealt with eastern pumas, with the one, the Eastern Puma Research Network, concentrating on sightings in the east. Mountain lions thrive there due to the high elk population, dense forests, and isolated mountain ranges. Why is bat photography so difficult? The hunting policy of the state may be the cause of the dropping population, and pressure on the Fish and Game Commission has increased. The mountains and isolated forests of the state allow these large cats to live their lives without encountering humans very often. Penn State's Nittany Lion hide sampled for DNA sequencing, Mountain lion reports in Pennsylvania popular, but often a hoax, More Local News to Love Start today for 50% off Expires 3/6/23. Pa Mountain lion, cougar, or big cat in bucks county Pennsylvania If you see a puma (mountain lion-cougar), contact me. The cat was far enough away that I couldn't get a size reference, and I believed the cat was further away than it actually was. A Mountain Lion Cover Up 2023 www.poconorecord.com. In Tennessee, the most likely places you would find them would be in the forest. A dark brown puma, backlighted by a strong sun, could appear all black, or very dark, and he accepted that. DNA collected from the mountain lion killed on a roadway in Connecticut in 2011 showed the animal to have originated in South Dakota. Bo Ottman is a landscaper in Connecticut who founded an . They often would catch sheep in broad daylight. So what? A neighbor scared the animal away before it could finish its meal; the sheeps carcass was used as bait, to catch the big cat. "It's fall bow-hunting season soon," he said. In January, the U.S. The sightings were great bear views, but too fast or fleeting to allow me to grab a camera. They are generally believed to be young cats roaming in search of new breeding territories to claim as their own. The mountain lion, which is also called a cougar, puma or panther, weighs on average between 75-120 pounds, has long whiskers and a distinctive swooping tail. Features Writer Micaela Hood is signing off with the Pocono Record after five years of covering arts, culture, entertainment and sports in northeastern . This ideal habitat allows for a large population of 2,000 mountain lions to thrive. Check out our online field guide to read more in this series. A second image of the same cat, in a different light, reveals the trademark spots of a bobcat. Archived Questions of the Month A total of 32 mountain lions have been struck and killed by vehicles in the study area since 2002. I had three cameras positioned, so had a cat visited, I'd have had it. Check out the tails of the two! Biologists who investigate these reports claim that several may, indeed, be mountain lions, but most likely they're animals that have escaped from captivity or have been released by their. These color morphs are most common in rain forests and jungles. Some have even reported seeing a "black panther," a near-impossibility because of the rarity of that recessive gene. Conversely, an outdoor writer I know told me that when Pa. enacted a menagerie permit law years ago, 'a lot of mountain lions suddenly died,' as the owners of these cats, rather than going through the paperwork, simply released their pumas and claimed that they had died. The 6 best hikes in the Poconos Mountains - Lonely Planet Community Rules apply to all content you upload or otherwise submit to this site. Cookie Settings/Do Not Sell My Personal Information. You've got a mountain lion story or photo? Scientists debate whether the large prehistoric mammals became extinct at the end of the Ice Age due to over-hunting, or rapid climate warming. Eyes are normal and are not light sensitive, and the over-all color, generally black, is usually not detrimental and may actually be of benefit. Possibly, but it seems unlikely that enough would have been released or had escaped to make for a viable population. "It was in Worthington State Forest just across the Delaware River from Smithfield Beach). Not only do hunting licenses support the various state game commissions, and in some states the acquisition and maintenance of public hunting lands, but hunters are a huge boon to local economies each fall, with purchases of food, lodging, hunting equipment, etc. What is the Kiboko backpack? Recently, on our Arizona Hummingbird and Bat Photo Shoot, I found a deer that had been hit by a car and had moved off to die beside a stream just 200 yards upstream from our lodge. Biologists traced it. There had been 17 other mastodon finds in Pennsylvania up to 1968, but all were fragmentary. It is an Italianate Villa home that features authentic Victorian furniture and finishing. One man, in the southwestern part of Pennsylvania, had seen one, at night, about 25 years ago. Let's see a clear photo, or a carcass or something. This is only hearsay, however, since I'm only going on their stories. So how or why could there be a conspiracy? (What is meant by "heads" is not clear.). Of course, the writer's comments were hearsay, but it does make sense. YouTubes privacy policy is available here and YouTubes terms of service is available here. All of the above are Mountain Lions, or Pumas, or Cougars. While there have been no confirmed occurrences of mountain lions in Pennsylvania since the late 1800s, dozens of sincere reports of sightings and tracks and even more hoaxed reports emerge across the state each year. Send it to me at mkuhns@poconorecord.com. Claws 'N' Paws Animal Park in Lake Ariel has two. Best hike for seeing waterfalls. They ponder rare fossil evidence unearthed and seek to make sense of stratified geology, both fleeting in the face of what we call progress. If so, what would happen to the hunting industry in all of these states? Mountain Lions do remain in the western states and there is evidence that in 2011, a mountain lion migrated about 1,500 miles from South Dakota to Connecticut where it was killed by a. The skeleton was reassembled at the State Museum, where it has been on display ever since. I used to archery hunt for deer, and I spent a lot of time (way too much time) sitting silently in a tree stand waiting for deer. Most nature magazines state whether the photos were taken "under controlled conditions" rather than in the wild.). I regularly ask hunters and outdoors people if they've ever seen a mountain lion, or know of anyone that has. Who knows? The Poconos is a mountain area in northeastern Pennsylvania.It is 2,400 square miles of wooded mountains and valleys full of beautiful lakes, rivers, forests and wildlife. More Questions about Pumas in Pennsylvania. Kross only saw the animal for a second, but it made a believer out of him. Mountain lions typically eat about one deer per week, along with other smaller prey as the opportunity arises. On that, I've had emails sent with game trail photo attachments, or killed pumas, supposedly shot in Pennsylvania, but these were hoaxes. Noted Wayne County historian Phineas Goodrich recorded in his 1880 book on local history that the common gray wolf was much more common in this area than the cougar. Pocono Record's Micaela Hood moves on to Lehigh Valley Public Media Contrary to popular belief, there are no black panthers in North America; no one has ever captured or killed a black Mountain Lion. My friend was a former hunter and fisherman, and spent a lot of time in the woods, as did I, but neither of us had ever seen a coyote. Mountain lions (cougars, pumas, and more) are among the top predators that live in the United States. Bobcats, feral cats and domestic dogs may be misidentified as mountain lion. Here's more about mountain lions in Pennsylvania: If you purchase a product or register for an account through one of the links on our site, we may receive compensation. ARE THERE MOUNTAIN LIONS IN PA? - Page 8 - Pennsylvania Firearm Owners WATCH: Sharks biting alligators, the most epic lion battles, and MUCH more. They once inhabited the entire United States, but were killed off and pushed west. I've looked in the PGC game laws booklet and saw nothing on this, which I guess you could conclude means a puma would not be legal to shoot. It will happen eventually. While it would seem impossible to confuse the two after seeing them in person, Foster said many of the sightings are in the dark, from roadways and trail cams, with bodies half-concealed. Bigfoot, mountain lions and other cryptids in PA They are generally believed to be young cats roaming in search of new breeding territories to claim as their own. The earliest wave arrived at the end of the last Ice Age; the last wave is the Lenape or Delaware Tribe, which made contact with colonial settlers in the 1600s. After all, skeptics often suggest that puma sightings are just deer sightings, so it would be logical to worry that a hunter might shoot an endangered puma, mistaking it for a brown deer. Let's say the facts indicate that there have been a lot of 'pet' pumas, and many of these escaped. Would that declaration close that ridge to hunting? According to the commission, the last Pennsylvania mountain lion was killed in the late 1800s. "While it seems unlikely, it's not impossible that these animals are showing up in PA," said David Foster, a biology professor at Messiah College in Mechanicsburg. Despite reported sightings throughout the East, including Pennsylvania, and a confirmed mountain lion killed in Connecticut in 2011, there has been no evidence that any of those cats were native to the East. No evidence has ever been produced to support those charges. Melanism is the reverse, where there is an abundance of dark or black pigmentation. I can't dismiss the eye-witnesses I've interviewed. The photographer had no reason to stage the shot -- indeed, the composition and background was terrible, and not what you'd expect for something staged, but the shot wasn't perfectly clear. Two weeks ago, a friend of mine who teaches in one of the Monroe County school districts called to tell me he was sending me a photo of a mountain lion taken by one of his students in the Poconos. Fish and Wildlife Service officially declared the Eastern subspecies of the mountain lion extinct, which would seem to bolster the skeptics. If it were, it would be listed. Below is a list of physical characteristics that distinguish mountain lions from more . There's a saying that "things aren't always what they appear to be." Foster said mountain lions and bobcats could not breed. Would these ridges be declared off-limits for hunting? Unfortunately, their web site no longer seems active, and has been taken over by some wacky drug product. I haven't seen any reports like that.". Arkansas isnt somewhere that we would generally think of when looking for mountain lions, but they are on the rebound! I've spoken to PGC personnel, two being friends, and neither believe there are pumas in Pa. One cited how a bobcat's tail can be much longer than you expect, although I've never seen a bobcat tail longer than, at most, twice the size of the tails illustrated above of the bobcat. Those cats for which DNA evidence was recovered had come east from South Dakota, part of the known, modern-day, U.S. mountain lion range. I'd suspect it would still be considered very rare, after all, it was thought to be extinct. But many others believe wild mountain lions are traveling from Western states, where as many as 30,000 could exist, and across the Midwest to Pennsylvania seeking new territory. In some areas, entire populations of a species exhibit this trait, for unlike albinism, which results in a conspicuous white color and light-sensitive pink eyes, there are no ill effects with melanism. 10 Stunning Mountains In Pennsylvania - AZ Animals The Pocono Mountains, commonly referred to as the Poconos / p o k n o z /, are a geographical, geological, and cultural region in Northeastern Pennsylvania.They overlook the Delaware River and Delaware Water Gap to the east, Lake Wallenpaupack to the north, Wyoming Valley and the Coal Region to the west, and the Lehigh Valley to the south. Are there Mountain Lions (Pumas, Cougars) in Pennsylvania and the Mid-Atlantic States? You be the judge. "He doesn't like men too much," said Suzanne Murray, owner of East Coast Exotic Animal Rescue in this south-central Pennsylvania town. Are There Mountain Lions In Pa? - CLJ With that in mind, lets break down how we classified the states. Do elk live in Pennsylvania? To be fair, I've also spoken with people who, at first, thought they'd seen a puma only to find, to their embarassment, that they were looking at a house cat! I asked our Game officials about evidence, and they cite no road kills. Angel, her African lioness who snarls at strangers, is a big girl. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Hunters I've spoken with said they've been told you can't kill a puma, which they felt was ironic since the same official told them pumas don't exist in Pa. I believe them. Two different people told me that they, or a close relative, had seen pumas on more than one occasion. In Pennsylvania, I receive a few reports of black, big cats, which makes one wonder -- are there melanistic (black) pumas out there, or are those sightings always wrong.