And, a couple of biologists I talked to when I was putting this exhibit together, said that it's. I am so happy that I did not hit it - there was absolutely no time to react. 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. Get started. I started asking a lot of questions, and realized theres only one explanation for the answers I was getting: They are here., You could have 30 in Connecticut alone. Clearly, Puma concoloronce inhabited the forests of the Northeast, although its difficult to say in what numbers. Subsequent DNA testing found that the animal was from South Dakota. This is a natural wildlife corridor coming down off of the Worcester Range headed over towards the Green Mountain Range. We hadnt seen a cougar, nor any evidence to suggest a cougar had traveled these woods recently. We were both very startled and when it ran away it had a long tail with white and black at the tip.I lived in Colorado for several years, in the vicinity of mountain lions, never saw one and never thought for a moment that they could possibly be in Vermont. Or click the map itself. [Betty] and the other guys dont do this shit. [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. Mountain Lion. It wailed just one time but it woke me from a sound sleep. All reports are the wee hours of the morning. In the 37 years Ive been working, things have changed in ways Id never have predicted. The topic was discussed at the town's June 10 city council meeting after a potential sighting on June 1 in the Savanna area of William O'Brian State . After an unfortunate past of over hunting, Montana's mountain lion population has made a comeback. Just like cats do - it waited to the last moment and then ran across in front of me. A few days ago my husband was jogging at 5 am near our farm in Morgan Vermont, and a huge BLACK Cougar stepped out onto the road. She served as the Senior Producer for 'The Colin McEnroe Show' for several years before stepping down in 2021 and returning to her previous career as a registered nurse. I am willing to put my hand on the bible or take a polygraph. There were reported sighting of it but Vermont and NH denied the allegations. It crossed the road just below where the Jaquiths lived. If you have any pictures you can post them here too! Its a cool story with how far that animal walked. Laura: Did you report the dead mountain lion to the state Highway Dept. He set down his cigarette and looked me in the eye. They set the stage for the exotics to move in, and this has a huge impact on our ecology, he said. Proctor to vote on what constitutes a public nu Hartland board appoints acting town manager, First spring flowers are in bloom in Rutland, Rutland Area Robotics receive 2016 challenge, EPA honors Efficiency Vermont as 2023 Energy Star Partner of the Year, We must have courage to address gun problem, Confused about Affordable Heat Bill? By C.L. And thats a surprisingly complex question, because it hinges on numerous factors: policy and politics, culture and conditioning, habitat and, frankly, hubris. In Vermont, it was 1881. At the head of the driveway is a flower sales table in front of a modest size greenhouse. Anyway, I hope you see this message. ALSO KNOWN AS Bobcats: Though technically a type of lynx, they are distinct from other species of lynx such as the Canadian lynx. The mountain lion is also known as cougar, panther, or puma. Like Tate, he gets a lot of photos and . Until recently, it was thought that the last mountain lion (a very big cat -- aka a catamount) disappeared from our state decades ago. I met with Morse at her home in Jericho. [4] However, the 1946 taxonomy is now in question. Create a free website or blog at WordPress.com. Prof. Hitchcocks experienced led him to believe, a minimum of 10 wild cougars, inhabited the various forests of Vermont. Just adding my two cents to the discussion. Sincerely, Whats happening in Waterbury? On another large animal that is most definitely here: bears. It used to be that a bear would go into a house when someone wasnt home. I started this blog for people to discuss mountain lion sightings and reports in the Green Mountain State of Vermont. Before I departed the Old Well Tavern, Bo Ottmann offered to lead me on a walk into an adjacent stretch of woods, where, he assured me, cougars might be found. Photo courtesy National Wildlife Federation. It could simply mean someone who had an illegal pet or captive animal released the cougar into the wild. Fear is actually one of the most powerful ecological forces we know, and its a really important management tool., According to Laundre, the problems caused by a relatively fear-free ecosystem are not always obvious, in part because they can take decades to fully manifest. Because he lives among them, Harrigan understands that no one knows the woods better. But one day. I have seen a bobcat as I had one that hung around one of the places I lived-I believe he may have been hurt because he hung around for about a month which is uncharacteristic of them if I remember correctly, and I also believe he same one was hit by Harpoon Brewery in Windsor and boy do they clean up wild cats fast. I can say that we didnt linger too long in the area. Bill and I are full-throttle. We know that the closest established breeding population is in either the Everglades of Florida theres a small population down there and then out in South Dakota and Nebraska. There were caribou antlers mounted above the front doors, and the interior walls were covered in row upon row of books; a long table was piled high with still more books in seemingly random arrangements. 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. Sometimes, one will make it as far east as Vermont. If yes, like most state Highway Agencies, they should have a record of both the pickup of its carcass, as well, as to where they dumped it. The truth is, I was by this point dubious. As a scientist, lack of evidence is very good evidence. 2 Last 5 Years. John Lutz, Eastern Puma Research network.. Hi I am from Arlington, vt. could you email me the pic and the story behind it please, thanks. This is a site for people to discuss mountain lion sightings in the Green Mountain State of Vermont. We know it was not a bobcat. He says that if mountain lions do . 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. Bobcat tails, though prominent when they walk, are only about six or seven inches long. Equinox, Manchester, Vt told me he has seen them in the high mountain road there. The females are where its at, she said. I was awakened by a wailing sound that I thought was a woman in great pain and fear in my front yard. If theres a middle ground in the cougar debate, it belongs to John Harrigan, a veteran outdoorsman, newspaper reporter, and widely read syndicated columnist. He coined the term landscape of fear to describe the relationship between predator and prey in the wild. The scientific name for the catamount is Puma concolor. We even enjoyed the pleasure of taking them out to dinner, then returning wiith them for a delightful 3 days with them, dicussing the big cats, while they vacationed at their Atlantic Oceanfront Cottage.. HHH was firmly convinced, wild cougars inhabited Vermont, as well as each of New Englands nothernmost states. Published: 9/3/2021 5:01:49 PM. He wore red suspenders and a baseball cap. I think the only reason the lion did not attack was because of the dogs. But right now youre dealing with top-notch guys. So I walked out of the driveway turned right when I saw a pair of yellow greenish eyes under an apple tree I asumed it was a deer because I had seen many deer their earlier in the day. I never say never to people who are calling with a sighting, he said. Evidently it was authentic because a mountain lion pounced on him. If its not, you just thank the person and say good-bye.. 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). Big and Fast. When seen in Florida, they are of approx. dr bondra fremont, ohio obituary; is francis leo marcos related to ferdinand marcos He was big. I have seen 6 bear,several Fishers and all the common wildlife in VT but never anything like this. Those are the two closest populations that we have here. I thought it was a deer and slowed in case it ran in front of me. 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. Even in the controlled environment of a lab, the truth about Eastern cougars seems to be almost willfully eluding its seekers. Its distinctive featurethe one that sets it apart from other North American wild catsis its tail, which is thick and often as long as its body. He has also reported for the Marketplace Morning Report. Because they are.. I appreciated Ottmann and Bettys confidence and commitment, but here I was, poking through thorny thickets behind a bar, trailing a bleeding man whose devotion to proving the presence of cougars was beginning to seem like a quixotic quest with no end. In 2011, the U.S. Visit VAL and learn more . And he said, This is where the mountain lion crossed. We walked in and there were fresh bobcat tracks in there. They usually don't wanna be around you anyways. I took pictures but now wished I had placed an object to get the scale of the prints. Despite frequent claims, there has only been one confirmed mountain lion sighting since the late 1800s here. Two mountain lion encounters in his driveway. "There are about eight to 10 reports of mountain lion sightings a year, some by tourists, some by veterinarians, and some by a wildlife photographer," Linzey said. But other hard evidence of the big cats presence is elusive. There were also people who spoke of seeing prints in a specific area in Hartland as well. Mountain Lions Not Just a Tall Tale in Adirondacks. In their estimation, the presence of a breeding cougar population in New England would likely stem from our proximity to Canada, where, as they rightly point out, DNA analysis has resulted in 19 positive identifications across Quebec and New Brunswick since 2001 (although some of these were shown to be of South American lineage, suggesting escaped pets). And it was this curiosity that led me to the Old Well Tavern in Simsbury, Connecticut, at a time of day (11:30 a.m.) that does not normally find me ensconced in the dim confines of a drinking establishment. I started this blog for people to discuss mountain lion sightings and reports in the Green Mountain State of Vermont. During the Summer of 1991, my wife Linda and I, took 3 days on our vacation, to meet both Harold & Martene Hitchcock. I started this blog for people to discuss mountain lion sightings and reports in the Green Mountain State of Vermont. It took the animal down, held the animal in its paws, laid on its side and kicked it /gutted it with its hind legs (I have seen my cat do this). 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. Many, many times, in many different ways along its travel up through Minnesota, Michigan and to Canada, down through New York, through hair samples, blood samples, trail camera photos. 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. Sincerely, John Lutz, 99 Beagle boots Lane, Maysville, WV 26833 or epuma@frontier.com, Hellomy husband and I were at our Vermont vacation home taking a furniture delivery. Back in the 60s a traveling zoo lost their black panther, and denied it. Pictures are pretty clear. I can send the pics I have. 24 Hour Hotline: 304-749-7778 if interested in discussing our favorite subject. I can unsubscribe any time using the unsubscribe link at the end of all emails. I do this shit.. His mention of these encounters was so matter-of-fact that I found myself nodding along. Now the bears, they dont even care if people are home, theyll go right in the house. The big cat on the ground before him, motionless, yet somehow still embodying that particular feline litheness, as if, with the flick of its tail, it might bound to its feet and disappear into the woods. Its not my call. It is also known as cougar, panther, mountain lion, and puma, though catamount is the preferred regional vernacular. So special. The eastern cougar or eastern puma ( Puma concolor couguar) is a subspecies designation proposed in 1946 for cougar populations in eastern North America. Tom Stearns, a Vermont Game Warden says they get reports all the time. She lives near the end of a gravel road in a modest, low-slung house tucked into the flanks of the Green Mountains. Photo courtesy of Dave O'Donnell. Its on the property that we own over there. Jason Hawley says his office gets lots of calls about mountain lions each year. On one side, there are those (as represented here by Sue Morse, Kim Royar, and Christopher Spatz, along with a number of others I spoke with) who contend that the lack of verifiable evidence is proof that the animals are not here. One time a found a perfect mt lion print in the soft silt by the bull run stream only 70 yards from my front door. I was proud to acknowledge the fact, of being a CLOSE friend to both the Professor & his wife Martene. Yet dozens of. Very distinguishable nails marks in the snow. Fish and Wildlife Service in 2011. We need our apex carnivores in a big way, Morse says. We have a lot of them here in N CA. He ran right in front of me and I almost hit him. Now, lets start talking about our favorite big cat! We all feel so blessed to have sighted them, and have no doubt we saw cougar. COLCHESTER, Vt. Catamounts. On our road in the last few years almost everyone has seen a Cougar, one neighbor has a fawn colored one on his game cam. And consider, for a moment, the concern and outright fear an official acknowledgment of such a carnivorous and predatory creature might evoke. Well, theres no difference between Maine and New Brunswick, anyway, said Betty. T here've been several reported mountain lion sightings around Marine on St. Croix, Minn. in the last month. Now only feet from what I realized was a mountain lion I was in horror. More information visit www.nature-museum.org. In June 1991 and again in July 1993, my wife Linda and I, visited Prof. Harold & wife Martene at their Maine Cottage overlooking the Atlantic Ocean, where we had serious discussions on the WILD, NATIVE, FREE-ROAMING cougars-mountain lions and their ancestors who have inhabited the eastern U.S. for over the last 500 years. Here's a link to one of his columns. 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. What a site. I gave grown up in the woods and this was no bobcat. Welcome to the blog dedicated to discussing mountain lion sightings in Vermont. It was broadside to my headlights, paused to look me directly in the eyes, its magnificent tail as long as its body. It is what wildlife biologists call an apex carnivore, which means it can overpower pretty much any other creature in its environmentwith the exception of an armed human. It was on a hill beside the road looking across, when I looked at it better I saw the long tail and cat ears. The tails gotta be there. First about the animal, itself, and then about the lore and the possibility that the catamount was not, in fact, extinct in Vermont. Its quite an uphill challenge for us to manage that situation right now. Betty, for instance, has presented on Eastern cougars more than 300 times, gathering many hundreds of sighting reports in the process. If there are mountain lions skulking around Vermont, they wont stay hidden for long, Bernier said. There were caribou antlers mounted above the front doors, and the interior walls were covered in row upon row of books; a long table was piled high with still more books in seemingly random arrangements. These highlights have been edited and condensed for length and clarity. I want emails from Fodor's Travel with travel information and promotions. Just found this site, two weeks ago a good friend took a number of pictures of a large cat 100 feet from her deck. My e-mail: epuma@frontier.com /// my mailing address 99 Beagle Boot Lane, Maysville, WV 26833 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. Sign up below to receive the weekly newsletter, which also includes top trending stories and what all the locals are talking about! 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. my friend has agreat hunting camp in sandgate vt. he just sent me a photo from a trailcam on his property,and without a doubt he got a picture of a mountain lion I dont know how to transfer photos to here,but I can do it to an e-mail. And even the home entries are kind of changing. Yet I also remembered something Sue Morse had told me months before, as we sat in her living room drinking beer and chatting cats. Our county announced that they do not think they will be able to retain our county trapper due to our serious budget crisis. Welcome to the blog dedicated to discussing mountain lion sightings in Vermont! Normally we have good cameras but we were just up there for a quick delivery. Its closest living relative is the cheetah. But perhaps an even larger portion is the product of his enduring faith in the men and womanloggers, hunters, trapperswhose vocations and avocations have instilled in them a deep familiarity with wild places and the creatures who inhabit them. You know, weve had so many home entries this year. I noticed that there were many great websites, blogs, and discussion boards devoted to mountain lion sightings in other states of New England, but not one just for Vermont. 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