Mountain Lion sitings Finally CONFIRMED in Western Ma.

[hogge]

This particular photo was taken on Sept. 8th near the Dalton/ Windsor line where a lifelong hunter set up a motion camera to see what deer were in the area. Pic was taken to Ma. Div. Fish and Wildlife, Hubbard ave. Pittsfield Ma. for verification. Hunter was asked NOT to publicize photo as to start a panic. We who have lived in this area have known with numerous sitings of these animals they were in fact inhabiting this area of Berkshire county. I myself, being a lifelong hunter, often ran across "big cat" tracks I couldn't even ID without thinking they were truly Mountain Lion as I KNEW! There have been numerous sitings this past summer that were dismissed by Fish and Game as FICTITIOUS. Well you can only fool people for so long. Now we have one on film! No denying it now. I'm sure it's only a matter of time before someone actually shoots one. This is exactly the reason why, when I enter the woods to "dirt fish", I ALWAYS CARRY! An ounce of prevention, (and a 9mm), beats a pound of cure. YEP! HOGGE There are more than just 1 cat in this area. Probably more like 20-25. There have been sitings in many hilltowns and they have been more numerous as of late.

 

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[bassmstr]

Funny N.H. Fish and Game denies there are any in our state. The 5" tracks in the fresh snow I found outside our camp in Pittsburg say otherwise. No lynx left those. We have caught a glimpse of one crossing the road up there and it was no deer with that long tail.

 

[hogge]

Funny N.H. Fish and Game denies there are any in our state. The 5" tracks in the fresh snow I found outside our camp in Pittsburg say otherwise. No lynx left those. We have caught a glimpse of one crossing the road up there and it was no deer with that long tail.

From what other people have said ,and rumors of course, DFW introduced 6 cats in Late 70's to our area. Kept it all HUSH HUSH of course. Have no idea why they would do such a thing but the rest is history.

 

[Evolution]

Thats a little disturbing. I know you're not too far from me Hogge. Western Mass. is right across the Hudson River from Albany and I'm not too far from there. I guess crossing the river might prove to be a problem for the cats but I'm sure there a few on this side as well. One of the sites I hunted alot last year was owned by a guy who threw the "mountain lion" word around. I did run into a bobcat on one of my hunts but nothing bigger than that....thankfully.

 

[Ramapirate]

You're a BIG kitty cat, oh yes you are! You're a big kitty cat...
(John Candy as Tom Tuttle from the movie Volunteers)

I saw my first bobcat back in December of 2007 and I thought it was a pretty big cat...
Silly a$$ me.

HH,
Ramapirate

 

[tulecanyon]

big cats swim.

 

[Bassfish]

Got a link to the story....date stamp......... GPS cords etc....?

 

[N.J.THer]

I ran into a bob cat on the outer banks last time I was down there. Walked around the corner of the house at night time and was face to face. We both looked at each other for a second then he turned and bolted into the trees. I'm sure glad it was not this big boy....I would have crapped myself.

NJ

 

[hogge]

Another city boy packing heat in the woods because of a mountain lion sighting.

Come out West sometime and learn some backwoods skills. I will tell you that none of them really involve guns for killing mountain lions!

Listen up SON! I've spent 1/2 my adult life in the woods. Hunting, fishing, camping, and MD ing. Bad things happen to 3 kinds of people, the meek, the weak, and the unprepared. Which one are you?By the way...I always carry.I'm not worried about seeing one of these,(although many sitings are in my area of travel), I'm more worried about the rabid Fox or Coyote, or getting in between a sow and her cubs. By the way, they are an Eastern Coyote, there is no such thing as a "COY-DOG".

 

[UTcoinshootR]

Awesome picture! We have em all over here in UT. They are scared to death of us. As long as you don't surprise one, you'll be just fine. Maybe hunt without headphones. Oh and I do firmly believe in the insurance. I have the .40 s&w policy. Mostly because people scare me way more than a Mt. Lion ever will. (I work in a jail, I'm jaded. Sue me.)

 

[jsu]

I agree that most cats won`t bother you. If one does try to attack (if you don`t have a gun) the best thing to do is to put your head bettween your legs and kiss your a** goodbye Also get a set of rattler`s or stinger`s so you can hear it stalking you

 

[tulecanyon]

humans are the scary.
the southwest has many types of cat, including jaguar.

i surprised a mountain lion once, 3 ft face to face. the pucker factor was wayyyyyyyy up there.
it weighed more than i did at the time.
be prepared seems insufficient at moments like that.

if you meet a big cat. DO NOT RUN! make yourself as large as possible. make loud and obnoxious noises.

 

[Colonial Copper Zeus]

We have the same controversy here in Pa. It's good to see that you guys in Ma. are not all nuts. We here in Pa are told regularly that we are seeing things. I swear I havent had a hallucination in years.
Chris

 

[hogge]

We have the same controversy here in Pa. It's good to see that you guys in Ma. are not all nuts. We here in Pa are told regularly that we are seeing things. I swear I havent had a hallucination in years.
Chris

I guess it's better to lie and deny than to cause some sort of panic. But of course we all are used to lying and denying.....our government leaders and big business,( including your employers), Lye their A$$ off everyday like it's second nature! I'd better stop.

 

[fistfulladirt]

2 "cougar" attacks on horses here in southern Michigan. DNR denies after numerous sightings. Also black bear sightings. 50 miles north of Ohio border.

 

[True_Metal]

Same thing as NY DEP will tell you

That is a Bobcat you silly people. There are no Mountain Lions in the east

 

[hollowpointred]

here in northern delaware there have been cougar sightings for a few years now. they are extremely elusive animals and generally dont want anything to do with people. pets and small kids however might look like an easy meal to a big cat though. this area i am in is super populated and we have had no attacks at all (except for some slaughtered deer in the wooded areas). you probably dont have a lot to worry about. cougars are usually way more afraid of humans than humans are of them.

 

[MrBling]

Another city boy packing heat in the woods because of a mountain lion sighting.

Come out West sometime and learn some backwoods skills. I will tell you that none of them really involve guns for killing mountain lions!

You are so right.
The fear people have of these cats is irrational- completely out of proportion to the actual danger. Pointing out to them that they are far more likely to be injured or killed in a car accident driving to the woods than they are to be attacked in the woods by a cat is like talking to a brick wall. Cat attacks on humans are rare, and on adult male humans are extremely rare( not to say nonexistent, of course). Rationally, people should be more afraid of backyard swimming pools and ladders, since they are a greater threat to human life than these cats. I suppose it stems from an atavistic fear of predators
I have solo backpacked all over the Southwest, including in areas that are known to have high population of lions. I have seen plenty of tracks, heard them roaring at night, and I think have seen a couple disappearing into the brush(they are very stealthy).
I just take the normal safety precautions anyone should take in the wilderness, i.e.-not bumbling around the brush at night, checking my back regularly as I walk, being constantly vigilant when filling my water bottles, knowing something about the behavior of the species I may encounter, etc.
I would love to see a lion population reestablished in North Florida, but I'm afraid that won't occur for many years due to the public hysteria it would currently cause
All that said, I agree that carrying a firearm is often a wise decision -but to defend yourself against two-legged animals, not the four-legged ones.

 

[EDDE]

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[mistergee]

yep ...been telling us in Pa..they dont exist...but everywhere ive hunted the locals were always asking us if we saw any big cats...and the next door neighbor told us one came down over the winter and died in her yard...she called the warden but he never showed...after 3 days her son in law buried it....she has lived there all her life and i think she knows what a mountain lion looks like....the PGC has been denying thier existance for years....even though they supposedly released some in the western part of the state years ago....i too have seen thier tracks and spoor.....

the southwest has many types of cat, including jaguar.

thats a new one on me ....if true youve got potential maneaters on your hands