Cougars/Mountain lions In WNC?

[Pumpkinpup]

Yes, they roam all over the south eastern US now. I have seen 3 in my lifetime. I live out in the boonies and there is lots of wildlife here.

 

[4 Love of Baby Chickens]

Yikes!!! I hope that they don't come where I live. I'll never be able to protect my chickens, my dog and my cat from them!!!!

 

[preppy*hippie*chick]

I've heard that there's a big debate on whether or not they "exist" in West Virginia too. It seems like that would be a good place for them, but as Speckled Hen said, wildlife officials refuse to consider it.

 

[Mourningdove]

I live in NE Alabama and an elderly man up the road claims he saw a black panther here, I haven't seen any though, I doubt they live here but who knows

 

[EllyMae]

They are in NC. The question nc wildlife officials have is..is it the Eastern cougar, or the Western cougar that people keep as 'pets' until they get too big or too hard to handle, then turn them loose. Which is really not the smartest thing in the world to do. I think that is why it is reported that there aren't cougars in NC. People get the two confused. The eastern cougar is the endangered species.

 

[Pumpkinpup]

They are a secretive animal and under most normal conditions you won't see them. Two of the ones I have seen were black and one was tawny colored. Only one of those sightings was in daytime and it was resting up in a huge oak tree on a limb. It was an amazing thing to see and quite sobering considering it was in my back pasture.

 

[EllyMae]

Quote:
Bobcats are plentiful...and you hardly catch glimpses of those things but boy when you do, you are in for a treat.
I was just going to comment that I grew up hearing the stories of my uncles and other relatives that saw or heard the big cats(cougars) or "panthers" as my family called them. I would love to see one in the wild!

 

[MysticScorpio82]

I understand your frustation. According to Maine's officals there are no cougars here either, though that hasn't stopped them from being seen all over the place here, dead and alive

. Just listen and take advice from people have dealt with them before. Plan for the worse and hope for the best

. Best wishes!!

 

[Carolina Chicken Man]

Well first of all I have personally seen one in eastern N.C. between New Bern and Havelock in that big National Forest ( I forget the name). I talked to the Wildlife Resources Commission and at first they thought I was crazy, but they said that if I really saw one, it must have been one that was a pet and was released. That may be the case.

And second, you need to worry about more than your livestock. Those things kill people with some regularity out west. Most often juvenile male cats, attacking joggers. Seems they are not very experienced hunters, and they mistake you for a deer.

So, just to be safe, if you are a jogger, you may want to stick to the treadmill or the track down at the high school.

 

[Pumpkinpup]

I was in California at Yosemite and kings canyon a couple of years ago. A lynx walked out onto the trail and stood there for a moment. It made my heart stop and I just held my breath because I feared I would scare it. I wanted to keep that moment forever. I got a pic of it as it was leaving because some other folks came up the trail making a bunch of noise

I was very irritated because so many folks never saw all the deer and other amazing wildlife I saw. They were too loud and tromping around like a herd of wildabeasts!!!!

I need to find those pics and post them. That was the most amazing trip I have ever been on.