what is this on my game-cam?

[Jaygood787]

its a young cougar

 

[epeloquin]

As I've said before, I'd love confirmed reports that mt lions are breeding in the northeastern and Atlantic states but it just isn't happening. In this day and age, with everyone and his brother having game cams out someone at some point should have captured a series of photos of them if they are actually there. Thus far it hasn't happened. BTW, I watched a Nation Geographic piece on the Appalachian Trail and they have game cams on the trail all through VA, NC, SC, NJ, NY and GA--they have animal photos of cows, pigs, deer, wild horses, coyotes, foxes, bears, even feral dogs and cats--no Mt Lions. You'd think they'd get at least one. To my knowledge even organizations like CougarQuest that are actively looking for them haven't anything but hearsay proof either. It would seem that eastern Mt lions are the Sasquatch or UFO of the animal world--people are sure they're there and claim to have seen them but there is no hard evidence. Or, like the one in CT, they prove to be a transient. Or a freed pet--NYS had one a couple of years ago that DNA showed to be of South America in origin. And, like Sasquatch and UFO sightings those that are convinced they're here are paranoid about not being believed and figure it is some big government cover-up.

Woodmort, I am not at all paranoid about not being believed. I do however take umbrage at what I saw being classified as tantamount to a Bigfoot or UFO sighting. In your mind because cameras along the Appalacian Trail have not captured them or because you 'think' CougarQuest might be looking for them they're not here. What if one of your friends or loved ones saw one...would that still be hearsay? The fact is that they ARE in Massachusetts and New York state. For you to declare they aren't and to make the sweeping statements about people like me who are seasoned hunters and outdoorsmen in our own right is hubris. Mountain lions have a unique body structure that looks like NOTHING else in the woods of the Northeast. I suppose those of us who have sighted Mountain Lions won't get credibility until you see one.

By the way, before you declare that Mt. Lion breeding "just isn't happening" in the northeast you might want to read this website. This deals with sightings in the northeast. One of the sightings was by a Senior Investigator with the NY State Police who saw a Mt. Lion and even looked at its face through his rifle scope. His hunting partner found a deer that had been killed. There is a copy of the report by the NY State Dept. of Enviro. Conserv. Read it for yourself...

http://www.cougarnet.org/northeast.html​

 

[epeloquin]

As to the original photos, it is a cat. There are some large breeds of cats out there. Also, if you look at the surrounding vegetation you'ss see that the animal is not as big as it might seem. There are obvious stripes in the coat if you look closely. It might be a larger sized feral cat but I have no doubt it is a cat. The coat is all wrong to be a cougar/mountain lion.

I spent some time studying the photos and you'll notice that the cat in the night images is noticeably closer to the trailcam than the crow on the ground in the first pic. If you take into consideration its proximity to the trailcam you'll realize it is not as large as it might seem at first.

 

[Chinchilla2]

Quote:
Looks to be a hawk, probably a red shoulder. Looks like the ones here anyway. If not a hawk, perhaps a golden eagle. I would say find a feather and have a wildlife expert look at it but if it's eagle then you can wind up fined since it's illegal to own any type of eagle feather in the U.S.

 

[mstrrlm]

Young Cougar about 4 foot body length

 

[mstrrlm]

Quote:
More than likely the raptor is a juvenile Golden Eagle and as far as those that think the mystery animal is K9 think again look at posture, gate, and distance from chest to ground. K9 stand upright even when hunting where as feline will ALWAYS travel in a sort of hunched position

 

[mstrrlm]

Quote:
LOL Someone didn't read the thread methinks.

First I doubt there are mt. lions in VA. Second check the size of that animal's head compared to the body and then look at those OP's photos again. Oh yeah, find the strip down the Mt. lion's tail.

Just because you think there isn't one or one has not been reported remember this Deer are among the Cougars favorite meals, and VA is over populated with them. Predators go where the food is. 1. Another fact Wolverines have not been SEEN in RMNP in Colorado since early 1900 I believe man photographed one in park last year confirmed. 2. Wolves also have been gone from Colorado as long or longer then Wolverines, they were confirmed back here 4 years ago. Conclusions animals as they grow in 1 area new ones must seek out new areas and through time forces the expended range of animals ESPECIALLY predators. And by some I might not be an EXPERT, but I have been studying animals for over 30 years and I am a wildlife and nature photographer. So take this information with all the grains of salt you like, but no matter what a dictionary, wikipedia, or and book in print will be outdated by the time it is published because you can not control natural things, or animal personalities. The only true way to understand and know nature is to be amongst it.

 

[GA_in_GA]

http://www.georgiawildlife.com/node/2121

Most Bald Eagles are along the coast, but are found in other areas in Georgia.

 

[brahmakid11]

it looks like a bob cat

 

[FarmerGrant011]

It looks like a cougar..... it probably is one?