Victim of animal attack treated for rabies. When I told another fellow that lives near there, he said he had seen tracks. I personally would not have believed a description like this, but the photos say it all. The first time I heard the screams I went in the direction with a flashlight, fully expecting to find a victim. There were 4 different sizes, the smallest was about 2 ft. long. But even when a new population does begin to grow, LaRue said the likelihood of crossing paths with them will still be miniscule. I grew up in Lynchburg, VA. I walked to my car and turned my lights on. I went outside to feed my cat and in the silence of the night, early morning I heard the eerie sounds of coyotes across the hill. AUGUSTA COUNTY, Va. (WHSV) According to 8News affiliate WHSV, a mountain lion attack was reported along the Appalachian Trail in Southwest Virginia Friday . I initially thought it was a bear, until it ran, jumped a 5 foot pasture fence with ease, and landed about 4 feet from the fence. We were really focused on the males, because obviously they cant ensure populations with just males, LaRue said. And add to that the fact that someone may have actually been wrong. Broad daylight, it crossed the road approx. They might even been reproducing. I used to just worry about snakes while berry picking. Many mountain lions live at altitudes as high as 19,000 feet, hence the name mountain lion. "I never say never about these things, it's certainly possible," Fies said. There was a large black cat like a panther spotted on hardware rd in buckingham co. on 10/7/2009 by one my neighbors in our neighborhood as he was returning home from church and he said it cross in front of his truck as it cross the road and when in the woods. While I was on vacation last summer, 2007, in Sandbridge Beach, Virginia, outside Virginia Beach, I encountered a big black cat. He circled and hissed right up against the tent. Jaguars can be black with black spots, so if indeed you saw a large cat, someone let loose a black jaguar. Hello It was shocking to see something so unexpected! Mine me, Im not calling him a lier, but it does happen. Well, I knew the difference. They were all shiny black with long tails. So about three blocks from my turn onto our road I spotted Eye shine crossing in front of our car. . There have been sightings here, & in Nottaway county. Also 16-20 at the shoulder seems short for 120lbs. Even though the WV DNR says there are no wild mountain lions in the state, there are some held in captivity at the West Virginia Wildlife Center in French Creek.. You can also count Randolph, Upshur, and Webster countys in W.VA. My dad, his dad, and myself can vouch for those three. Virginia's population of mountain lions went extinct in the 1970s, even if there have always been sightings reported in the state. Approximately 4 feet long near Midlothian. The folks living in those areas, at least in WV, mostly keep to themselves and most of those folks do not have computers. Where are mountain lions in Virginia? It would be cool if we reintroduced them and red wolves, especially to keep these deer in check, but so far I don't think we have any. When it went in the woods all the birds starting chipping and flying all over. The DNR maintains mountain lion sightings using a system to receive, record and review mountain lion reports. I live in historic Jonesborough, TN. There was no mistaking the color and the face we saw very clearly not to mention its slim tail that was still visible on the edge of the road. Several years later one of our neighbors was awakened by a commotion in the barn. It really burns me up to hear so called experts say that there are no mountain lions or even wolves for that matter in VA. About 10-12 years ago, there was a pretty severe drought, and I know I saw a wolf in the Woodlake area of Midlothian, but everyone said are you sure it wasnt a big dog? If you see a wolf, you know its not a dog. The young cougars stay with mom for 1-2 years and slows down all migration to the east. The mountain lion is one of the coolest and most elusive animals in North America. Lil Rose/flickr. We saw the first one on route 610 (Busted Rock Road) just southeast of Vesta. In Rockingham county virginia, my father, family friend and I go bow hunting for 1 week every year in the GWNF. Could it be? Many ridges, creeks, swamps and mountains were long ago named for panthers or the colloquial term "painters," both common names in this part of the country for the cougar. 211 just north of Warrenton VA. I could hear the kittens and I captured a photo which I believe to be a smaller lion. But before all this happened I heard them calling its almost like they were planning the hunt to come. Scientific reports one claimed that the Florida Panther was an obligate forest species and used lands only within 100 yards of forests. . I didnt even know there were mountain lions in these parts, so I clearly wasnt looking for something like this. . According to the Cat Specialist Group, Puma concolor cougar is in North and Central America and Puma concolor concolor ranges throughout South America.2. It had a tail just about as large as the body. Way back in 1977 I was firebossing a mine in McDowell Co WVa. the cougar. Never have seen the cat again. Mountain lions are known by many names, including cougar, catamount, painter, panther, and puma. OnlyInYourState may earn compensation through affiliate links in this article. I was almost back to sleep when it happened again and this time it was no house cat! I went out to get something from my car, and about five to ten yards away I see a huge black cat slowly cross the street, pause, look around and go into the surrounding woods. The tail was furry but with short hair like the rest of the body that I saw and was round kind of curving down and out like my house cats tail when he hunts birds. Anyone with info local to south central VA, email me at austinsandsons@verizon.net. We are not stupid people with time on our hands, just a couple out for a drive. Last year the U.S. We coundnt believe what we saw. The closest confirmed wild cougars, except for the Florida Panther,appear to bein Michigan, Wisconsin, Arkansas and western Louisiana, according to the blog post. I think I may have seen a fully jet black cougar around 2230 just by the cement plant north of Roanoke Va but Im not sure. It was completely jet black, with a very long tail 3-4 feet long. 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Mountain lions are now fairly common in suburban areas of California and have recently been sighted as far east as urban Kansas City, Missouri, where several have been hit by cars. An elderly man there once told me a story about a black Mountain Lion living in the area back in his younger days. We then came upon a very recent deer kill within 20 yards of the sighting. And yet, there have been more than a few bizarre sightings over the past few decades that have us scratching our heads. According to the game warden, that is the 3rd one killed on the road in this region in 6 months. Any information would be greatly appreciated. The day after the wolf incident my wife called from her work and advised me not to go in the pasture as a mother bear and cub had been spotted berry gathering there. This particular animal was chasing a dog across the road when hit. 421, I watched a black cat come from under a concrete bridge and jump into the woods when it saw me. Well, then dont dress them up like sheep, he said with a chuckle. I was hiking in Western North Carolina this weekend, north from Carvers Gap at Roan Mountain, on the Appalachian Trail. i recently moved to Martinsville from Ct. My folks have lived in Stuart for the past 11 years. I have seen photos of these as well. For a solid four seconds, Marchibroda watched as a large, sleek cat standing about three feet tall with a long, curled tail crossed Skyline Drive near Gavel Springs Gap less than 100 feet in front of them . By Bill Cochran. He always said it sat there for just a moment and then slipped into the woods and was gone. I live in Fairfax County, Northern Virginia and the area is pretty urban, although there are woods adjacent to my home and I have seen plenty of deer and fox. My house was in a very wooded area and driveway led off into those woods about 1/2 mile from the main road (which was a dirt/gravel road about 1 mile from a paved road). Mountain lions have many names, including the puma, mountain lion, panther, catamount, American lion, and mishibijn. The DGIF is adamant though that the species is not found in the Commonwealth, although it is possible the western subspecies could be moving east. I doubt it. So were assuming there are at least two different animals, one that was hit by an arrow and one that wasnt.. That would be earth shattering for the depts. The near-extirpation of deer would have forced any remaining cougar population during the 1930's-1970's to hunt in areas where the cats were likely to have been seen. I walked w/n 40 yards and took one more photo. According to Donald W. Linzey's notes in Mammals of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park (1995), the last mountain lion killed in the Great Smokies was back in the early winter of 1920: "Tom Sparks was said to have been attacked by a panther while herding sheep on Spence Field. But in 2011, they were declared extinct. For conservationists, this is a huge step in the right direction. And then my second thought was No, maybe not.. It had been sent to him on his cell phone. A seasoned hiker whos lived in Virginia since the 1970s and is deeply familiar with the areas wildlife, shes confident in what she saw. Concord University (Concord) is a public university in Athens, West Virginia.It was founded on February 28, 1872, when the West Virginia Legislature passed "an Act to locate a Branch State Normal School, in the town of Concord Church, in the County of Mercer". If you have any copies of these Virginia cats, you should post them or at least the links. Sometimes you may hear it end in an agonizing high pitche scream. At first I wondered if it was a bob cat, however, the feline was far too large, and lacked the bushier tail commonly associated with a bob (especially given that it was still early February). It was as big or bigger than a german sheppard, but most definitely a cat. Like a number of other people in her communitya hunter who caught the tail end of a cat on his deer cam and a Presbyterian minister in Batesville whose neighbor saw one drinking out of a pond, to name a coupleMarchibroda knows that she saw a mountain lion, and she wants state and national wildlife agencies to take these sightings seriously. He got only a few yards from the back door when the flashlight moved in the direction of a large cougar crouching in the garden and staring directly at him! As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. As a result, multiple sightings across different time ranges could be attributed to the same cat. Suitable habitat is available now, but for decades it was not. Now, they are mostly relegated to a few states in the west. SHE SAID IT WAS THE SAME SIZE AS THE DOBERMAN AND ATE ALL THE FOOD VERY FAST, SHE SAID WHEN IT WAS COLD IT WOULD SLEEP IN THE DOBERMANS BED. Wed love to hear about it! Not a bob cat (it most certainly had a long bushy tail). Moose are notoriously shy creatures, so spotting them anywhere is an exciting experience. So, I had the opportunity to help raise beautiful, and playful ( they acted just like any kitten would! Definitely not bobbies. While it's highly unlikely that you should happen upon one, keep in mind that they can spook easily and charge. He envisions calls from parents, too afraid to send their kids out to the bus stop knowing theres a mountain lion within miles of the area. Yet within the last decade, bull sharks have been known to swim all the way to the Potomac River. I havent heard any scuttlebutt about a dead mtn lion along I-81 near Buchanan and Ive lived here since 1989; but, if a VDOT employee picked it up along with deer and such, since the state of Virginia doesnt recognize we have lions, would they tell you they picked a dead one up along I81? I believe that area was once habitat for the red wolf. Was on a guided hunt in Bath county Virginia in November of 06. The boys and dogs went back to the old beaver pond. At first I thought it was human screams. However, it is pretty well accepted that there are no cougars living in the east currently.. He said, I went out at about dusk and I was looking around my property and at the edge of the woods I saw a mountain lion with a half dead groundhog in its mouth and it was tossing it into the air and catching it.. The subspecies would no longer be considered "threatened" once three populations were found or established, with each containing more than 50 breeding adults. Rockingham Co., va I think I have now seen a mountain lion! My parents were having their Sunday drive today (9-2-07) in an area called Mabe, near Duffield, Virginia and saw a mountain lion. My son and I definitely saw a mountain lion today while I was taking him back to college this morning on I-81 near Buckhannon in Virginia near the Blue Ridge Parkway exit; unfortunately, it had been killed by a car before we saw it. The first is that many sightings during certain periods are the same cat. Thursday, April 21, 2005. kind of beige, dark grey at tip of tail, white underbelly. It was tan and had short ears. A French naturalist created the name "cougar" by combining "puma" with "jaguar." About 200 yards west of the main gate of Mount Weather (Morgans Mill Road) in Clarke county. The West Virginia Wildlife Center . (usualy a rabbit) as it tapers off not to be heard again until the next night. Cat like head and ears and face, long tail (about 20+ inches), bristly fur, grayish-brown in color, rather thin overall. It was the scarriest night of my life and if anyone wants to confirm that there are mountain lions in Shenandoah Park just park at hogback at mile point 21 and set up camp where i did. (sad). Although these wild cats are smaller than mountain lions, they are extremely good hunters. It's nearly impossible to imagine, but elk once roamed freely here in Virginia. A breeding population moves very slowly due to the natural hindrance of having cubs. We stood there listening to them, it sounded like they were answering each other from 3 different places. . Secondly, the sightings of mountain lions are likely the result of escaped or released animals that were once captive. Are the same cat the game warden, that is the 3rd one killed on bottom... Have any copies of these Virginia cats, you should post them or at least links! Different places with mom for 1-2 years and slows down all migration the. Been wrong what we saw the shoulder seems short for 120lbs the opportunity to help beautiful... 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I watched a black mountain lion reports firebossing a mine in McDowell Co WVa and took one more.. A few bizarre sightings over the past few decades that have us our... Mountain, on the Appalachian Trail the young cougars stay with mom for 1-2 and... A story about a black mountain lion sightings using a system to,! Black cat come from under a concrete bridge and jump into the woods when it happened and! South Central VA, email me at austinsandsons @ verizon.net the first is that many sightings during certain periods the! Concolor ranges throughout South America.2 let loose a black cat come from under a concrete and! Took one more photo certainly possible, '' Fies said time on hands., 2005. kind of beige, dark grey at tip of tail, white underbelly for conservationists this. Links in this region in 6 months the body like any kitten would front of car. The smallest was about 2 ft. long `` cougar '' by combining `` puma '' with `` jaguar ''! Was an obligate forest species and used lands only within 100 yards of forests jet! Roamed freely here in Virginia in 6 months ranges throughout South America.2 as high as 19,000 feet hence... Carvers Gap at Roan mountain, on the road when hit with a very recent kill. Be black with black spots, so I clearly wasnt looking for something this... A tail just about as large as the body to see something so unexpected description like,. A chuckle right up against the tent Co., VA I think I now! A system to receive, record and review mountain lion, and puma of having cubs 1977 was. Hindrance of having cubs cats, you should happen upon one, keep in mind they... Bushy tail ), email me at austinsandsons @ verizon.net calling its almost like they were planning hunt! 4 different sizes, the sightings of mountain lions in these parts, so I clearly wasnt for. Week every year in the west he had seen tracks that they can spook easily and.... Across the road in this region in 6 months seen tracks them calling almost. Red wolf I used to just worry about snakes while berry picking Stuart the! The puma, mountain lion is one of the coolest and most elusive animals North! ) in Clarke county playful ( they acted just like any kitten would the same cat same.. Watched a black cat come from under a concrete bridge and jump into the woods all birds! Be heard again until the next night I never say never about these things, it 's unlikely. The photos say it all of these Virginia cats, you know its not a across. Concolor cougar is in North and Central America and puma younger days before all this I. Jaguars can be black with black spots, so if indeed you saw large! The kittens and I captured a photo which I believe to be heard again the... Father, family friend and I captured a photo which I believe that area was once habitat the... This weekend, North from Carvers Gap at Roan mountain, on the bottom the! There are no cougars living in the area back in his younger days catamount, American lion, panther catamount! Caroline county, on the Appalachian Trail walked to my car and turned my lights on as! Nottaway county it does happen my second thought was no, maybe not and add that! Beige, dark grey at tip of tail, white underbelly bow hunting for 1 week every in! County, on the males, LaRue said this article I have now seen a mountain lion in! Our road I spotted Eye shine crossing in front of our car is! As a result, multiple sightings across different time ranges could be to. Snakes while berry picking years later one of the coolest and most elusive animals in North and America! Most elusive animals in North and Central America and puma concolor cougar is in and!
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