Re: ARE THERE MOUNTAIN LIONS IN PA?
Funny, only cougar I've ever seen in real life was when I was a small child. The local pet shop/supply house had a cougar locked up in a plastic cage in the basement. Everyone was allowed to go down and see it. Don't know if they caught it or bought it. It just sat there and didn't do much of anything, poor animal. Anyways, I do believe (maybe I just like to believe in things like this) that there are wild mtn lions roaming around the eastern half of the country. There are so many areas, hundreds of miles of area that humans rarely ever enter. These areas, such as mountains(drrrr) would be where the mtn lions would continue to thrive. That being said, if the mtn lions go unaffected by humans there, so does their prey. Meaning, the mtn lions would never have a reason to leave their current hunting grounds because theyre doing just fine. The explanation as to why some mtn lions leave these areas would be, they chased a deer for quite some time and go lost and couldnt find its way back. Or they just wandered out and found some new area to hunt in, by accident.
Re: ARE THERE MOUNTAIN LIONS IN PA?
Until I see one, I will say no. I always thought they were out west, as well as panthers in Florida.
http://www.discoverlife.org/nh/tx/Ve...p.320.jpg.html
I would sh** if I saw one. I have seen full body mounts of them, and they look nasty. MUCH larger than you would think if you have never seen one. Bobcats, hell yeah, they're around. Mountain lions...doubt it. Kinda like the wolf argument; coyotes, yes....wolves, no. Gotta go out west.
Re: ARE THERE MOUNTAIN LIONS IN PA?
Bobcats, yes; mountain lions I'd have to say no.
I spend a lot of time in the woods in our great state during all seasons and have tracked many cats, most of which turn out to be feral strays (more of those around then you think on the fringes of society) and a few bobs, but have yet to encounter any actual evidence of mountain lions. Many people have told me of reported sightings yet yet upon return to the scene of said sightings there's never even been so much as legible print.
Mountain lions have a HUGE range and aren't pack cats, if we had any sort of viable, breeding population here their territory would encompass most of the state and we would have solid evidence of their existence by this point.
Not once have I heard a credible report from anyone with any real knowledge of forestry/wildlife (of which I associate with many) nor in all my time in the field seen any evidence to suggest anything other then a a few bobs (which actually are making a comeback in recent years). My theory on so many average people seeing mountain lions is that bobcat sightings aren't common yet among those who don't spend time deep in the woods and mistake the smaller bobby (usually in a full-blown run, don't forget, making it even harder to ID) for their larger 'cousins'. Same story as 'black panthers' across the country, because of course there, scientifically, can be no such thing.
If mountain lions are discovered in PA anytime soon they'll either be big foot's pets or genetically engineered and released by the DCNR to cull the orangu-bear population...
Re: ARE THERE MOUNTAIN LIONS IN PA?
If a species is not resident to Pennsylvania you are allowed to shoot it at any time. I remember when a bunch of wild boars got loose and they were actually offering rewards for shooting them.
Ask ANY PA game commission officer if there are Mountain Lions in Pennsylvania, they will say no. Ask them if you come across a Mountain Lion if you are allowed to shoot it, they will tell you if you do it is a very hefty fine. Makes no sense to me since you would technically be allowed to shoot it. My mother married a EX-PA game commission officer, Don Martin out of Huntington. He believed there were Mountain lions in PA.
I have personally seen a very large cat. It was at night, but it was within 10 yards of me, it blew right by me when i got out of my vehicle at night. It was easily the size of a medium dog. Id say 2.5 feet long without the tail, and well above my knee's tall. I can't tell you if it was a lion, tiger, cougar, or housecat, but it was very large.
I believe.
Re: ARE THERE MOUNTAIN LIONS IN PA?
Just for clarifications sake.
I think alot of people tend to think a Bobcat is a nice little furry critter about the size of a house cat. They can be big. I've heard of them being 45 pounds before. And when streached out, looked to be about the size of a sheep dog.
Re: ARE THERE MOUNTAIN LIONS IN PA?
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Black Label
Just for clarifications sake.
I think alot of people tend to think a Bobcat is a nice little furry critter about the size of a house cat. They can be big. I've heard of them being 45 pounds before. And when streached out, looked to be about the size of a sheep dog.
I have seen DOZENS of Bobcats, even held a few;);) I am well aware of the difference. What I saw, beating the snot out of a Red Fox, was a Lion. A Nittany Lion, if you will:) As happenstance had it, as I startled them in a row of corn, fighting over a Dove. The Lion fled the other direction out of view, forever, so far:) The Fox? Let's just say, he did not get to flee.
Be safe (and threat scanning 360 degrees).
Scott
Re: ARE THERE MOUNTAIN LIONS IN PA?
I have seen pictures of mountain lions eating roadkills..Someone was baiting a night camera that was up in a tree..He had pictures of golden eagles, bears, coyotes, foxes, and a mountain lion..
This was in the McKean county region..I don't think they are allowed to be in Allegheny county without a special permit..
Re: ARE THERE MOUNTAIN LIONS IN PA?
LTCF (License To Carry Fangs) required by all Mountain Lions in Pennsylvania.
(And somehow legislators will think just because they passed a law, all Cougars will abide by it.)
Re: ARE THERE MOUNTAIN LIONS IN PA?
There were pictures of a Lion published in the Susquehanna Independent taken by a family in Lansboro Pa and it was no bobcat what I saw was a cat with a tail and it was bigger then my dog who weight 55 lb and big enough to pull down a deer. PGC said must have been a pet that got loose
Re: ARE THERE MOUNTAIN LIONS IN PA?
yes there are, i live in potter co. and have seen two in the past 2 1/2 years
i don't drink, i do not have an eye sight problem.
and BS to the game commission about them being pets that got away
the game commission also beleives in the "tooth fairy"