Mountain Lion sighting

[Palerider]

I had seen tracks in the mud prior, so it's clear this cat had been there before.

Not trying to start anything buy why not take pics of the tracks? Would be perfect to take overlaid with something to show scale like a rifle cartridge, multi-tool, etc of known size. If I ever find prints of a big cat, I'm damn sure taking pics and posting back here. In fact, I'd probably call the PAGC and let them have a look.

[God's Country]

Not trying to start anything buy why not take pics of the tracks? Would be perfect to take overlaid with something to show scale like a rifle cartridge, multi-tool, etc of known size. If I ever find prints of a big cat, I'm damn sure taking pics and posting back here. In fact, I'd probably call the PAGC and let them have a look.

For the same reason bigfoot is always out of focus. Every time evidence that is other than anecdotal presents itself it's quickly found to be either fraudulent or mistaken.

I was putting up a barn once. One morning while sipping my coffee I saw a young bear waltz passed the work area. One of the people helping saw it and quite emphatically proclaimed they were mt lion tracks. As far as he was concerned they were not bear tracks because the claws were missing.
To this day he doesn't want to hear that it was a bear.

Bear tracks are often mistaken for mt lion tracks. Black bear tracks are often mistaken as mt lion tracks for this reason.

[Bassaro]

I am actually surprised by the responses on here. I have never once encountered a outdoorsman in western or central PA that doesn't believe there is a small population of mountain lions in PA. Sure your not going to find them in near towns or cities but talk to the guys who are doing the fracking in secluded areas and ask them if they've seen anything odd.

I guess it's a whatever you want to believe topic until someone hits one with a car and calls the news before the game commission. I know what I saw, It most definitely wasn't a house cat, which is the lamest reasoning I ever heard. And I guess I just can't judge distance, but I bet the same people who say people can't judge size of objects and distances can tell you the precise yardage they shot their buck at last year.

Pretty sad when you are about to unsubscribe from your own thread.

[RLS]

I saw one in PA several winters ago. My wife and I were driving North on Ridge Road not far from the Smith Bridge Road intersection in Delaware County. I saw the cat briefly to the right, it disappeared into the woods.

They are out there, just not much of a social creature.


Rick

[tollster]

For the same reason bigfoot is always out of focus. Every time evidence that is other than anecdotal presents itself it's quickly found to be either fraudulent or mistaken.

I was putting up a barn once. One morning while sipping my coffee I saw a young bear waltz passed the work area. One of the people helping saw it and quite emphatically proclaimed they were mt lion tracks. As far as he was concerned they were not bear tracks because the claws were missing.
To this day he doesn't want to hear that it was a bear.

Bear tracks are often mistaken for mt lion tracks. Black bear tracks are often mistaken as mt lion tracks for this reason.

So whats the verdict up in Gods Country? I know you have to know someone you very likely believe isn't a bullshitter up your way that has claimed to have seen one? RT 144, Jews run, by the big rock perhaps, where the firestarter crashed and died?

[God's Country]

So whats the verdict up in Gods Country? I know you have to know someone you very likely believe isn't a bullshitter up your way that has claimed to have seen one? RT 144, Jews run, by the big rock perhaps, where the firestarter crashed and died?

I'm not calling most of the people bull shitters. I believe that most people truly believe what they think they saw. I am certain most want to believe there are Pa lions for a variety of reasons. EVERYONE is certain what they saw. If even 10% ....hell 5% were accurate I would be up to my eyeballs in Mt lions. It doesn't make sense to even the least cautious observer. Look at how many people in this thread alone are certain they either saw a big cat or know someone. That is the case everywhere I go. It's implausible at best.

People that insist lion exist in Pa seem to want to say that people like me think its impossible that they could exist. That's not the case. People like me want some kind of proof...... anything......and it never crops up...ever...in a densely populated state with hundreds of hard travelled roads and a million annual hunters. Again based on the volume of so called sightings it makes no sense. Even with the tiny number of cats that live in FL they turn up dead here and there. Not to mention the already well documented existence. It amazes me how so many otherwise rational people can be so certain of something. It ranks right up there with big foot and UFO's. People are certain they saw it, and you cannot tell them different, yet most everyone else reasonably says where's the proof, and that is accepted as an honest response.

[olderguy]

At least the Mountain Lions are keeping Bigfoot in check. If it weren't for the lions, Bigfoot would be everywhere.

[sinkrun]

I believe you and the wife and I had one cross right infront of the jeep near the Quehanna wild Area on Buck Run Road few years. Stopped at a yard sale about 3-4 miles from where I seen it on our way out. Said to the lady "your going to think I am crazy" she stops me right there and says you saw the cougar dint you. I NEVER said a word about what had seen.

[thanker92]

My wife and I saw one about 10 years ago....no doubt, closer than at a zoo and I do know what they look like...BUT: since then...nothing. Not a single track, scat hide nor hair.....a very large WTF.

[tollster]

I'm not calling most of the people bull shitters. I believe that most people truly believe what they think they saw. I am certain most want to believe there are Pa lions for a variety of reasons. EVERYONE is certain what they saw. If even 10% ....hell 5% were accurate I would be up to my eyeballs in Mt lions. It doesn't make sense to even the most cautious observer. Look at how many people in this thread alone are certain they either saw a big cat or know someone. That is the case everywhere I go. It's implausible at best.

People that insist lion exist in Pa seem to want to say that people like me think its impossible that they could exist.

I had an experience years ago before internet, in GL#13 (state route 2003, mountain rd. on google maps, searching PA game lands 13).. But honestly, can't swear it was a cougar, only strongly suggest (99%) by deducting penn's woods critters, and the only thing I have really going for me (validation), is the person riding shot gun, saw it too.. for if he had not been looking, there was absolutely no time, nada, zero time to say...LOOK! What we saw that, was like an apparition, almost ghost like, for it moved that fast, it covered 35" or better feet in literally a blink, and what seem like could have been less.

10:30 PM, headed down a mountain side dirt road, 40MPH speed limit, between Nordmont PA and Elk grove, Vehicle, 76 CJ-5.. Its a two lane road, which accounts for the higher than normal speed limit, approx. 32'-35' feet, shoulder to shoulder, and on the highside of the road, there is a 15' bank, where the road was cut into the mountain side.
Heading home, high beams, around 30 miles and hour, and 20-30 yards in front of the jeep, one leap off the top of the 15' bank ( my left as I was driving), cleared the 32' road, and larger than a full grown white tail. When viewed from the jeep, it was about 6' over the roof ( I was driving down center of road, common up here at night on fairly long straight dirt roads). And in my life time, I have never, ever, seen anything move that fast!!!
I have been to Alaska, seen the common stuff Alaska has to offer, seen wolverines in the wild, hunted wild hogs in Arkansas, and a few other places state side, so I am not a inner city type that watches the national geo channel. I study tracks, ran a trap line in the late 70's, had wild pets growing up and caught a great horned owl bare handed (the coolest guest I have ever had in my home by the way!). I have never seen anything within that range in PA under clearly night conditions with high beams I cannot identify immediately, and living where I reside, you learn to pay close attention due to deer vehicle strikes, if there was anything I cannot readily identify in penns woods under those conditions at night at that distance or further, typically further, is PA black bears, simply because if you cannot see their eyes, the ymask into the shadows, but within 3-5 seconds I know what I have seen. but I recall we where shaken, not knowing what to say at first, my first response was "Did you see that", to which he replied, YES, what in the hell was that? Both of us where in disbelief, and both of us paused, the both of us said mountain lion simultaneously. I recall, moments of quietness on the way home, then excitement, and discussion, then quietness, we both did not want to belief what we saw. but deducted everything it possibly could have been, then reasoned under those conditions, how readily we could identify those things we know exist in the woods.. (he is even country than me, large farming family, and farmed all his life when young, and this was after his Army service)
So with those facts stated above, process and deduct every animal in Pennsylvania that it could be, and then suggest what it was.. Dave and I knew, that moment what it was. I immediately felt a chill run down my spine, and then like a adrenalin rush, knowing we both had seen something, very, very different.

Take it as you will, but take a minute and look over the story one more time, before you go, then think about it..