more New England mountain lion rumors

[Dugan]

Not sure about " whistler ", but I believe " painter " is southern Appalachian mountain slang for panther...

Dave

Yep, I've heard that too.

http://www.answers.com/topic/painter?cat=technology

 

[DrewKnight]

In the 40s and 50s, they "doubted" that coyotes were encroaching...

For what it's worth, in the 40s and 50s, officials were quick to deny that coyotes were moving into the Northeast, and claimed that deer-kills and sightings were "packs of wild dogs".

There was a lengthy and fairly thoughtful article in Yankee Magazine (OK, so not the journal of record on biology, but still) a number of years back about the progression from "wild dogs" to the identification of the Eastern Coyote as a distinct subspecies.

I remember distinctly the first time I saw one in very-suburban Hingham, MA about 10 years ago. I was out walking our rescued greyhound when a big, burly, handsome fellow strolled out in front of us about 30 feet away. I commented aloud to Dale the Greyhound that, "if I didn't know better, I would swear that was a coyote..." Dale had no thoughts on the matter, but about a week later, there was an article in the local paper about coyotes on Boston's South Shore. The coyotes became a regular feature in the 'hood, and had become a bit of a problem by last summer, when several neighborhood cats went missing.

I don't have much trouble buying that mountain lions are staging a slow come-back in the reforested lands of New England.

 

[Tom Rankin]

If you think this is bad, read this!

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20070719/od_uk_nm/oukoe_uk_france_cat;_ylt=AvAd6qP8U6vwnKrGRrILj43tiBIF

 

[dudley]

I couldn't find the news story, but not too many years ago a "wild" mountain lion was captured by the Ct. DEP here in eastern Ct
It really wasn't that tough of a capture
It seems the beast's leash got tangled in the brush

 

[funkyfreddy]

http://www.sungazette.com/news/articles.asp?articleID=20979

 

[funkyfreddy]

this one's from NJ

http://www.njherald.com/289440204885612.php

 

[dug]

Whitefield, NH "Attack"

 

[Tom Rankin]

Whitefield, NH "Attack"

This seems like an odd statement:

"Wildlife expert Rob Calvert said that he believes a bear might have startled the horse, setting off a chain of events that fatally injured her. Because of his finding, the state will pay for the Smiths' veterinarian bills, which added up to $600".

Exactly why are they paying for this?

 

[rocket21]

This seems like an odd statement:

"Wildlife expert Rob Calvert said that he believes a bear might have startled the horse, setting off a chain of events that fatally injured her. Because of his finding, the state will pay for the Smiths' veterinarian bills, which added up to $600".

Exactly why are they paying for this?

No kidding, I'm having a hard time understanding that myself...I wonder if the state requested some sort of autopsy or tests or something and as a result is covering those? I can't think of any logical reason for us to be paying for this...

 

[SAR-EMT40]

No kidding, I'm having a hard time understanding that myself...I wonder if the state requested some sort of autopsy or tests or something and as a result is covering those? I can't think of any logical reason for us to be paying for this...

I don't know about this for sure but I do know that sometimes there are arrangements with cattle and horse owners and the government that if predators kill their livestock they get reimbursed. This is to prevent large scale killing of large predators from the area. This is pretty common out west with cattle, sheep and horse owners and the federal government on federal land from what I have read. These arrangements are mostly done in areas where they have re-introduced predators.

Don't know if it a similar arrangement.

Keith

 

[Whiteman]

From California:

We were just out in CA last week, hiking the Muir Woods and beautiful redwoods (just a short day hike). The sign we noticed, on the way out, had some warnings about what one should do if one encounters a mountain lion. Very practical: Pick up small kids and pets; face the animal and back away, do not run away; throw rocks or sticks towards, but not at the animal. The sign left out important tips, like say your prayers, and hope for other people on the trial with dogs and guns.

It is interesting to reflect on ourselves as prey, not predators. And reports of big cats give new excitement for solo hiking. I am hoping for the present that abundant deer provide ample hunting for these nice kitties. I do not doubt that they are out there. And that if a big cat should spy me, I do hope it is thinking about a leaner dinner than I might provide.

 

[DougPaul]

The sign left out important tips, like say your prayers, and hope for other people on the trial with dogs

Yeah--the dog is likely to antagonize the lion and lead it back to its owner rather than you...

Doug

 

[Whiteman]

I thoguht of the dogs remembering a story about two women being stalked by a patient mountian lion, I believe in California (didn't pop up again on google). The lion split when some fellow on a horse with a few dogs happened down the trail.

While searching for that story I did come across a nice compilation of cougar attack stories. Link here. Very exciting stuff.

Will they be using cougars to keep signs off Owls Head soon? I wonder.

PS: Found the story I was looking for: Students Stalked by Mtn Lion

 

[Sleeping Giant]

I climbed Cuyamaca Peak (about 7,000 ft) a few years ago in southern California. On my way down, there was a nice teak bench by the side of the trail with a plaque attached to the back of it in remembrance of a woman. I sat there for a while and had a nice rest. When I got home, I found out that the reason the bench was there was because the woman who was being remembered was attacked and killed by a mountain lion only a couple of years earlier on that very spot.

Moral: Don't sit on teak benches in mountain lion country.

 

[funkyfreddy]

here we go again!

http://www.nbc30.com/news/13918824/detail.html

 

[sardog1]

More on funkyfreddy's latest report

Followed Google track to this firsthand account, reported in a decidedly improbable forum:

Mountain lion

The narrator sounds like she knows the characteristics of some wild animals, but her unfamiliarity with their actual weights gives me pause. Rest of description sounds spot on, except there's no mention of the characteristic long tail. Hmmm.

 

[funkyfreddy]

hmmm....... more smoke....... but fire?

http://www.provincetownbanner.com/a...article/_/51904/Banner_Daily_Update/11/1/2007

 

[weatherman]

I climbed Cuyamaca Peak (about 7,000 ft) a few years ago in southern California. On my way down, there was a nice teak bench by the side of the trail with a plaque attached to the back of it in remembrance of a woman.

I climbed it a couple years ago. The bench and most of the forest around it for several miles had been incinerated, leaving only stubs where it had been anchored. So I put away the only weapon I had, a hiking pole, and figured if there was nothing for prey to eat, the prey and kitties had likely moved elsewhere. Still, I felt a bit weird hiking there alone.

Weatherman

 

[funkyfreddy]

A cat on video from Pennsylvania

http://www.wpxi.com/news/14540017/detail.html

 

[funkyfreddy]

more from maine

http://bangornews.com/news/t/penquis.aspx?articleid=157838&zoneid=184