They mostly live in the far western Trans-Pecos region of the state, with about 50,000 to 80,000 acres of suitable land currently being used by the cat. How, Who, and Why? After a small population was reintroduced into their historic land, their population has grown to a stable and breeding group of between 200-300 individuals. Although unconfirmed, mountain lions continue to be reported in many spots across Pennsylvania, including several reports in the past couple months. According to the commission, the last Pennsylvania mountain lion was killed in the late 1800s. Features Writer Micaela Hood is signing off with the Pocono Record after five years of covering arts, culture, entertainment and sports in northeastern . There is no known estimate of the number of mountain lions inhabiting Texas. "It's one of those things where I'll believe it when I see it," said Jason Farmer of Pocono Summit, my hunting partner for the last eight years. Your California Privacy Rights / Privacy Policy. Eyes are normal and are not light sensitive, and the over-all color, generally black, is usually not detrimental and may actually be of benefit. Albinos are often very light sensitive, and they certainly are conspicuous, and most do not live very long. ? I Googled "Pocono mountain lion" and there it was the same photo, except the caption claimed that it was taken in Oklahoma, not Pennsylvania, and various posted comments asserted that the photo was manipulated. And, some may be escaped or illegally released pets. Hopefully, we'll see the real thing. For many who have believed to have seen a cougar in the wilds of the Poconos, these arguments might be less than convincing. They regularly join the camp of those angrily claiming the commission has introduced the big cats back into Pennsylvania as a control measure against the state's huge deer population. Flying over the area, I've looked down and commented upon the amount of habitat that would be available for a puma, if only they existed. They know what they saw, regardless of what the facts say, and they know they saw a puma. I usually follow-up on these reports and, via email or phone conversations, I receive more details. Are there Mountain Lions (Pumas, Cougars) in Pennsylvania and the Mid-Atlantic States? You would think someone would have a picture on a trail camera or whatever. "We've been here 45 years and I've probably been told by people at least 100 times that they've seen a cougar or mountain lion," said owner Vince Hall. One of the three branches or clans of the Lenape Tribe at the end of the 17th century was known as the Wolf (Minsi). Now, if there were any escapes, and if any of these bred with a possible minuscule number of eastern pumas, a relic native population, wouldn't the gene pool be corrupted? Murray has cared for four mountain lions since she took over the rescue in 1998. This will be one of your best identification marks, along with size. Check out the tails of the two! The image in the Upper Left was from a Game Camera, sent to me by a friend. He also noted that if the cat was here, wouldn't they be reproducing and increasing in population by now? The coat can be spotted or solid and varies in color from light browns, reddish and silvery grey. The Cougar Network, working with state agencies, have documented multiple mountain lions as far east as Kentucky, Tennessee and Michigan in recent years, as well as that cat killed on a highway in Milford, Connecticut, in June 2011. This is not a Pennsylvania puma! The State argues that there is no physical evidence, and no credible photographs. My friend was a former hunter and fisherman, and spent a lot of time in the woods, as did I, but neither of us had ever seen a coyote. But Dave "Gadget" Jones, a retired wildlife conservation officer from Lackawanna County, claims he's seen a white bigfoot and a UFO in Pennsylvania, so who knows? About six months ago I posted the question, Are there Mountain Lions in Pennsylvania? She feeds and cares for them with donations and grants. The head of the puma is small in comparision to a house cat when compared to the entire body. Me? . Packer Hill Ave. Jim Thorpe, PA 18229. If it were, it would be listed. Provided by Touchpoints John Leap of East Stroudsburg's Lakeside Peat Humus Co. and an employee, Paul Strauser, found the bones in a peat bog off Route 209. It has long been popular with honeymooners, but today the Poconos are a popular destination for families, skiers, adventure seekers, NASCAR fans, and those from urban areas around New England, New York City, Philadelphia . Many of those claiming to have encountered a cougar in Pennsylvania take that non-confirmation by the commission as an attack on their veracity and character. Two different people told me that they, or a close relative, had seen pumas on more than one occasion. Viewers can never be certain that what they're seeing on a computer is actually what it's purported to be. These cubs are born blind and helpless. Some may be animals that dispersed into the region from western populations. At one point, there was debate whether that cat should be protected, since its genes were diluted from escapees or released pumas that originated in South America or our West. "Hunters are always saying they see mountain lions, and the Game Commission always says there aren't any," said Robert Hale, owner of Buffalo Gap Outfitters in Dillsburg. It was decided that this shouldn't influence the decision and, in fact, an infusion of new genes produces a hybrid vigor, lessening the chance of in-breeding. He saw his cat at very close range -- 20 yards or less, and when I pointed out to him that pumas are never black he said that perhaps it was the light. "He doesn't like men too much," said Suzanne Murray, owner of East Coast Exotic Animal Rescue in this south-central Pennsylvania town. . Have some feedback for us? He said he'd never forget the sighting, but it was only when he saw another, a few months ago, in daylight, from his cabin, that he decided it was time to tell someone. I've spoken to PGC personnel, two being friends, and neither believe there are pumas in Pa. One cited how a bobcat's tail can be much longer than you expect, although I've never seen a bobcat tail longer than, at most, twice the size of the tails illustrated above of the bobcat. As a state known for its mountains, its no wonder that mountain lions live here! Caribou remains, dated by radiocarbon in excess of 10,000 B.C. In Pennsylvania, I receive a few reports of black, big cats, which makes one wonder -- are there melanistic (black) pumas out there, or are those sightings always wrong. I have not spoken with a Game Commission officer personally, so I don't know whether anyone killing a puma in Pennsylvania could do so without legal repercussions. Recently, on our Arizona Hummingbird and Bat Photo Shoot, I found a deer that had been hit by a car and had moved off to die beside a stream just 200 yards upstream from our lodge. There also were camels, sloth and hyena, which migrated elsewhere. Contact the AZ Animals editorial team. With that hope in mind, I have, for years, asked outdoors people if they ever heard of a mountain lion, or puma, in their area -- with my questioning limited to people in my home state of Pennsylvania. There is also a small population of cougars in Florida. More about mountain lions in Pennsylvania: If you purchase a product or register for an account through one of the links on our site, we may receive compensation. Is there a Puma conspiracy? One man, in the southwestern part of Pennsylvania, had seen one, at night, about 25 years ago. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Advance Local. I believe them. One came to her as the result of an owner's divorce. With that in mind, lets break down how we classified the states. The last of three glaciations covered 30% of Pennsylvania, including much of the Poconos, from around 20,000-10,000 B.C. A placard affixed to the fence outside Rocky's pen states that "cougars are solitary creatures and rarely seen by humans." In Tennessee, the most likely places you would find them would be in the forest. One might argue that the eastern puma is extinct, but that does not mean that there are not pumas (mountain lions, cougars) in the east. In January, the U.S. It wasn't, and I assumed it was a road-kill. Goodrich said he once saw a mountain lion spring from a thicket and kill a sheep on a public road. People can manipulate, enhance or combine photos and then create their own stories about the subject's origin, location and even identification. Penn State's Nittany Lion hide sampled for DNA sequencing, Mountain lion reports in Pennsylvania popular, but often a hoax, More Local News to Love Start today for 50% off Expires 3/6/23. Are they all the product of the off-spring of pumas that escaped their owners or were released? After a gestation period of 90 days, female mountain lions will give birth to litters of about one to six cubs. This happens usually around the 18-month mark. Mountain lions weigh 90-160 pounds, while bobcats weigh 20-30 pounds. This ideal habitat allows for a large population of 2,000 mountain lions to thrive. Those cats for which DNA evidence was recovered had come east from South Dakota, part of the known, modern-day, U.S. mountain lion range. The Florida panther is an endemic subspecies of cougar that has lived in the everglades region for a very long time. What you wouldn't expect to find here anymore is a mountain lion. See also: One of these days, though, I'll get one that won't be, and I hope that will be soon. There is a small breeding population in the state, despite being killed off in the 1920s. Mountain lions, Goodrich wrote, were more dreaded than wolves as the cat could climb over any fence that could be built. Interestingly, almost all of the people I've spoken to who claim to have seen a puma have not seen a bobcat, an animal that is common enough in Pennsylvania to support a legal trapping season! While there have been no confirmed occurrences of mountain lions in Pennsylvania since the late 1800s, dozens . Leap transferred ownership rights to the state. Mountain lion killed in Connecticut was on the opposite side of Pennsylvania a year ago, Is it real? The next day, the photo disappeared from the site. Best hike for seeing waterfalls. I haven't seen any reports like that.". "Given the period of time that has passed without verification of even a single eastern puma, the service concludes that the last remaining members of this subspecies perished decades ago," the Fish and Wildlife Service said in a Federal Register notice. They are there to help us. The Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR) also reports evidence that humans arrived during the last glaciation or soon after. Nevertheless, I put up a MOULTRIE game camera -- a brand that I've had tremendous satisfaction with -- at the carcass, hoping that scavengers would visit. In August, Amy Walters said her 12-year-old son was spooked by a mountain lion in Forest County in northwest Pennsylvania while riding his dirt bike. That solution: Shoot, Shovel, and Shut Up. do I get an immediate, 'Oh yeah!' Illinois can also now be added to this list a mountain lion was found on the outskirts of Chicago. Are the various States guilty of essentially the same thing? Known as the Niagara Falls of Pennsylvania, there are four trails that lead to the cascades from the Bushkill Falls trailhead, each ranging in . Discover the Little-Known U.S. River Gorge That's, The 9 Best Books About National Parks for Travelers, mountain lions seem to be making a comeback. But an image captured by one family's. Travis Lau, a spokesperson for the Game Commission, said the state has a "never say never" approach when it comes to mountain lions and acknowledges that Western cats could be moving east. Interestingly, the US Fish and Wildllife Service has declared the Eastern Puma extinct, except for the Florida population known as the Florida panther. The cat is known to live in the western U.S. and Florida, South America and Canada. This is actually a good thing, as genetic isolation generally weakens a species. Although there was no evidence that the 2011 mountain lion ever set foot in Pennsylvania, DNA evidence confirmed that it had been both west and east of the state. When I first discovered this fresh carcass I examined it for throat punctures, thinking that it may have been killed by a puma. The head of the puma is small in comparision to a house cat when compared to the entire body. A dark brown puma, backlighted by a strong sun, could appear all black, or very dark, and he accepted that. An article in last year's New York State Conservationist magazine about mountain lions concluded that none exists in that state, even in the 6-million-acre Adirondack Mountain wilderness. What does a Mountain Lion look like on a game camera? By the mid-1900s pumas were eliminated from almost all of the eastern states, and by mid-century were officially extinct east of the Mississippi, except for a remnant population in southern Florida. According to the Pennsylvania Game Commission, the last Pennsylvania mountain lion was killed in the late 1800s. Penn State's Nittany Lion hide sampled for DNA sequencing, Mountain lion reports in Pennsylvania popular, but often a hoax, More Local News to Love Start today for 50% off Expires 3/6/23. The mountains and isolated forests of the state allow these large cats to live their lives without encountering humans very often. According to the Pennsylvania Game Commission, there are no wild, breeding cougar populations in this state anymore. The 2,400-square-mile area has long been a popular outdoor recreation area boasting hunting, fishing, skiing, and more. They are generally believed to be young cats roaming in search of new breeding territories to claim as their own. Encouraged by the bounties, settlers waged war on these perceived beasts. Let me explain this. Perhaps my Fed Ex driver was simply recalling a rural legend, but he said it was an employee that he knew, and it was a story he heard first-hand. Mountain lions thrive there due to the high elk population, dense forests, and isolated mountain ranges. I spend a lot of time outdoors, and I've seen about 10 black bears in Pennsylvania, and all within ten miles of my home. There isnt an official estimate on mountain lions in the state. I believe that the folks that are reporting, in detail, their sightings are faced with a similar situation. There are deserts, mountains, and swamps in the state of Utah, all of which are suitable for mountain lions. They have almost been killed off a few times, but conservation efforts have helped to keep their numbers stable. There's a saying that "things aren't always what they appear to be." However, if you've seen a mountain lion, or other mystery creature, or evidence of either, in Pennsylvania, contact outdoor writer Marcus Schneck at mschneck@pennlive.com.). In all those hours I never saw a coyote, bear, or bobcat, and yet all live in my area. In 2015, a Pennsylvania State Historical Marker was placed near the site where the mastodon was found. The State Museum of Pennsylvania, in Harrisburg, displays a taxidermy mount of a mountain lion in glass case, with the notation, "This lion, found near Hawk Mountain in Berks County around 1871, is the last native mountain lion known to have been shot in Pennsylvania. Did they migrate south from Canada? Arkansas isnt somewhere that we would generally think of when looking for mountain lions, but they are on the rebound! The woman, a 66-year-old grandmother, asked not to be identified because she's a senior and didn't want people "bothering" her about it. Never has this been more accurate than in today's digital, computerized world. Is there a correct position for the upright on a Wimberley actionhead. At one time this fact almost resulted in this cat not being protected, since it wasn't a pure strain. Only when I reviewed the images on my laptop did I discover that I had a mountain lion! The earliest wave arrived at the end of the last Ice Age; the last wave is the Lenape or Delaware Tribe, which made contact with colonial settlers in the 1600s. "There hasn't been one solid piece of proof to believe they are here. If you're interested in this, please pass on this link, and if you see a cat, please let me know! This is only hearsay, however, since I'm only going on their stories. An escapee is also possible. Who knows? I love the big cats and devote a huge amount of my field time photographing African lions, leopards, cheetahs, and in 2011, tigers. More Questions about Pumas in Pennsylvania. Hunting is legal, but the use of dogs was banned in 1996. The Pocono Mountains are located in Northeastern Pennsylvania. I don't want to seem like a nut case here, but I must ask this question and you'll soon understand why? If there were wild cougars in our midst, the Game Commission also pointed out, eventually there would be solid evidence such as a carcass, scat and paw prints that could be verified. And how many would let them go, or provide an opportunity for escaping? Kross only saw the animal for a second, but it made a believer out of him. Reports generally go uninvestigated by the Pennsylvania Game Commission, which discounts them as mistaken identities, illegal pets escaped or released and outright fabrications. It will happen eventually. I have received about two dozen reports during that time, including one. But more and more people in Pennsylvania, from the Alleghenies to the Poconos to rolling farmlands in York County, claim they are seeing the big cats here, even though the state's "last" native lion, also known as a cougar or puma, was shot and killed in Berks County in 1871 and the feds have declared the Eastern subspecies extinct. Mountain lions were once widespread across North America, but their range shrunk dramatically as they were pursued through unregulated hunting and by farmers aiming to protect their livestock, and moved off the landscape by habitat fragmentation. Activities Milford Things To Do Hotels Map Of Activities Delaware Water Gap Hotels Bushkill Lake Harmony Hawley Skytop Tannersville Pocono Mountains Counties About the Poconos Pocono Mountains History Weather Area Services . The last known mountain lion in Pennsylvania was killed in Berks County in 1874. Currently, mountain lions seem to be making a comeback in regard to their historic range. Send it to me at mkuhns@poconorecord.com. Pocono Record sports writer Mike Kuhns wrote a great piece on Oct. 14, "Does the mountain lion roam PA?" Every year we receive a few similar reports from hikers, hunters or other outdoor enthusiasts. I've looked in the PGC game laws booklet and saw nothing on this, which I guess you could conclude means a puma would not be legal to shoot. He saw a big cat. Although size can be difficult to determine in the field, a puma will be three or four times larger than a bobcat. Not only do hunting licenses support the various state game commissions, and in some states the acquisition and maintenance of public hunting lands, but hunters are a huge boon to local economies each fall, with purchases of food, lodging, hunting equipment, etc. "I thought I had a sighting in the late '90s," Delaware Water Gap National Recreation park ranger Chris Kross said. It was recorded in Minnesota and Wisconsin in late 2009 and early 2010, and then died in Connecticut in 2011. Can so many people be wrong? With healthy populations and strong conservation programs, however, they seem to be pushing back east. A bobcat gives you a warm, that-kind-of-looks-like-my-cat-but-slightly-bigger feeling. He also published a follow-up on Oct. 15 with the same mountain lion-deer hoax photo, as well as personal stories from several local residents who claim they've seen mountain lions in the Poconos. a high priority. Mountain lions typically eat about one deer per week, along with other smaller prey as the opportunity arises. Note the long, usually thick tail. Now consider: If it was confirmed that there was a breeding population of endangered pumas on the mountain ridge behind my house, if the USFWS recognized the existence of this endangered species, what might happen? Recently, on a back road in Pennsylvania, a friend and I had our first sighting of a coyote in Pennsylvania. A total of 32 mountain lions have been struck and killed by vehicles in the study area since 2002. The Asa Packer Mansion, built in the year 1861, is a historic house museum. "They're getting a lot of that out west. Most of the people I've spoken with live in this belt, but biologists friends I've spoken with have told me of their own reports, first-hand, from hunters in the Poconos who saw pumas, too. The State Museum of Pennsylvania, in Harrisburg, displays a taxidermy mount of a mountain lion in glass case, with the notation, "This lion, found near Hawk Mountain in Berks County around 1871, is the last native mountain lion known to have been shot in Pennsylvania.". Mountain lions' canines are 3 to 4 inches long. What equipment do we take in the field? Over time, cats that had been released in Florida, probably pets that outlived their welcome, bred with the native puma, and their genes mingled. Both were a threat to the farmer and family who carved a home in the ancient wilderness of the Poconos. "It's fall bow-hunting season soon," he said. Something to consider, even though we all trust the government. Over the last few years I've done several Questions of the Month regarding Mountain Lions, or Pumas as they should properly be called, in the Mid-Atlantic States and in Pennsylvania. In personal contacts, that monthly average might even be higher. If we don't see it, it doesn't exist. In the forests of Kenya, however, they do occur. On a recent stifling morning in Adams County, the 290-pound mountain lion with perfect bone structure is ignoring the raw chicken breast and pork chops a handler tossed into his pen. "It was in Worthington State Forest just across the Delaware River from Smithfield Beach). The Pocono Mountains are . I receive about one email or phone call a month, on average, from people that I do not know who are contacting me because their sighting compelled them to do a Google search on puma sightings, and they found my site and previously posted questions. Certainly it is a romantic notion, but I've always held out the hope that pumas still roamed the east. The first is the mating season which can occur during the late to early spring months. Cookie Settings/Do Not Sell My Personal Information. The State cites that there are no road-kills, and in a heavily trafficed state like Pennsylvania there should be kills. Would that declaration close that ridge to hunting? Biologists who investigate these reports claim that several may, indeed, be mountain lions, but most likely they're animals that have escaped from captivity or have been released by their. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Advance Local.