nybowhunter

Hey another NY bow hunter, Alright! If they are around, they could survive there. Allegheny park is a big enough area alone. I have not heard this story yet and I know quite a few people that live in the southern tier. Do you know the town?

EasternPuma

Christine:
A friend sent this message to me back in August and I have been saving it since then. Do you have track casts of wild cougars in New York State? If so, would you be willing to send me a photograph of them?

I am a very active member of the Eastern Cougar Foundation. We are constantly looking for evidence of cougars in the East. We have quite a bit of expertise. Any evidence that appears to be cougar is sent to a cougar biologist for cnfirmation.

Helen McGinnis
Program Officer
Eastern Cougar Foundation
www.easterncougar.org

narcoboy

I thought this was a forum where you can ask questions and post threads right? RWK you don't have to name call and belittle somebody just because you think you know it all. He asked a legitimate question. If you don't like it then keep your fingers off of the keyboard or go to the next topic

BuckAlley

I don't recall if I posted this info under the last Mountain Lion post, but I'll write it again if did. At the DEC public meeting I attended this past winter in Watertown on the Southern Tier season proposals the subject of Mountian Lions , and Cougars was brought up by the DEC speaker himself. He was putting rumors to rest that were floating around. The man basically said the DEC has not in anyway stocked any Mountian Lion, Cougars, or Wolves in NYS. However he didn't deny the fact sightings have occurred in NYS. His explanation was very logical. He explained its quite possible persons to obtain such animals as pets and such, and released into the wild or got away by mistake. He spoke of a place in PA, that sells Mountain Lion cubs for pets, and how simple it was for anyone to purchase such a animal. So the DEC itself didn't deny sightings are very possible, and have occurred in NYS. But the DEC has nothing to do w/ any stockings or releases.
I couldn't tell you if this is simply the DEC's way to cover anything up, or just honest truth. I personnally have never seen such a animal, but I do have a few friends who claim to have seen them. So whose to say that they don't exist in NYS woods.

Terasec

http://www.dec.state.ny.us/website/r...ld/cougar.html

bearklr

I agree with you 100% NY Bowhunter. I have had 2 seperate run-ins with lions here in Pa. The first we saw while spotting. At first we couldn't tell what it was becasue it was alot lighter than the deer in the area but as I got closer he stood up about 40 yards away and there was no mistaking it. The next day we returned to the location and found a nice 8 pount half eaten with lion tracks all around it. Now I have a nice set of rattlin' antlers. The second was right outside of allentown Pa. I was heading west and as soon as I got on the highway there was a dead one right along the side of the road. I drove by pretty slow about 5 feet away. These were both awhile ago and I never realized that this was such a big debate or i probably would have taken pics but either way i know I saw them and don't really care if anyone believes me. I know around here most people realize I know what I'm talking about and do believe me but I know next time I'll deffinately take some pics.

mlo3135127

Why on earth would the DEC stock mountain lions???????????? Why would they keep it a seceret???????? The DEC would HAVE to tell the public. Just by chance if there was one in NYS, why would someone shoot it????? It's funny that with thousands of hunters in the woods when there is snow on the ground, there is not one picture of tracks. If I found tracks I would'nt just talk about it, I would take pictures and personally take everyone I know out to the tracks. I would also call the local TV station, they would jump on the chance to get this story.

NYMAD1

I believe what your talking about happened out in the Collins, Gowonda area. Story goes that the cat did have a DEC coller from another state but the DEC was saying that someone must have bought the cat and released it although no one was officially saying a cougar was killed.

bigbadmoosegal

What is the big deal here? There are definately cougars and wolves in the northeast. Why does everyone want to deny it or say there is no proof? There IS proof. For YEARS Maine denied that there were wolves. Maine borders Quebec where you can hunt them. Do the wolves recognize international boundaries? Heck no. It is obvious that they are in Maine. Sightings are frequently reported. I myself had one come do a buzz-by on a bear bait I was sitting 10 years ago in the Danforth Maine area. I have shot and killed HUNDREDS of coyotes in my life. This thing came by at under 15 yards and let me tell you something.....100% Wolf. This whole cougar thing is the same. Just two years ago, while I was in a remote section of woods in the western Maine Mountain region picking horns from a moose yard, I cut a cougar track that was passing through. Was it a big deal? HELL NO. There is another thing that people don't realize....most of the big blocks of timber found up north never see a person. People say they hunt these blocks, but few venture very far. I would safely say that. I can take you to MANY places in maine that you can hunt deer on snow, the third week of November when the woods are LOADED with hunters, tens of thousands of them, AND NEVER CUT A HUMAN TRACK if you step off a road. We have BIG woods up here in the northeast, and anyone that denies that we have big cats, wolves, lynx, and the rest of the hottly debated critters is either scared or just plain dumb. They also have not spent that much time IN the big woods, because those of us that have KNOW that the rumors are actualy the TRUTHS, because we are the ones that started the majority of them.
As far as cougars go.....you connect the dots....resident cougar population in the northwest and northcentral regions of the country....DNA cougar evidence as far east as the Maine coast. It's a no brainer. They are here whether you like it or not. DEAL.

NY Bowhunter

gee I dunno maybe if it was nawing on someones kids head or something like that?

that's rather naive

I can't understand what the big deal is either. Why is it so unbelievable? We're not talking about UFO sightings or little green aliens. Anywho........ I've never seen one in the wild and more than likely never will. However i'm a little more objective and not as naive to believe that it IS possible. I just don't get why people find it 110% not possible and want to debate it with so much energy ...... almost like they're angry at the idea or something. ...weird.
I just started this thread based on what my sales rep told me (over a year ago btw[:-]). I've never seen the pics, never talked to the people, don't know where it happened......just something I heard and passed along.