However, many of my reports were at distances that people knew, and as you look at the images of the puma there really is a big difference in color and shape between a puma and a house cat. It wasn't, and I assumed it was a road-kill. Hunting is legal in the state, but it is heavily controlled and restricted. 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. 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. So how or why could there be a conspiracy? And when our officers go out to investigate reports of mountain lions, or when our staff reviews photos that are sent to us, often we're able to verify some other animal mistakenly was reported as a mountain lion.". In personal contacts, that monthly average might even be higher. Murray also has a cross-eyed white tiger named Keisha, who crushed chicken bones with ease but delicately stepped into a metal pool to cool off. A Game Commission vehicle was there, and the Fed Ex driver, after reaching the bottom of a long hill, turned back to check on what he saw. Where they always here as a relic population? ? September 21st, 2008, 08:14 PM #74. 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. If you're interested in this, please pass on this link, and if you see a cat, please let me know! Sadly, the hunting guidelines for cougars in Idaho are lax, with 400-600 cats being killed each year. Contrary to popular belief, there are no black panthers in North America; no one has ever captured or killed a black Mountain Lion. Many of the reports I receive are extremely credible. The other three images are from my file, selected to most closely approximate the pose of the cat from the game camera. Although in captivity, they can live much longer. "With all of that said, though, there's a general lack of evidence of mountain lions in Pennsylvania. The last documented sighting of an eastern cougar was one killed in Maine in 1938. Never has this been more accurate than in today's digital, computerized world. Noted Wayne County historian Phineas Goodrich recorded in his 1880 book on local history that the common gray wolf was much more common in this area than the cougar. Why do I advocate manual exposure so avidly? The next day, the photo disappeared from the site. I had three cameras positioned, so had a cat visited, I'd have had it. When he isn't distracted by his backyard birdfeeder, you can find him camping, exploring, and telling everyone around him about what he's recently learned. Me? As a state known for its mountains, its no wonder that mountain lions live here! The coat can be spotted or solid and varies in color from light browns, reddish and silvery grey. In books I've read critical or skeptical or down-right dismissive of the idea of pumas in the East, the argument has been advanced that the hopefull puma-dreamer/spotters arguing that the State needs to prove pumas don't exist does not mean that in the State not proving this means that pumas indeed do exist in this state. The first is the mating season which can occur during the late to early spring months. Armand Martinelli isn't only the mayor of East Stroudsburg, he's also a hunter who is connected with plenty of people in the area. The Game Commission concluded they were coyotes. But even without that second look there was no question that we'd seen a coyote. Would these ridges be declared off-limits for hunting? No An official form of the United States government. At the end of the last Ice Age, many animals in Pennsylvania died out. I've seen hoaxes, of pumas carrying deer shot with game cameras, but these were of western cats. This is only hearsay, however, since I'm only going on their stories. I believe Kross fully, but I wanted to hear more. To learn more about "lion country" in Colorado check here. In personal contacts, that monthly average might even be higher. Bobcats, feral cats and domestic dogs may be misidentified as mountain lion. The cat is known to live in the western U.S. and Florida, South America and Canada. Among those who have investigated the primeval times of the Pocono Plateau and Delaware River valleys and tributaries was the late Vernon Leslie, Ph.D., a Wayne County historian and archaeologist. Leslie estimated that the first humans making up the Paleo-Indians lived in the upper Delaware valley as early as 11,000 B.C. No evidence has ever been produced to support those charges. 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. Newspapers carried stories in 1956 about hunters supposedly seeing and killing wolves in Pike and Monroe Counties. There also were camels, sloth and hyena, which migrated elsewhere. On that, I've had emails sent with game trail photo attachments, or killed pumas, supposedly shot in Pennsylvania, but these were hoaxes. With that in mind, lets break down how we classified the states. Reports generally go uninvestigated by the Pennsylvania Game Commission, which discounts them as mistaken identities, illegal pets escaped or released and outright fabrications. I used to archery hunt for deer, and I spent a lot of time (way too much time) sitting silently in a tree stand waiting for deer. I'll offer my own little anecdote. 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. It is an Italianate Villa home that features authentic Victorian furniture and finishing. 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. A Mountain Lion Cover Up Of interestRamapough Lenape chief: National park in PA and NJ would be among 'most destructive things' since colonization. According to the commission, the last Pennsylvania mountain lion was killed in the late 1800s. Consider that the endangered Florida puma has mixed genes. One of the important things for any animal is a place to call home. It was estimated to be a young adult American Mastodon that had died about 12,000 years ago, according to radiocarbon dating. And again, while they may have been mistaken, they certainly were completely convinced that they had seen a puma. Ramapough Lenape chief: National park in PA and NJ would be among 'most destructive things' since colonization, Bigfoot, mountain lions, and other mythical creatures: PA officials discuss what they know, Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. However, my friend and I discussed this, and agreed, we saw what we saw, and had it been 40 years ago or four months ago, we knew we saw a coyote. So, couldn't that same argument apply to pumas in the Northeast? And how many would let them go, or provide an opportunity for escaping? That may be true, or was once true, but even a declawed puma, if it can survive off rabbits and squirrels, and breeds, its offspring would be fully equipted to survive. Although a large proportion of the Lenape Nation was dispersed far from their ancestral homelands in the 18th century, colonial settlers and their descendants struggled to live in this region with wolves and cougars inhabiting the forests. Arkansas isnt somewhere that we would generally think of when looking for mountain lions, but they are on the rebound! I've seen so many examples of these distortions, exaggerations and lies over the last couple of years that I've grown very dubious about anything I see on a computer. With the Great Lakes in its way, the cat moved either north or south of the water, and the latter route would have seen it pass through at least some of Pennsylvania. Images from a homeowner's surveillance camera show a tan cat with a long body, beyond a chain-link fence. You would think someone would have a picture on a trail camera or whatever. Use of and/or registration on any portion of this site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement, Privacy Policy and Cookie Statement, and Your Privacy Choices and Rights (each updated 1/26/2023). A phantom creature has been sighted in the vast Delaware State Forest region of Pike County. And this genetic mix has been recognized, and the Florida puma is still protected. The rounded ears, Please keep scrolling - ALL the Puma posts are included. Do Mountain Lions Attack Humans? He saw a big cat. The coat can be spotted or solid. A law was passed March 10, 1806, requiring the county to pay the person producing the scalp of a full-grown wolf or cougar, $8, and for the scalp of a young whelp or cub, $4. Everyone else, when reporting, were frustrated as they were told they had seen a bobcat. Among other uses, the tax was levied "for destroying wolves, foxes, heads and crows." None of these sightings has been authenticated, and many of them, including a recent, alleged mountain lion picked up on a surveillance camera in Lackawanna County, turned out to be bobcats. WATCH: Sharks biting alligators, the most epic lion battles, and MUCH more. Where they always here as a relic population? "We should be getting more pictures. Send it to me at mkuhns@poconorecord.com. I don't want to seem like a nut case here, but I must ask this question and you'll soon understand why? What is the Kiboko backpack? Two different people told me that they, or a close relative, had seen pumas on more than one occasion. And a bit of an unpleasant one at that, as they now faced ridicule or doubt whenever they discussed their sightings. YouTubes privacy policy is available here and YouTubes terms of service is available here. Are they all the product of the off-spring of pumas that escaped their owners or were released? He's sitting in a plastic doghouse, paws crossed, amber eyes locked on the two men ticking him off by their mere presence out beyond the fence. Several populations of Gray Squirrels scattered around the country are black, and recently I heard of a neighborhood of black Eastern Chipmunks. The other site, The Cougar Network, is still active, and is reporting the cats expanding range from the West, but offers little about the phenomenon of Pennsylvania cats. The sightings were great bear views, but too fast or fleeting to allow me to grab a camera. I'm a photographer, yet I've never had a chance to snap a photograph of one of these bears. All rights reserved. Features Writer Micaela Hood is signing off with the Pocono Record after five years of covering arts, culture, entertainment and sports in northeastern . 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. It has the color of a mountain lion, but the long tail appears to be missing. ? Biologists traced it back to the Black Hills of South Dakota, from where it ventured nearly 2,000 miles looking for a new mate. I believe them. 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. Despite reported sightings throughout the East, including Pennsylvania, and a confirmed mountain lion killed in Connecticut in 2011, there has been no evidence that any of those cats were native to the East. 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. Bobcats tend to be darker brown, with lighter belly fur and spots while mountain lions tend to be more uniform brown, tawny color. 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. Foster, the Messiah College professor, said he has investigated about 15 reported mountain lion sightings since late May, and believed "three or four are pretty likely a mountain lion." Good luck, and let me know! 2023 Advance Local Media LLC. "The day will come," he said, "when someone will pull the trigger on a mountain lion.". Local outlets carried reports of cougar encounters at least into the 1910s. You know, the Penn State Nittany Lions.". Is it the New Best Pack? By the time he returned the vehicle was gone, and so was the cat, and no mention was ever made of this road kill in a radio or newspaper report. Some may be animals that dispersed into the region from western populations. When he told me this, he commented on how an experience like the one he and his friends had just is not forgotten. Knowing that pumas range widely, would my ridge be the only one closed? The photographer had no reason to stage the shot -- indeed, the composition and background was terrible, and not what you'd expect for something staged, but the shot wasn't perfectly clear. They once inhabited the entire United States, but were killed off and pushed west. Here's a glimpse at what long-gone Pocono beasts the region's very first wave of residents may have seen, and the wild things that followed up to as late as the early 20th century. 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 summer, a team from the State Museum of Pennsylvania in Harrisburg excavated the nearly complete skeleton of the ancient elephant, the first of its kind found in the Commonwealth. In many regions, the population within the state is actually increasing! I've read a lot about this, and the usual explanation is the very human desire to see something, to see what someone wants to see, and thus these people are seeing bobcats or brown cats or dogs or foxes and, because they 'want' to see a puma, they do. The state of Idaho is large, expansive, and full of rocky wilderness. The Asa Packer Mansion, built in the year 1861, is a historic house museum. Confirmed cougar sightings have increased in the Midwest and Great Lakes states in recent years.". 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. Still, these resilient animals reside in secluded areas across the United States, with current data suggesting they may even be returning to their historical regions! A few could, perhaps, be mistaken idenity. He's a hunter, a woodsman, and he's seen a lot of game, so I can believe he saw a back-lighted puma. 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.". 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 . But the point of this article isn't whether or not mountain lions exist in Pennsylvania or the Poconos. Colorado has a large number of mountain lions within its borders, mostly due to the high elk population, dense forests, and isolated mountain ranges. Those special two were across a river just outside Glacier National Park in Montana, and consisted of a mother and two cubs (Mary saw both cubs, I only saw one, and we did so separately, as we were driving two vehicles). Some experts predict that this wide-ranging predator, which can travel 600 miles in search of a territory, will surely reach our eastern states sometime in the next few decades. The mountain lion is a large, slender cat, with a long rope-like tail. As you can see from the above images it is very difficult to confuse the two if you have a good view. Mountain Lion in Pocono's Pennsylvania Kacie PA 7.9K views 2 years ago Mountain lion in bucks county pa or not? Community Rules apply to all content you upload or otherwise submit to this site. 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. This is not a Pennsylvania puma! Over 1,100 people follow her page. Cougar vs Mountain Lion What Are the Differences? However, if it doesn't exist, and if someone saw one, wouldn't there be a worry that it was a dangerous escapee? The bobcat wouldn't survive. Check out the tails of the two! Adults are a uniform tan or tawny in color, with a white or cream-colored chin, undersides and inner legs. Outdoor adventures abound, and so do our fabulous shopping and restaurants. As they get older, the cubs begin to leave the den and explore. The hunting policy of the state may be the cause of the dropping population, and pressure on the Fish and Game Commission has increased. What the Lenape Indians never did, the European colonists and their descendants did swiftly eradicate the wolf and cougars viewed as a menace to their families and livestock. In Michigan, there has been multiple sightings of 'black panthers,' animals that were thought to be mountain lions, or pumas, except that they were black. Hopefully, we'll see the real thing. Two weeks ago, a friend of mine who teaches in one of the Monroe County school districts called to tell me he was sending me a photo of a mountain lion taken by one of his students in the Poconos. Here in central Pennsylvania we live on the outskirts of what one puma-tracking website has as almost the high point of sightings, extending from north-central Pennsylvania in a southwestern diagonal that extends into the mountains of West Virginia. I've done this myself once, in Tanzania, when I saw a black house cat that I thought was a black leopard! The Pennsylvania Game Commission is always open to review evidence, but to date only hoaxes have crossed the PGC. Fish and Wildlife Service. While there have been no confirmed occurrences of mountain lions in Pennsylvania since the late 1800s, dozens . Heres What the Data Says. "People think they can get them declawed and that they're safe, but they still have teeth.". The state of Arizona is home to a large, stable population of mountain lions. I asked our Game officials about evidence, and they cite no road kills. Community Rules apply to all content you upload or otherwise submit to this site. If so, what would happen to the hunting industry in all of these states? There are controlled hunting laws in the state of Oregon. However, it is clearly a mountain lion, and I'm presenting this poor image as a baseline reference for anyone recording a mountain lion on a game camera, or seeing one. Interesting, too, are the reports I've heard from people who were told that they would be in big trouble if they shot a puma. I was heading up the road and I saw an animal with a long tail.". Although unconfirmed, mountain lions continue to be reported in many spots across Pennsylvania, including several reports in the past couple months. 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. Contact the AZ Animals editorial team. In all those hours I never saw a coyote, bear, or bobcat, and yet all live in my area. Find cabins in the Poconos, PA near places like Bushkill Falls, Camelback Mountain Resort, and more. Are the various States guilty of essentially the same thing? Packer Hill Ave. Jim Thorpe, PA 18229. The mountain lion, which is also called a cougar, puma or panther, weighs on average between 75-120 pounds, has long whiskers and a distinctive swooping tail. I want to believe they're here, but I'm having some trouble. The Bushkill Falls are a series of eight waterfalls in a 300-acre wooded enclave hidden amongst the Poconos. A tiny population of Florida cougars persists in the southeastern corner of the United States. "When I started telling people, most of them didn't believe me, but I will never forget that huge face staring right at me," said a Montgomery County woman who says she saw a lion last summer in Limerick Township while walking her dog. What equipment do we take in the field? Granted, the image is not great, and I used some Photoshop adjustment layers to enhance the image, making it a bit easier to see. Recently, on a back road in Pennsylvania, a friend and I had our first sighting of a coyote in Pennsylvania. 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. Geologist Dr. John Yolton made the identification. Where reports dating that far back from escapees? If we continue to be bombarded with manipulated photos and untrue claims in most cases by people who just want to get attention then we may be very resistant to accepting the "real McCoy" if or when) one finally arrives. The life cycle then repeats itself. I could fill pages recounting the eye-witness reports I've heard, and for every report critics could certainly say 'but there's no physical evidence!' Bo Ottman is a landscaper in Connecticut who founded an . It was recorded in Minnesota and Wisconsin in late 2009 and early 2010, and then died in Connecticut in 2011. Mountain lion killed in Connecticut was on the opposite side of Pennsylvania a year ago, Is it real? Certainly it is a romantic notion, but I've always held out the hope that pumas still roamed the east. The skeleton was reassembled at the State Museum, where it has been on display ever since. . The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Advance Local. Learn more about us & read our affiliate disclosure. Can so many people be so wrong? Mountain lions have an interesting life cycle that consists of a few different characteristics. Is there a correct position for the upright on a Wimberley actionhead? Mountain Lions do remain in the western states and there is evidence that in 2011, a mountain lion migrated about 1,500 miles from South Dakota to Connecticut where it was killed by a. I'll be anxious to learn of your report. "They are very strong animals," she said. The bones were found perfectly preserved. 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. What would account for the long tails? She feeds and cares for them with donations and grants. In this at this distant epoch, archaeologists attempt to clear some of the mists and mysteries of prehistoric times. What does a Puma (Mountain Lion) look like on a Game Camera? He also noted that if the cat was here, wouldn't they be reproducing and increasing in population by now? So what? 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. "While it seems unlikely, it's not impossible that these animals are showing up in PA," said David Foster, a biology professor at Messiah College in Mechanicsburg. Some cats had a South American genetic profile. with a fluted projectile point were found near Middletown, Orange County, New York. Any Truth The next day, another friend, who works for Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area, called me to ask if I had seen the photo of a Pocono mountain lion with a deer in its jaws. Mountain lions typically eat about one deer per week, along with other smaller prey as the opportunity arises. I've seen about 20 mountain lions, or pumas, in the field, but all but 2 were in Chile. Some may also be kept illicitly as pets, which would quickly become a problem as the cat matures. Who knows? For example, one man I interviewed said he saw a 'black' puma, and this should disqualify his sighting as a black puma has never been recorded. The mountain lion, which is also called a cougar, puma or panther, weighs on average between 75-120 pounds, has long whiskers and a distinctive swooping tail. Each year, over tha past five, I've spoken with at least one person who swears they personally saw a puma in this state. Use of and/or registration on any portion of this site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement, Privacy Policy and Cookie Statement, and Your Privacy Choices and Rights (each updated 1/26/2023). The record size for this species is 8 feet, and it probably weighed 15 to 20 pounds, which shows how exaggerated this claim is. Jones has never seen a mountain lion, but he thinks they're prowling around. Mountain lions have killed humans in the wild, though sightings and encounters are rare even in the American West and Canada. As the latest hoaxed photo of a mountain lion supposedly killed in Pennsylvania died a slow death on Facebook yesterday, the head of an organization tracking the eastern movements of the big cats was preparing a presentation for a Pennsylvania audience tonight. More conclusive evidence is needed: Keep your cameras handy. Claws 'N' Paws Animal Park in Lake Ariel has two. If pumas do exist in the mid-Atlantic and Northeast, could they all be released cats or escapees? 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. Mountain lion killed in Connecticut was on the opposite side of Pennsylvania a year ago, Is it real? The Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR) also reports evidence that humans arrived during the last glaciation or soon after. Cookie Settings/Do Not Sell My Personal Information. All of the above images are of bobcats. "From people that I trust have had visual sightings, they've seen mountain lions.". An animal's coat can stray far from the norm. PHILADELPHIA (AP) An instinct coiled way down in the human brain knows the difference between a bobcat and a mountain lion. Let me know if you have seen one! How, Who, and Why? Apparently, this picture was really making the rounds.