It was dark so I couldnt get a good look but I waited till it came out past a vehicle and saw the outline of the entire body. Because he lives among them, Harrigan understands that no one knows the woods better. He ran right in front of me and I almost hit him. John Lutz, 99 Beagle Boot Lane, Maysville, WV 26833, John Lutz (Eastern Puma Research Network, Maysville, WV). Now only feet from what I realized was a mountain lion I was in horror. I was within inches of hitting him, actually. Any known activity in Southern Vermont? Part of this belief is rooted in his journalistic experience, which across the decades has cultivated his nose for sincerity. Sincerely, We see Bear every day, and Fishers it was none of those, nor a Bobcat as it was twice the size of our Belgian Shepherd dog. Published: 9/3/2021 5:01:49 PM. Box, city, zip-code, so a copy can be sent in early April. Bill and I are full-throttle. He soon developed a five-question litmus test: How far away were you? In 2011, a cougar was hit by a car and killed on a Connecticut highway. The tail, I said. The animal was shot in the town of Barnard on Thanksgiving Day 1881 by a man named Alexander Crowell. You need to understand that every biologist that works for the state has a duty to deny mountain lions. As a carnivore biologist, Hawley says he would love it if mountain lions were here. Mountain Lions Living Mountain Lion Sightings in Vermont in Vermont? The cat was out day light standing in hill that was near road only about 3 FT off ground, looking at me driving by. On the other side, there are those (as represented here by Bill Betty and Bo Ottmann, along with a number of others I spoke with) who say the overwhelming quantity of anecdotal evidence suggests otherwise. And yet there I was, on a Saturday in early November, crammed into a booth with Bo Ottmann, 48, and Bill Betty, 72, of Cougars of the Valley, the organization that Ottmann founded in 2007 to gather evidence of and alert the public to the big cats living among us. I thought it might be a bob cat or a huge fox but I wasnt sure. The second sighting in myakka preserve, hopping a fence. Lynx sightings and Catamount sightings have been on the increase every year since 2003. Im gonna get hammered for it, he sighed. Dan Moore::: IN reference to your big cat crossing Route 113, YES, mountain lions/cougars/pumas, 3 of the most popular names for North Americas largest unspotted, lion-cat, travelling free in almost every state, across the USA. So its this gathering storm. Bernier gets more than 50 reports of mountain lions a year. Using DNA and physical evidence, state environmental officials said they determined that the animal likely trekked more than 1,500 miles from South Dakota, a journey that was captured by trail camera (above). Despite frequent claims, there has only been one confirmed mountain lion sighting since the late 1800s here. Kim Royar, a biologist at the Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department, told me she receives 40 to 50 reports annually, and although she believes that few, if any, are actual cougar sightings, she doesnt dismiss the possibility that someday someone will happen upon the real deal. I noticed that there were many great websites, blogs, and discussion boards devoted to mountain lion sightings in other states of New England, but not one just for Vermont. Though the infamous catamount has been declared extinct in Vermont since 2018, several people spotted big cats that they thought to be mountain lions on Ripley Road two weeks ago, according to posts on Front Porch Forum. This was a large tan colored cat with a long tail. I thought it was a deer and slowed in case it ran in front of me. Please make your sighting as detailed as possible. I dont know what they are, bigger than my 50 pound dogs foot prints. Forty years of reporting on New Hampshire cougar sightings has convinced Harrigan that the state is home to at least a handful of breeding animals. This Snowy Cougar photograph captures the majestic nature of these feline predators. He knew it was only a matter of time. The debate rages in Maine, where the last confirmed cougar kill occurred in 1938, and in New Hampshire, where the last confirmed kill was in 1885. He says that if mountain lions do . There were also people who spoke of seeing prints in a specific area in Hartland as well. Hawley: That animal was documented. Lou: I am still awaiting your pictureit is now October 1st. This is a natural wildlife corridor coming down off of the Worcester Range headed over towards the Green Mountain Range. Ive seen more field evidence in a couple of hours tracking out west than Ive seen in 100 years on the East Coast, he said. Anyway, I hope you see this message. So this is the best we could do for a photo. Director, Eastern Puma Research Network Still, this isnt a foolproof rule for big cat identification. After telling some other locals there has been some other sightings in the Black mountain vicinity around Dummerston both before and after I saw the one I saw. I also had the vague notion that when it comes to cougars, people tend to sort themselves into one of three camps. The topic was discussed at the town's June 10 city council meeting after a potential sighting on June 1 in the Savanna area of William O'Brian State . Li mistaking that long swaying tail. One cat will leave more than 10,000 tracks per day. Wed be seeing more carcasses of prey we would be seeing at least some carcasses of mountain lion prey. Two of my family members sighted cougars in Florida during daylight hours: one was leaping through a field on myakka side of route 75, between north port and Sarasota. Around 7:10 pm this evening August 02, 2022 my wife entered our Oakwood Farm business off 6 Weed Road in Essex Center with headlights on. Indeed, in 2011, a male cougar was hit and killed by a car in Milford, Connecticut; through its DNA, wildlife biologists were able to trace the cat back to South Dakotas Black Hills, some 2,000 miles distant. Was getting ready to let the dog out but I thought it was a big dog that was loose. Vermont Fish and Wildlife say they get between 50 and 75 sightings here in Vermont, annually. I reported it to Fish and Wildlife but I bet they are laughing- I am in shock! Mountain Lions: cougars, pumas, panthers and catamounts. In their estimation, the presence of a breeding cougar population in New England would likely stem from our proximity to Canada, where, as they rightly point out, DNA analysis has resulted in 19 positive identifications across Quebec and New Brunswick since 2001 (although some of these were shown to be of South American lineage, suggesting escaped pets). E-mail address: epuma@frontier.com, I saw a mountain lion in 2010, in March in Hartland Vermont during a horrendous snow storm. (Photo courtesy of Vermont Historical Society) The cats passed by, moving west through Snows property. It may not surprise you to learn that I was quite intrigued by this third group. Betty, for instance, has presented on Eastern cougars more than 300 times, gathering many hundreds of sighting reports in the process. And Im assuming whatever were doing right now, its not working. I never say never to people who are calling with a sighting, he said. My e-mail: epuma@frontier.com /// my mailing address 99 Beagle Boot Lane, Maysville, WV 26833 All reports are the wee hours of the morning. Originally I began in the Mid-Atlantic States, but widely expanded my collection to include all the New England States, at the suggestion of the late Prof. Harold Hitchcock of Vermonts Middlebury College. John Lutz, Eastern Puma Research Network. John Lutz, Eastern Puma Research network.. Hi I am from Arlington, vt. could you email me the pic and the story behind it please, thanks. I am willing to put my hand on the bible or take a polygraph. Normally we have good cameras but we were just up there for a quick delivery. Well when it turned its head and then got up and walked away I knew immediately what it was. Lutz, P.O. His mention of these encounters was so matter-of-fact that I found myself nodding along. Fish and Wildlife Service in 2011. Credit: ViralHog VT - Cougar tries to break in house We watched the entire time. I showed several farmers and they all said wow that is a huge cat track. I could hear the steady rush of traffic on Route 315. The cat was huge and tail was at least 3 feet long and thick. And then he drove up into my yard to read the meter. Its a cool story with how far that animal walked. To date, Keeping Track has helped conserve 40,000 acres in 12 states and inQuebec. Still more confusion ensued when a lab technician said she might have gotten some samples confused, and thus the canid result was thrown into doubt. I could never forget your love for the big cats! PO Box 183 (Postal address) These are huge animals that make a lot of distance to the day. Perhaps, then, the ultimate question isnt whether cougars are among us, but rather how we can encourage them to settle here. It all happened so fast. My favorite mountain lion story while living in California years ago was the turkey hunter who crouched down in front of a rock then used his call several times. Bobcat tails, though prominent when they walk, are only about six or seven inches long. Mountain Lion. Massachusetts and several other New England states have bear hunting, or harvest, seasons, which proponents say help control populations. 35 wild cougars, known as the Florida Panther, of which a few are totally BLACK, and known as panther, but are actually of the jaguar family In the last few days, 3 sightings have been reported to us, large brown cats in Tennessee and Indiana, a total black cat, in Virginia. I met with Morse at her home in Jericho. Now, lets start talking about our favorite big cat! Mountain Lion fever Just adding my two cents to the discussion. But I still wouldn;t want to run into one. They usually don't wanna be around you anyways. ), or someones coworkers mother had seen one from the back porch of a summer camp back in 07 or maybe 08, and shed tried to get a picture but this was before she got her first iPhone, and by the time shed retrieved her camera from the living room, the cat was long gone. But one day. Other sightings have come from individuals with various responsible backgrounds. I didnt dare to take the time to get my phone out of my bag to try for a photo, but the memory is forever in my head! I appreciated Ottmann and Bettys confidence and commitment, but here I was, poking through thorny thickets behind a bar, trailing a bleeding man whose devotion to proving the presence of cougars was beginning to seem like a quixotic quest with no end. sunnyside village cohousing; federal halfway house rules and regulations; Owners. hen I accepted the assignment to write about my quest to uncover the truth regarding the existence of cougars in New England, I had little idea what I was agreeing to. Having been doing this since 1994, I have yet to have had a definitive, documented, indisputable, verifiable sighting of a mountain lion, Bernier said. I pulled over along Rt 30 to walk down to a swimming hole. FYI: I publish a tri-yearly newsletter, dealing with big cat sightings in states, east of the Mississippi River, as reported to us via various websites, as well as telephone calls or letters. He said there were two, he called them mountain lions.. The cougar was so close I could smell it. [The catamounts] movements were so noiseless that Mr. Crowell found himself in this dangerous proximity before he was aware of it, and it was only by great coolness and daring that he severely wounded the animal and perhaps saved his own life, reads a placard attached to the display case. He waves me over and shows me an animal lying in our driveway. Cat. 3 Last 10 Years. Mountain lions are not likely to pass through Vermont, according to Fish & Wildlife biologist Chris Bernier. As a scientist, lack of evidence is very good evidence. Adult males may be more than 8 feet long (from the tip of the nose to the tip of the tail), and can weigh between 130 and 150 pounds. And, a couple of biologists I talked to when I was putting this exhibit together, said that it's. But every once in a while, you'll be on your property, on your deck or in your house, and you'll see one walk across your yard or something. Less than five years ago, a large muscled cat with striking eyes rimmed with black and a tail as long as almost half its over four-foot long body, was hit by a car in a residential area of Greenwich, Conn. DNA analysis of the mountain lion's ( Puma . In June 1991 and again in July 1993, my wife Linda and I, visited Prof. Harold & wife Martene at their Maine Cottage overlooking the Atlantic Ocean, where we had serious discussions on the WILD, NATIVE, FREE-ROAMING cougars-mountain lions and their ancestors who have inhabited the eastern U.S. for over the last 500 years. Even in the controlled environment of a lab, the truth about Eastern cougars seems to be almost willfully eluding its seekers. The truth is, I was by this point dubious. Were arrogant if we think were the only species that makes decisions based on fear, he told me when I called him at his home in Oregon. I studied the track it was the front paw left in the silt while the cat was drinking from the brook. Vermont's last known cougar, also known as a mountain lion or catamount, was killed in 1881 in Barnard. Morse will present evidence on cougars returning to the East. It lowers the population in a way thats not going to affect the long-term population. Hes also unafraid to take unpopular positions when he deems it necessary: Shortly before our meeting, hed signed a petition in favor of keeping ATVs off public roads. If these people say they saw something, Im going to listen., If theres one thing people on all sides of the debate can agree on, its that a breeding population of cougars is essential to the overall health of New Englands ecosystems, which currently lack an apex predator. Apparently, Barnaby is blind because he couldnt see it. I told family and close friends as I was very excited about it .I have hunted deer my whole life and had seen bobcats and lynx but there was no mistaken this catamount! If you do see a big cat in your neighborhood, best practice is to leave it alone, according to Waterbury Game Warden Chad Barrett. For instance, a favorite food for deer is the seedlings of forest tree species. If these animals are not in the habitat, what we see is an overabundance of herbivores., The ecologist John Laundre, who has spent 35 years studying cougars, concurs. My wife Linda and I, spent several days with the Hitchcocks at their Atlantic Ocean-front Cabin overlooking the Atlantic Ocean, from high up on a cliff, where you could hear the screams of at least 1 of Vermonts wild cougars, in both 1991 and again in 1993. The tavern was quiet except for some hard-rock music playing on the radio, the murmur of a handful of men at the bar, and us. 24 Hour Hotline: 304-749-7778 if interested in discussing our favorite subject. And somebody hollering. But other hard evidence of the big cats presence is elusive. In 2011, a cougar was hit by a car and killed on a Connecticut highway. No one is on the road at 430-5am. The date was June 17 at about 1 pm. I saidholy cow, what is that? He said look at the tail, it is a mountain lion. I questioned if we even had them and quickly googled. How to Report a Possible Mountain Lion Sighting. The last catamount in Vermont is finally, officially, certainly dead. Two mountain lion encounters in his driveway. Sincerely, John Lutz, 99 Beagle boots Lane, Maysville, WV 26833 or epuma@frontier.com, Hellomy husband and I were at our Vermont vacation home taking a furniture delivery. And its not just Vermont. It walked with a calm, cat stride, stopped and turned towards my husband. About a few miles from the covered bridge. I started this blog for people to discuss mountain lion sightings and reports in the Green Mountain State of Vermont. What time of day was it? You were the first person I thought of after I calmed down enough to think straight! After an unfortunate past of over hunting, Montana's mountain lion population has made a comeback. ), or someones coworkers mother had seen one from the back porch of a summer camp back in 07 or maybe 08, and shed tried to get a picture but this was before she got her first iPhone, and by the time shed retrieved her camera from the living room, the cat was long gone. On Friday July 8, 2022 there was a few reported Mountain Lion sightings the last few days one actually involving an encounter with one's family in their lawn. The scientific name for the catamount is Puma concolor. This assessment is echoed by the aforementioned Christopher Spatz, who has been studying cougars for better than 20 years. Would love some feedback just do not see how to upload photos. I read John Harrigan's weekly wildlife column in the Sunday Manchester Union Leader (NH). Founded in 1971, the paper has gone through many transitions, now expanding into web and mobile platforms in addition to its weekly newspaper and semi-annual magazines. 26M views, 14K likes, 2K loves, 8.1K comments, 19K shares, Facebook Watch Videos from VT: This mountain lion is about to turn a vacation into a nightmare. But other hard evidence of the big cats presence is elusive. The Vermont Department of Fish & Wildlife accepts reports of potential big cats using an online form here. Because while male cougars eventually strike out on their own and occasionally wander far from home, females are, as Morse puts it, hardwired to remain close to their mothers home range. Bearded, bowler hat, expression impenetrable behind facial hair and the stoicism of an earlier era. I can unsubscribe any time using the unsubscribe link at the end of all emails. VT Fish & Wildlife photo by Deb James. I am pretty sure that I saw a mountain lion yesterday around 9:00am just on my way out of Glover, Vermont heading to East Hardwick. Of course no real good tracks on the hard packed driveway but I know what I saw and heard. Growing up in northern Vermont, Id heard stories of sightings, though always a few steps removed from the tellersomebodys cousin had seen a cougar cross the road on their way home from deer camp up in Canaan (or was it Coventry? I will try to take more photos with an object to show scale. Laura: Did you report the dead mountain lion to the state Highway Dept. A harvest is kind of twofold. Dashboard for displaying mountain lion reports to the public. McEnroe: It is an uphill challenge. Felis concolor couguar. I have seen plenty of bobcat in my life and my son and I were even lucky enough to see a lynx about 8 years ago. They're out hunting for deer and where there's deer, there's people. Help us document the biodiversity of the Green Mountain State. Now, lets start talking about our favorite big cat! People clearly arent lying when they say they saw a cougar; [the sighting] has a profound effect on them., Still, Spatz acknowledged that the word hope is very different from the word believe. On Jan 22, 2015 while walking in North Fayston, VT I came across what I believe to be a Catamount paw prints. It took me by fantastic surprise! I was walking 3 dogs at night all with leashes only 75 to 100 yards from the house I was staying at when it happened. Upon discussion I have found that Hartland residents report seeing mountain lions frequently-there are people that swear they come on their porch (one who works at ascutney hospital in windsor) and other older residents who have reported seeing them around the North Hartland Dam on an early morning walk. You wouldnt shake hands with a man like that, she said, and though she was smiling I could tell she was serious. It was his great coolness and daring (either that, or fear) that enabled Crowell to shoot the animal at a distance of one rod only (roughly 16 feet), first hitting it in the leg with his shotgun, then dispatching it with a bullet to the head from a borrowed rifle. A few years latter our friends saw the mt lion cross rt 100 directly below the spot of my incounter. We strolled across the tavern parking lot and ducked into the forest, where Ottmann maintains a portion of his $15,000 worth of wildlife recording equipment (hes had no luck capturing a cougar on camera, though, despite more than a decade of trying). By C.L. After 20 minutes or so, we turned and stumbled our way back to the parking lot. They set the stage for the exotics to move in, and this has a huge impact on our ecology, he said. So theres fresh mud. The cougar appeared injured and stunned, but eventually ran away . We hadnt seen a cougar, nor any evidence to suggest a cougar had traveled these woods recently. Cougar truthers are certain that the big cat is living and breeding again in New England. There was a tin of American Spirit tobacco on the table (Ottmanns), a laptop (Bettys), a notebook (mine), and a tumbler of Bacardi and Coke (Ottmanns again). Harrigan nodded. There is no question about it: cougars are not only being seen in eastern North America, some are attempting to recolonize their former habitats. Now the bears, they dont even care if people are home, theyll go right in the house. Anyway, we are always aware that there could be mountain lions around and on this day I saw a huge beautiful mountain lion. Create a free website or blog at WordPress.com. It had rained previously. The tail was very long and we estimate it to have been at least a hundred pounds. We hadnt seen a cougar, nor any evidence to suggest a cougar had traveled these woods recently. I noticed that there were many great websites, blogs, and discussion boards devoted to mountain lion sightings in other states of New England, but not one just for Vermont. Photo courtesy of Dave O'Donnell. Wile traveling north up 91 on Oct. 4 2015 with my family at about 3:30 pm We saw a dead mountain lion laying on the left hand side of the north bound side of the road. ALSO KNOWN AS Bobcats: Though technically a type of lynx, they are distinct from other species of lynx such as the Canadian lynx. Kimberly King. Prior to the mid-1990s, the late Wildlife Professor Harold Hitchcock of Middlebury College, became Vermonts Official Big Cat hunter, who sought evidence of the Big Cats across the Maple State. But that was OK. Bo Ottmannknew they were out there. Hi Cris, I encourage everyone who has seen a mountain lion or heard of a report to please leave a post here. Since 1890 in the U.S. and Canada, there have been 100 attacks on humans at all, according to the research organization The Cougar Network. Like Tate, he gets a lot of photos and . State lawmakers have entertained bills to establish a bear hunting season for years, but so far, none of those proposals has passed. Thank you for reading. But that was OK. Bo Ottmann. Occasionally 3 times a year, I send out news-letters telling of latest reportsby concerned persons collecting such data.. Betsy started as an intern at WNPR in 2011 after earning a Master's Degree in American and Museum Studies from Trinity College. On one side, there are those (as represented here by Sue Morse, Kim Royar, and Christopher Spatz, along with a number of others I spoke with) who contend that the lack of verifiable evidence is proof that the animals are not here. They have not received any reports of large cats in Waterbury so far. 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