My brother hunts in upstate NY and often hikes areas in the off season to see if he wants to hunt there later on. This was a few years back but NYS kept telling him there weren't any rattlers in the state. He came up over a ridge and looked down to see hundreds (he stopped counting at 100) of rattlers sunning themselves on a large ledge. He took pictures. NY still tells him “there aren't that many”.
In the midwest - the DNR refuses to acknowledge cougars. If they aknowledge them they can be responsible for any damege they cause.
If they do not aknowledge the cats- they are one offs, visitors that are passing through,if they cause damage
That was just the shrooms kickin’ in.