[jjsheridan5]

I saw one in W. Va. a few years ago (yeah, I know, there are none east of the Mississippi). When I first saw it, my mind couldn’t process what I was seeing, and the only thing I could think was that it was a Great Dane — the long, tan back being the first thing I noticed. Then I thought it was too short to be a Great Dane, and too long. And then it faced me, and I realized it was a little too feline to be a Great Dane. Magnificent animal, and me without a charged up cell phone.

[Lurkina.n.Learnin]

Sounds like someone may be quietly reintroducing them. I wonder who that would be?

[woodbutcher1963]

People have been seeing the occasional mountain lion up here in New England for several years. However, according to Fish and Game that was impossible. Then about 2-3 years ago some hit one with their car in Greenwich, CT(30 outside of NYC). Again, the authorities said it must have been some ones pet that escaped. When they did the autopsy they traced its DNA back to the Black Hills of SD. It had apparently been wondering east for 2 years. They confirmed it with DNA from various scat that had been collect across the Midwest.

[Scoutmaster]

I worked with the Appalachian Service Project once, in a hollow just across the mountain from the West Virginia state line. The landowners told me that although they only saw a mountain lion once a year or so, they heard them frequently.

As someone who's been to Philmont Scout Reservation I know I'm not going to forget the nighttime sound of a mountain lion. If you ever spent the night on The Wall side of Mount Baldy, or at Indian Writings, or Mountain Park (?), you had a really good chance of hearing more than one.

I've been to Philmont twice and encountered a mountain lion twice on the second trek. Magnificent, and I understand exactly what you mean about your mind not being able to process it . . . except that the first one followed us, at night, in the brush, on either side of the four-wheel drive road, for a mile or less.

The only Scouts who knew were the two crew leaders. We had them keep the crew singing and talking loudly the rest of the way from the Harlan (?) burro races back to Deer Lake Mesa.

[bert]

I received a photo this week of a cougar spotted just across the Tennessee line in North Carolina. I’d guess it might be around 125 pounds, not really big.

Given the fantastic increase in deer populations, the predators will come and thrive unless shot

[Safetgiver]

In the last 20 years, I’ve seen two in PA. A guy down here hit one with his truck, reported it and was immediately shut up.