are there mountain lions in the poconos

These color morphs are most common in rain forests and jungles. Outdoor adventures abound, and so do our fabulous shopping and restaurants. "We've been here 45 years and I've probably been told by people at least 100 times that they've seen a cougar or mountain lion," said owner Vince Hall. And, some may be escaped or illegally released pets. It seems unlikely, considering captives have never shown this trait, but people are reporting big black cats. Two different people told me that they, or a close relative, had seen pumas on more than one occasion. Remember, this one was photographed in Arizona in good puma country, although this was the first one I've recorded there. YouTubes privacy policy is available here and YouTubes terms of service is available here. The Asa Packer Mansion, built in the year 1861, is a historic house museum. YouTubes privacy policy is available here and YouTubes terms of service is available here. Not only do hunting licenses support the various state game commissions, and in some states the acquisition and maintenance of public hunting lands, but hunters are a huge boon to local economies each fall, with purchases of food, lodging, hunting equipment, etc. Although size can be difficult to determine in the field, a puma will be three or four times larger than a bobcat. Although there was no evidence that the 2011 mountain lion ever set foot in Pennsylvania, DNA evidence confirmed that it had been both west and east of the state. What do I think of the Canon 1D Mark IV? (What is meant by "heads" is not clear.). In the wild, adult mountain lions can weigh anywhere from 65 to 220 pounds. 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. 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. I regularly ask hunters and outdoors people if they've ever seen a mountain lion, or know of anyone that has. All of the above images are of bobcats. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. The large, undeveloped interior filled with rocky habitats perfect for mountain lions allows them to safely live and breed. 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. Mountain lion killed in Connecticut was on the opposite side of Pennsylvania a year ago, Is it real? Looking for things to do in the Poconos? Pocono Record sports writer Mike Kuhns wrote a great piece on Oct. 14, "Does the mountain lion roam PA?" After a gestation period of 90 days, female mountain lions will give birth to litters of about one to six cubs. 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. Ashley Catherine Fontones, Pocono Record. An escapee is also possible. Newspapers carried stories in 1956 about hunters supposedly seeing and killing wolves in Pike and Monroe Counties. Something to consider, even though we all trust the government. 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 . Mountain lions have an interesting life cycle that consists of a few different characteristics. "It was in Worthington State Forest just across the Delaware River from Smithfield Beach). Contact the AZ Animals editorial team. 2023 Advance Local Media LLC. Are Mountain Lions in Missouri Making a Comeback? State Game Officials do concede that some people may indeed have seen a puma, but it was undoubtedly a released captive. PHILADELPHIA (AP) An instinct coiled way down in the human brain knows the difference between a bobcat and a mountain lion. Imagination? Mary saw the photo, too, and she immediately agreed, it was a puma. Yet, except for Florida, which has about 100 of them "Florida panthers"), no eastern state has a verifiable population of these large 100- to 200-pound cats that were extirpated 100 years ago. Where reports dating that far back from escapees? In only one report had an official from the Pennsylvania Game Commision, a local warden, actually agree with the person reporting the sighting. Now, forty years ago coyotes were rare or almost nonexistent in Pennsylvania, and had had that same sighting back then, when coyotes were thought not to exist within the state we would have had the 'facts' to doubt what we saw. All of the above are Mountain Lions, or Pumas, or Cougars. I have not spoken with a Game Commission officer personally, so I don't know whether anyone killing a puma in Pennsylvania could do so without legal repercussions. And yes, there are people in Pennsylvania who say they exist here. It's sort of like big foot, some people say they've seen him.". "It's one of those things where I'll believe it when I see it," said Jason Farmer of Pocono Summit, my hunting partner for the last eight years. Images from a homeowner's surveillance camera show a tan cat with a long body, beyond a chain-link fence. Would these ridges be declared off-limits for hunting? Accounts abound concerning interaction between these great beasts and people in northeast Pennsylvania, with wolves into the early 19th century and in the case with cougars, well into the early 20th century. Colorado is the perfect habitat for mountain lions. The bounty for adult wolves and cougars was raised on March 16, 1819 to $12. "I'm proud to know her," Murray said of the tiger, "but I wish I didn't.". Cookie Settings/Do Not Sell My Personal Information. Recently, on our Arizona Hummingbird and Bat Photo Shoot, I found a deer that had been hit by a car and had moved off to die beside a stream just 200 yards upstream from our lodge. 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. I was heading up the road and I saw an animal with a long tail.". Is there a Puma conspiracy? Today, we are going to explore the 15 US states that have mountain lions, plus a few others that may have some. Cookie Settings/Do Not Sell My Personal Information. And book one of these Poconos cabins rentals for the best outdoor access to these activities. Each year, over tha past five, I've spoken with at least one person who swears they personally saw a puma in this state. In some areas, entire populations of a species exhibit this trait, for unlike albinism, which results in a conspicuous white color and light-sensitive pink eyes, there are no ill effects with melanism. However, if it doesn't exist, and if someone saw one, wouldn't there be a worry that it was a dangerous escapee? A typical home range is around 150 square miles for adult males and 50 square miles for adult females in our region. It was recorded in Minnesota and Wisconsin in late 2009 and early 2010, and then died in Connecticut in 2011. Many of the reports I receive are extremely credible. The name Pocono is derived from the . Mysterious big cat caught on security camera in Clarks Summit, Pa. Although there was no evidence that the 2011 mountain lion ever set foot in Pennsylvania, DNA evidence confirmed that it had been both west and east of the state. There is a small breeding population in the state, despite being killed off in the 1920s. Have all of those who have seen a puma really seen a bobcat? I've seen about 20 mountain lions, or pumas, in the field, but all but 2 were in Chile. The Pennsylvania Game Commission is always open to review evidence, but to date only hoaxes have crossed the PGC. It will happen eventually. An assessment list for Lower Smithfield Township in 1761 when it was part of Northampton County (Monroe having not yet been created) taxed "three pence per pound and shillings per head" laid on the land and inhabitants. 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. People can manipulate, enhance or combine photos and then create their own stories about the subject's origin, location and even identification. Never has this been more accurate than in today's digital, computerized world. Transient males have been sighted as far east as New York! Currently, mountain lions seem to be making a comeback in regard to their historic range. Over the last few months several people have responded to this question with reports of their own. One man, in the southwestern part of Pennsylvania, had seen one, at night, about 25 years ago. The northeastern U.S. population is thought to have disappeared in the 1930s. 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. Now consider: If it was confirmed that there was a breeding population of endangered pumas on the mountain ridge behind my house, if the USFWS recognized the existence of this endangered species, what might happen? Are there Mountain Lions (Pumas, Cougars) in Pennsylvania and the Mid-Atlantic States? Things to Do in the Poconos | Attractions & Outdoors - Pocono Mountains 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! The Poconos is a mountain area in northeastern Pennsylvania.It is 2,400 square miles of wooded mountains and valleys full of beautiful lakes, rivers, forests and wildlife. Provided by Touchpoints Instead, the person usually pauses, sometimes with a sheepish or embarrassed expression on his face, and seems reluctant to continue. Can so many people be wrong? The hunting policy of the state may be the cause of the dropping population, and pressure on the Fish and Game Commission has increased. Please keep scrolling - ALL the Puma posts are included. The woman, a 66-year-old grandmother, asked not to be identified because she's a senior and didn't want people "bothering" her about it. 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. Are there Mountain Lions in Pennsylvania? A second image of the same cat, in a different light, reveals the trademark spots of a bobcat. Mountain lion sightings could indicate its comeback to Pa. A tiny population of Florida cougars persists in the southeastern corner of the United States. 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. But more importantly, he also said that regardless of color, he saw a big cat, with a tail that looked to be about 4 feet long! Certainly it is a romantic notion, but I've always held out the hope that pumas still roamed the east. "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. She feeds and cares for them with donations and grants. On the second night, a mountain lion passed by, apparently drawn by the smell but put off by the stench, as the cat did not visit the kill. The head of the puma is small in comparision to a house cat when compared to the entire body. "I thought I had a sighting in the late '90s," Delaware Water Gap National Recreation park ranger Chris Kross said. "The day will come," he said, "when someone will pull the trigger on a mountain lion.". 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. As a state known for its mountains, its no wonder that mountain lions live here! Send it to me at mkuhns@poconorecord.com. One of the three branches or clans of the Lenape Tribe at the end of the 17th century was known as the Wolf (Minsi). Unfortunately, their web site no longer seems active, and has been taken over by some wacky drug product. Biologists who investigate these reports claim that several may, indeed, be mountain lions, but most likely they're animals that have escaped from captivity or have been released by their. I'll be anxious to learn of your report. Here are the 15 US States That Have Mountain Lions - AZ Animals Since mountain lions are the top predators (unlike most other states with grizzly bears), they have a well-developed population. This is huge news for conservationists around the country and a sign that cougars may be heading east once again.

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