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Are you being watched?

Started by Trout Maharishi, January 31, 2007, 18:05:25 PM

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Mudwall Gatewood 3.0

Interesting map – thanks for posting.  I hope they get here quick (within the next ~ 20 years).  I'd give my next paycheck to see one before I pass.  I know, I could smoke, drink, inject, or swallow whatever substance those are abusing, those that supposedly have seen a mountain lion or lions here in the Appalachians.  But, I would very much favor that my sighting be real.
"Enjoy every sandwich."  Warren Zevon

benben reincarnated

Cool map.  Thanks for sharing.  Cougars and grizzlies are two things that give me the heebie-jeebies. 

FWIW, I think that one marked in GA, which is just north of where I grew up, was determined to be captive raised after a hunter killed it and it was thoroughly examined.

Mudwall Gatewood 3.0

"Enjoy every sandwich."  Warren Zevon

Big J


benben reincarnated

Quote from: Big J on November 21, 2013, 15:00:48 PM
Quote from: Mudwall Gatewood on November 21, 2013, 14:23:55 PM


http://www.easterncougar.org/pdfs/ecw_mon_camera04.pdf

I enjoyed reading this study.  Surprised they got that project funded too.

It is cover up I tell you!  I have cougars in my yard every night.  I can hear them calling each other.   They hunt in packs.   There are at least 2 alpha males and a harem of at least 40 females.  I'd estimate the largest male to be at 400 pounds. 

Native Fisher

Quote from: benben on November 21, 2013, 15:28:48 PM
It is cover up I tell you!  I have cougars in my yard every night.  I can hear them calling each other.   They hunt in packs.   There are at least 2 alpha males and a harem of at least 40 females.  I'd estimate the largest male to be at 400 pounds.

You have been brewing up and drinking some good chit then.  0:0

5xTippett

I have seen two in my life, but only one in broad daylight.  I was in Georgetown County years ago  showing my wife an old plantation that had been in the family of a friend of mine for years.  It was about to be sold and I wanted to show it to my wife before it was made into a bunch of golf courses, which was exactly what happened to it.  We were riding down a small dirt road with a field on one side and a canal on the other.  I saw something squat down beside a bush on the edge of a field.  I figured it was a cat because of the way it flattened down, but I was expecting a bobcat.  When we got close the cat jumped up and ran down the road right in front of us until the canal got small enough he could jump it.  I asked my wife what she saw and she looked at me like I was nuts.  She said " I saw the same thing you did,  a big long tailed cat" .  I said great.  Just so you know, the wildlife department will laugh at you.  Through the years I have talked to a bunch of people who have seen one.  The majority of them spend more time in the woods and have shot more stuff  than most wildlife biologists.  I would trust them over a desk bound biologist anytime.

overbrook

Nub...I've seen em' twice too.   All the liberals ought to have heard the piece on NPR just a week or so ago about Fla panthers. It was said they can have a range of about 300 miles....and I forgot the exact numbers but it was something like 45 have been hit by cars this year and about the same the previous year. If alligators can find thier way as far north as our place....I'm sure a big cat could too. I blame thier migration on global warming.  d:b

Mudwall Gatewood 3.0

I've had multiple acquaintances, some who are friends, some who are relatives, some who are questionable wingnuts, that are 100% sure they have seen a mountain lion.  I can honestly say I don't believe any on them.  Oh, I believe they saw something, BUT not a mountain lion.  Not one of these acquaintances spends that much time in the woods – I mean real time - walking, observing, hunting, cruising timber, etc.  The folks that spend this kind of extended stints in the remotest parts of the Appalachians have never revealed, to me, that they have seen anything resembling a lion.  Perhaps they have that trained search image to distinguish what is real and what is not. 

Ben, you are even more of a paradox than I thought.  On the Smith River study, you were resolute in your belief that Scott's study (results of biologist's efforts) and data were the answer, and jumped on that bandwagon quicker than a seventeen year old ejaculating on prom night.  Now, you dismiss biologists that have investigated the eastern cougar and incorrectly assume they are "desk bound".  You are a piece of work.  I can understand why the wildlife sector laughs; I've laughed at every one of those friends, relatives, and wingnuts mentioned above.  To quote Richard Feynman, "The highest forms of understanding we can achieve are laughter and human compassion."  I laughed at and sympathized with, equally, those that think they've seen imaginary critters.

Hang in there big guy; there will be a time when, hopefully, the mountain lions will make it back to the eastern crags and hollows.  I hope we're both around to see the real thing. 
"Enjoy every sandwich."  Warren Zevon

overbrook

Mudwall  while I'm sure you have the ability to read and comprehend....maybe that ability just isn't as good in your elder years,   Ben never said he saw a cougar.....he said he saw a long tailed cat. A "long tailed cat" could include a panther. Do you argue the existance of native panthers in Fla.....or do you argue thier ability to travel several hundred miles?  Or are you just being a dickhead and trying to get under his skin?

Mudwall Gatewood 3.0

I thought cougar, mountain lion, puma, and catamount were all the same, and the Florida panther was an endangered subspecies.  Am I mistaken? 

I believe they can travel several hundred miles, like that one that ended up in New England, leaving scat, prints, and other evidence along his travels.  What is your point?

My bad, I believe Ben saw a "long tailed cat".  I've seen hundreds, maybe even thousands, of long tailed cats.  In fact I had 3 that lived indoors with me for many years.

I wasn't trying to get under Ben's skin or under any other part of his form.  I was being honest.  I don't believe him or you, when it comes to the sightings.  But the fact that I don't is neither here nor there.  Don't take it personally; there is a bunch of stuff that I don't believe.  For example, when the Mrs. tells me I am as striking and sexy as the day we met, I darned sure know she is yarning.

Peace.  I wish all of you happy cat watching.   
"Enjoy every sandwich."  Warren Zevon

overbrook

A little reading about the fla. panther  (which really is the same as a cougar....but we'll use the term panther for clarity so Mudwall does'nt get all confused)

http://www.naplesnews.com/news/2012/dec/11/latest-florida-panther-death-collier-annual-record/


If one has made it to central Ga....I'd be hard pressed to doubt that one could also make it to eastern SC  since geographically they are roughly about the same in latitude.  They can guess there are between 100 and 160 and that they are all on the southern tip of fla....but the article clearly says that one was shot in central Ga and another hit along a highway east of Orlando neither of which is the southern tip of fla.

the cats travel...and pretty damn far. How many of them are there still??  I don't know, but I'm guessing more than thier calculations.

How many years did we hear that there were'nt any smallmouth in the Savannah?  Guess thats still a myth.

I thought I was crazy years back when I told a buddy I could have sworn I saw a big trout in the shoals area of the Savannah......I mean come on...a trout in the Savannah??   he later told me he had  done a little research and found out that there had ben like 17,000 trout stocked in the Savannah and was told the primary reason that they did not continue it was because there was not enough interest in fishing for them by the public.

overbrook

Quote from: Mudwall Gatewood on November 21, 2013, 18:26:00 PM
I thought cougar, mountain lion, puma, and catamount were all the same, and the Florida panther was an endangered subspecies.  Am I mistaken? 


Endangered not extinct. 

Quote from: Mudwall Gatewood on November 21, 2013, 18:26:00 PM
I believe they can travel several hundred miles, like that one that ended up in New England, leaving scat, prints, and other evidence along his travels.  What is your point?


point is if they have evidence of them as far north as  Orlando and even central Ga.   why is it so laughable that they might be in parts of SC ?

just for reference I'm 390 miles due north of Orlando.

benben reincarnated

That one shot in west central Georgia was evidenced to be a captive raised cougar.

5xTippett

#29
Mud, the difference between a fisheries biologist and a game biologist is that a fisheries biologist over a river can shock the river.  Therefore he knows what is in his river.  This is why I believe Scott when he tells me what is in the Smith.  A wildlife biologist unless you know something I don't know, can't shock the woods.  Therefore I am more inclined to listen to hunters than I am to game biologists.  I am quite delighted that you don't believe me about what I saw.  It confirms that I was right.  By the way I am a member of a club here in my hometown comprised of hunters and fisherman.  At my table tonight there were 3 people who had seen black cougars, panthers or what ever you want to call them.