Mountain Lion Confirmed

[eruby]

I hate big cats.
Just the thought of one silently sneaking up on me and pouncing and grabbing me by my neck and sinking it's claws into me.I hope they never end up in central Maryland.

House cats do this too.

Along with continually trying to trip you so you fall down the stairs.

Sneaky bastages.

 

[Mr H]

I'm submitting legislation next week for an Assault Kitty Ban.

Includes a provision restricting the luring, transport, and transfer of Cougars.

Hate me now.

LOL!!

 

[Deep Creek Rock]

Since this thread seems to just go on and on with a life of its own I'll offer a little historical data with absolutely NO redeeming value or purpose other than to occupy a few minutes of the time I have to kill right now...

Mountain Lions or more correctly "Panthers" as they were originally called in MD., were quite common at one time... but you already know that. Take the time sometime in your life to read Forty-four Years of the Life of a Hunter, by Meshach Browning of 1700's Garrett County. To totally eliminate any excuses for not doing so, its even available as an on-line read from Google Books!
http://books.google.com/books?id=PB...&resnum=1&ved=0CCgQ6AEwAA#v=onepage&q&f=false

Browning makes numerous references to depredations by and hunting of panthers - which were already getting scarce back then! There is one fleeting reference in the book though to "catamount."
Now if you look it up, Catamount (alternately, cat-a-mount, etc.) usually says it's merely one of the colloquial terms for Mt. Lion. Some attribute it to bobcats, both of which were (then) common and regularly mentioned enough by Browning to establish his use of terminology for those animals. Browning makes reference that one time though to "catamount," even describing it as being between the size of a wildcat (bobcat) and panther.
Established thinking accepts that lynx once existed as far south as Northern PA. Browning's mention seems to point to a lynx though. The only other animal seeming to match his description of a catamount would be a wolverine, the next closest suspect being fisher, but they are no larger than a bobcat... Something to ponder indeed.

At any rate. Do yourself a huge favor and read Browning's book sometime if you never have. If it's been a while, read it again! Oh, and by the way, his descendants still live in Garrett Co. are there by any chance some on the board?

Messach Browning book, is a pile of exaggerated lies, and tales. Id take anything in that book with a grain of salt.

 

[jimv8eatr]

Just registered here after reading for some time.
I have to comment on this post.
I used to live in the yougheny mt. resort. Back about 1995 I was coming home from work and just got down to the bottom of the hill near the stream. Anyone familiar with this particular area will know what I am talking about. As I rounded the turn to the right there was a fine example of a mountain lion which had a groundhog trapped in a small culvert. It was so much involved in trying to get the groundhog out of the culvert it never noticed me for quite a while. I was within 30 feet of him. There is no doubt what I saw. Sure wish I had a camera at the time. I have lived in this area all my 48 years and that was the one and only experience I have had with a big cat like that.

Of course that area is like no other. I seen all kinds of interresting things back there. Sure glad I moved out!

I grew up in Yock. Never seen a mountain lion, but my parents have, and they still live back in there.

 

[4570inMD]

I'm submitting legislation next week for an Assault Kitty Ban.

Includes a provision restricting the luring, transport, and transfer of Cougars.

Hate me now.

LOL!!

With no cougars, you are going to spoil my social life. . .

 

[gizzard]

seen them in beryl wv when i was a kid. beryl is right on the potomac.

 

[Gbh]

I'm submitting legislation next week for an Assault Kitty Ban.

Includes a provision restricting the luring, transport, and transfer of Cougars.

Hate me now.

LOL!!

Hate not. Then I could leave my wife at home.

 

[stu929]

I'm submitting legislation next week for an Assault Kitty Ban.

Includes a provision restricting the luring, transport, and transfer of Cougars.

Hate me now.

LOL!!

What's wrong with a coug? They can be fun

 

[1969sschevelle]

Me TOO

I saw a large mountain lion while hunting deer in PA Bedford county about 30 years ago...to this day ,,how it crept along on a ground full of leaves right in front of me and made no noise while it stalkedmis amazing..I hade an old British .303 with me as my trusted 742 was not allowed in PA.It spooked me as I thought it could sneak up on anyone/or thing from behind ..Back at deer camp with my brothers,,we all decided then and there to wear sidearms as well as our manually operated rifles! That cat sighting is still in my mind like it was yesterday....magnificent.

 

[nicktide]

Many books state they only exist in the Western US and Florida. LOL.