| Author | Message | ||
| TScottW99
|
Don't know how many of you caught the Roanoke Times today but there are two pretty good articles in it today. Here's the links.... http://www1.roanoke.com/outdoors/hiking/5749.html http://www.roanoke.com/roatimes/news/story131806.html Now I know I told ya'll I was not going to read anymore stories about Turkey Hunters getting attacked by "wild" animals but these don't even mention turkey hunters  The first is about a cougar sighting in a nearby county and the other is the front page story about yote's in Craig... As a person who has seen a cougar in this area once and was told it was a Bobcat or Ferral cat by the VDGIF (i told him if a ferral cat can get that BIG i would never own another cat again) I'm happy to see this article... Scott | ||
| Dale |
Thanks for the links Scott. Read the article about yotes in Sundays paper. Missed the other article as I only get the paper on Sunday. I have never been blessed by a mountain lion sighting, but am convinced they are around us from time to time. I remember reading an article in the Roanoke Times about 10 years ago about a cougar being signted regularly on Bent Mountain. The VDGIF had the same stance in that article that they took with you. Honestly, if the VDGIF saw a cougar, I think they would deny it. Don't get me wrong, I'm really supportive of the VDGIF's efforts. But, on this particular issue, they seem to be in denial. | ||
| tp |
Dale: Everyone sees cougars but show me a cougar track in the southern Appalachians!! If one tenth of the reported sightings were legitimate, there would be cougar tracks all over the Appalachians. I'm not saying there's not an occasional cougar out there, the ones that got too large or unfriendly to be a pet, or escaped from an illegal owner, but there's no evidence to suggest to me there's a sustaining population out there. I have to be realistic and weigh-in on the VADGIF's side. There's no laws protecting cougars in the southern Appalachians...so wouldn't you hear of some being shot by deer hunters occasionally if there was a reproducing population out there? I have seen a Florida cougar. My .02 ... I could be wrong. | ||
| Dale |
Good point, TP. Guess I'm following my gut instincts instead of scientific proof. My gut tells me they are there, but you are exactly right on the evidence end. I guess until I can support my position with some evidence, I'll have to agree with you. | ||
| TScottW99
|
Several years ago the VADGIF actually stated that there was proof of cougars in Virginia. It was down near Holstein Lake and they said that area only. (at least according to the artical that I read in the Roanoke Times) I'm not suggesting that there is a large population of cougars just that there are some. I saw one in 1997 in Pulaski County and I have no doubt that it was a Cougar. I also know that alot of people are going to claim to see a cougar when they actually saw something else, heck I was around the Bland/Wythe County areas during the U.F.O. scare.. we even made Unsolved Mysteries ;-) |