Harlan Co Mountain Lion

houdini

houdini

Active Member
Joined
Feb 2, 2006
Location
Raleigh, NC
was up in Harlan last weekend and a couple of our group (me included) spotted a mountain lion about 50 yards away below the entrance to mason jar. we had been sitting for a good 20 minutes just relaxing and we spooked it when we started back down the ridge.

anyone else ever see any large cats up in those hills?

was truely an impressive animal!
 
cool. go there a few times a year and have never seen one. will def keep an eye out next time. seems like a great place for those animals to take refuge.
 
believe me it was a surprise. we noticed it next to a large puddle on the trail and couldn't make it out till we got closer. my passenger and I both commented about it and then it stood from a sitting position and took off into the brush. large thick tail...probably labrodore in size and definitely a cat. was really cool to see.
 
They're out there. There are some that have been collared for tracking and they will cover a large area... mostly males. There are no documented breeding pairs in the eastern US, so they don't consider it a 'continuous presence.' Shawn's grandpa says there are sightings in southern WV, where he lives, fairly frequently.
 
trailhugger said:
They're out there. There are some that have been collared for tracking and they will cover a large area... mostly males. There are no documented breeding pairs in the eastern US, so they don't consider it a 'continuous presence.' Shawn's grandpa says there are sightings in southern WV, where he lives, fairly frequently.
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There have been plenty of sightings in western NC as well...
 
Oh, I'm sure... It never seems like anyone who sees them can get good photos, though, doesn't it? Not knocking anyone, it just seems that way. The idea of coming up on a big cat is a little terrifying... but the idea of them being out there is somehow cool at the same time.

We were hiking in the Pipestem/Bluestone area up there when visiting family in WV one time and came up on a big rock and the dog went nuts... she wasn't foaming at the mouth or anything, but she was seriously spooked. I'm convinced a cat was sunning itself there... and heard us and took off probably way before we were within sight.
 
Never seen a cat wonder if it killed hawk eye horse??? I tried to ride the damn horse brought it water and food and it came up to us it let me pet it then when i tried jumpin on him he kicked the shit out the buggy and took off like a damn whirl wind! Never seen it after that tho!
 
Thats very cool! Are these transplanted mountian lions from out west or native Eastern Panthers?
 
Migrated back east, most likely.

I saw an article a few months ago about a cat that had been tagged in MI being spotted in New England somewhere.
 
in 2011, there was at least 2 sightings near my parents house on the coast in Connecticut. In 40 years, I had never heard of any big cats like that, just a sh!tload of deer.
 
I know in the late 90's Clemson's wildlife biology dept. had put a $1MM bounty on proof of a living, wild Carolina Cugar/Panther/Mtn Lion and for 4 years there were something like 800 submissions. 3 were credicle enough to be investigated and all 3 found to be fakes.

But Id love to come upon either one or a bigoot while hunting.....I would take a picture of it for sure.
 
Ron said:
I know in the late 90's Clemson's wildlife biology dept. had put a $1MM bounty on proof of a living, wild Carolina Cugar/Panther/Mtn Lion and for 4 years there were something like 800 submissions. 3 were credicle enough to be investigated and all 3 found to be fakes.
But Id love to come upon either one or a bigoot while hunting.....I would take a picture of it for sure.
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Article regarding this? Even if expired...

nctom said:
Hold on a minute... Clemson and Creditable in the same paragraph?!!
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:beer:
 
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