Mountain Lion Sighting

[Senter Cove Guy]

Yesterday, a friend again sighted a mountain lion in the area of Mirror Lake. The first sighting was 2 years ago in the same area.

I read that the state won't acknowledge that mountain lions exist in NH because then they would have to protect them. No reason was given for why this would be necessary. Does anyone have an answer?

[Skip]

Yesterday, a friend again sighted a mountain lion in the area of Mirror Lake. The first sighting was 2 years ago in the same area.

I read that the state won't acknowledge that mountain lions exist in NH because then they would have to protect them. No reason was given for why this would be necessary. Does anyone have an answer?

Actually Mountain Lions have been a protected species (by statute) for many decades in New Hampshire.

That fish & Game biologists have yet to acknowledge their return, many theories abound. Chief being that they have not yet obtained a carcass or easily verifiable DNA existence of resident mountain lions.

I believe it is only a matter of time before they do indeed acknowledge the existence of resident mountain lions.

John Harrigan, the longtime woods & waterlife columnist for the Sunday Union Leader, has for a long time chided NHF&G for not acknowledging same.

RSA 208:1-b Mountain Lion. – No person shall, at any time, shoot, hunt, take, or possess, any mountain lion or any part of the carcass, taken in this state. However, this section shall not apply to a person acting in self-protection or protecting such person's property.
Source. 1967, 81:1, eff. June 26, 1967. 1996, 108:3, eff. July 14, 1996.

[Nagigator]

Last summer, a friend riding her horse in the woods behind my house spotted a mountain lion crossing her path about 100 ft away. Fish and game here in Mass wanted nothing to do with that information. Needless to say, I do not hike alone with my dog anymore, we make sure there are at least two of us when we go down into the woods! We also bring a whistle and make lots of noise when we walk. There haven't been anymore sigtings since, but my neighbors have seen it before, too.

[Lakesrider]

We can only hope that Airedale1 has his camera ready one day when it is around.....:D

[Rattlesnake Guy]

Kind of reminds me of a Mass. policy I heard the other day. The F&G will not acknowledge a coyote attack unless they witness it themselves. Apparently witnesses and medical reports are not enough to be official in the state's eyes.

[jmen24]

Actually Mountain Lions have been a protected species (by statute) for many decades in New Hampshire.

That fish & Game biologists have yet to acknowledge their return, many theories abound. Chief being that they have not yet obtained a carcass or easily verifiable DNA existence of resident mountain lions.

I believe it is only a matter of time before they do indeed acknowledge the existence of resident mountain lions.

John Harrigan, the longtime woods & waterlife columnist for the Sunday Union Leader, has for a long time chided NHF&G for not acknowledging same.

RSA 208:1-b Mountain Lion. – No person shall, at any time, shoot, hunt, take, or possess, any mountain lion or any part of the carcass, taken in this state. However, this section shall not apply to a person acting in self-protection or protecting such person's property.
Source. 1967, 81:1, eff. June 26, 1967. 1996, 108:3, eff. July 14, 1996.

Skip, F&G biologist confirmed a big cat in Barnstead last year with a physical ID. They just do not know if it was a released pet or wild. http://www.wildlife.state.nh.us/Newsroom/News_2009/News_2009_Q3/mtn_lion_091809.html

Great info above, thanks.

I am not to ready to have to worry about having these big cats in and around the woods in any great numbers. After hunting in Colorado and having an encounter be a possibility, it is unnerving to say the least. Constantly looking over your shoulder and wondering.:look:

[SIKSUKR]

A couple previous threads exist on this subject. I posted my sighting in this one. http://www.winnipesaukee.com/forums/showthread.php?t=8587&highlight=mountain+lion

[20mile]

I got a picture of a mountain lion on my game camera in Tuftonboro last year. I will see if I still have it on my SIM chip and post it.

[dpg]

I got a picture of a mountain lion on my game camera in Tuftonboro last year. I will see if I still have it on my SIM chip and post it.

Please do that would be real cool to see...

[Grant]

There was some confirmed mountain lion scat found in the Ossipees a few years ago, although, again, they would not say whether the source was wild or "released." If you Google "mountain lion sightings new hampshire" or maine, you can find some really interesting discussions on the topic. I've been reading these things for years, ever since hearing that one was sited in & around the Ossipees many years ago, and there are some pretty credible sighting reports.

The naysayers will point to a lack of dead mountain lions found in the state, or confirmed road kills, photos, etc. But it seems the volume of reports from apparently reliable sources is way more than coincidence or folklore. Pretty cool!

[Grant]

I got a picture of a mountain lion on my game camera in Tuftonboro last year. I will see if I still have it on my SIM chip and post it.

Roughly where in Tuftonboro was the camera set up? Fascinating.

[SIKSUKR]

In my case I did not know at the time that we might even remotely have big cats in this area so I was very suprized at what I thought I saw.:eek:

[Grant]

I saw a lynx years ago on the trail between Mt. Guyot and Mt. Bond in the Pemi Wilderness area. It was stalking a group of spruce partridges that were hanging out on the trail. Bigger than a bobcat, but definitely no cougar. It was a very cool thing to see, although it did startle me a bit. Beautiful animal.

[Airedale1]

We can only hope that Airedale1 has his camera ready one day when it is around.....:D

I'd rather have my Airedale with me.:)

[20mile]

Roughly where in Tuftonboro was the camera set up? Fascinating.

Not too far from 20 mile bay

[Skip]

A timely article can be read HERE (http://www.infinews2.com/1002/cgi/cdsstory.pl?storyid=20100712026511002593) regarding the claimed recent sighting of a mountain lion in nearby Freedom. Also includes the current view of resident cougars by officials at NH Fish & Game.

[Senter Cove Guy]

I got a picture of a mountain lion on my game camera in Tuftonboro last year. I will see if I still have it on my SIM chip and post it.

Have you been able to find your picture? Would love to see it.

[SAMIAM]

Count me as a skeptic........I've got to see some proof before I can believe it. Could be a golden retriever or maybe an oversize Maine Coon.
Same goes for rattlesnakes.

[Airedale1]

Count me as a skeptic........I've got to see some proof before I can believe it. Could be a golden retriever or maybe an oversize Maine Coon. Same goes for rattlesnakes.

Sorry but there IS a known population of Eastern Timber Rattlesnakes in NH. NH Fish and Game declines to say which town they are located in, although to many residents it is well known. However, I will say that the town is NOT in the Lakes Region.

The species is currently listed with NH Fish and Game as endangered, here is a link: http://www.wildlife.state.nh.us/Wildlife/Nongame/snakes/profile_timber_rattlesnake.htm

Also from:http://www.timberrattlesnake.net/

The Timber Rattlesnake (Crotalus horridus) - although venomous it is a shy snake that will seek a safe retreat when encountered. It preys upon rodents and birds, baby snakes may also include amphibians in their diet. This serpent is venomous to disable its prey, this type of protection would do the snake little good after it has been trampled by a hoofed animal. The use of a rattle can be startling and may spook or intimidate creatures that threaten it. Males are larger growing with a maximum size just over 50". The have a low reproductive rate and it may take a minimum of eight years for a female to mature. Live birth litters often number less than ten and the babies are extremely vulnerable to predation and winter kills. Rattlesnakes are extremely vulnerable in the North where they communally den, they are vulnerable to direct death when a den has been located by snake hunters. They will often lay motionless depending on their camouflage to protect them from predators, this behavior leaves them incredibly vulnerable to human harm. The Timber has been exterminated from most of its former haunts, Maine, Quebec and Rhode Island no longer have ANY. New Hampshire is close to having NONE, Massachusetts, Vermont, and Connecticut have lost many of their former dens and the snakes are now protected. The last strongholds are New York and Pennsylvania with much of their former populations already lost. They need ALL of the protection that they can get before the last dens are gone. These snakes rely on a denning area where they spend late fall, winter and spring underground in this unique niche. The den provides deep cracks where the animal can hibernate during the cold periods without freezing. In the Spring they emerge are set out in search of food and basking. Timbers may travel distances of 3 miles during their active period, this is the time they are often encountered and killed. Often these snakes are creatures of habit and find their previous haunts developed and may find themselves confused and vulnerable to destruction. People often love to tell a great tale how they saved the community from the supposed dangerous venomous serpent. Killing this snake is now ILLEGAL and they are PROTECTED due to their rare status. The logic of killing one of these snakes is about as reasonable for you to go out and destroy every knife and fork in your community due to the potential danger they hold. Having and open mind, appreciating nature and the animals we share this world with is our only hope at protecting this species! These animals have gained a reputation that is completely false, they just want to be left alone. In the fall the adults return to the denning area waiting for the cooler weather to drive them down into the den. Any pregnant females will give birth to live babies during this period, these babies will remain in the vicinity of the den. Babies depend on following the pheromone trails left by the adult animals to locate the actual den crevices.

[ApS]

We can only hope that Airedale1 has his camera ready one day when it is around...
...and that the camera is found...:D

[RailroadJoe]

Think Allenstown, quarry.

[SAMIAM]

Looks like you're right, Airedale1.......I googled it after reading your attachments and the DEC shows a small population in southern NH
So now somebody will probably come up with a cougar video and prove me wrong again....oh well !

[20mile]

Have you been able to find your picture? Would love to see it.

Unfortunately, some "A"hole stole the chip out of my game camera during bow season. I had the camera in the same general area. I am thankful that they didn't steal the whole camera but still disappointed that another hunter would steal from a hunter.

I thought I had downloaded the pictures to my laptop but I had not.

There was no question that it was a mountain lion. I will put the camera out during the winter and see if I can get another picture.

[sky's]

Count me as a skeptic........I've got to see some proof before I can believe it. Could be a golden retriever or maybe an oversize Maine Coon.
Same goes for rattlesnakes.

my parents whom live in sandwhich had the pleasure of seeing a Mt Lion on Holland St. in Moultonboro. i wish he knew how to use his camera phone.

[SAMIAM]

Darn.....hate it when that happens.....Mt lion walks down the street and no camera handy !

[Grant]

With all the reports of mtn lion sightings in the state over the years (google it), it's just a matter of time before one is caught on camera. Nearly everyone carries one now.

[KonaChick]

Darn.....hate it when that happens.....Mt lion walks down the street and no camera handy !

We get it, you're a skeptic..was this post necessary?

[topwater]

I believe that was said with smile on his face (tougue&cheek), I got a good chuckle out of it. :laugh:

[SAMIAM]

Oh, come on,Kona Chick.......I was just spoofing

[dpg]

Oh, come on,Kona Chick.......I was just spoofing

I agree, chill a little it was funny... :D

[lake king]

Good to see they are making a come back!

[shoppes on the bay]

you cant discount i witness accounts of cougars, nothing looks like them and it seems that all fish and wildlife CO's read from the same book when people report seeing them - the following link is a story in the local papers of southern rhode island - the beach area - where several people had been reporting seeing a cougar - DEM fish and wildlife as do all of these agencies issued the standard deny deny deny - then just over the border a cougar was hit and killed by a car, in your face evidence. the official story then turned to "it was someones pet" - that was before the necropsy was finished and they found thru DNA testing that this cat was from south dakota and had actually been tracked up there. it traveled a long way to be here.

i think what im getting at is i see deer on a daily basis here in southern rhode island but when im up in alton i rarely see any at all, are there less deer in nh? i doubt it but they have a lot more places to hide from view and so it would be with an animal like a cougar that is ultra privateby nature. also there is no way in hell that a person with any common sense at all could mistake a bobcat/coyote/golden retriever for a cougar, nothing looks like them at all - i have been able to cross them off my bucket list having seen one in the canadian rockies and i will tell you they are something to see.

now as to the new show on tv about searching for bigfoots.......:D

http://southkingstown.patch.com/articles/matunuck-cat-sighting-not-a-mountain-lion-witnesses-disagree

http://www.newstimes.com/news/article/Only-one-mountain-lion-state-insists-others-not-1423074.php

http://southkingstown.patch.com/articles/matunuck-cat-sighting-reviewed-dem-changes-original-position

http://www.ct.gov/dep/cwp/view.asp?a=4013&q=483778

[dpg]

What's the reason to deny, deny, deny anyway? I don't get it.

[Jonas Pilot]

What's the reason to deny, deny, deny anyway? I don't get it.

Proof, proof, proof.
They can't surmise, they need to be certain before they make any final judgement.

[Pineedles]

Connecticut DEEP denied, denied, denied until a carcass was dropped at their doorstep.

[Jonas Pilot]

They finally had their proof.

[Pineedles]

Yup they did. But you have to wonder why. Why do they deny, deny deny? To what purpose?

[Jonas Pilot]

What happens to their credibility if they're proved wrong, especially in this world where politics often supplants science.

[shoppes on the bay]

What happens to their credibility if they're proved wrong, especially in this world where politics often supplants science.

indeed - what happened to their credibility when they denied numerous sightings, footprints and then have a dead one dropped in their laps. i really think in most cases they just dont want the public out chasing the animals around - as they are finding out more and more in california, when it comes to large cats we are prey.

[Jonas Pilot]

Your'e talking about Connecticut right?

[dpg]

Doesn't matter NH or Conn your talking about a mountain lion not an alien walking down main street. A lion sighting in NH is quite possible they just always seem to write everything off.

[VTskier]

I didnt know we had them in the east

[shoppes on the bay]

a good friend of mine was talking over coffee this morning of a project he is working on with USFW - during our conversation he mentioned busting on the usfw official about denials of mt lions in the n.e. - he was plenty suprised with the response that he got, a response that makes more sense than any that ive heard - he was told that if eastern mt lions were acknowledged as having a presence here then there would be a host of government regulatons that could come into play. further in the conversation it was tipped that west of springfield ma they were finding wolves which also were "not there" -
maybe this is all a case of be careful what you wish for.

[Misty Blue]

Last year, I think it was May, I was heading into work at about 5:15 AM. I was just passing the enterance to KONA heading out to the neck road when I saw what I thought was a skinny golden retriever. It was crossing from right to left near Kona Farm road. Then I thought...

Geez, he sure is skinny.

Then I noticed that he had a flat face.

Then I noticed that his tail was long and curved down then up.

'Didn't get a look at his feet.

If it wasn't a puma then it sure looked like one.

PS. One way or the other there are those who will testify that I AM crazy!

Misty Blue.

[SIKSUKR]

You are not crazy MB.If you are then so am I.

That might not be helpfull.:laugh:

[Pineedles]

I'm from Ct and the DEP, excuse me I mean the DEEP, freaking stupid combination of Environment and Wildlife conservation per our insane governator malloy. But back to the point, they denied a mountain lion could possibly exist in Ct for years until a carcass was dropped in their laps. If one made the trip from the mid-west, others did too. Mountain Lions are alive and thriving in New England. I would be worried about not only your pekingese but your mastiff as well. Mountain Lions are opportunists, they lay in wait and choose their next meal depending on how hungry they are. Oh btw, your on the menu too. Don't be afraid, just protect yourself, when you walk in the woods.

[pawnshop]

Airedale1, jmen confirmed in a previous thread that there is an active nest of Timber Rattlers in the Concord area. I'm a great snake enthusiast and have yet to come across one in NH or even New England for that matter. Steve Irwin (Croc Hunter) did a show here in NH featuring Timber Rattlers.

Sorry, not trying to hi-jack :D