Eastern Cougars Declared Extinct—But That Might Not be Bad

Too many people have seen them that Ive spoken to. People that would know the difference between a cougar and a bobcat to doubt their existence. It seems that the ministry is the only group that doesn't want to admit their existence.
 
There sure are a lot of posters that seem to think they have the right to dictate what gets posted just because they don't like it.

The official position of the Govt of Manitoba is that they are extirpated but every year there is more evidence of their existence, I know of one farmer that had to do the 3 S's because it was killing his calves. Although he is better at 2 of the S's than the third

They changed their position on that a few years ago. There's a few known in the Rennie area and one was snared in I think the Gilbert Plains area and another shot around Gladstone.

And MNR knows of a breeding population in the Kenora area.
 
My hunting partner and I watched a cougar for a good 5 minutes that was sitting in the middle of the road that goes to the old Great Lakes Paper Camp 45 North of Thunder Bay off the Armstrong Highway back in the mid 1990's.

Talk to any round wood or chip truck driver who hauled out of that area in the mid 90's, almost every night the drivers were talking about cougar sightings on their CB Radios.

All I can say about the existence of cougars in Northern Ontario is if they have lived here in the past there is so much country here that it would be impossible for humans to have killed them all, in other words if they were here before they will be here now.

I am pretty sure the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry now recognizes Cougars as species in Ontario.
 
Hello fellows,

The Eastern Cougar refers to the extinct or extirpated population of cougars that once lived in northeastern North America. [1][2]

Perhaps, the MNR would consider redistributing Western Canadian cougars to remote places in Eastern Canada like Northern Ontario and the Maritimes. Cougars are a natural part of a healthy ecosystem and besides they taste good when stir-fried :d

I remember when this cougar article was published in 2015. It would be interesting to know whether this was one of the few remaining Eastern Cougars or a Western Cougar that has migrated east?!
 
Last edited:
Side track ..........but a houndsman running cougars in Colorado in the 90's bayed a large male jaguar armed only with a .22 revolver and as luck would have it a camera. It was in Outdoor Life magazine. Still trailcam pics of several in Texas/Mexican border area.
 
I know of many sightings. One was by my best friend and i would not question it but the lack of pictures on trail cameras makes me wonder? This is in Nova Scotia btw.

We've had sightings on the Rock too, but after all it's just a short ferry ride. Same as coyotes, hemlock looper, spruce bud worm, balsam wooly aphid, squirells and all the other scourges that stowed away in North Sydney.
 
Side track ..........but a houndsman running cougars in Colorado in the 90's bayed a large male jaguar armed only with a .22 revolver and as luck would have it a camera. It was in Outdoor Life magazine. Still trailcam pics of several in Texas/Mexican border area.

Hi, can you post the article it would be interesting to read and see the pics of the North American jaguar :d It would be interesting to know if they ever made it up to Canada :d
 
I say if cougers are extinct in your area keep it that way They are my single biggest fear in the bush. Cant, see, smell ,or hear them before you get attacked

They are like a typical cat IMO. Cowardly when you are facing them, brave when your back is turned. A sick or old one is the worrisome one, they can't effectively hunt deer, hence...slower and weaker...us.
No expert by any means; we have them, but you rarely see them. Still a tad spooky when you are traipsing through the willows to keep the beaver population from creating a floodplain. I have a few antique pistols, that helps piece of mind in the creek brush.
Great Pyrenees is the dog of choice on my acreage; that is their purpose in life, predator control.
I'm in an area of high density Cougar population...they are still rarely seen.
Live and let live...til they are obvious. Which means something is wrong with them... 3 S's would likely apply then.
When they are healthy...shouldn't see them. Or so it is in my locale.
 
There sure are a lot of posters that seem to think they have the right to dictate what gets posted just because they don't like it.

The official position of the Govt of Manitoba is that they are extirpated but every year there is more evidence of their existence, I know of one farmer that had to do the 3 S's because it was killing his calves. Although he is better at 2 of the S's than the third

That sounds like the stance that the Saskatchewan government took for years, despite numerous sighting and the odd one getting shot.

Now we have a trapping season for them.
 
I do think there are a few wild cougars in Ontario but with massive home ranges.

I know some some good houndsmen that shoot over 150+ coyotes a year running their dogs. They've shot the odd wolf, treed/bayed a few Bobcats and bears, but hounds never got on a cougar. From the Bruce Peninsula down to Niagara, I can't recall anyone ever seeing one. I don't believe most sightings I hear about, but with this much bush in Ontario I do believe there is a few out there.
 
Mods to create a forum just for TDM and then bar everyone else from accessing it.

^^^

...and...

article is written by Sarah Gibbens

...here's Sarah Gibbens...

Sarah Gibbens is a writer at National Geographic.

She is interested in how changing environmental conditions impact people and animals, and is fascinated by ancient cultures.

Prior to working at National Geographic, she was a producer at National Journal, where she covered politics. Before moving to Washington, D.C., she covered state and local politics for a local San Antonio newspaper.

She graduated from the University of Texas at San Antonio in 2015, where she was the editor-in-chief of her university newspaper. The San Antonio Association of Hispanic Journalists and the National Association of Hispanic Journalists recognized her in 2013 and 2014 respectively.

In her free time, she enjoys traveling, eating real Mexican food, and listening to live music. She aspires to be outdoorsy.


...outdoorsy???!!! WTF???!!! ...this is nothing but BS written by someone who is I am sure a very nice...nice...person...and who is as lost as the rest of them...

"...oh, she's from Washington, DC, hey?"
 
...not far from me a couple of years ago...MB/SK border

5XFZGph.jpg
 
Back
Top Bottom