Saw a cougar today...
- Thread starter canadian hunter312
- Start date
The Eastern cougar is far from extinct.Cougars are coast to coast and from South America to the treeline.Off topic but a houndsman bayed and photographed a jaguar in Colorado in the early 90's.......Outdoor Life ran the pics.............Harold
maple_leaf_eh
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
The standard line the fish cops and biologists use to excuse away any cougars is they are zoo escapees or released pet-stock. Any DNA evidence offered is poo-poo'ed as containing South American gene material. Of course! Where the the wild ones migrate from - South and Central America?
I have an old copy of Varmint Masters Magazine from about 1996, which spoke of the ongoing issue of Eastern Cougar sightings and the continuing denial by most authorities of their existence (basically regarded as an endangered species suspected of being extinct). I've heard about sightings and damage to livestock from cougars in Southern Ontario in the past two-three years (Lincoln Township and environs), with indications that the MNR is no longer denying their existence. So a cougar outside of Brantford doesn't sound that far fetched.
To put matters in perspective, I read another article about Western Cougar hunting a few months ago that mentioned how most seasoned trappers and sportsman who ply their trades/hobbies in the cougar's range will often go thourgh a lifetime without ever seeing one. Perhaps some people from out west can correct me, but outside of those who hunt them with dogs, it hardly sounds as though anybody sees them on a regular basis. It would seem as though this elusive nature of the animals explains why some twenty years and several hundred sightings across Eastern North America have passed before most game authorities are even willing to concede their existence here.
I sure hope they exist and are increasing in numbers....to a point of course. I would be interested to hear how the MNR will respond should this siting be reported to them. This almost sounds like one of those 1960s-70s psuedo-documentaries narrated by Leonard Nemoy, except that it's not a joke.
Regards,
Frank
To put matters in perspective, I read another article about Western Cougar hunting a few months ago that mentioned how most seasoned trappers and sportsman who ply their trades/hobbies in the cougar's range will often go thourgh a lifetime without ever seeing one. Perhaps some people from out west can correct me, but outside of those who hunt them with dogs, it hardly sounds as though anybody sees them on a regular basis. It would seem as though this elusive nature of the animals explains why some twenty years and several hundred sightings across Eastern North America have passed before most game authorities are even willing to concede their existence here.
I sure hope they exist and are increasing in numbers....to a point of course. I would be interested to hear how the MNR will respond should this siting be reported to them. This almost sounds like one of those 1960s-70s psuedo-documentaries narrated by Leonard Nemoy, except that it's not a joke.
Regards,
Frank
canadian hunter312
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Brant County
http://www.ontariopuma.ca/sightings.htm
back when i did my firearms course the instructors wife watched a cougar pass by as she was up in her tree stand. i believe it was the next year my dad and i found tracks about 10-15 minutes from where my buddies and i saw this one.
it was likely a once in a lifetime thing so it sucks that it only lasted a split second...
back when i did my firearms course the instructors wife watched a cougar pass by as she was up in her tree stand. i believe it was the next year my dad and i found tracks about 10-15 minutes from where my buddies and i saw this one.
it was likely a once in a lifetime thing so it sucks that it only lasted a split second...
Lots of cougars in BC, pretty much all over the province... I saw a Cougar outside of Dawson Creek last winter waiting to Cross the highway... MONSTER!!!! Honestly, it resembled more of a lion than a Cougar.
Alberta has a bunch too..
I've only sighted 5-6 in my 25 years but seen tracks or other sign on many occasion, all but one of them near or crossing a roadway (forestry as well as major highways)
Cougars... Well, you just make sure that you keep your wits about you (and for GOD SAKES have a gun with you)
I never really did get along with Cats, household or larger..
Alberta has a bunch too..
I've only sighted 5-6 in my 25 years but seen tracks or other sign on many occasion, all but one of them near or crossing a roadway (forestry as well as major highways)
Cougars... Well, you just make sure that you keep your wits about you (and for GOD SAKES have a gun with you)
I never really did get along with Cats, household or larger..
That is 1 cougar per person..The latest confirmed sighting was in Drumbo, about the same distance from you but north of hwy 2 instead of south. I am on the outskirts of Burford, and this is the first I have heard of 500 sightings.
But if you slip out to Burford make sure you stop by Triggers and Bows!
Moose Masher
CGN Regular
- Location
- Oak Hammok Manitoba
My wife and I saw one just north of Dryden about 5 years ago. It casually walked across the trail a couple hundred yards in front of us. There was no mistaking that it was a cougar. Since then in that area we keep an eye out and have seen tracks on a number of occasions.
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Before I knew that they were not here in Ontario, I saw one crossing the highway in front of me near the east gate of Algonquin Park, in broad daylight. I thought it was remarkable at the time, but had no idea that it was entirely a figment of my imagination. That would have been 1983 or 1984. Luckily I later learned that the experts in the OMNR declared that there was no such critter in the province.
That would be the biologists that never leave the government offices, apparently. Too dangerous out there in the woods, one might see a cougar or something.
Doug
That would be the biologists that never leave the government offices, apparently. Too dangerous out there in the woods, one might see a cougar or something.
Doug
There are many sightings, just no confirmed ones by the MNR.
Many in the Kawarthas the last little bit, and through Ottawa valley ae starting to appear from locals.
Last weekend B.S or not ( i do not know) I heard one was seen in Quadville Ontario
One of our workers swears up and down he spotted one last year, while out getting a load of water in a remote area. The guys is a quite fellow and is know for not stringing anyone a line and know as a man of his word. I myself have nothing or no reason to not beleive him.
I spoke to our local trapper in the area of our homestead, he spends more time in the bush than any other man I know, and in the past 40 years has trapped many links, wolves, and bobcat, and wild house cats, but never seen or even seen a track of a bigger cat (couger) and has seen wolverine in the area.
I am sure if they exist one will show up dead for some reason or the other.
Many in the Kawarthas the last little bit, and through Ottawa valley ae starting to appear from locals.
Last weekend B.S or not ( i do not know) I heard one was seen in Quadville Ontario
One of our workers swears up and down he spotted one last year, while out getting a load of water in a remote area. The guys is a quite fellow and is know for not stringing anyone a line and know as a man of his word. I myself have nothing or no reason to not beleive him.
I spoke to our local trapper in the area of our homestead, he spends more time in the bush than any other man I know, and in the past 40 years has trapped many links, wolves, and bobcat, and wild house cats, but never seen or even seen a track of a bigger cat (couger) and has seen wolverine in the area.
I am sure if they exist one will show up dead for some reason or the other.
Even if you dumped a dead cougar on the door step of your local MNR office they would insist there is no way to prove it was shot here or that it wasn't shot at a animal sanctuary.
I went through a similar episode with them a few years ago (not cougar related) and came to the conclusion that denying and lying seems to be what they do best.
canadian hunter312
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Brant County
lol...but 1/4 of those seem to be hot chicks between 19 and 24
i'll be in the area of the sighting next weekend so ill stop and take a look for some tracks. it would be awesome to find the den (if thats where they have young?) and get to see some youngins runnin around.
