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If there's a trail — be it snow, dirt, water or concrete — outdoors nut Carey Kish will find it. Follow his Maine outdoor adventures in his blog.

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March 14, 2007

Cougars in our backyard?

The possibility that the eastern mountain lion could be making a comeback here in Maine has gotten the eye of state and federal biologists.

It would be a long time in coming. The last known mountain lion in these parts was killed in 1938.

But there appears to be enough sightings of mountain lions, or cougars, around Maine in recent years so to have officials scratching their heads.

Some aren't so sure, like Maine DIFW biologist Scott Lindsay: "The vast majority of these, for sure, are simply mistakes. I´m very skeptical that we could have any wild population here."

For sure?

I wonder.

After a friend of mine, a seasoned outdoorsman with a couple of sharp eyes, reported seeing a mountain lion near the Maine-NH border in the spring of 2005, more folks came forth with their stories.

Read the comments (at the bottom of the entry) on these cougar sightings for yourself and you've got to think, maybe, just maybe, they really are here.

The reported sightings range throughout the state: Mt. Abram in Greenwood, Monument Hill in Leeds, along I-95 up near Mount Katahdin, Brunswick, Freeport, Hartford, Sanford, Poland, Parkman, Rumford, Starks, Bowdoinham, Thomaston, New Vineyard, North Berwick.

In people's own backyards--homes in both urban and rural areas, a playground, a horse pasture, at camp, along the highway, while out hunting.

They can't all be wrong.

Seems to me there's a good chance we've got a stealthy visitor afoot. One that may be here to stay.

What's your take on these sightings? Have you seen a mountain lion yourself? Where and when?

Posted by Carey Kish at 07:55 AM

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Comments

http://www.chattanoogan.com/articles/article_102718.asp

Posted by
March 14, 2007 10:49 AM

Hey Carey,

You may want to add Rome to the list. My son showed me a picture of a cat that was sighted within a of mile of where I live, it was apparently seen by differant members of the town. Smithfield is supposed to have had a sighting a few years back. I have pictures from three winters ago of tracks in the snow that look close to cat tracks. Why wouldn't they start coming back, trapping is a fraction of what it used to be so there is a large population of bever and other similar small animals. We have a huge population of turkeys, rabbit's and deer so food for them is certainly not an issue. I'm all for it, as long as mt bikers aren't considered a food source!!

Brian

Posted by
March 14, 2007 11:24 AM

Carey, I don't know why the biologists are in disbelief. Why wouldn't the cougar make a comeback in the mountains of Maine?

We've got them here in Kansas. Heck, there's been living on the Kansas University campus for 3-4 years and has been verified by numerous witnesses.

There's also one close to my home. The law enforcement has been ordered to kill it since it's been cited many times too close to the local school on the edge of town.

I think it's neat they're coming back, if they are. But what I'd REALLY like to see is a comeback of jaguars, haha....(easier to spot)

Posted by Linda from Kansas
March 14, 2007 03:41 PM

Good one Linda !!!! ;o)

Brian

Posted by
March 14, 2007 03:54 PM

I grew up, up north and have seen a cougar on two occasions. One was between Houlton and Smyrna on I-95 and the other was near the train tracks around Stacyville. It seems to me as man encroaches more and more on their territory that more and more will be seen.

Posted by ryan
March 19, 2007 02:54 PM

i love you all

Posted by peter
March 21, 2007 11:00 AM

I was driving home last Sunday night around 7:30 in the evening and I swear I saw a cat that looked like a cougar on the side of the I-95 near Patten. I was so suprised, it was standing there and was light in color.

Posted by rosemary ivey
November 5, 2008 01:04 PM