Mt. Lion

[Poorboy]

My MIL and SIL had a mountain lion cross in front of them in Magoffin County last evening. It was just before dark on their way to Paintsville. She said it crossed the road and sort of along the highway before hitting the hill. They first thought it was a huge bobcat or a small deer but when it turned beside them they couldn't get over the tail. I hope it was heading to Johnson county, I have enough problems with coyote and a huge bobcat.

Poorboy

[greytail]

There was one killed on 850 just accross the hill form Mag Co. In 97. Read below.

Body or body part:
13. KY kitten. In June, 1997, a man driving a pickup truck hit and killed an eight pound spotted female cougar kitten on Highway 850 in western Floyd County, KY. He said he also noticed a larger and a smaller shape, most likely the kitten's mother and sibling, because the kitten was still too young to be out on her own. The driver took the body to the Kentucky Department of Game & Fish, which froze it. When the kitten was analyzed, she was found to have all her claws intact, with no tattoos, tags, collars or other indication of captivity. DNA analysis indicated that the kitten's maternal ancestry included genes from South America, pointing to the pet trade (South American cougars are popular in the cougar pet trade), but paternal ancestry was shown to be North American.

This kitten is important for several reasons: she was a highway fatality, and biologists claim that if cougars were present in any numbers some would get hit by cars; she indicates that reproduction is going on in the wild; and she exemplifies the mixing of cougars from various origins that is probably occurring in the eastern woods. An April 20, 2001 letter from Steve Thomas, Wildlife biologist, KY Dept. of Fish and Wildlife Resources to Chris Bolgiano, ECF vp, confirms the above information

[atoyota4x4]

My SIL also spotted what she said was a cougar/mt.lion type animal the other morning on the way to work. She said movement ahead caught her eye and she saw a deer run accross the road then a big cat with a long tail was soon after.

From what I have read on hear from other posts, many people seem to notice the long tail on these animals. This was in Spencer County, Ky

[Poorboy]

Thanks greytail for the information, I did a search on here and boy there was a lot of mention of sightings. I can't say I have seen one but I did have a monster bobcat kill a calf for me two years ago. The night after I found it dead I came face to face with that sucker at twilight. I snapped a quick shot after a 30 second stare down but didn't bring any hair. But I didnt look for any until the next day either. That sucker's back was thigh high and it's head wouldn't fit in a five gallon bucket without touching. It came back the next day and ate the other half so maybe next time.

Back to the big cat, Mother inlaw is still tore up about it but I guess I can reassure her that the offical stance is that they don't exsist. :) I know they really saw one but I have be getting a kick out of agravating her.

Poorboy

[dipits]

Poorboy

Do you live in Magoffin county?