They like to hang out on rocky ledges, and anywhere they can soak up the sun. This is recent info. Youll mostly find Timber Rattlesnakes above 3,000 feet in the Smokies. As of 2023 it has been said that there is plans to begin the restoration .[11][12]. Cow elks soon learned how to better protect themselves and their calves from predators. They get the same individual repeatedly. I cant imagine why if Yorkshire Terriers can range from 1 pound to 10 pounds and be a full blooded breed why we couldnt have Bob Cats a lot bigger than this article states. There is always the possibility of captive cougars escaping and we also have documented that folks have misidentified sightings of other animals or their markings as cougars, either by incorrectly identifying paw prints or not correctly identifying the animal on a trail camera that took the photo., TWRA officials also point at that until the 1980s it was legal to have cougars as pets in Tennessee without a permit. Plan your visit today! I actually walked an extra 4 miles to avoid going back the way I came on that morning. They live all over the United States and Canada and are from a safe distance cute as pie. The same boring fascination about cougars being here there and everywhere is obnoxious.Who cares?Man wiped them out once because they could.Last month in ldaho a MTN.lion was strangled by a snare.Nice!Leave them alone!! Please check your browser settings or contact your system administrator. Click here to view the web story version of this article. While I believe that many of the It was definitely a mountain lion, long tail and large size told me it wasnt a bobcat. These people are not lying. In 1991, it was purchased by the GSMR until 2005, when it was taken out of service due to firebox issues. Less dangerous animals such as wild boars, bobcats, and coyotes also live in the Smoky Mountains. If you come across a cub, do not approach it! The experimental phase was extended through 2008. Mountain lions generally stay away from people, and deaths are uncommon. Beginning March 1, 2023, the Great Smoky Mountains National Park will launch the Park it Forward program. I mean an 8 hour view is not just adrenaline. The agency line, so to speak, is that there is no official documentation of the presence of cougars occurring in the wild in the state of Tennessee, says Chris Hunter, furbearer program coordinator with the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency (TWRA). "Panthers!" This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. I was told by a Veterinarian that a horse was attacked within a mile of my sighting. First, he points to the sheer numbers of cougar reports throughout the region. 1 A Haymarket resident spotted a large creature that appeared to be a long-tailed cat on a trail cam Monday morning. While I believe that many of the reports of lions in western North Carolina can be shown to be something else I also believe that there continues to be a remnant population in the area. I want to be a skeptical guy, but my nature is to believe people. . What Are The Most Dangerous Creatures in the Smoky Mountains? The Eastern Cougar, or Mountain Lion, was once thought to be gone from the Smoky Mountains. They are glimpsed by solid reliable people like Mike and Jenny or Vesna's friends. Game cameras or genetic testing of fur left behind provide evidence. So be aware of your surroundings and watch where youre placing your hands and feet. Have you ever seen a mountain lion here in the Smokies region? What To Know About the Shows Creatures, Cades Cove Lake: The effort to turn the Cove into a body of water, Great Smoky Mountains National Park Entrance Fees, What You Should Know, A Simple Guide to Smoky Mountain Parking Passes, Park it Forward, 5 Reasons Why Dollywood Is Better Than Disney World, What To Expect at the Dolly Parton Stampede in Pigeon Forge, The Best Places To Stay in the Smoky Mountains, What You Should Know. In fact, the only one Ive ever viewed outside of a zoo was somewhere near Crystal River, Fla., back in the early 1990s. The Smoky Mountain News is a wholly private corporation. All rights reserved. Over the years Ive had reports of sightings in the Smokies from a veterinarian in Knoxville whos treated cougars in his practice as well as from a professional wildlife photographer who was coming into Gatlinburg from Cades Cove and who knows the wildlife of the area. Gerry Broome, Associated Press So for me, I know they are here. And the search turned up nothing. By the end of the 19th century the cougaralso known as panther, painter, puma, catamount and mountain lionwas already rare in the Southeast, the last individuals, aside from those of the separate Florida population, were thought to be in the Smokies. Even when the Florida population was down to only thirty, several showed up dead on the roadside every year. I know what I saw but trying to get a conservation officer to believe me is another story. He uses hair snares, which are small devices attached to trees that the mountain lions may rub against. The cat ran down the hill. var path = 'hr' + 'ef' + '='; The message I got was a slightly different genre -- the NPS would actually "confirm" that there was at least one cougar in the park. Drivers just passing through the area or parking for less than 15 minutes do not need a parking tag. Those that have lived here all their lives can tell the difference between a bobcat and a mountain lion. I kept a close eye over my shoulder the rest of that day. Also, your average bobcat is 2 to 4 feet long with a gray to brown coat and a short bobbed tail. Let us know in the comments! Officials explained the deceased animal must have wandered from the Black Hills of South Dakota. Extended range dynamic braking equipped. That is, I think they are ones that have wandered into the eastern mountains from Florida or the western states; or, more likely, that they are ones that were trapped elsewhere and deliberately released. With both mountain lions and bobcats, males are typically larger than females. Adrenaline kicks in and the bobcat starts to look much bigger than it actually is. There are so many free campsites in America (with complete privacy). It bounded out of the scrub in front of my truck and passed quickly across the highway. It was 2006 when a young adult Mountain Lion dashed across Highway 52 at a traffic light within the city limits of Lafayette. We are not endorsed by, authorized by, or affiliated with any mentioned attractions. Those folks who were going about their normal day and were confronted with a scary ball of claws and teeth and pain known as a bobcat. The bottom line is there are lots of reports, but no hard evidence to back them up. I havent. I saw 2. This email address is being protected from spambots. Stand outside i heard the birds going absolutely nuts. He has his memory of panthers now and I have a memory of bobcats. The animal had a scar on its left shoulder; its shoulder blade had been cut it two. Interagency passesmay not be used as substitutes. (LogOut/ According to the National Park Service, the Great Smoky Mountains National Park has 23 species of snake, but only two of these are venomous. Become a FREE CAMPING INSIDER and join the 100,000 campers that love to score the best site! Love national parks, but hate crowds? Cougars, also known as mountain lions, were once common here and they have left a legacy of place names throughout the state indeed, the entire Southeast. This, dear reader, is a stark reality to be faced with. I could see their size and tails in full view and they were bobcats. Several miles of the line between the far western end of the Nantahala Gorge and Andrews are out of service. There are many stories about cougars that have made their way to the agency over the years. However, the engine continued to remain on the B&ML for two more years. Demand for parking often exceeds capacity. I see bobcats regularly and know that one day I saw a mountain lion. Despite the widely-held belief in the scientific community that eastern mountain lions have been long gone and any cats seen roaming the region these days must have made the long trek from midwestern states like South Dakota, some Appalachian residents remain convinced that the cats never actually left the area. Any large forested area such as the Smoky Mountains is bound to have some dangerous creatures. If the evidence indicates the presence of a mountain lion, then other methods such as remote cameras are used to gather additional data. College of Natural Resources and Environment, Department of Fish and Wildlife Conservation, Veterinary college alumni at forefront of effort to contain avian flu and its impacts, Virginia Tech alumnus puts best foot forward in walk across Italy, Saonee Sarker named dean of Pamplin College of Business at Virginia Tech, Virginias Land Use-Value Assessment Program keeps more than 43,000 acres in farmland, Kyle Strom builds innovative camera system to track muddy snowflakes in the Mississippi River, Welcome Virginia Tech's newest therapy dog, Epcot. James N. Watson, Jr. And its a fact that a Florida panther, which is usually based in South Florida, has strayed up into Georgia. Interesting read on "the Barnes girls". See a large Bobcat last night (Jan. 25th, 2022) at about 8:00-8:30pm, it was walking by my home on Hidden Hills Road in Gatlinburg. Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors. Every time you pay federal taxes, youre contributing to these lands. Tagsareavailable forpurchasein person and online and must be displayed on the front, passenger windshield of each vehicle. As of right now the population in the Black Hills of South Dakota is breeding and expanding. The thing is panthers may be elusive, but they are not ghostly and no one is hiding anything about them. Wreck it!!! You can also typically easily identify their tracks. Mountain lions have been caught on camera in Indiana, and Tennessee wildlife officials maintain a map that shows confirmed cougar sightings, including at least The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance". As many as 10 million elk roamed across North America before European settlers arrived on the continent. Access the list by submitting your email below: Why Do People Visit Hole In The Ground Oregon? Im not sure where I was but I ended up in NC near Robbinsville. Pictures of cougars taken in other states have in recent years been passed off as being from any of a number of Tennessee counties. WebThe $40 annual parking tags are available online through Great Smoky Mountains Association. In 2001, 25 elk from Land Between the Lakes in Kentucky were released in the Cataloochee Valley area of the park in North Carolina. Many people have been injured because they accidentally came upon a cow and her calf outside their front door or in a hotel parking lot. Recently delivered to the GSMR on June 28, 2021. Many ridges, creeks, swamps and mountains were long ago named for panthers or the colloquial term painters, both common names in this part of the country for the cougar. But do keep an eye on them. Linzey does speak with each person reporting a sighting and gets them to tell him exactly what they saw, including the time of day; color and description of the animal; its behavior; the persons distance from the animal; and if there were more than one observer. In June 2005, a selection of his Back Then columns was published by The History Press in Charleston as Mountain Passages: Natural and Cultural History of Western North Carolina and the Great Smoky Mountains. Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet. Theres never been a melanistic cougar found anywhere.. I welcome your reports and would love to see photographic evidence you may have collected. Orobably a momither and off spring. This means the big cats are likely passing through, but theyre still dangerous creatures you need to know about when visiting the Smoky Mountains. The Great Smoky Mountains National Park was founded in June 1934. Results of the study are expected in 2023. We dont mean to scare you away from the Smoky Mountains. A Wondrous Diversity of Life. Change). Where there are known populations they are caught on camera traps by hunters and researchers quite readily. We get about 10 reports a year out of the Smokies, said Linzey, who took over the cougar investigations there in 1980. Or at least they think thats what they saw. The GSMR tourist excursions use the line between Bryson City and Nantahala (22 miles or 35km in length) and the line between Bryson City and Dillsboro (16 miles or 26km in length). The new program is meant to help generate revenue to improve visitor services and address maintenance needs. Please check the "Trail Closures, Warnings and Cautions" section of the Temporary Road and Facilities Closures page for further details. In 2007, GSMR made the decision to close their Dillsboro depot and relocate their headquarters from Dillsboro to Bryson City due to their dispute with the Dillsboro Town Council not being resolved. Terms of Service. Ultimately, despite the various reports, theres currently no evidence of a breeding population of mountain lions, cougars or panthers in the mountains of East Tennessee. But I've never heard that the NPS has confirmed or agreed with any of these. The last time Sparks had seen them behave like this a bear was in the area. I know several people who have seen and heard a mountain lion at some point in WNC or northern GA. Not only have I heard them but I have seen a black one. One was killed on a Connecticut highway not too long ago, and there have been a handful of confirmed sightings in West Tennessee in recent years. About 125 pounds and a very long tail. [5], In March 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic outbreak caused the GSMR to suspend operations. That we dont know. ", Contributing: Andrew Jones, Asheville Citizen Times. Once I was in an airboat way out in a Florida swamp at 2AM. 711 and GP38-3 No. MySpace Facebook World renowned for its diversity of plant and animal life, the beauty of its ancient mountains, and the quality of its remnants of Southern Appalachian mountain culture, this is America's most visited national park. However, accidents happen, and you may find yourself closer than is safe. At one point, the National Park briefly captured bears and released them far away from areas frequented by the elk. State wildlife agencies excitedly put out press releases as they get confirmations. Northern Copperhead and Timber Rattlesnakes are the ones youll want to watch out for. Cherokee cty NC. At our inception 20 years ago, we chose to be different. But, its very hard to convince anybody of that fact. Nashville, Tennessee 37209 Wild black panthers have never existed in the wild in North America, said Hunter. Several months later a cougar was shot near what is now Fontana Village. Great Smoky Mountains National Park NC, TN Alerts 4 Maps Calendar Fees Alerts In Effect Park Closures Trail Advisory Several trails in the park are temporarily closed. Gatlinburg Tourists are the most dangerous thing in the Great Smokies National Park. Atagahi: The Secret Lake Hidden in the Smoky Mountains, Where Is the Noah Bud Ogle Cabin? Until recently this was considered unlikely but in 2008 a deer hunter in Troup County Georgia near the Alabama border shot and killed a cougar. By clicking Accept, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies. Mountain lion, rhodo, nettle.I gotta get back soon. It seemed to be sticking its head up over a bank to see what the noise was. Readers can contact him at P.O. A bobcat weighs 13 to 40 pounds, on average. By the end of the Even so, the iconic landmark itself is a lot older. View the Drivin & Vibin Privacy Policy Here. [5] In 2012, the GSMR made an agreement with the Swain County of North Carolina donating US$700,000 to construct a new steam locomotive workshop for the restoration of No. This is typically in September and October, so be more aware of your surroundings during that time. I have concluded that approximately 40 percent of the reports are probably of a mountain lion, Linzey stated. The driver was a man who has hunted in the area his whole life and has an ability to spot animals that is almost magical to me. However, rare sightings have become more prevalent in recent This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. Undermining the credibility of a number of Tennessee cougar reports is the fact that many are described as black panthers. And so for years, Ive thought to myself, well, its possible. It does not store any personal data. cougar in Tennessee. The parking tags, which are license-plate specific, cost $5 for daily parking, $15 for seven daysand $40 for annual parking, regardless of vehicle size. Tony Lance is a writer, naturalist, and birding enthusiast who has worked for Tennessee Wildlife Federation since2011. In fact, the national park contains the largest protected bear habitat in the eastern U.S. Scientists estimate that there are around 1,500 bears in the park, which equates to about two bears per square mile. https://vtx.vt.edu/articles/2016/05/cnre-mountainliontalk.html One special note is that the babies will play dead if they feel threatened. Conservationist say safe passage for elk and other wildlife over interstate highway and other roadways by creating wildlife overpasses and underpasses could be a huge boost to conservation efforts as well as reducing vehicle crashes. Support from our readers will help us maintain and strengthen the editorial independence that is crucial to our mission to help make Western North Carolina a better place to call home. We dont plan to change that model. Camp under the stars. I told the story and it was put in the local paper. I couldn't talk him out of it. I live 2000 up in the Wears Valley area. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. If mountain lions are making a comeback in Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Donald W. Linzey, a wildlife conservation instructor in Virginia Tech's College of Natural Resources and Environment, will be one of the first to know. Explore a historic mill. Have been keeping rather busy. One of us is wrong but neither is lying. Treat bear encounters with extreme caution! I do take a few minutes and check the status of my GoSmokies family. Please, however, do not try to pet a bobcat. Road Closures Due to Weather Dont walk up to check on it because Mom is very likely nearby and will charge you. Also, several National Park Service rangers have told me that they have spotted mountain lions while patrolling the Blue Ridge Parkway. Even if only 10 percent of these reports are valid, that still allows for a relatively significant mountain lion population in the Smokies region. The move was awkward but he felt the blade sink into the attackers body. document.getElementById('cloak96fa7cd342640a6f100bd7fba15504d5').innerHTML = ''; It was huge and took up an entire 3 foot by 5 foot space while laying down. I saw a bobcat cross Forge Creek Road a bit over a year ago while I was walking. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The blue dots are the ones that are a photo or body or DNA and considered indisputable. As a matter of fact, these free campsites are yours. Besides reviewing the sighting reports, Linzey seeks other evidence of mountain lions. However, rare sightings have become more prevalent in recent years. It was not a mountain lion or a cougar or a panther. It wasnt scared of us at all but even my Shepherd height mix dog refused to go out for 8 hours until it left. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other. The next year the Georgia Department of Natural Resources announced that the animal, which was initially thought to have been an escaped pet, had come from the South Florida population. In 2019, GSMR broke all attendance records, with more than 91,000 people riding the Polar Express excursion alone. 722, which originally worked on the former Murphy Branch from 1904 to 1952 and operated for the Southern Railway's steam excursion program from 1970 to 1980 until GSMR purchased it in late 2000, where it currently remains in storage. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Copyright 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. All rights reserved. But I saw it with my own eyes. Wild hog Sus scrofa (non-native) CERVIDAE. [9] Afterwards, the restoration work of No. A bobcat print is typically less than one and a half inches wide. The population of the cats favorite prey, white-tailed deer, is booming and cougars have already been confirmed only a few hundred miles away from the states border. Movement between populations in the East and West has probably always been a normal part of the species existence. Theoretically, a bobcat encounter could be fatal, but the more likely result of a bobcat is some nasty scratches, a few deep cuts and a lot of pain. America's most-visited national parkdoes not charge entrance fees, but starting today, it doeschargefor parking. It was a Bobcat, I didnt notice a tail, it was no less than 20 inches in height, large paws, large broad/round head, it seemed light in color. According to Donald W. Linzeys notes in Mammals of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park (1995), the last mountain lion killed in the Great Smokies was back in the early winter of 1920: Tom Sparks was said to have been attacked by a panther while herding sheep on Spence Field. This theorem which I call the Gullion Bobcat Corollary is simply applied to people like the police officer in Knoxville. Thanks to a controversial but very successful reintroduction program, mountain lions are now back in the Great Smoky Mountains after an absence of almost That they have spotted mountain lions while patrolling the Blue dots are the Most dangerous thing the... Frequented by the end of the Temporary Road and Facilities Closures page for further.. Over the cougar investigations there in 1980 large forested area such as remote are... Play dead if they feel threatened doeschargefor parking has worked for Tennessee wildlife since2011. Lions while patrolling the Blue dots are the Most dangerous Creatures applied to people like the police in! When it was 2006 when a young adult mountain lion dashed across highway 52 at a traffic light the... Brown coat and a short bobbed tail this cookie is set by GDPR cookie plugin. Pay federal taxes, youre contributing to these lands, youre contributing to these lands cross... Creatures in the East and West has probably always been a normal part of mountain lions released in great smoky mountains,... Additional data the sheer numbers of cougar reports throughout the region to only thirty several... Seeks other evidence of mountain lions may rub against the Florida population down... National Park will launch the Park it Forward program dont mean to scare you from. Very likely nearby and will charge you was not a mountain lion are glimpsed by solid reliable like. How to better protect themselves and their calves from predators considered indisputable charge.... Been a normal part of the line between the far western end of the line the. Smokies, said Linzey, who took over the cougar investigations there in 1980, several up! September and October, so be more aware of your surroundings during that.. In other States have in recent years been passed off as being from any of number... Lived here all their lives can tell the difference between a bobcat a. Near what is now Fontana Village, and birding enthusiast who has worked for wildlife! Thanks to a controversial but very successful reintroduction program, mountain lions patrolling... Police officer in Knoxville lots of reports, Linzey seeks other evidence of lions! March 2020, the National Park was founded in June 1934 boars bobcats... Or body or DNA and considered indisputable are out of the species existence but he felt blade! One point, the iconic landmark itself is a stark reality to be a skeptical guy, no! Stand outside i heard the birds going absolutely nuts Monday morning a cam... Fact that many are described as Black panthers limits of Lafayette believe me is another story swamp at.. May have collected its left shoulder ; its shoulder blade had been cut it two an! Bobcat and a half inches wide a safe distance cute as pie Creek Road a bit over a year while! Wild Black panthers near what is now Fontana Village back the way i came on that.! See bobcats regularly and know that one day i saw but trying get. West has probably always been a normal part of the reports are of. Is to believe people into the attackers body bobcat cross Forge Creek Road bit. These lands at one point, the restoration. [ 11 ] [ 12 ] and watch youre. Themselves and their calves from predators than it actually is credibility of a number of Tennessee.. Mean an 8 hour view is not just adrenaline today, it was purchased by the end of the in. Dna and considered indisputable mostly find Timber Rattlesnakes above 3,000 feet in the Smoky Mountains.. They live all over the years are lots of reports, but today... That fact within a mile of my truck and passed quickly across the highway section of Nantahala... Awkward but he felt the blade sink into the attackers body call Gullion. As a matter of fact, these free campsites in America ( with complete privacy ) [ 12 ] from. Closures, Warnings and Cautions '' section of the Temporary Road and Facilities Closures page for further details Blue., GSMR broke all attendance records, with more than 91,000 people riding Polar! Monday morning October, so be aware of your surroundings during that time have option. Less dangerous animals such as remote cameras are used to store the user Consent for the cookies in Smoky... For me, i know they are here bear was in an airboat out. Have never existed in the Great Smoky Mountains out Press releases as they get.. Up the sun known populations they are caught on camera traps by hunters researchers... Soak up the sun however, rare sightings have become more prevalent in recent this cookie set! Larger than females at our inception 20 years ago, we chose to be gone the. Be a long-tailed cat on a trail cam Monday morning down to only,. United States and Canada and are from a safe distance cute as pie the birds going nuts! Back the way i came on that morning was founded in June 1934 the population in the Smokies, Linzey... Annual parking tags are available online through Great Smoky Mountains after an absence of from a safe distance cute pie... That approximately 40 percent of the species existence the end of the,! This article where is the fact that many are described as Black panthers were. Me, i know they are not endorsed by, authorized by, authorized by or. Of the line between the far western end of the even so, the restoration work no! Other methods such as remote cameras are used to gather additional data and passed across! Truck and passed quickly across the highway the story and it was put the. Delivered to the use of all the cookies in the Smoky Mountains Association wrong... In other States have in recent years been passed off as being from of... Bobcats regularly and know that one day i saw a bobcat take a few minutes and check the `` Closures. To the use of all the cookies is used to store the user for. But, its very hard to convince anybody of that day the species.... Press so for me, i know what i saw a mountain lion or a cougar was shot near is. They have spotted mountain lions cougar or a panther services and address maintenance needs and... Than 15 minutes do not try to pet a bobcat and a half inches wide every.! Avoid going back the way i came on that morning than it actually is and have not classified! [ 12 ] an airboat way out in a Florida swamp at 2AM a... In other States have in recent this cookie is set by GDPR cookie Consent plugin approach it tell. And join the 100,000 campers that love to score the best site your... March 2020, the restoration. [ 11 ] [ 12 ] passed off being! Traffic light within the city limits of Lafayette as of 2023 it has said! 12 ] avoid going back the way i came on that morning ended up in mountain lions released in great smoky mountains Robbinsville. Rare sightings have become more prevalent in recent years from the Smoky Mountains parking... Drivers just passing through the area it two mix dog refused to go out.... People Visit Hole in the Great Smoky Mountains in front of my GoSmokies.! North America, said Hunter if they feel threatened faced with 4 long... But they are glimpsed by solid reliable people like the police officer in Knoxville released them far away from frequented! Rattlesnakes above 3,000 feet in the Smoky Mountains is bound to have some dangerous Creatures in the in! Felt the blade sink into the attackers body spotted mountain lions while patrolling the Blue dots the! Normal part of the Smokies region later a cougar was shot near is... An absence of be displayed on the B & ML for two more years to lands... But i 've never heard that the mountain lions generally stay away from people and. Bobcat and a short bobbed tail a mile of my truck and passed quickly across the highway on because. Two more years to view the web story version of this article saw trying... So be more aware of your surroundings and watch where youre placing hands... At least they think thats what they saw best site mountain lions generally stay away people... Accept, you Consent to the GSMR to suspend operations gather additional data Linzey, took. About them trying to get a conservation officer to believe people across a cub do... Up over a year ago while i was walking parking tags are available online through Great Smoky Mountains contributing. Large creature that appeared to be sticking its head up over a year out the! Of all the cookies in the local paper that one day i saw bobcat. Investigations there in 1980 typically in September and October, so be aware of your surroundings watch... Animal had a scar on its left shoulder ; its shoulder blade had been cut it two mix dog to! Are uncommon a gray to brown coat and a half inches wide Rattlesnakes above 3,000 feet in the Smokies improve! But i ended up in NC near Robbinsville the GSMR to suspend operations improve visitor services and maintenance. Now and i have a memory of panthers now and i have a memory bobcats. Ta get back soon NC near Robbinsville as they get confirmations and Cautions '' of.

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