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Some Suspects in On-Going Catamount Investigation
Illustration by Adelaide Tyrol
More than 70 years have passed since a mountain lion was hunted and killed in New England. In 1938 a Quebec trapper caught the last one on record—in Maine. New Hampshire’s last killing occurred in the White Mountains in 1885. Alexander Cromwell shot the final and largest specimen ever recorded in Vermont in Barnard in 1881. It weighed 182 pounds and measured seven feet. A mount of this magnificent animal, with Cromwell’s rifle, is displayed at the Vermont Historical Society in Montpelier.
The mountain lion — a.k.a. cougar, puma, panther or catamount (cat of the mountain) — has long occupied a mythic role in the region. In his 1853 book, “Natural History of Vermont,” renowned naturalist Zadock Thompson mentioned the strength and leaping ability of the mountain lion. “One of these animals took a large calf out of a pen in Bennington, where the fence was four feet high, and carried it off on his back,” he wrote. “With this load, he ascended a ledge of rocks, where one of the leaps was 15 feet in height.”
In the mid 1800s, mountain lions were considered such a threat to human life and livestock that the Vermont Legislature issued a bounty of $20 for each pelt. Adjusted for inflation, that would have equaled about $550 in today’s dollars. The bounty and civilization have had an impact, for in the East the mountain lion as a species has virtually disappeared.
Nonetheless, residents of northern New England seem to be on the lookout for them. Wildlife biologists in the region get plenty of reports of sightings, but most reports are cases of mistaken identity —what people are seeing most likely are bobcats, lynx, coyotes, or domesticated mountain lion escapees.
Time and again, biologists play Sherlock Holmes, taking testimony from those reporting sightings and combing the outdoors for tracks, fur and scat. They wield forensic tools worthy of a contemporary CSI crime drama—detailed lab exams of suspect droppings and DNA analysis of purported catamount fur.
Mountain lions are noticeably larger than the other large mammals for which they are mistaken. A mountain lion can weigh well over 150 pounds, while a bobcat might weigh up to 35 pounds and reach 45 inches (tip of nose to end of tail); a coyote 50 pounds and 53 inches; or a lynx 35 pounds and 40 inches.
Wild populations of mountain lion survive in southern Florida and in mountains of the West. They make dens in caves and crevices, amid boulder outcroppings, and in dense underbrush. They range as far as 30 miles from their dens and eat as much as 12 pounds of prey per day — from rabbit to deer.
With western populations increasing, wildlife biologists conjecture that individual lions may be dispersing eastward. Catamounts have been spotted in New Brunswick, Ontario, Nova Scotia and in a few parts of New England, but a confirmed sighting does not necessarily mean that the animal has taken up residence.
Douglas Blodgett, a wildlife biologist with the Vermont Fish & Wildlife Department, says “40 to 50 sightings” of catamounts are reported in Vermont each year. “But we still don’t have tangible, solid evidence, such as scat, prey caches or dead mountain lions. There is no evidence of a viable catamount population in Vermont.”
Blodgett, however, keeps an open mind. “On occasion, some of the sightings are very credible,” he says. “These sightings could be explained by the exotic pet trade, which is ubiquitous in the United States. It’s not beyond belief that some of these animals could have been purchased and escaped.”
Still, a mature mountain lion and two cubs apparently were sighted in Craftsbury, Vt., during the winter of 1993-‘94. Their scat contained fur that Fish & Wildlife officials determined, through microscopic analysis, to be that of a catamount.
“There is no definitive proof of mountain lions in New Hampshire (either), says Mark Ellingwood, a wildlife biologist with that state’s Fish and Game Department. “DNA analysis of scat and hair samples have all been negative … mostly bobcats,” he says.
Sounding like a detective, Ellingwood says: “We look for patterns in the evidence and look forward to receiving any evidence, particularly physical evidence. I have spoken to some very knowledgeable and very competent people who say they’ve seen mountain lions.”
Maine’s Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife reports tracks, droppings and fur from catamounts in that state and neighboring New Brunswick. In 1997, Massachusetts biologists found scat near the Quabbin Reservoir. DNA analysis proved it was from a mountain lion, but some officials suspect it was a domesticated animal that had escaped.
So the search continues. If Sherlock Holmes were sleuthing the mountain lion today, he might doggedly turn to his sidekick and say, “Come Watson, come! The game is a … paw.”
Michael J. Caduto is an author, ecologist and storyteller, who lives in Chester, Vermont.
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Discussion
I had a catamount on my property in 2004. It was during daylight hours and I watched it from inside my house for about 5 minutes until it returned to the forest. I’m in the woods a lot as a fishing guide…etc. Definitely a catamount. I compare its size to larger than my border collie but smaller than my St. Bernard, probably 110 lbs. I recently (12/18/09) came home to find fresh prints of this animal. I have pictures of the print. When I make a fist, that is the size of this print. Please contact me for the picture or any info about this amazing creature.
Jay Harris in Dorset VT | Jan 04, 2010
Hi Jay,
I am interested in your story about the cougar(s). I am doing an independent study of alleged sightings of which many are from your general area. Please email me at .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) so I can get additional info for my database.
I saw a cougar cub in Belvidere, Vt in April 2005 and have been interested in them ever since.
Looking forward to hearing from you!
Teri
T in VT | May 18, 2010
We were on our way home from Manchester to West Rutland, closer to Danby than Dorset on route 7 when a large animal ran across the road in front of us. I had quite long legs, a long tail and its head looked like a cat. In doing an internet search, the closest thing I could find was a catamount.
Deanna McLellan in West Rutland | Jun 06, 2010
Today in Passumpsic, Vermont I saw a catamount!!! It was about 7.30 am. My dog has been going wild sniffling and growling for days. I took some pics, but they are not too good.
Ewa M. Seiler in Passumpsic | Oct 23, 2010
I hunt up in Walden ,Near Coles Pond up on Stannard Mountain and one of the residents there, an accomplished woodsman,hunter and logger has sighted them several times in the area. He stated that he was with his mother and saw one in a field on Noyestar road. He was in a clearcut with his machine in a very remote area and has seen one.
jack in Braintree,mass | Nov 22, 2010
I saw what I think was a mountain lion today in the deep woods of Extreme Northern Maine. I have pictures of its paw prints and picked up a frozen scat which could possibly prove what it was. i will attempt to get the scat to someone who knows how to identify this amazing creature.
Mike Cyr - Surveyor in Madawaska, Maine | Jan 06, 2011
I would be interested in any photos or recent stories. I have grown up in Southern Vermont and have heard three credible stories of either catamount sightings or prey cache in the last 5 years. I now live in Northern Vermont and being an avid woodsman and hunter I hope to see there return soon.
Jon Wright in Vermont | Jan 07, 2011
While at the Sportsman Show in Essex this past week, having a
conversation with a game biologist, we were approached by a friend
carrying a folder. He was excited to open it up to show us an amazingly clear photo of a catamount taken by his wife from their camp window in Belvedere. There is no mistake, it is the real deal, a picture of a young catamount, perhaps a female, as it stopped along the wood line. I’m not sure what the next step will be. The Vermont
Fish and Wildlife are on board and it is just a matter of time before
the photo is released and made public.
William Mayo in Bill Mayo in Franklin Vermont | Jan 21, 2011
does anyone have more information on exactly where Alexander Cromwell shot the Catamount in Barnard?
Bill T Smith in Barnard Vermont | Mar 03, 2011
I live on Hawks Mountain in Baltimore.Last year after losing a fair number of chickens, I noticed a large cat lumber over a nearby wall. I grew up in Northern Vt where I had seen bob cats. This was not. It was larger, hunger closer to the ground and was tawny colored not speckled on the legs. I called FWS, and was told it most be a bob cat. No. The cat took more than 5-6 chickens and left carcasses nearby, picked clean. What I saw certainly resembled what I thought was a catamount until I was told they no longer exist. Carol
Carol L. in Baltimore, Vermont | Mar 04, 2011
I saw a catamount in the field near Molly’s pond on the left side. 1:00 PM on 3/12/2011
Jason Croteau in Molly's Pond West Danville, VT | Mar 12, 2011
March 1, 2011- My husband and son were driving north on Rte. 100 just after midnight. As they were approaching the Penny Ave. intersection, they both saw about 100 feet in front of them, a tan colored, very, very, large muscular cat, with a long tail run from Penny Ave. across Rte. 100, then bounding up and over the snowbank, into the forest. Once they arrived home, they researched all different types of cats in this region. The only one matching the cat they saw was the Catamount.
My husband has always been skeptical of the reported sightings. He now knows catamounts exist in Vermont. But, he has no desire to report the sighting. I, on the other hand believe it is a duty to report the rare sighting of catamounts.
Betty Sue in Rte. 100 & Penny Ave., Stratton, VT | Mar 13, 2011
did anyone get back to Bill Smith re: question on the Barnard, Vt. catamount?
David Sementilli in georgetown, texas | Jun 25, 2011
By the way, the staff of the Memory Clinic in Bennington, Vermont reportedly got a very good look at a Catamount lion recently. He was standing there for a while by all reports, so they got a good look and apparently it looked just like the pics and statues of the catamount.
Sarah in Boston | Jul 27, 2011
This past week While trying to ascertain what animal was in our back yard creating havoc. Using a hunting camera that flashes when motion is detected, we got a beautiful picture of a catamount. Not very large, but clearly a beautiful animal checking out our yard.
Sal Bianco Jr in Long Island, Ny 11752 | Aug 01, 2011
i saw a catamount right outside my front door two days ago. the beast crouched low and rumbled at me a few times before letting out a blood curdling scream.
Geoff in lake saint catherine, vermont | Aug 31, 2011
I just heard from a neighbor who recently had a Catamount in his yard (He has a plaster cast of the paw print) that a Catamount was hit and killed on the Warren Mtn road. Not sure if on the Warren or Roxbury side. The largest one (7 feet) taken in the state was killed in Roxbury in 1821. ANR doesn’t want to admit there are cats out there, but I’ve had too many sightings around my house in Roxbury to ignore. 4 neighbors so far have seen them over the past 20 years.
Steve Board | Oct 24, 2011
This morning at 11:00, I noticed something sitting out in the yard bordering the woods on the property. I grabbed my binoculars and saw what looked like a big brown cat. I had seen the same animal earlier this week around 1p.m. walking across our driveway, which is 3/10 of a mile back into the woods. This same animal was spotted in the woods near our house in August around 6:30 p.m.
Today I was able to see the face in the binoculars and saw white around the chin, and as it walked away saw the long tail. It was brown/tan in color and definitely over 100 lbs.
Catamount???
Christine Usack in Monkton,VT | Oct 30, 2011
Hi Christine. If you’re able to get a photo of what you are seeing, email it to me and I’ll see if we can get an ID for you. .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)
Thanks.
Meghan in Corinth, VT | Oct 31, 2011
Driving home a couple weeks ago, just as light was fading into dusk, we saw an unusual wild creature flash across the road and into the woods toward the ravine on one side of our street. It was tawny yellowish, long and thin, perhaps ‘ropey’ is the best word to describe it, with a long rope-like tail. Just before it reached the woods, it swiveled its head to look directly at us—a cat-like but almost human looking face. Very startling.
Having spent much time as a kid and young adult in the then undeveloped central Adirondacks, I know this was no bobcat! A neighbor has spoken about a fisher cat that has frequented our area, but no—this was not that. We have wildlife corridors in our area connecting to some larger tracts—I’m thinking this youngish animal was passing through (and very quickly, at that!).
Leslie Bashaw in Milton, VT | Nov 25, 2011
My husband just called me from work (in Putney, VT) awhile ago and told me that a big huge headed tan cat just walked in front of him (outside) about 6 feet away from him. This was about midnight. I asked him if it was a house cat and he said, “No. It was about 4 to 5 times bigger than any house cat he had ever seen.” I asked him if it was over 50 pounds and he said, “Well over that.” I asked him if it had stripes or a long tail or pointy ears? He said, “I don’t know I was more worried about it attacking me than whether or not it had pointy ears and a long tail, But it did not have stripes.” I said do you think it was a mountain lion? He said, “I don’t know. But what it wasn’t was a tame domestic cat. It looked wild! But it just walked past me and down by the woods.” He then told me that they just had a new early calf born in the barn that night and that they have chickens all around up there. I told him to be careful and to watch his back cause that is how they attack. He said he was staying inside now for the rest of the night and would be very careful if he goes outside. So then I took a photo of a mountain lion online and sent it to him on his cell phone. He said that is exactly what it looked like. He said that he is sooo glad the moon is out and so bright tonight. So I guess no matter what the fish and game dept says, there are mountain lions in VT. I also saw one when I was a child in Marlboro, VT but my Dad said I was seeing things. The one I saw was all black. And it was at least 2 ft tall, I could see his back well over the uncut hay in the field. It walked along the edge of the woods and then into the woods across the road from my house. I know what house cats look like and this was huge and muscular. Like a panther. This was 40 years ago and I still have never forgotten even when I have been out in the woods hunting I always look for tracks. And have seen many small bobcat tracks but no big cat tracks yet. Weird. It is like they are a ghost. Tonight there was no tracks because there is no snow and the ground is frozen. So no evidence this time either. I would love to see photo’s of any that anyone has taken of them in VT. Send them to .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) Thanks…
Wendi Leiby in Spofford, NH | Feb 05, 2012
Looking out about 75 - 100 yards from our deck, we saw a tawny coloured cat with quite heavy fur about the size of a small German Shepherd. He had pointed upright ears and was just lying in among the trees at the edge of the forest. We watched him for about 15 minutes (sadly we had no camera). He got up and turned around and lay down again a few times and then slowly meandered back into the woods.
The photos I see of Catamounts seem sleeker. Are there other mountain cats that have tawny colored fur which are not quite so sleek?
Karin Marks in North Troy Vermont | Apr 14, 2012