Were there any differences between these two that we could have noticed right off. We're gonna talk about sightings in this part of the program as well we'd love to hear your story. Sam Evans-Brown: You know the North America had a number of large predator species when humans first arrived in the continent. Tate said that while a mountain lion sighting in New Hampshire isn't likely, it's not impossible. Sam Evans-Brown: Well first I want to sort of explain why what the theory is but then also throw a bit of cold water on it because I don't think there's much much logic behind it but essentially is that if fish and game were to acknowledge that there was a population of Mount lions in the state there's a chance that something like a listing under the federal Endangered Species Act might happen and then there'd be you know some they'd have to put a plan in place to protect the species there'd be you know restrictions put on development. It doesn't happen as much anymore. Let's look for other evidence. Because I mean as we've heard in the past 10 minutes like there's there's some disagreement or at least some some vagueness about what an actual mountain lion should appear like in the wild assuming we can even get close enough. Caller: Hey guys how you doing. Peter Biello: And that will make identification for a layperson rather difficult. Thank you very much for being here. Gotcha, so the Deep State is suppressing mountain lion news in order to prop up New Hampshire tourism? John is calling from Bennington. Peter Biello: But clearly you know you're saying like hoaxes people who claim to have seen a mountain lion but knowingly have not or are appropriating photos taken elsewhere of legit mountain lion say out West where they people acknowledge that they exist certainly knowingly or unknowingly in this case the person who sent it to me said hey a friend of mine sent me this photo and said he took it on his back porch also. This is not the same as saying that there has never been a mountain lion seen in New Hampshire. JavaScript must be enabled for some features to display properly. As far as I could tell there was a positive DNA sequence coming from the scat sample Patrick. Mountain lions don't usually travel more than 100 miles from where they are born. And they asked me about the tail which I just did not remember that tail out of that whole experience. So for our scientists to do the lumping and whatnot. Sam Evans-Brown: But I mean the video I had been sent was you know a recording of a animal growling but it was in slow motion and when I asked the person why is this in slow motion the denied that it was so there's a lot of weird stuff that happens in regards to people claiming they've seen they've seen these things. But having read a bit of information about his cougar there are a darker subspecies. Peter Biello: Well Mike thanks very much for sharing your story. But you won't find evidence of their existence in paw prints in the snow or a deer carcass in a tree. Less than a year later I found a scat on the swamp range and I was working at the time with a fellow at the Michigan wildlife habitat Federation. So we tossed these terms around but really the term subspecies has been sort of redefined in our lifetimes. The most common areas to see mountain lions in Arizona are in places of rocky and mountainous terrain. GAP MOUNTAIN LIONS CLUB Fitzwilliam, New Hampshire (USA) District 44-N . New Hampshire Fish and Game Department says there's no proof. So give us a call now. Yes and you want to share what you learned. Give today. They're just moving around freely. But are there mountain lions living in New Hampshire? I found a second scat scent both to him. Residents believe cougars still roam New Hampshire's forests. I'm sorry go ahead you're on the air. Patrick Tate: So the individuals can say that but for an agency that's based on science and what not to to go off with no evidence and then get into that giant debate and all these other issues and put credibility at risk I don't think that would be a great path to take. Patrick Tate: My line being a large predator a cat watch ambush his prey animal that hasn't been. Thanks very much. Peter Biello: Yeah. There is some information that suggests that it spent a portion of its time in Massachusetts near the Claiborne reservoir. Caller: Yeah I hadn't experienced blastoff fall so this was around September and I was driving from Webster into Concord on Horse Hill Road and anybody in the area would know I was right near the Red Barn and all of a sudden this animal jumps out of the woods and it bounded across the road in about two two giant leaps and stopped in the field just on the other side. So before we get to the the the the stories of sightings we're getting a lot of calls. Like why would you want one wildlife. So we're fixated on natural but there's other possibilities. It was not a bobcat. Patrick Tate: It's wow interesting that you brought this up because I've had people report I saw cardamom. We're going to talk a little bit more about habitat first but then we'll get into sightings. I was a Bobcat we saw it and I have a picture of it. Well Is DNA the most reliable means we have of identifying whether or not what we saw is actually a mountain lion. So so they're just a very resilient species and they're pretty they're pretty neat. Michael Brindley is our program manager our producers our Jessica Hunt and Christina Phillips and our theme music was composed by Bob Lord. John you're on the air. But also I think it proves the opposite point which is that sometimes they're pretty secretive because all the way from Minnesota where the where was the first time was picked up on a game camera to New York. Infinite Scroll Enabled. Yeah 13 to 15 years ago 13 to 15 years ago. Almost all species disperse greater distances than females. Reviewing the evidence, the U.S. The females disperse a shorter range and once they find a vacant home range they stay in that location and live there. Think you've seen a mountain lion. So hey, just me shooting from the hip, maybe there are a couple mountain lions skulking about. So maybe a good pet for you but not for your neighbor if you just stop by unannounced. And it came out we could see it had and we could see its long swooping tail. I saw that had this giant the bobcat had this giant sweeping which is John Bobcat don't have big sweeping tails. There's no logic for why they'd be listed as an endangered species. Is there a way we can learn more about these dispersing mountain lions that may travel through the Granite State and that I would ask you certainly part about whether or not a he's spending too much time chasing down these kind of false leads or B would rather be doing something else that is more informative to whether or not we actually have or can prove that we have dispersing mountain lions in the state. Rick van de Poll: Rick your thoughts. Lions Clubs Int'l Links: LionNet NH Links 2011 -2012 . No that's a little bit outside the range. In my New Hampshire career I have written several, and seen at least 20, stories along the lines of "local person thinks they saw a mountain lion but there's no actual evidence aside from. That's pretty elaborate. And to anyone listening I would just say you know fishing game who wants proof right. And those and that's how you can go from a story that Pat says I have nothing to say about that to a story that you know could be the first verified sighting in over 100 years. Peter Biello: We got an e-mail question from Robert in Epsom who asks are sightings or encounters with these big cats less dangerous here where they're passing through than out west where those same mountain lines might be establishing territory Rick. Peter Biello: Or send us an email exchange at an HP board. Peter Biello: There have been several alleged sightings of mountain lions in New Hampshire recently. Is there something particularly hospitable about New Hampshire Forests that make them want to come here. They reported seeing the big tail and everything everything. They sent it already. Mountain Lions in New Hampshire-Fact or Fiction 3,207 views Jul 31, 2019 78 Dislike Share Save New Hampshire Fish and Wildlife 634 subscribers During my thirty-one career at the New. And still the the folks there did weren't able to come up with it with 100 percent certainty what deposited that scat. Thanks for calling. So and so they so they do get pretty involved. I noticed it had a really big sweeping tail that kind of curled up behind it and all but still at that point because everyone says there's no mountain lions here. We did a short segment about mountain lion sightings earlier this year and and after which I was sent a photo and also a video recording that was mostly just audio because it was so dark the photo just a quick reverse Google image search you can put images online and see where else where else they've been posted revealed that the photo had been taking out taken out in Wyoming and has been used you know hundreds of times to claim and the person who sent it to me said it had been taken New Hampshire. Peter Biello: And Carl before you continue I think Patrick Tate just give me a second. What's interesting about Bobcats is here in the Northeast we have some very large bobcats. We discuss what residents may have been seeing and what breeding mountain lion pairs would mean for our ecosystem. And trying to figure out the little pieces to identify him so I bring up the names the differences but the appearances can be confusing for some. However if if and when it does happen it takes up a lot of resources looking at that situation and identifying what's going on because when you start out you don't know it's a hoax. And I have to use that word allegedly because there is so much dispute about what people see and what they actually see. And the second question is this a behavior mountain lions exhibit. No I saw a camel. Rick van de Poll: Well a report that you know as John Harrigan up north has in co-ops County for about 15 years I kept track of reports and people would call me and tell me where they saw the mountain lion they thought they saw it and it varied right from you know downtown villages all the way to remote highlands of the North Country and and everywhere in between. Caller: Are probably. Seems reasonable! What's going on. Author of The last woman in the forest on Saturday July 13th at 7 p.m. at Warner town hall Warner historical dawg. And it was unmistakable. WMUR uLocal: On this trail cam video, an unidentified feline is spotted. Peter Biello: Give us a call 1 800 8 9 2 6 4 7 7 you can also send us an email exchange at an HP morgue. So here we have you know a very qualified biologist who who found a print took a plaster cast found a scat send it to a university. Rick van de Poll: Well I didn't. I'm Peter B yellow. I just don't understand the mechanism for how that would happen. I have no doubt that there are mountain lion roaming New Hampshire. Listeners we'd love to hear some of your thoughts on this. And as the biologist who's gonna stand on this and if I'm going to say this is a proven picture I need to be able to stand on it so soundly and have the evidence so I going to go through it with a fine tooth comb kept picking pieces apart trying to answer these pieces. m from a weed family Automotive on store Street in Concord is serving the Concord area families automotive needs since 1995. Do we have native species that could have exhibited this type of behavior leaving leaving a deer carcass up in a tree. Well let me ask maybe Pat and Rick about this. Let's talk to Mike in Webster. John if you're still on the line here I was going to I don't. No doubt in my mind it was. Patrick Tate: I don't believe it is. Mountain Lion | Squam Lakes Natural Science Center All exhibit and hiking trails are CLOSED for the season. I wanted to get your thoughts on the mystique of the mountain lion start with you Rick. Part II. So you want identifiable backgrounds. Well they are the same. 44-N Links. Think you've seen a mountain lion? We'll hear more about the mountain lions impact and the role it plays in the ecosystem. They kill big animals. We rely on readers like you to support the local, national, and international coverage on this website. The best documentation we have in New Hampshire suggests there hasnt been a mountain lion killed by a hunter in this state since 1885. Does not test random Scouts. Here she is talking about how to identify a mountain lion. Email exchange it an HP fraud org or give us a call 1 800 8 9 2 6 4 7 7. Mike you're on the air. Rick van de Poll: Oh yeah absolutely. Let us know your story and share your photos. Current conditions in New Hampshire would support a mountain lion, according to Tate, as forests have returned, allowing for prey species to become more prevalent. 8 9 2 6 4 7 7. Tonight, Sean McDonald investigates,. I really really enjoyed listening to this program so thank you all very much. They're very loyal to what the handler which makes them very dangerous to everyone else. If you have them email exchange at an HP board or give us a call to tell us your story. So that did it for me. I tracked cats and all the western states. Yet this young male traveled about 1,800 miles. Can you look into this picture. Peter Biello: Wow. Peter Biello: Sam I wanted to ask you a little bit about that first and then turn to Patrick Tate efficient game. Sam Evans-Brown: What he would have stopped as well I think is way way that the reason that mountain lion kept moving is because he wasn't finding anybody. Select image for larger view. List of Mountains in New Hampshire is a general list of mountains in New Hampshire, with elevation.This list includes many mountains in the White Mountains range that covers about a quarter of the state, as well as mountains outside of that range.. The report came in from a conservation officer. Sue Morse: First and foremost if you have color or if you could see details of color look at the front of the face around the Pumas muzzle the muzzle itself is pure white. So when we hear mountain lion there's also cougar there's wild cat there's Bobcat which is not a mountain lion maybe Patrick could you sort of spell out the different terms which are synonymous and which are completely different animals. 50 feet above the most. "Of those three to five reports,. I mean no doubt a seen Bobcat seen his stuff. If youve got photo trap evidence of a Mountain Lion, send it in, and we'll send it along to the appropriate state or federal agency! Join as a $8 per month sustainer and get our brand-new owl umbrella! Sam Evans-Brown: Well and I think and the last takeaway here is everyone I think probably agrees that any possible sightings that have been seen. Peter Biello: Today on the program Patrick Tate New Hampshire Fish and Game Wildlife biologist and far better project leader Sam Evans Brown host of an HP podcast outside in which is about the natural world and how we use it. And why would they what. Caller: I cannot recall or see the tail in my in my image of it. As I tried to get a picture of it so there was it was definitely we looked up all the pictures and it was definitely not a bobcat or anything else being it looked just like a mountain lion. Sue Morse: The big cat really commands the utmost respect not so much fear but fascination. Patrick Tate: Yes. And now that everyone and their mother has a remote camera in their back yard its just so, so unlikely that there are resident, breeding mountain lions in New England that are living invisibly among us, he says, Its become Big Foot.. 1 800 8 9 2 6 4 7 7. There are mountain lion in Massachusetts. A monthly donation of $5 makes a real difference. Mountain Lion report and as a biologist for the state that's a situation where if he said to me what did I see. Fear for others and those two polarizing opinions on the situation is what I believe brings out mystique and Sam you know I take kind of a long view on this. Verifiable pictures recorded by the observing person or a trail camera. All of that remains unanswered but it is an extremely interesting question. All they think it traveled north through Canada up you know crossed across the Great Lakes and then and then down again through New York State. Sam Evans-Brown: And second the evidence required is is you know pretty pretty tough to gather. Share. Peter Biello: Well yeah. I would say that there's going to be the truth in here somewhere. Sam Evans Brown. NHPR is nonprofit and independent. Some of the reports that I looked into that were actually on file at the local fish and game office were even from people who did not live locally. So one thing that I find fascinating about this Connecticut cat was six months between the New York situation where they found evidence of it too when it was hit by a motor vehicle.