Currently, theres no evidence of a breeding mountain lion population in the Smoky Mountains (photo by Visiting the Historic Barn, Is Mountain Monsters Real? Disclosure: As an Amazon Associate and a partner of other affiliate programs including Booking.com, CJ and Tripster, we may earn commissions from qualifying purchases via links found in this article. I mean an 8 hour view is not just adrenaline. They are in the WMAS of North Georgia. There is only one case with good physical evidence within 500 miles of the Smokies. I welcome your reports and would love to see photographic evidence you may have collected. Deep in the park. In fact it seems like most everybody is sure they are in their local area. Your support of SMN does not constitute a charitable donation. However, accidents happen, and you may find yourself closer than is safe. In 2011 a cougar that originated in the Black Hills area made national headlines when it was discovered that it had traveled an astonishing 1,500 miles before being struck and killed on a roadway in Greenwich, Connecticut. 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. Tom Sparks could tell something wasnt right that day in 1920 high up on Spence Field in the Great Smoky Mountains. I saw 2. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. As the animal tried to bite into his neck he hunched forward instinctively to protect himself and blindly stabbed as hard as he could over his left shoulder. Dont know what to look for? 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. One of us is wrong but neither is lying. One bite and youre on your way to the hospital. The Smoky Mountain News is a wholly private corporation. He doesnt provide figures since that date, but my recent discussions with park service biologists would lead me to believe that sightings have increased in the Smokies in recent years, particularly in the Clingmans Dome area. Officials explained the deceased animal must have wandered from the Black Hills of South Dakota. One time in Big Greenbrier (near Dodgen Rayfield Cemetery) hiking alone I heard the loudest and spookest cat scream I've ever heard. You can start building your own collection of David Bowie memorabilia thanks to his extensive body of music, film and more. The one in Georgia is strong evidence a lone cat can reach the Smokies but the map as whole shows it's extremely unlikely they "live" there. 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. [5], In March 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic outbreak caused the GSMR to suspend operations. I live 2000 up in the Wears Valley area. It was large and had a very long tail and he was running very fast. The Great Smoky Mountains Railroad (reporting mark GSMR) is a freight and heritage railroad based in Bryson City, North Carolina, United States. Have you ever seen a mountain lion here in the Smokies region? [2] The GSMR would eventually become one of the most popular tourist railroads in the United States with about 200,000 passengers each year. WebThis small part of Smoky Mountain Light is dedicated to the effort to confirm effort to record the continuing existence of mountain lions in Western North Carolina in general. Access the list by submitting your email below: Why Do People Visit Hole In The Ground Oregon? The animal had a scar on its left shoulder; its shoulder blade had been cut it two. I accidentally cornered the thing by walking in. What could I say? In fact, the Great Smoky Mountains is the most popular national park in the United States. Webthe cougar. Road Closures Due to Weather Encouraging them with food, or trying to pet the cute little guys, is not a good idea. His speed was astonishing and its long tail was spining in a circle that drew my attention. I believe all the cases where they could tell it was a young male. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics". Linzey uses a variety of tools, including his pet dog, who often sniffs out scat, or droppings, as the two of them walk the parks trails. I recently purchased land in Quebeck, Tennessee, so now I know I have to be on my awares. Once I was in an airboat way out in a Florida swamp at 2AM. WebHundreds of years ago, extensive herds of the great Eastern Elk roamed the Southern Appalachian mountains, which the Blue Ridge Mountains and Smoky Mountains are part of. 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. Treat bear encounters with extreme caution! 1998 - 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. | All Rights Reserved. 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. It has been called Dr. Seuss Day because of this. Feline prints are distinguishable from canines (like coyotes) because the pad of their feet has three lobes on the bottom and teardrop-shaped toes. I could see their size and tails in full view and they were bobcats. Pictures of cougars taken in other states have in recent years been passed off as being from any of a number of Tennessee counties. Not just a re-hash of past sightings over the past few decades. He managed to inflict a deep wound in its left shoulder. "100% of funds collected from these fees stay in the Smokies and go directly back into preserving the Smokies and ensuring the visitor experience remains first-rate," the national park said on its website. !function(d,s,id){var js,fjs=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0];if(!d.getElementById(id)){js=d.createElement(s);js.id=id;js.src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js";fjs.parentNode.insertBefore(js,fjs);}}(document,"script","twitter-wjs"); 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 Not too long ago you could walk into a pet store and purchase a cougar kitten. Where there are known populations they are caught on camera traps by hunters and researchers quite readily. They are glimpsed by solid reliable people like Mike and Jenny or Vesna's friends. Also, I have a friend who lives just off Rocky Flats who worked for years in the Forest Service out West where there are big cats and she says one came very close to her while she was gardening. It is in fact well known that every year several young males from the Dakotas, West Texas, and in one case Florida go off on long wanderings in the East. Young males often travel great distances in search of a new territory.. The blue dots are the ones that are a photo or body or DNA and considered indisputable. Ive seen them.but dont report them. Buckskin color with a long tail is no Bobcat! Use binoculars, telephoto lens, or a spotting scope to view the animals.. Its my supposition that any mountain lions living in this region today arent descendents of the genetic stock that were originally here. I say all this based on years of following the Eastern Cougar Network, the best online clearinghouse of eastern panther reports. he shouted. Learn more about the park's fee program changes for 2023, including a new initiative: the Smokies Parking Tag program. (615) 353-1133. Who knows what happened to all those animals.. Sometimes I wish that would happen to a certain other type of plant. Last year, the great grandson of the man who was attacked by the last verified mountain lion in the park was in attendance.. 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. Two, they are part of the original population, which I think is unlikely. 2023 USA TODAY, a division of Gannett Satellite Information Network, LLC. He organized Virginias first Symposium on Endangered and Threatened Plants and Animals at Virginia Tech in 1978 and edited the 665-page proceedings. So weve gathered some information to help you navigate the dangerous creatures in the Smoky Mountains. About 45 percent of the reports Ive followed up on I feel are legitimate. 1702 began in mid 2014 and completed in late July 2016 with the locomotive reentering excursion service. , Besides reviewing the sighting reports, Linzey seeks other evidence of mountain lions. Additionally, Linzey thinks individuals from the endangered Florida population may also have migrated north over the years, accounting for some of the sightings that have been reported throughout the South. Also, several National Park Service rangers have told me that they have spotted mountain lions while patrolling the Blue Ridge Parkway. I Was hiking with family, and the big cat crossed the trail. This marked the first time in more than 100 years that a cougar had been seen in that state. You couldnt miss the facial markings and the stripes as it quickly turned away. Erik and I did a hike in Cosby a few years ago and found Big cat scat that were covered in the pattern of a Mountain Lion, not a Bobcat. Stand outside i heard the birds going absolutely nuts. Sure, a skunk can spray you or your dog or your camping gear, but there are ways to get the smell out eventually. Drop the food, and back away slowly with your arms raised until youre safe inside a building or your RV. We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. Nearly everyone agrees that its only a matter of time before cougars make their way back into Tennessees woods. But, its very hard to convince anybody of that fact. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. Greg when you are ready to die from being old or what not let me know and I will come film your valiant yet hopeless last fight with the cougars. For the defunct east Tennessee short line railroad, see, Learn how and when to remove this template message, Durango and Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad, List of heritage railroads in the United States, "Attraction's new owner has big plans for Great Smoky Mountain Railroad", "10 Fun Facts About the Great Smoky Mountains Railroad", "A timeline: COVID-19 pandemic hits one-year mark in N.C.", "Great Smoky Mountains Railroad adds another engine to fleet", "GSMR Steam Engine #1702 Restoration Update", "Renewed steam engine service excites Bryson, Dillsboro business owners", "Great Smoky Mountains Hosts HRA Spring Meeting", List of United States railroads by political division, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Great_Smoky_Mountains_Railroad&oldid=1142120820, Transportation in Swain County, North Carolina, Transportation in Jackson County, North Carolina, Transportation in Cherokee County, North Carolina, Transportation in Graham County, North Carolina, Tourist attractions in Swain County, North Carolina, Tourist attractions in Jackson County, North Carolina, Tourist attractions in Cherokee County, North Carolina, Tourist attractions in Graham County, North Carolina, Spin-offs of the Norfolk Southern Railway, Articles needing additional references from April 2017, All articles needing additional references, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0. We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. They are definitely here. Very scary . These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads. Its true there are also bobcats but it know the difference. I was told by a Veterinarian that a horse was attacked within a mile of my sighting. Mount Le Conte resides east of Chimney Tops and Let us know in the comments! Nashville, Tennessee 37209 People take in the view of the Blue Ridge Mountains from atop Grandfather Mountain near Linville, N.C., Monday, Oct. 18, 2021, as autumn arrives in the highlands. The Smoky Mountains are smoky in the same way that the Blue Ridge Mountains are blue: We gaze at the peaks through a subtle blue-gray filter, and Kephart captured its beauty better than anyone. "the nettle diesthe slow and painful death that it deserves" Haha. And I have to make a subjective judgment whether or not the person really saw a cougar. And the search turned up nothing. Suddenly he spotlighted a family of bobcats and roared right up on them. DNA analysis of the hair could potentially confirm the animals presence in the park. This email address is being protected from spambots. "All revenue generated through the Park it Forward program will remain in the park to support operational costs for managing and improving visitor services such as trail maintenance, custodial services, and trash removal," the park said in a press release. Beginning March 1, 2023, the Great Smoky Mountains National Park will launch the Park it Forward program. Whatever the source, Im reasonably certain that we have mountain lions in the Smokies region. Had a few significant encounters with stinging nettle off-trail this summer and decided to bide my time until the mountains cool off and the nettle diesthe slow and painful death that it deserves. Visit the Great Smoky Mountains National Park website to learn about elk biology. 1702 steam locomotive was featured in the 1966 film, This Property Is Condemned, starring Natalie Wood, Robert Redford, and Charles Bronson.[14]. Its been more than 100 years since mountain lions referred to as panthers by the mountain folk lived in the Smokies. 1009, GP9 No. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window). The easier way to identify a rattler is by the telltale rattle they use as a warning. And, again, if one does bite you, seek proper medical attention. ), 300 Orlando Avenue The mountains are big and stretch deep into Georgia, which isnt that far from Florida, where panthers continue to exist. We dont plan to change that model. 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