Cougars revisted.......

Avacal · 05-17-2009, 05:40 PM

So I talked to a ranger that said the DEC is now aware of cougars in the indian lake area but that they are not reproducing. A few locals that have sighted the big cats have said that they are concerned.

I guess I would like to see if anyone has anything new to report. I myself came accross tracks in the snow while climbing Algonquin. They were heading down hill crossing the trail with about a 15 foot spread between them. The thing that caught my eye was the "S" swoosh mark in the snow amongst the tracks.....tail marks. Another sighting by a friends brother who saw one dart along the meadow near Johns-brook lodge.

hobbitling · 05-17-2009, 06:23 PM

That would be way cool. I'll hold out for hard proof.

did you follow the tracks?

Avacal · 05-17-2009, 07:18 PM

Didn't have time to follow. Had a crew I was snowshoeing with. If it is true , I think it won't be too long till a documented encounter occurs.....hopefully not me.

law_adk · 05-17-2009, 08:25 PM

Thats a good reason to always have a digital camera handy when out in the woods.

mrbrklyn · 05-17-2009, 08:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by law_adk

Thats a good reason to always have a digital camera handy when out in the woods.

Might need to set up a trip wire shooter if you want to photograph a cat. They don't announce themselves or pose for pictures and if your close enough to photograph one you might be busy with other matters when face to face with a big cat.

When I grew up in Florida both Cougars and Alligators where seen even in Fort Lauderdale and you did not get close to them. Seems the Cougar population down there plummeted since then.

Ruben

redhawk · 05-17-2009, 08:40 PM

In the Indian lake Area. Wonder if they migrated from the Silver Lake Wilderness?

law_adk · 05-17-2009, 09:57 PM

You can take pictures of the tracks for someone to make an ID

hobbitling · 05-18-2009, 09:24 AM

A camera trap baited with cougar scat or urine would probably do the trick.

AdRegion · 05-18-2009, 10:28 AM

Most Cougars are now younger than me, so I don't mind if they are around.

What?

gulo · 05-18-2009, 11:46 AM

Folks are actually finding that body fragrances like Obsession, and even knock-offs at $8 for 8 ounces, work better than natural lures. Plenty of critters are attracted to the natural lures, but as soon as I began putting body fragrances in front of the cams, the change in their behavior was remarkable. They went from pics of interested sniffing to rolling in the stuff, almost like a universal cat-nip.

Some biologists think it's because of the novelty of the scent in the system, but I don't know why that would induce them to act stoned.

redhawk · 05-18-2009, 02:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gulo

Folks are actually finding that body fragrances like Obsession, and even knock-offs at $8 for 8 ounces, work better than natural lures. Plenty of critters are attracted to the natural lures, but as soon as I began putting body fragrances in front of the cams, the change in their behavior was remarkable. They went from pics of interested sniffing to rolling in the stuff, almost like a universal cat-nip.

Some biologists think it's because of the novelty of the scent in the system, but I don't know why that would induce them to act stoned.

Maybe they're "obsessed" with it. Is it drawing males or females? Maybe I'll try some for myself.

colden46 · 05-18-2009, 05:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Avacal

So I talked to a ranger that said the DEC is now aware of cougars in the indian lake area but that they are not reproducing. A few locals that have sighted the big cats have said that they are concerned.

Who was the ranger?

Avacal · 05-18-2009, 10:04 PM

Sorry, I didn't get a name.

mrbrklyn · 05-18-2009, 11:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by redhawk

Maybe they're "obsessed" with it. Is it drawing males or females? Maybe I'll try some for myself.

It works on Broadway and the Upper Eastside...

Rik · 05-19-2009, 08:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gulo

Folks are actually finding that body fragrances like Obsession, and even knock-offs at $8 for 8 ounces, work better than natural lures. Plenty of critters are attracted to the natural lures, but as soon as I began putting body fragrances in front of the cams, the change in their behavior was remarkable. They went from pics of interested sniffing to rolling in the stuff, almost like a universal cat-nip.

Some biologists think it's because of the novelty of the scent in the system, but I don't know why that would induce them to act stoned.

Good to know I'm not the only one that does that.

Buster Bear · 05-19-2009, 06:23 PM

What Rik, Use Obsession or act stoned?

Rik · 05-20-2009, 08:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Buster Bear

What Rik, Use Obsession or act stoned?

Rolling around in it.

AdRegion · 05-20-2009, 09:42 AM

According to The Google, this article is the #1 resource for information:

How to attract Cougars??

"Tie a steak around your neck!"

Ironically, the advice may be pretty good.

Keithk · 05-21-2009, 10:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Avacal

So I talked to a ranger that said the DEC is now aware of cougars in the indian lake area but that they are not reproducing. A few locals that have sighted the big cats have said that they are concerned.

Can't trust everything that you read, can't trust everything that you hear from a ranger.....

While I do believe that there are some of them in the park, the continued lack of high quality, documented evidence is somewhat surprising. Everyone and their brother has seen one, yet where are the high quality (and not from a quarter mile away) pictures. Where are the videos? Why havn't any been hit by cars? I mean there are only a couple hundred moose in the park, and yet they're getting smacked by cars all the time. if cougars had been making a comeback of sorts over the past decade or two, where is the evidence. I dunno

mrbrklyn · 05-21-2009, 11:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Keithk

Can't trust everything that you read, can't trust everything that you hear from a ranger.....

While I do believe that there are some of them in the park, the continued lack of high quality, documented evidence is somewhat surprising. Everyone and their brother has seen one, yet where are the high quality (and not from a quarter mile away) pictures. Where are the videos? Why havn't any been hit by cars? I mean there are only a couple hundred moose in the park, and yet they're getting smacked by cars all the time. if cougars had been making a comeback of sorts over the past decade or two, where is the evidence. I dunno

You make a good point and quality of evidence is an essential part of any scientific study. Even without a close up picture, dung droppings, carcases and other annotated, and statistically accounted for evidence is really needed for the declaration of the return of the Mountain Lion to the region. And I'm not certain that such a serious study has been undertaken. Perhaps a group here can get together and create a serious study of the issue and make a responsible and publishable paper supported with collected evidence.

I'd be happy to help right the parameters of such a study and to help with its publication.

Ruben

05-17-2009, 06:23 PM	#2
hobbitling spring fever Join Date: May 2006 Location: Albany Posts: 1,956	That would be way cool. I'll hold out for hard proof. did you follow the tracks? __________________ He found himself wondering at times, especially in the autumn, about the wild lands, and strange visions of mountains that he had never seen came into his dreams.

05-17-2009, 07:18 PM	#3
Avacal Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Posts: 110	Didn't have time to follow. Had a crew I was snowshoeing with. If it is true , I think it won't be too long till a documented encounter occurs.....hopefully not me. __________________ Avacal

05-17-2009, 08:40 PM	#6
redhawk Senior Resident Curmudgeon Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: In My Memories Posts: 8,916	In the Indian lake Area. Wonder if they migrated from the Silver Lake Wilderness? __________________ "If future generations are to remember us with gratitude rather than contempt, we must leave them more than the miracles of technology. We must leave them a glimpse of the world as it was in the beginning, not just after we got through with it." Lyndon B. Johnson It Ain't Your Daddy's Trail Food Redhawk's Lodge

05-18-2009, 09:24 AM	#8
hobbitling spring fever Join Date: May 2006 Location: Albany Posts: 1,956	A camera trap baited with cougar scat or urine would probably do the trick. __________________ He found himself wondering at times, especially in the autumn, about the wild lands, and strange visions of mountains that he had never seen came into his dreams.

05-18-2009, 10:28 AM	#9
AdRegion TourPro Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Plattsburgh Posts: 296	Most Cougars are now younger than me, so I don't mind if they are around. What? __________________ Adirondack Base Camp Adirondack Trailhead

05-17-2009, 05:40 PM	#1
Avacal Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Posts: 110	Cougars revisted....... So I talked to a ranger that said the DEC is now aware of cougars in the indian lake area but that they are not reproducing. A few locals that have sighted the big cats have said that they are concerned. I guess I would like to see if anyone has anything new to report. I myself came accross tracks in the snow while climbing Algonquin. They were heading down hill crossing the trail with about a 15 foot spread between them. The thing that caught my eye was the "S" swoosh mark in the snow amongst the tracks.....tail marks. Another sighting by a friends brother who saw one dart along the meadow near Johns-brook lodge. __________________ Avacal

05-17-2009, 08:25 PM	#4
law_adk Member Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Gloversville/Syracuse, NY Posts: 76	Thats a good reason to always have a digital camera handy when out in the woods.

05-17-2009, 09:57 PM	#7
law_adk Member Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Gloversville/Syracuse, NY Posts: 76	You can take pictures of the tracks for someone to make an ID

05-18-2009, 11:46 AM	#10
gulo Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: the Gunks Posts: 126	Folks are actually finding that body fragrances like Obsession, and even knock-offs at $8 for 8 ounces, work better than natural lures. Plenty of critters are attracted to the natural lures, but as soon as I began putting body fragrances in front of the cams, the change in their behavior was remarkable. They went from pics of interested sniffing to rolling in the stuff, almost like a universal cat-nip. Some biologists think it's because of the novelty of the scent in the system, but I don't know why that would induce them to act stoned.

05-18-2009, 10:04 PM	#13
Avacal Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Posts: 110	Sorry, I didn't get a name. __________________ Avacal

05-19-2009, 06:23 PM	#16
Buster Bear Trail Bum Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: 1000 Islands Posts: 386	What Rik, Use Obsession or act stoned? __________________ Ripples never come back. -Genesis CL50 #49 Last edited by Buster Bear; 05-19-2009 at 06:26 PM.. Reason: How the heck can you misspell stoned?

05-20-2009, 09:42 AM	#18
AdRegion TourPro Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Plattsburgh Posts: 296	According to The Google, this article is the #1 resource for information: How to attract Cougars?? "Tie a steak around your neck!" Ironically, the advice may be pretty good. __________________ Adirondack Base Camp Adirondack Trailhead

Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)

Thread Tools
Show Printable Version Email this Page
Display Modes
Linear Mode Switch to Hybrid Mode Switch to Threaded Mode