Another cougar sighting in S/W Ontario

[fletch]

"Currently there is an estimated 550 North American pumas in the province and their numbers are increasing steadily to a sustainable population." from the puma foundation of Ontario.

I don't think there were 550 pet puma owners who lost their "Pets".
And everyone knows the ministry did release the cougars no conspiracy to talk about. Gov't policy never never admit responsibility.

[tracer]

On A Barrie radio station this morning a lady phoned in a sighting of a cougar standing on the shoulder of the 400 HYW extension north of Barrie, waiting to cross the highway.

[GREY OWL]

Just so that I get this right. If a wild cougar is roaming the bush, its a wild cougar. If someone's pet got loose, and doesn't come back, then I believe it will go wild, or at least will one day be wild. So pet or no pet, these animals will become dangerous one day.

Grey Owl

[Beech]

Hey , I know that spot I walk my dog there almost every day. Just over the other side of the bridge from the rifle range. Haven't seen anything yet although on the farm I hunt on , not to far from this spot, the family saw ,what they say was a wolf that the farm dog scared off . They said it was to big to be a yote. I have a trail cam out , maybe I will see a Pic....Beech

[Pydpiper]

If you are talking the walking bridge, then yes, that is the spot. I was at that bridge when I seen him.
We may cross paths some day, I do a lot of shooting on that range. Usually park at the top of the hill, I hunt the farm on the other side of the tracks.

Hey , I know that spot I walk my dog there almost every day. Just over the other side of the bridge from the rifle range. Haven't seen anything yet although on the farm I hunt on , not to far from this spot, the family saw ,what they say was a wolf that the farm dog scared off . They said it was to big to be a yote. I have a trail cam out , maybe I will see a Pic....Beech

[bait pile willie]

now how do they come up with 550 cats in ont.why isnt there photographic proof they exist.with all the deer hunters ,moose hunters.out there why hasnt one been shot?farmers would be loosing livestock all the time.Im sure they dont eat deer all the time.

[DOXNUT]

i heard from a little blue bird that canadian government has a program going reintroducing the cougar, definilty would explain all the signing in the past year. Not sure how much truth there is, in what i heard. But it sure wouldn't surprise me.

[maple]

The December 2007 issue of Canadian Geographic's cover photo is of a cougar and the headline is " The Cat is Back, Cougars prowl Ontario Again". The article is not too long, but They have obviously been here for a while. Once native to Ontario, they, like the wild turkeys, are back again.

[Pydpiper]

now how do they come up with 550 cats in ont.why isnt there photographic proof they exist.with all the deer hunters ,moose hunters.out there why hasnt one been shot?farmers would be loosing livestock all the time.Im sure they dont eat deer all the time.

Glad I wasn't the only one who found those numbers odd.
Also, their front page says they are working in co-operation with the MNR, yet the MNR denies the existence in great numbers.. Kind of a fishy website.
We saw a lynx at the Telephone City hunt club a couple years ago, can't help but think that is what the public is confusing with cougars.

[chris4570]

A couple years back while hunting in Codrington, my friend( a veterinarian and all round knowledgable guy), saw an animal cross a field at daybreak. It had followed a path taken only moments before by a coyote. This animal was bigger, with a much different gait. The same morning another one in our hunting group saw an animal in his side of the field with a "five foot tail" brown and a white patch on the throat??? We all just looked at each other after the two told us what they had seen and immediately said cougar.

I firmly believe wild cougars do exist in Ontario. How many have seen the relatively common lynx? I've seen tracks. Once! Cats are masters at being invisible, elusive. Just because we don't see them doesn't mean they are not there. Just like those nocturnal bucks!!!


It is illegal to allow your dog to chase big game unless licenced to do so. And I do believe a conservation officer can shoot a dog if it is in pursuit of deer/moose/bear. So if a non-native(not endangered), escaped pet cougar is chasing or roaming where there is big game would the same laws apply?

[DropTine]

I hope so Chris, im gunna shoot if it comes at me!

[MADMAX2]

I grew up in north Burlington ONT and hunted coyotes right at the bottom of the niagara escartment the coyotes used the bottom of the cliff as a well travelled coridor our black and tans had a hell of a time up there chasen them but we shot our fare share,anyway that coridor was also used by cougars.That was confirmed by the MNR AT lowville park.That escartment is still being used today by varius wildlife a small black bear was shot in greensville ONT a few years back.l

[Rudy]

I was rabbit hunting a couple years a little west of Listowel. We were driving down some country roads slowly looking up in the trees for the odd grouse when a large black cat ran in front of our truck. It was definitley a large cat.

A year later, somewhat around the area we sighted the large cat, we were asking farmers permission to hunt goose on their land. One farmer was very talkative when he asked us if we wanted a coffee. We sat down and started talking when I noticed a picture from the local paper lying on his table. It was a picture of a Northern Cougar. He told us that the farmer down the road seen it in his field and happened to get a picture of it.

Since then I've heard stories about the ministry putting cougars out to control the deer population. When they were asked they denied everything.

Northern Cougars have been sighted in the Listowel area for well over ten years. If I wouldn't have seen one for my self I probably never would of believed it.

[Hi5]

now how do they come up with 550 cats in ont.why isnt there photographic proof they exist.with all the deer hunters ,moose hunters.out there why hasnt one been shot?farmers would be loosing livestock all the time.Im sure they dont eat deer all the time.

Farmers won't likely lose livestock in any numbers unless the natural food supply gets scarce. Who's to say none have been lost to cougar, come to think of it? Wolves, coyotes, bears and stray dogs would be the first to get blamed if there was no clear evidence of what did the killing. If there is only bones and fur left, what did the killing?

You can bank on one thing, though. If cougars are now frequently being seen, there numbers are getting high.

As to how the number was arrived at, I would suspect that there may be some formula that is used. If reports of sightings are at a certain number, that number is extrapolated to a guestimate of what exists in the wild.

The crunch will come if there is a drastic drop in wild game numbers. Then the joggers, pet owners, farmers with livestock, and people with little kids will need to alter their habits.

[Pydpiper]

I called an acquaintance of mine in the MNR today on an unrelated issue, looks like there are some pictures this time, poor quality phone shots. (reminds me of Bigfoot!)
I will post them if I can get a hold of them.