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MOUNTAIN
LIONS/WOLVES!
(Well
Know Facts, But Use At Your Own Risk!) |
POSSIBLY NO PICTURES
SOON... :(
These large cats are said to
no longer exist it the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, BUT there
have been 4 or 5 sightings of what MIGHT be mountain lions (or A
mountain lion) and even a fuzzy picture of what MAY be a mountain lion
walking out of a cave.
Speculation is that it might
actually be a mountain lion that was someone's 'pet' that either was
turned loose or escaped! Make SURE your camera is handy during
your next trip to the Smokies. YOU may be the one that is able to PROVE
this majestic cat exists in God's Great Smoky Mountains National Park!
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October 18th, 2002
DiscoverTheSmokies.com User's Family
Allegedly Spots Wolf AND Mountain Lion! |
Steve,
My family and I went hiking in the Smokies on Friday, October 18.
We took
the Rainbow Falls trail and saw no wildlife all the way up/down except
for
birds and squirrels. It was starting to get dark as we left the
trail
parking lot, and as we were driving out of the lot and had just got onto
the
paved portion, we saw two amazing sights that I (we) have never
personally
seen (I am 48 years old and grew up in Knoxville near the Smokies).
First, a light gray WOLF (not a coyote) quickly jumped right into our
path
(about 30 yards in front of us) and he was immediately
"startled" at our
headlights, then jumped back up the embankment in about two leaps.
As we
were sitting there just dumbfounded by seeing our first wolf ever and
still
affixed on the spot he had just vacated, it appeared that he again
leaped
back into the exact same spot in the road ----but this time, it was a
MOUNTAIN LION!! [If it was actually a Bobcat, then he was on
steroids. I
have only seen a taxidermed Bobcat on display at the park ranger’s
office to
have as a comparison. This cat was almost the same height (just a
bit
smaller) as a tiger one would see at the zoo, but not as heavy. He
appeared
to be light gray with a lighter colored face. Actually, he looked
like I
remember a cougar to look like.
It immediately turned and looked our way, and I flipped my headlights on
to
get a better look, and it gave a very angry snarl and struck out with
it’s
paw in a defensive way, then leaped clear across the road and down into
the
thicket (the opposite side of where the wolf went).
This encounter leaves me with several questions. (1) Are there
mountain
lions in the Smokies? (2) If so, how many sightings have there
been? (3)
Here’s the BIG question: Mountain Lion or Bobcat, why would we
see both a
wolf and lion jump from the same thicket? Were they in the middle
of a
confrontation as we happened upon them?
Thank you for any information you may have.
In Christ,
Mark Denning
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
Steve,
There are current rumors of sightings of a mountain lion near my home
in
Anderson County, TN. Due to that, I was doing an Internet search and
happened upon your site. I wanted to take a moment to tell you I have
personally seen a cougar a number of years ago on the Gatlinburg side
of
the Clingman's Dome parking lot. Three of us got an up close and
personal look as the big cat bounded in front of our car causing a
near
miss (or near hit if you will). It was amazing to see such a large
animal in such an unexpected place. I am an avid outdoorsman and this
was unmistakeably a mountain lion, cougar, puma or whatever you
choose
to call it but it was a BIG cat that isn't supposed to be in this
area.
God Bless,
Mike (Oak Ridge, TN)
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ONGOING DISCUSSION - WILL UPDATE
Have YOU spotted a wolf of Mtn Lion? Email
Us And Let Us Know! |
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| John 10:8 All
that ever came before me are thieves and robbers: but the sheep did not
hear them. |
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