MOUNTAIN LION IN NH

[nastygunz]

CONTACT:
Mark Ellingwood: 603-271-2461
Jane Vachon: 603-271-3211
September 18, 2009


POSSIBLE MOUNTAIN LION SIGHTING IN NEW HAMPSHIRE

CONCORD, N.H. -- The New Hampshire Fish and Game Department today reported that one of its staff members, following up on a routine report of a mountain lion sighting, saw what is believed to be a mountain lion in a rural area of Barnstead, N.H.

Mountain lions are known to exist in the wild in states no closer than Iowa and Florida, so it is not thought to be a dispersing wild animal, but rather is most likely an illegally released pet.

"Survival of this type of animal is typically extremely low as they normally do not have the developed abilities to catch prey on a consistent basis, and/or may have been de-clawed," said Fish and Game Wildlife Division Chief Steve Weber. "If the animal does survive, we would expect to collect hard evidence of its existence in the form of a picture, tracks, scat and/or DNA evidence."

Mountain lions were extirpated from their range in the Eastern United States by the late 1800s, with the exception of the endangered Florida panther. According to the nonprofit research organization cougarnet.org, there have been four confirmed reports of mountain lions in the Northeastern U.S. since 1938.

"The Fish and Game Department receives numerous reports of mountain lions every year," said Weber. "We still have no documentation to confirm their presence. While we do not believe this is a harbinger of a recovering population of mountain lions in New Hampshire, it does add one more credible report to several others we have received over the years."

[Hawks Feather]

While I was in Washington a week or so ago people "thought" (as the paper published it) one was seen in one of the parks in Seattle.  There were a couple more who thought they had seen it too, so they shut down the park and put out live traps.  Nothing for a couple of days so they went in with lion dogs and soon had it in a tree.  They darted it, put a tracking collar on it, and released it in the mountains.  I guess those people who "thought" they had seen it were right.   

Jerry

[THO Game Calls]

so it is not thought to be a dispersing wild animal, but rather is most likely an illegally released pet.

So Steve Weber - head of wildlife - wants us to believe that someone in Barnstead kept a Mountain Lion as a pet and no one ever knew about it?

Not the mail man, the UPS Man, the FedEx Man, the Water Meter Reader, the Electric Meter Reader, the Gas Meter Reader, the Paper Boy, the Snow Plow Driver - no one knew.  It was a deep dark secret.

Or maybe, it was someone from out of state who just drove it up and let it go? 

That's probably what happened.   Let's go with that.   

There are no mountain lions in NH.    No wolves either.   

Uh Huh   

[JohnP]

Sometimes it's best if the truth not be known and for our benefit.  Think of the possible consequence if Game & Fish said it was a true wild lion looking to establish a home territory.  I believe you would see an immediate response from PETA, Defenders of Wildlife and any number of other bunny huggers all trying to close the area to hunting and maybe even to any entry at all.  You would also have the added expense of management for a "endangered species"  and all the extra federal BS that goes with it.   When the gray wolf was introduce into northern Arizona the crazies tried to prohibit entry into the release areas, failing that they tried to stop hunting in the release area.  Sometimes we need not know the real story.

[THO Game Calls]

Sometimes it's best if the truth not be known and for our benefit.

Since when?   January 20th, 2009?

[JohnP]

Yup, at times I do think it is in our best interest that government officials not tell the truth.  I was in the Congo during the time Idi Amin was the "Butcher of Uganda".  The Congo borders Uganda on the north, when Uganda asked the Ambassador if the US had any agents within their borders he said "absolutely not".  I'm glad he told an untruth and I imagine so are the people we got out.   

During the Iranian hostage situation many lies were spoken.  Particuliarly for those operatives that were already in Iran I am glad our government lied as is my wife and many other wives.     

"If" the NH Game & Fish didn't tell the whole truth about lions to keep open vast amounts of land for hunting and save a bundle of money I have no problem with them being a little less than truthful.  New Hampshire is a Blue state and the governor is a liberal democrat who was a strong supporter of Obama.  I could see see him siding with the Bunny Huggers in a move to restrict hunting and even entry into an area that holds an endangered species.

Do I believe in wholesale lying from our government - absolutely not. There is a time and place for everything and this may or may not have been one of those times. 

[THO Game Calls]

Yup, at times I do think it is in our best interest that government officials not tell the truth.

"Those who would give up Essential Liberty to purchase a little Temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety"

Your argument seeks to draw an analogy between the need for secrecy as it relates to the necessities of maintaining National Security with lying to the people by it's elected officials anytime they feel it would be in our best interest for them to do so.   

The two are mutually exclusive and one has no bearing on the other. 

Perhaps, however, this is the root of the problem?   Our elected officials have been doing what they feel is right for us,and we have allowed them, regardless of what "we" think, for so long that we no longer deserve the truth, or, to paraphrase  the fictional character Col. Jessep, in 'A Few Good Men' "We can't handle the truth". 

The famous and often recited quote by Edmund Burke that "All that is necessary for evil to triumph is for good men to do nothing" is surly relevant here, but perhaps not so much as one of his less famous lines:

"When bad men combine, the good must associate; else they will fall one by one, an unpitied sacrifice in a contemptible struggle."

To believe that what the Government tells us is true without ever questioning it flies in the face of what the Founding Fathers of this country stood and fought for. 

I for one, am not a sheep.   I will not believe everything the government, be it Federal, State or local, tells me.   I will question, and I will raise my voice when I feel it needs to be raised.   As an American, that is my right - my duty.

As it is yours.   To suggest otherwise, is to confirm why this country is where it is today, and why who is leading it, is.  It's time for a gut check, and perhaps, of parts a bit lower.   Therefor, I reject your premise that it is sometimes OK for my government to lie to me, and am appalled that you would suggest such.



On the issue of the supposed lion in NH -

Bow season opened here on the 15th.  Muzzleloader season opens in a couple of weeks, and our 28 day gun season opens 11 days later.   

It's going to suck being a mountain lion in New Hampshire for the next couple of months.   We may be a blue state, but that's Gun Blue to many of us.

[KySongDog]

   

[JohnP]

 

[JohnP]

Hopefully I am to old to ever be in a tight spot again, but if I am I hope our government lies their butts off to get me home.  I need no gut check or anyother check as I know exactly where I came from, where I'm at and where I'm going.  I will never sacrifice freedom for safety quite the opposite I have sacrificed my safety for others freedom.  I stand by what I said, if your appalled, so be it.  I have nothing else to add to this conversation so I'll close with - Good hunting and I hope you see that lion.  If not and you would like to get one come on out here.  We'll do our best to get ya one.   

[THO Game Calls]

Fair enough.   From reading your post, I know you are a patriot.   Thank you for what you have done for our country, and for all of us.

I too hope I get to see that lion, or any lion in the woods here in NH.  I hope one day we have a breeding population of them.   With luck, they'll develop a taste for bunny hugging democrats.