Just saw on the news tonight...

[HuntnCarve]

Tonight on the local news they reported on an Amishman who was attacked by a "large" cat.  They actually showed the claw marks on his arm.  According to the story there were three large cats sighted.  Apparently he shot one of them, (does not say what he shot it with?) then on approaching the downed animal.  It sprang at him, raking his arm.  It ran off into the woods.  Upon following the cat, it, or another jumped on him from a tree.  He managed to stab it with a knife while fending it off.  It ran off too.  The Pennsylvania Game Commission was there investigating.  They did get some hair samples from where it was shot.  Then they had the State Police helicopter searching the woods with infra red.  They did not find anything.  So then they brought in dogs, but they did not find anything.  The farmer that they interviewed said "large brown cats"...  The Game Commission then went on to say " That there is no breeding population of mountain lions in Pennsylvania".. But there are supposedly hundreds of cats held by permit holders in facilities."
Someone's got some explaining to do?  I'm curious how this one's going to play out?  Here's a link that barely explains things verses the news report.
http://www.wgal.com/news/17687456/detail.html

[Rich]

We have a few cougars in Iowa, so why not PA? The Fish and Game folks don't seem to know much about these big cats. Are cougars protected in PA?  It is very rare for cougars in the wild to attack people. The only cases of full grown  people being attacked have been around those big parks where people feed them, ain't allowed to shoot em, so the cougars there have lost their fear of humans.  My guess is that the Amish guy saw a cougar, shot it but just wounded it and ticked it off enough to scratch the dickens out of him when he followed it into the woods. 

[coyotehunter_1]

Could be...

 
General Information

Eastern pumas are reddish brown-tan in color. They have white fur on the belly and under the chin. Black markings are apparent behind the ears, on the face, and on the tip of the tail. On average, they weigh between 65 to 130 pounds and grow to be 6 ft in length. Their western counterparts can grow up to 170 pounds because of availability of larger prey. Many eastern pumas have an upward turn or kink at the end of the tail and a swirl or cow lick in the middle of the back. Puma cubs are pale with spots and have rings around the tail. They lose their spots and rings at approximately six months of age.
Current Listing Status:    Endangered

Date Listed:   Jun 4, 1973
Lead Region:    Northeast Region (Region 5)

States/US Territories in which the Eastern puma (=cougar) is known to occur:  Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia
USFWS Refuges in which the Eastern puma (=cougar) is known to occur:  CAROLINA SANDHILLS NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE, CROSS CREEKS NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE, TENNESSEE NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE


Source:
http://ecos.fws.gov/speciesProfile/SpeciesReport.do?spcode=A046

[FinsnFur]

Thats interesting. There's been a few unconfirmed sightings here too.

This part cracks me up though;

It ran off into the woods.  Upon following the cat, it, or another jumped on him from a tree

Why would ya follow it after being attacked.

[coyotehunter_1]

"Apparently he shot one of them"

First he shot and wounded what maybe an endangered and Federally protected species,  then he goes wandering into the woods looking for it?
Then he tells the press what he did ?


Maybe he's  "not too bright" of a Amishman 

[LBLDOG]

They also say this in Murray ky, a land owner I know in the NEW CONCORD area has a cat on trail cam . the KFWDR says cant really tell for sure . I was showed these pics at work , it is true you cant make out a tail in the pics at all but let me tell you it is a big cat and i wouldnt want it on me!  Im hoping the land owner gets better pics.

[coyotehunter_1]

A few years ago, while coyote hunting, I called in a mature female cougar. It was less than 75 yards away, on the opposite side of a small river, from where I was setup. Luckily I saw it before it spotted me. No shots were fired and I didn't get ate.  After asking around, I learned it had been spotted by several people in the area. Later it was verified to be a cougar by a local animal control officer. Without seeing it, our game and fish reported it as being a large bobcat. 


Pretty big bobcat (with a three foot tail)  :roflmao:

[Rich]

Chet,
Isn't it strange how the Game wardens act clueless about the cougar population? I think maybe the states are afraid of law suits regarding livestock kills, or maybe even children being mauled by cougars. As much time as those guys spend in the outdoors, I would think that they know about the cougars for crying out loud. I think the law suit possibility is why the state of Iowa has an open season on the buggers all year around. If ya see one, shoot the bugger. I love that policy. 

[HuntnCarve]

According to PA Game laws, mountain lions are protected.  So shooting one would be a violation.  But hey!  Since they don't exist here it should not be a problem.  As populated as Lancaster County is, I'm betting it was a captive cat that escaped.  The Amish man shot it, and wounded it.  Then got trounced as he tried to save a bullet $ and a hide. LOL!  I'm guessing he wasn't about to let it $$ get away.  Then got worked over once again when he chased it into the woods.  Like I said, it will be interesting to see how this all plays out?

[Kuipdog]

Iowa has an open season on mt lion, but the DNR here is really trying to get them put on the endangered species list so you can't hunt them. The legislature is not letting them get it done. I know a guy in lucas county that has a video of a momma and 2 kits, so they are breeding here!
Kuipdog