What about mountain lions in alabama?

Question

I live in a very wooded area in East Alabama and I know we once had mountain lions here. They range in name from panther, to mountain lion to cougar...anyway, we heard a horrific screaming like a begging sound coming from the woods in my backyard last night. I've lived here for my entire life 33 years and never once heard anything like this. The bobcats that live around our area DO NOT sound like that. I have had some insight that Florida actually released several panthers into South AL and South GA to help re-establish their population. Does anyone have any info on this or does anyone live in AL and have the same happenings? I have not actually seen the animal that made the horrid sounds and I really don't wanna see it but I do have small kids and I am a little concerned. Most people around here will tell you that they are no longer here in AL. I have a Game Inspector coming to my house this w'end but I am dying to know other people's experience in my area. It was a creepy sound

Answer 1

mountain lions, or bobcats are very common all over north america, so just report the sound to the game warden and let them handle it.  also panthers, cougars and catamounts.

Answer 2

http://www.easterncougarnet.org/bigpictu...

shows a map of confirmed sightings.

Answer 3

I live in California and they stopped cougar hunting about 20 years ago.  The new cats now aren't so afraid of humans and as we move out into their areas, they wander into ours.

There have been a few very rare incidents, none with children so far.  Apparently, they eat what their mother fed them when they were cubs.  Unless they're near starving, they won't bother with other things, particularly dangerous-looking things like humans.

One of the incidents decades ago involved a female with cubs.  The Fish and Game people thought she was desperate for food for her cubs.  They had to hunt her and her two cubs down and kill all three.  They couldn't take the chance the cubs may always see humans as food.

Don't judge the situation by California, though.   Here in coastal California (Ecotopia) it's worse than what you've heard.  It's not like Alabama, or other places I've been out there.  Most people here are really naive.  They live in a fairy tale world where, in their minds, wild animals are like pets.  They get in trouble because they do stupid things in the wrong places at the wrong times.

Central and western California is different.  Mostly country people live there on farms and ranches.  They know how to act around such animals.

If there's plenty of deer or other stuff for it to eat, the cat won't be interested in harming you unless you attack it.  If you know there’s one near, and you keep your kids close to you, stay back from brush and other cover, and have something ready that'll drop a cat, you should be OK.

If you're ever facing something like that, and it's a female with young (particularly bears) never, never, never be between her and her young.  They can be acting friendly but as soon as she sees you between, things can change suddenly.

When you encounter such animals, move away but never, never run.  Back away.  Look as big as you can.  Look as many as you can.  If you pass good weapons (strong, thicker sticks that'll break to points, pipes, rocks) pick them up.  I'm assuming you don't have useful knives or guns with you, like coastal Californians usually don't.

Most likely that'll be as close as you get.  If you are one of the extremely rare unlucky ones that must fight, do the most damage you can the quickest you can.  Go for what comes at you first, stab the paws, smash the claws.  Smash the teeth and always go for the eyes any chance you have.  You will be attacking what he needs the most, and what he is throwing at you.

Particularly with the cat, that'll be fast.  Don't wait to see how you did before the next hit. You need a weapon in each hand and smash or stab everything you can reach anytime you can reach it as fast as you can do it, until that thing backs off or you're gone.

If you have a pipe or good size rock, and the nose or top of the skull becomes available smash it as hard as you can.  The skull of a bear is thick.  Unless you have a large, heavy arm, another target would be better on that animal.

If you win a round, and you have a chance to move out, do it.  I guess I didn't need to note that.

This all might seem pretty risky to you, but if that thing is coming after you, believe me, you won't outrun it.  You have some chance, with any decent weapon.

Right off, they have no doctors.  They know if you look like you can seriously hurt them, they may change their mind.  A broken foot means the end of their life.  They can no longer catch prey, and they know it.

Answer 4

I have lived in south West Georgia most all my life.  I have hunted and trapped this area most of my life too.  While I have never seen a panther here, I cut one's trail back in the early 90's.  I have since found out that Florida was doing some feasability studies with cats from texas over near the Georgia line in the Osceolla national forest.  Apparently a good number of the cats made their way into georgia (they had radio collars) with one of them making their way into south west georgia.  I can only assume that the trail I cut was one of those, it was the right time frame.  They eventually caught all the test animals after the study.  With that being said, they learned that the habitat had no problems supporting panthers and there is clear evidence that they are moving east from the west.  There is also been evidence of young male dispersal heading north from south west florida.  If it is a panther, I would not worry to much, they have huge territories and it will most likely be a young male who shouldn't be staying in your area, he will be looking for a mate and so far it appears to be only young males wandering.  However, as long as you are hearing the sounds, don't be letting your children out real early in the morning, or close to sunset, the cats are nocturnal and that is when they are hunting.  East alabama has plenty of deer and they are the prefered food of panthers so you shouldn't have to worry about it being starving.

Answer 5

Yes, that scream is like a woman's last dying scream. It will set you up in bed. I know, I've heard it. I live in Kansas and there have been reports of mountain lions for the last decade. The legend is that they were placed here to control the deer population. But the fish and wildlife have denied that there are mountain lions in Kansas.

I would research how to protect yourself from mountain lions and ask the game inspector for information. One www site said not to leave food or trash around your property, and if you come in contact with one, don't bend over, just scream at it and make yourself look bigger than the lion so it will run. I think if I were a mother I would put whistles on chains around my kid's necks, so if they see something strange, they can whistle for you.