Change), You are commenting using your Facebook account. He doesnt provide figures since that date, but my recent discussions with park service biologists would lead me to believe that sightings have increased in the Smokies in recent years, particularly in the Clingmans Dome area. View the Drivin & Vibin Privacy Policy Here. Ive talked with 2 different GSMNP employees, one attached to wildlife biology, whove seen lions themselves in or near the park. We dont mean to scare you away from the Smoky Mountains. We definitely do have mountain lions in the smokey mountains, in have seen more than one with my own eyes. One special note is that the babies will play dead if they feel threatened. I hope they are in there also I wouldn't be surprised. And so for years, Ive thought to myself, well, its possible. Many ridges, creeks, swamps and mountains were long ago named for panthers or the colloquial term painters, both common names in this part of the country for the cougar. We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. And the search turned up nothing. So, if you or your dog get bit, seek medical attention quickly, especially if it breaks the skin. Theyare non-refundable, non-transferable and ineligible for upgrades. He managed to inflict a deep wound in its left shoulder. But that open mind keeps bumping up against some hard facts. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary". Fish and Wildlife Service. Wild black panthers have never existed in the wild in North America, said Hunter. The Family Felidae contains a number of species, including jaguars, I then called the Crossville,Tennessee wildlife conservation center and the officer thought I was crazy. Oh yes they are here in E TN. America's most-visited national parkdoes not charge entrance fees, but starting today, it doeschargefor parking. The National Park Service reintroduced Elk to the Smoky Mountains in 2001, and theyre now thriving. The next year the Georgia Department of Natural Resources announced that the animal, which was initially thought to have been an escaped pet, had come from the South Florida population. I frequently hear from people who have spotted a mountain lion in Western North Carolina. The railroad owns the Smoky Mountain Trains Museum in Bryson City, North Carolina; located across Greenlee Street from the Bryson City Depot. 2668. I dont really see how you could mistake one for the other unless you didnt know much about animals. In 1991, it was purchased by the GSMR until 2005, when it was taken out of service due to firebox issues. 10 seconds later they Sprinted by me (40 feet) and up the mountain. About 8 years ago I saw one in Big Copeland chasing a deer and it stopped and looked me dead in the eye from about 50 yards away. One of the biggest dangers with bears in the Smokies is that theyre known to sniff out food as youre carrying it from your car to your cabin or RV. , I think smokey mts would have mt.lions.trail cams have recorded them here in upper east.tn. Who knows what happened to all those animals.. This engine was originally slated to be moved to the GSMR in spring 2011. The last elk in North Carolina was killed in the late 18th century and the last elk in Tennessee is thought to have been killed in the early 19th century. So how does Linzey, author of several guidebooks including Mammals of Great Smoky Mountains National Park, and The Mammals of Virginia, reconcile these reports with the official governmental view that the Eastern Cougar has died off? Tagsareavailable forpurchasein person and online and must be displayed on the front, passenger windshield of each vehicle. I called the owner of the house and he said youre the 3rd person to tell me that. The primary groups involved are the National Park Service, University of Tennessee, Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, North Carolina Wildlife Resources Committee and the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians. If a policeman can mistake a bobcat for a tiger, then it is not in my opinion a gigantic logical leap to assume the majority of people who spot cougars and panthers and mountain lions are not seeing these extremely rare animals. Read Also: Feral humans in the Smoky Mountains? For the defunct east Tennessee short line railroad, see, Learn how and when to remove this template message, Durango and Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad, List of heritage railroads in the United States, "Attraction's new owner has big plans for Great Smoky Mountain Railroad", "10 Fun Facts About the Great Smoky Mountains Railroad", "A timeline: COVID-19 pandemic hits one-year mark in N.C.", "Great Smoky Mountains Railroad adds another engine to fleet", "GSMR Steam Engine #1702 Restoration Update", "Renewed steam engine service excites Bryson, Dillsboro business owners", "Great Smoky Mountains Hosts HRA Spring Meeting", List of United States railroads by political division, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Great_Smoky_Mountains_Railroad&oldid=1142120820, Transportation in Swain County, North Carolina, Transportation in Jackson County, North Carolina, Transportation in Cherokee County, North Carolina, Transportation in Graham County, North Carolina, Tourist attractions in Swain County, North Carolina, Tourist attractions in Jackson County, North Carolina, Tourist attractions in Cherokee County, North Carolina, Tourist attractions in Graham County, North Carolina, Spin-offs of the Norfolk Southern Railway, Articles needing additional references from April 2017, All articles needing additional references, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0. Bobcat encounters are rare and often these animals completely avoid human contact unless they are rabid. First, he points to the sheer numbers of cougar reports throughout the region. Ive seen them.but dont report them. (LogOut/ A Wondrous Diversity of Life. Ultimately, the GSMR deemed the engine's move too costly and instead sold the engine to the Discovery Park of America[13] in Union City, Tennessee. His body of work includes the textbook Vertebrate Biology, recognized nationally as the most readable on the subject, and the guidebooks A Natural History Guide: Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Mammals of Virginia, and Snakes of Virginia.. "100% of funds collected from these fees stay in the Smokies and go directly back into preserving the Smokies and ensuring the visitor experience remains first-rate," the national park said on its website. If true, Iwould guess that the park service would not advertise this widely, but I hope they will at least give us a clear, honest "yes" or "no" on this one. Lots of people, including a man who ran a wildlife sanctuary, saw these animals. Game cameras or genetic testing of fur left behind provide evidence. Webthe cougar. The National Park Service states, Willfully approaching within 50 yards (150 feet), or any distance that disturbs or displaces a bear is illegal in the park. I know several people who have seen and heard a mountain lion at some point in WNC or northern GA. Not only have I heard them but I have seen a black one. Mountain lions have been caught on camera in Indiana, and Tennessee wildlife officials maintain a map that shows confirmed cougar sightings, including at least "Panthers!" Even now, I can vividly recall the combined grace and power of that animal. Besides reviewing the sighting reports, Linzey seeks other evidence of mountain lions. Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors. In 2007, GSMR made the decision to close their Dillsboro depot and relocate their headquarters from Dillsboro to Bryson City due to their dispute with the Dillsboro Town Council not being resolved. In the park and most other areas, its illegal to get within 150 feet of an elk. Camp under the stars. For many years the Eastern Cougar, the subspecies to which the population in Tennessee belonged, has been thought to have gone the way of the Passenger Pigeon. The North Carolina Department of Transportation recently announced preparations for construction on I-40 over Harmon Den Road that would integrate a wildlife crossing into the new structure. Please, however, do not try to pet a bobcat. "the nettle diesthe slow and painful death that it deserves" Haha. Wild Boars are especially violent if you get near their children, using their tusks to stab violently. Im not sure where I was but I ended up in NC near Robbinsville. If you do come across a mountain lion, do not run and do not approach it. If the elk charges you, run! Approaching within 50 yards, or any distance that disturbs or displaces an elk is illegal in the park and can be punished by fines and arrest. Tweet Come with a backup destination in mind and park responsibly with all wheels out of the roadway. Hopefully we can do it off trail to add to the suspense. The only comment I would have on the stories is that I do believe that the citizens of the state truly do believe that they have seen a cougar wild if they say they have seen a cougar. The GSMR had purchased a third steam locomotive, a former Swedish State Railways 4-6-0 #1149,[13] in 2010 from the defunct Belfast and Moosehead Lake Railroad. document.getElementById('cloak96fa7cd342640a6f100bd7fba15504d5').innerHTML = ''; Gatlinburg Never turn your back on a mountain lion. Tom Sparks could tell something wasnt right that day in 1920 high up on Spence Field in the Great Smoky Mountains. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. I do take a few minutes and check the status of my GoSmokies family. Interesting read on "the Barnes girls". Here's what travelersshould know if they plan todriveto the parkstraddling North Carolina and Tennessee. I've been distracted with "stuff" but still get in the park a time or two or three each month. It released its grip and ran away. The policemans claim was placed under a little more scrutiny. With help of a team of investors, the MacNeils secured the lease within 48 hours of the Norfolk Southern Railway dispatching work trains to the Murphy Branch to begin dismantling the track. So for me, I know they are here. It does not store any personal data. By the end of the Recently delivered to the GSMR on June 28, 2021. 1702, which was built by Baldwin Locomotive Works in September 1942 for the U.S. Army during World War II. This ride has annually been a major economy boost for the railroad and the town of Bryson City. Operated for the Southern Railway steam excursion program from 1970 to 1980. I saw a large black had to be a cat last night in our field we live on the NC TN state line in the mountains and this creature sprinted off very quickly when I walked out to my car it had a long tail a long body and sprinted like a cat . Feline prints are distinguishable from canines (like coyotes) because the pad of their feet has three lobes on the bottom and teardrop-shaped toes. WebVisitors occasionally report seeing mountain lions, however, no concrete scientific evidence of their existence (such as tracks, scat, or other signs) has been found in the The Smoky Mountain News is a wholly private corporation. [5] In 2012, the GSMR made an agreement with the Swain County of North Carolina donating US$700,000 to construct a new steam locomotive workshop for the restoration of No. Certainly, you can find many of these animals across the country in urban or suburban areas. Our site produces editorial content for the purpose of entertainment. Good to see you on here Greg. Three months later a mountain lion was wiped out by an SUV on a highway in Connecticut. Whatever the source, Im reasonably certain that we have mountain lions in the Smokies region. I'm keeping my fingers crossed with a bit more conviction than in the past. They could tell from DNA who his father was in the well studied Florida population. Though there have been some elk sightings in Tennessee, the best place for viewing is in Cataloochee Valley and Oconaluftee Valley near Cherokee, North Carolina. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. Or at least they think thats what they saw. If you have a question about contributing to SMN, please contact us. Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. Mountain lions are significantly larger than bobcats. This article is about a tourist railroad in North Carolina. var path = 'hr' + 'ef' + '='; I saw a bobcat cross Forge Creek Road a bit over a year ago while I was walking. var addy96fa7cd342640a6f100bd7fba15504d5 = 'info' + '@'; Those folks who were going about their normal day and were confronted with a scary ball of claws and teeth and pain known as a bobcat. Click here to view the web story version of this article. A Smokies panther would be either such an animal or the usual released pet theory. Kyle W, Robbinsville High School. I want to be a skeptical guy, but my nature is to believe people. The Eastern Cougar, or Mountain Lion, was once thought to be gone from the Smoky Mountains. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other. For example, look at what happened in September of 2020. Buckskin color with a long tail is no Bobcat! Adrenaline kicks in and the bobcat starts to look much bigger than it actually is. Also, your average bobcat is 2 to 4 feet long with a gray to brown coat and a short bobbed tail. Of course, some redheads in the Park have scared me worst, lol. Scent carries more strongly with hot food, so dont hang around outside if youve just picked up dinner to-go. 1998 - 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. | All Rights Reserved. There are also exemptions for school groups, drivers with disabled parking placards or license pate holders, and people with certain special use permitsor who are conducting permitted research. TN Soruce: Blue Ridge Parkway NPS. However, as several of you noted, even if they really are in the park, and even if the NPS will make some sort of official confirmation, it could be just a wandering cougar on his way to somewhere else. I had a bobcat lay in the open on a mower ramp to our shed in Maryville, TN. In the Smokies, a bobcat is often mistaken for a mountain lion. Linzey, who has been teaching for more than 50 years, was an early advocate for endangered species. According to the NC Wildlife Resources Commission, biologists think our native Eastern cougars have been extinct for many years. As the animal tried to bite into his neck he hunched forward instinctively to protect himself and blindly stabbed as hard as he could over his left shoulder. Youll mostly find Timber Rattlesnakes above 3,000 feet in the Smokies. I have heard my whole life there are panthers in the Smokies. Cougar tracks are large, up to four inches wide. Two, they are part of the original population, which I think is unlikely. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Fill in your details below or click an icon to log in: You are commenting using your WordPress.com account. This marks Linzeys 16th appearance at the event. Around 26,000 vehicles per day drive the 28-mile stretch of I-40 through the Pigeon River Gorge at the Tennessee-North Carolina border. Tony Lance is a writer, naturalist, and birding enthusiast who has worked for Tennessee Wildlife Federation since2011. This email address is being protected from spambots. Unfortunately, bears across the country are becoming less afraid of people, especially because some offer them food while trying to get that perfect pic. I welcome your reports and would love to see photographic evidence you may have collected. 711 and GP38-3 No. Several months later a cougar was shot near what is now Fontana Village. A bobcat can meow, snarl, hiss, yowl or even scream. Perhaps not. They are in the WMAS of North Georgia. It looked like a tornado as he ran. "All revenue generated through the Park it Forward program will remain in the park to support operational costs for managing and improving visitor services such as trail maintenance, custodial services, and trash removal," the park said in a press release. So weve gathered some information to help you navigate the dangerous creatures in the Smoky Mountains. Something biologists say doesnt even exist. There are so many free campsites in America (with complete privacy). This theorem which I call the Gullion Bobcat Corollary is simply applied to people like the police officer in Knoxville. [5], In March 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic outbreak caused the GSMR to suspend operations. To be clear, this excludes the West Tennessee sightings which have been confirmed by the Tennessee Wildlife Resource Agency. I told the story and it was put in the local paper. Disclosure: As an Amazon Associate and a partner of other affiliate programs including Booking.com, CJ and Tripster, we may earn commissions from qualifying purchases via links found in this article. Its shoulders came up to my hips. Its been more than 100 years since mountain lions referred to as panthers by the mountain folk lived in the Smokies. Scientists have estimated that the mountain range Use binoculars, telephoto lens, or a spotting scope to view the animals.. Any large forested area such as the Smoky Mountains is bound to have some dangerous creatures. I mean an 8 hour view is not just adrenaline. The bridge is the first of five set to be replaced by NCDOT. [5] However, the Tuckasegee River excursions between Dillsboro and Bryson City continued with the trips starting at Bryson City and lay over in Dillsboro. James N. Watson, Jr. Upgraded to Dash-3 in 2020. The bottom line is there are lots of reports, but no hard evidence to back them up. addy96fa7cd342640a6f100bd7fba15504d5 = addy96fa7cd342640a6f100bd7fba15504d5 + 'georgeellison' + '.' + 'com'; The American Black Bear is so prevalent in the Smoky Mountains that its become their symbol. Encouraging them with food, or trying to pet the cute little guys, is not a good idea. The driver was a man who has hunted in the area his whole life and has an ability to spot animals that is almost magical to me. The following year, 27 more Cow elks soon learned how to better protect themselves and their calves from predators. Even when the Florida population was down to only thirty, several showed up dead on the roadside every year. While you wont find mountain lions, cougars or panthers in the Smokies, you could come across a bobcat. Sometimes I wish that would happen to a certain other type of plant.