Snakes In Maine? (Augusta, Cape Neddick: camper, living, groceries)

[barbeau]

Originally Posted by bobkemp

I lived in maine for over 25 years there are mountain lions, they call them lucifies though. Becouse the noise they make they say is like hearing the devil in hell. I also had one time when my brother and I sat under a huge pine and there was one asleep in the tree over us. So I know they exsist. we were lucky we were quiet and didnt waken it. I also have heard them and its a horrifying sound.

Robert

I know this is an old thread, but I wanted to reply to the cougar thing.

While there have been reported cougar sightings, hair samples that confirm the presence of a cougar, and confirmed cougars tracks, cougars do not officially live in Maine. Chances are, the cougar sighting and such are not native cougars, but are captive cougars who have escaped or been (illegally) released. The cougar only lives in one area in the east and that's in South Florida, home of the Florida Panther. Other than that, West Texas is the most eastern range of the cougar.

http://www.cougarnet.org/northeast.html

[elston]

There have been reports in NH but they are officially denied or said to be released animals.

when I was in Viginia on the Skyline drive I thought I saw a large cat. I asked the ranger on the way out if there were mt lions in the park. He perked up and asked if I thought I saw one; he then said, the official answer is NO they aren't here, but .... there are several rangers who think they saw one. He asked me what I saw and where it was....he smiled and said, that is pretty consistent with what the rangers reported. He repeated that there are no official sightings.

Big Foot phenomenon I don't know and it was long enough ago, I wouldnt swear to anythng more than I just wrote.

[elston]

Are there place names with the word Rattlesnake? In NH there was a Rattlesnake Island and Mt Rattlesnake....so I figured that there must have been rattlesnakes there at one time....but I never ran into an old timer who remembered seeing one.

When I was in Alabama one year....they were pretty common...and an old muscian who borrowed my guitar put a rattle in its box to make the music sweet. I could hear it rattle when I played bass notes In California I worry that the snakes could get my dogs who would put their noses down and get bitten. Hasnt happened but I keep them pretty close when we go hiking. Probably get skunked or quilled when I get to maine....if its not one thing its another (as Roseann Roseannadanna used to say).

[rod67]

The OFFICIAL line is that cougars (or panthers) occur only in south Florida... despite the 1 killed on I-4 outside of Tampa a year or so ago, and the one captured near Jacksonville.

The captive was shipped to Texas because it couldn't be a Florida panther, since they "only live in south Florida".

Of course if it ever was admitted that their habitat extends beyond the everglades then that might conflict with the breakneck housing development going on...

[Maine Writer]

Good timing - I was discussing mountain lions yesterday. I was seconds from running over a bobcat yesterday. When I told someone he asked about mountain lions. The question was recently asked at Maine Nature News. The man I was talking with is from the area. He said his brother saw a mountain lion on the Grand Lake Stream road and two of his customers have seen one in Kossuth on separate occasions. My neighbor swears she saw one a couple of years ago only 3/4 mile from my house. It walked down the tree line of her field and into the woods. The field is clear, there's nothing in the way to interfere with clear sight.

[Jpurvis]

Being from Florida, we have our share of things here such as poisonous snakes, cougars or panthers, (actually they are protected) we have panther crossings here. I always wondered who told the panthers where to cross the road, alligators and all such things that can be harmful if provoked. We do have black bears here too cause I have seen them on seperate occasions.

My ?? is, does Maine have anything like this that one should look out for? My niece was telling me of one such animal, but I can't remember the name. It was kinda like a cross between a beaver/cat/weasel looking thing. We saw it at the museum in Augusta. Sorry I can't remember the name. But I guess they say you should not mess with these.

[elston]

Originally Posted by Jpurvis

Being from Florida, we have our share of things here such as poisonous snakes, cougars or panthers, (actually they are protected) we have panther crossings here. I always wondered who told the panthers where to cross the road, alligators and all such things that can be harmful if provoked. We do have black bears here too cause I have seen them on seperate occasions.

My ?? is, does Maine have anything like this that one should look out for? My niece was telling me of one such animal, but I can't remember the name. It was kinda like a cross between a beaver/cat/weasel looking thing. We saw it at the museum in Augusta. Sorry I can't remember the name. But I guess they say you should not mess with these.

I am pretty sure that the animal of which you speak is a "Fisher Cat"--a member of the weazel family. They are mentioned whenever someones house cat disappears. I don't know if that reputation is earned. They are a member of the weazel famiy (I think) and are known to be fierce fighters. I lived in an area that was supposed to have lots of fishers for many many years, I never saw one...although I am pretty sure at least one must have seen me.

[mollysmiles]

well, the name varies by county and district....so, the only good news is term limits.

[Jpurvis]

Yep, you are right, that is the name of it. Thanks, I was racking my brain trying to think of it..

[Abbymoulton]

Originally Posted by 7th generation

As a child I do believe there were found Eastern rattlers in New Hampshire but as far as them being in Maine I had never heard this. Moose are so abbundant that some loggers utilize them for work. lol

OMG How did you do that? I fell off my chair laughing. My Dad in southern Maine did work with horses to skid wood out and he would just love to see that picture.