Maine Mountain Lion?
by Steve Vose
Maine Bobcat, Mountain Lion or some strange yet to be identified hybrid? The two photos below depict a Bobcat and a Mountain Lion. In examining the two photos and comparing them to both my original and enlarged game camera picture you can begin to see why many hunters swear they have sighted Mountain Lions in the Maine woods. At quick glance, the coloration, movements and even many physical attributes of these feline predators are similar. A closer examination, however, reveals a number of differences including tail length, spotted coat and size . . . look closely and make your own decision . . . Bobcat or Mountain Lion!
Want to Find a Maine Mt. Lion? Read Hiking for Maine Mt. Lions
Bobcat
Mountain Lion
Game camera shot
Zoom
Comments
Its a bobcat, nothing more. I’ve seen enough game cam shots of them to know one when I see it.
We just saw a big cat on the telos rd northern maine near Baxter State Park. It was the same color and was definitely a cat. Big animal.
Bobcat. Has black/white spots on back of ears. Puma ear-spots aren’t so vivid. Plus, this animal has more spots on its body than a puma.
It’s a bobcat the tail is too short
I live in Rockwood Maine have heard of locals over the years seeing mountain lions up this way.I today saw one crossing the road about a mile b4 squaw mountain.The size and and the long tail makes me sure of what I saw, I contacted local game warrdens and bioligists and nobody wants to hear or belive the many sightings we have in northern maine I don’t understand why? but even if nobody wants to recognize them being here im sure of what I saw and am excited to be able to have this exspirence
We have the same sightings commonly here in the thick woods of N.Hancock, and N. Washington Counties, mostly in the Unorganized Territories out here. But, a lot of us have seen animals that were cats, and had LONG tails. I personally haven’t but many Downeaster’s I speak with swear there are Mountain Lion still in Maine. (Max/Clifton)
Saw a Mountain Lion in Aroostook County Maine…2 miles deep in the woods…away from any civilization…I looked with my binoculars and it was definitely NOT a Bobcat or Lynx..Are Cougar and Mountain Lion’s the same animal?
Hi Fred,
You might want to follow the link to Steve Vose’s original post of this article on his blog, The Maine Outdoorsman. He’ll be better able to answer your questions!
Very large Coyote as well….possibly Wolves?
We were driving on route 4 South from Rangeley when we saw what was a large cat looking very much the Mountain Lion above. The animal crossed the road and vanished into the bush, but it wad day light and without question I could see its face, body, and tail as it ran across the road.
I’m glad I found this blog. I live in Montreal and drive to Acadia National Park several times a year. May 2013 I was driving near Rangely, but on a detoured route, when I spotted what you’ve identified above as the Mountain Lion. I can’t remember who I contact in Maine but it was somebody with Wildlife services. He “promised” me it was NOT a mountain lion, that it may have been a bobcat. I’ve seen bobcats in Quebec and this wasn’t a bobcat. It crossed the road in front of me and I had to stop my car just to make sure I wasn’t imagining what I had seen. It was huge – MUCH bigger than a cat, it was sleek, it didn’t bound like a deer, it had a very powerful walk that kind of glided. I’m positive it was a mountain lion and it was very exciting to see!
This past summer in the afternoon, as I was driving on the old railroad bed from Oquossoc to Mooselookmeguntic, I saw a very large cat crossing the road in front of me, maybe 100 yards away. I was very surprised to see such a large cat. What I saw fits a mountain lion description better than any other animal. It was not as high as a deer, but the body mass was equivalent to a small deer and it moved like a cat.
I’m from Pa and we have a few bobcats here and there. I know a trapper who gets about 5 a year. I went to Maine first time January 10-17 2019. First went to Rangeley where I saw an enormous bobcat mounted at at restraunt about another 20 minutes outside of Rangeley forward Farmville. It was called the White Elephant. Then left there and headed back to Rangeley and almost to Rangeley on the way back was this road that was highly recommended if you wanted to spot a moose. Consequently, about 5 miles in there was a lady stopped in the middle of her lane, out of the car with a camera. I rolled down my window and she said there’s a bobcat. I said where and she showed me and low and behold there it was about 65 yards walking broadside. It wasn’t as big as the one you Ted at the White Elephant but it was still way bigger than any I’ve seen in PA. Just bought 175 acres in the far Northern Maine and you can bet if there’s a cougar in these woods I’ll see it bc once I finally get back up there for good in the next 2-3 weeks I just might not leave the woods. As big as the bobcats or lynx are in Maine someone who has never seen a Maine bobcat they could easily mistake the two. Even the Deer in Maine have a 100lbs on Pa’s