Imagine finding a Mountain Lion in your back yard. Well, that is what Jim Kutz in Lebanon, Tennessee thought he stumbled upon...
Kutz, who lives at the KOA Campground in Wilson County, saw signs of a possible cougar living on a 200 acre tract of land behind the campground. So, Kutz set up a nighttime wildlife camera and told us what he caught on video...
In the video you can see a large adult cat and about three cubs. However, the spotting was later confirmed to be a Bobcat.
As for where the Bobcats were spotted...
According to the TWRA, the cougar is the largest feline animal in North America. Until very recently, there haven't been any cougars in Tennessee since the early 1900's. Similar to Tennessee's wild elk and buffalo, the cougar was near extinct due to over hunting and habitat loss. However, the cougar may be making a comeback in Tennessee. However, they are not often seen by most. Instead, Bobcats are routinely spotted throughout Tennessee and sometimes confused by observers.
Hear the entire 4 MIN and 12 SEC interview with Jim Kutz below:
BELOW: Jim showing WGNS' Scott Walker his wildlife camera video of the what later turned out to be Bobcats in Lebanon, TN
Confirmed Cougar Sightings in TN:
Date | County | Evidence |
9/20/2015 | Obion | Trail camera photo submitted by a landowner |
9/26/2015 | Carroll | Hair sample was submitted by a hunter; DNA analysis indicated a female with genetics similar to cougars in South Dakota |
11/11/2015 | Humphreys | Trail camera photo submitted by a landowner |
11/24/2015 | Humphreys | Trail camera video and photos submitted by a landowner |
12/11/2015 | Humphreys | Trail camera photo submitted by a landowner |
12/18/2015 | Humphreys | Trail camera photo submitted by a landowner |
02/04/2016 | Humphreys | Trail Camera photos submitted by a landowner |
08/03/2016 | Humphreys | Trail camera photo submitted by a landowner |
09/04/2016 | Wayne | Trail camera photo submitted by a landowner |
09/04/2016 | Wayne | Trail camera photo submitted by a landowner |