Man Claims Mountain Lion Walked Into NJ Boy Scout Camp

Are there mountain lions (or cougars) in New Jersey, or are there many mistaken people?

Over the past few years. I've written dozens of stories about eyewitness accounts of mountain lions in New Jersey.

I've received well over 100 emails from people who have claimed to see.....something. Something that they believe is a mountain lion.

(Here in the United States, the names mountain lion, cougar, and panther are pretty synonymous.)

You can check out many of these eyewitness accounts here.

Officially, the state of New Jersey's wildlife department officials say there are no such animals in the Garden State.

Man sees mountain lion in boy scout camp at Delaware Water gap

One of the latest claims I've received is from a man I'll identify as "RM."

RM says he saw a mountain lion in New Jersey. What makes his claim different,  is that his sighting happened over 50 years ago!

RM says in 1968 or 1969 he was camping at the now-abandoned Camp Pahaquarra on the Delaware River. That's in the far northwestern part of New Jersey, at what is now Delaware Water Gap.

RM says, "One night an angry mountain lion walked into our campsite attracted by our garbage can.  Our scout leader had us build a large fire and beat on the metal garbage can to drive it away."

He says, "No one believed us." Not the other scout leaders at nearby campsites, not the people who ran the camp.

RM says his scout leader was "only thinking of our safety" and  "stuck by his guns" when no one believed what had happened.

RM remembers the big cat's size and its growl, which he says "sounded more like a meat grinder than a roar."

RM points out he was a member of the Boy Scout Troup 66, part of the George Washington Council.

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Have you seen a mountain lion?

If you've seen a mountain lion in New Jersey, I'd love to hear your story. I can be reached at joe.kelly@townsquaremedia.com.