elk

200 elk

Cataloochee

There are eight to 10 reported sightings of mountain lions, also called cougars or pumas, in Great Smoky Mountains National Park each year. If mountain lions are making a comeback in Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Donald W. “Several sightings have occurred at the site of a known animal crossing in the park.”

Black Bears If we asked you what you think is one of the most dangerous animals in Tennessee, it’s likely a bear would be at the top of the list. Bears prefer to be left alone by people but are curious animals. If humans encroach on their territory they could come to check them out.

Black panthers were never a specific breed of animal, but an unusual coloration of jaguars. Jaguars are presumed to be extinct in the US. Sorry, no black panthers in Tennessee.

Not all of them will kill you, but dangerous in their own ways.

• Copperheads. Copperheads are probably the most common, and commonly seen venomous snakes in the state of Tennessee.
• Rattlesnakes. timber rattlesnake | image: Peter Paplanus | Flickr | CC 2.0.
• Black bears.
• Black widows.
• Brown recluses.
• Skunks.
• Ticks.
• Poison ivy.

The bobcat is the only other animal belonging to the cat (Felidae) family that can be found in Tennessee. Bobcats differ from cougars in their size, coloration, and tail length. They are much smaller than cougars, ranging in weight from 10 to 40 pounds, whereas a cougar starts at 70 pounds.

The 5 Most Affordable Places to Live in Tennessee

• Murfreesboro.
• Smyrna.
• Johnson City.
• Clarksville.
• Chattanooga.

There are currently no wolves in Tennessee. In fact, most historic range maps show that gray wolves never lived in Tennessee; only smaller red wolves once lived here. Some folks from time to time think that they have seen a wild wolf in Tennessee, but they haven’t.

There is a limited season for killing skunks, usually after kits have been weaned and leave the den. Tennessee permits killing of skunks but prohibits transportation of skunks into the state.

Don’t think about it. The TWRA prohibits the taking of native wildlife for pets and there is even a more specific law on the books that prohibits any person from having a pet skunk at all. By law, the TWRA cannot issue any citizen a permit for a pet skunk.

The bill repeals a current state law that prohibits private possession of skunks and instead puts them in a category of animals that can be owned through a permitting process regulated by the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency.

These unsavory and highly inhumane methods include drowning, injecting acetone (nail polish remover) and other chemical solvents into a skunk’s chest with a long pole syringe. A skunk will almost always spray when it is killed and your best bet for not getting sprayed is of course, for you to be a good distance away.

If you’re wanting to take down a skunk, get some thing in at least a . 22 caliber that shoots at least 750 fps. That will put you at around 18 foot pounds which with a good head shot will easily take a skunk.

It’s illegal to shoot skunks with pellet guns – if you own a pellet gun that requires no license, it’s too weak to immediately kill any animal, and so it’s cruelty to animals (which is illegal).