Big cats in East TN

[bsloan]

I honestly didn't know there was a difference between a cougar and "black panther", I just thought it was all about hair color. Learn something new every day!
When we moved here 23 years ago, we were lucky enough to see cougars, at 2 different times. I have seen tracks since then, but not the animals, my loss.
I have seen film footage of Black Panthers in the last few years, but they were in Philly.

Kuger, I am envious of the pictures, and the time you have spent with these animals, hats off to you.

Bill

 

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[kuger]

I honestly didn't know there was a difference between a cougar and "black panther", I just thought it was all about hair color. Learn something new every day!
When we moved here 23 years ago, we were lucky enough to see cougars, at 2 different times. I have seen tracks since then, but not the animals, my loss.
I have seen film footage of Black Panthers in the last few years, but they were in Philly.

Kuger, I am envious of the pictures, and the time you have spent with these animals, hats off to you.

Bill

Thanks Bill,but are you clear that a Black panther is not a separate species,from a "cougar"

 

[bsloan]

Yes sir, I have re-read the above posts to make sure my brain isn't too fried.

Bill

 

[the bone]

As a kid i saw a "black panther" running across a soy bean field at the time the only person i told was my dad who promptly told me it was probably a large house cat. About a year later another kid from the area told our class that he had seen one as well. everyone told him he was crazy and i threw my hat into the rink in his defense. a while after that a guy that collects exotic animals was busted for letting his critters roam the woods in our area no "black panther" was mentioned but i can only assume that must be the source of our sightings.

 

[Gold Maven]

Well......gonna post this and probably get laughed at, but here goes. I went metal detecting a few weeks ago and swore I saw a mountain lion enter the woods from a brushy area about 150 yards directly ahead of me while walking out at dusk. For those not familiar with the area it is believed they have been gone from here for over a century. I see deer in this area almost every day if I hunt in the evenings or early mornings but felt pretty sure that was not what I saw. This is not the first time I think I have seen one this year, but just a quick glimpse each time. Concerned me enough to walk out with Glock in hand. I hunt coyotes with a retired TWRA officer ( Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency ) and he said he bet was a deer and had heard the BS over the sightings for years but had never seen one or even tracks. I kind of kept it quit and was almost doubting my own sanity when a buddy said a hunter had seen one on his farm and was able to watch it for several minutes. The hunter is also a friend and about as credible as you could find anywhere. Well ......I just got a call that one had been caught one on a game cam about a mile from my sighting and TWRA had confirmed that it was indeed a mountain lion but wants to confirm the authenticity of the picture as far as location. It was recently confirmed that black bears are back in the area for the first time in nearly 50 years. Does my heart good to think some of our natural predators are making a return. I do a lot of walking in and out of the rural areas that I hunt and am going to use a little more caution, but am thrilled over their return and the confirmation on my sighting.

If you truly want to be safe, bring a dog along with your pistol. At the very least it will be a distraction to the cat.

My buddy was stalked in New Mexico while on an archery Elk hunt. He was walking out, got a funny feeling, turned around to see a lion flat on the ground behind him within striking distance. He nocked an arrow, drew and shot, but the bow string caught on his binoculars hanging around his neck. The noise scared the cat, and my buddy took off down the trail, he said he sprinted 150 yards or so, stopped and looked back only to see the cat closing fast. He picked up a limb and threw it towards the advancing cat which scared it enough for him to get to his vehicle.
He's a big bowhunter, and doesn't want to admit it, but he carries a pistol now when he's in that area.

 

[kuger]

A dog is the best protection anybody can have hands down....great point

 

[arnofarrell]

The conservation department here in missouri denied for years that not any in missouri but that all changed when one got hit by a car

I know what you mean. Here in Iowa it is the same way. A farm a few miles from my place had a cougar stalking its sheep, the farmer shot it. I hear stories all the time of cougars in my area. I haven't seen one yet but I hope I will soon.

Another thing is the Iowa DNR wont allow elk to repopulate the state. Everyone that is seen or reported is shot, They say they are afraid the may be carrying chronic waste disease and may destroy our deer population. Everyone they have shot has been negative for chronic waste.

 

[uglymailman]

Better get started on closing your border. This is the second year of the Missouri Dept. of Conservation effort to repopulate the state w/elk. MDC has denied big cats in Mo. for years as Fixitdave said. I've never seen one but did find tracks in 60's in old coal strip mine dug in 50's while trapping. Those seen in the state now are said to be males seeking new territory coming from the Rockies. Guess they didn't like any of the territory they crossed coming across Kansas.

 

[Tnmountains]

The cats have been sighted here in East Tn for many years. Both the brown and black. I saw a black and of course it was dusk out of a tree stand. It was very long with its tail but I watched it for a good minute or two. I see bobcats all the time and am looking at one on the wall as I type that I took with my bow. I regret taking that cat to this day and will never take another. He took the largest 30" form. The black cat I saw was a good 4' plus not including the tail. Hope they make a come back here. Had a black bear in my neighbors fish pond not long ago
Happy hunting

 

[kuger]

................another little tid bit.................a Black Panther has never been shot in the US,so that tells ya something............


http://www.fws.gov/floridapanther/panther_faq.html

scroll down to "Black Panthers"

 

[Gold Maven]

Aren't we talking about black Jaguars, kuger? Just read where 6% of Jaguars are black, and I believe there are some in the south west US.

I was fortunate enough to know the top bobcat trapper in Arizona in the late 70's, and he had some Jaguar stories.

I also just read that the Jaguar is the only cat that roars in North America. A friend and I were Javelina hunting in Southern AZ, tent camping in lion country, and one night we heard a big cat come down one side of the wash we were camped in, cross about 100yds behind our tent and climb the other side. The animal "roared" the entire time, I don't mind admitting I was one scared archery hunter, hiding in my sleeping bag. We assumed it was a lion, but I wonder just what the heck it was.

We were on state land near Eddie Lackner's ranch, If that name doesn't ring a bell google him. A super nice guy, just trying to make a living and fighting the big cats.

Every lion cache we found had a longhorn calf in it. It took me awhile to figure out what it was when I stumbled across my first dead calf covered with sticks, cactus, etc. but what a sick feeling! All I had was a bow and arrow, and some big cat is probably watching me, as I poke around at his supper....Yikes!

 

[kuger]

Maven,no I am talking Lions,but remember the Black is Melanism,just like white with pink eyes is albino(I have seen an albino lion)anything,even deer can display melanism.I am a student od the Lee bros....legendary Arizona lion hunters that traveled to So. Am to hunt Jags,and I dont ever recall them mentioning any?There is another book about a Jag killed in Arizona called Emerald Eyes in the Dark.I have hunted all over down there hoping to cross ones tracks just to say I seen one but never did.They dont have much respect for dogs either!

As for the sound,I can honestly say I have never heard any lion scream like people claim....nor have many cat hunters I know that are up into there 90's.I have heard them breeding...that was a ruckus!!

As for fear....I wouldnt be.......I have been around hundreds of lion kills and thousands of cats,and have never been attacked....I have worked fatalities so I know the "threat",is obvious,but I am only afraid of Grizzlies.....

 

[0121stockpicker]

Panther and mountain lion is the same animal - also can be called puma or cougar. Name is usually region specific.

The term black panther is not a single animal but is a term often used to describe a jaguar, leopard or mountain lion with melanism.

No matter what the name they are all amazing animals - perfectly constructed killing machines.

 

[Gold Maven]

Emerald eyes in the dark sounds interesting, but it's not on Amazon, and google couldn't find it....is that the title for sure?

thanks.

 

[kuger]

Emerald eyes in the dark sounds interesting, but it's not on Amazon, and google couldn't find it....is that the title for sure?

thanks.

It may not be......it was written by a fellow that was in Fed Prison last I heard for what the story is about....he shot a Jag. in Arizona.I will see if I can find it

I can not find it either....I recommend The Lee Bros books,and Hunting Jags in the Mato Grasso

 

[lost]

Years ago I saw a Cougar cross 6 or 8 lanes of I-95 traffic just north of Richmond Va just before dusk. No doubt what it was, long tube tail, light to dark brown markings, ect. It was a Cougar, or mountain lion whatever you want to call it. Told only my wife about the sighting. I remembered the razzing I got when I told my friends about a seeing a Coyote in my back yard back in the 80's. Now Virginia is up to it's eyeball in Coyotes. I've also been lucky enough to watch a few Bobcats in the past years, from my tree stands with 10X50's. Another animal I wouldn't shoot.

 

[Red James Cash]

In New Hampshire,white mountains there arent suppose to be any either,thats what the rangers tell my brother.But,coming home from duty one night he pulls into his driveway and whats sitting on his dumpster,a mountain lion.Just goes to show you the people who think they know,Dont.Nope no mountain lions here

 

[kuger]

I know where you guys are coming from,and know the frustration of not being believed....I seen wolves in Montana before they "supposedly",turned em loose..............however,in my line of work I would say %70 of Lion calls I get are not lions at all........that is fact.I had a guy one time threaten my life,because I knew what he was telling me wasnt adding up,and I wouldnt come investigate.....the warden told him to shoot the "lion",if he really felt endangered....he did....................it was his OWN house cat!!!!I found out from his neighbor,that heard the shot

RJC...not doubting your Bro's story but if a lion was indeed in a dumpster....there was something VERY wrong with it,and would be extremely dangerous!!!Lions very seldom eat what they did not kill,and will not eat rotted flesh

 

[smokeythecat]

I'm in Maryland, and we've had them here over 10 years. The Department of Natural Resources says they are not around. We saw one up close 10 years ago crossing the backwoods road near my house - it was 20 yards away. About 1 year later one of these imaginery cats was hit by a car and killed about 20 miles from here. Them woods ain't safe anymore.

 

[0121stockpicker]

Some of these large predators have huge ranges - esp the males. Are food source populations like dear, etc continue to explode in areas around the county it should be absolutely no surprise that the predators follow. We get coyote, bobcat and fisher where I am in central mass - nonexistent a number of years ago. Of course our deer populations are out of control, wild turkey have come back , etc.

I think the confusion is that when the experts say they don't exist maybe they believe that their is no large permanent population. But I think it's foolish for them to deny that a juvenile male looking for a new territory might be passing through or taking up residence. What do they think, that all these animals just stay put and don't move around and expand territories? Personally I'm shocked they don't embrace the big cats because it would prob get the more gov funds!!