Bizarre Sighting in Woods - Dan and Ian Freaked Out!

[ivan salis]

note I think it might be a mutatent cougar *** note no "claw marks" in the track --cougars claws are "retractible"--coyates claws are NOT thus you would see claw marks ====cougars are very quiet creatures by nature till they strike
note***** Limited breeding numbers can cause genetic mutations -- stubby or no tail --albino coloring -- (manx cats are famous no tail cats due to the limited gene pool where thay came from )

cougars have been known to attack people and are a alpha preditor * most unarmed humans will come out 2ed best in a deep woods 1 on 1 with one. -- they can be very dangerous -- like all cats they are curious by nature *and very quiet stealthy hunters --- most likely it was checking ya'll out (possible meal or no?) and said nah -- not this time . ( going towards it was not a normal prey type action --prey flees triggering the chase / kill / eat by the cougar-- however going towards it can tigger self defensive attacks if it feels threatened )-- what doesn't flee it sizes up -making up its mind before attacking -- it thinks ---is this thing just stupid or is it possibly dangerous to me?
be glad there was two of you there at the time -- if there was only one person you might not be round to talk about it now (in deep woods / remote areas-- I go armed there can be two legged as well as animal threats (armed"big time" pot growers and meth lab cookers come to mind --they like remote spots and don't want "visitors" around)

 

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[Planet1mars]

Dan the picture you have looks just like a huge cat track

 

[xdanthemanx]

Look guys , no im not sure that track was from the animal we saw, i went back there yesterday and looked all over near where we were , there were a lot of tracks most small animal tracks and some dog prints which are very different from what i posted, this is the only set of tracks that were large , wide and had no claw marks
there plenty of tracks around that were tight sideways and longer front to rear i didnt bother to take pictures of those, the track in that picture is a good 3-1/2 - 4 inches wide, i have yet to see dog with a paw that friggin big, as i stated in my first post i saw it and it looked like a BIG cat, If i could have got my camera out faster id have a picture and we wouldn't be being ridiculed so much, i know its hard to believe but i am not crazy, i dont do drugs and we weren't drinking. You dont think we knew people were going to laugh at us when this got posted? to me this would sound absurd coming from someone esle because we've all been told these dont exist here and theres little proof to show otherwise, i have every intention of putting a deer cam out there and hopefully this thing frequents or lives near the area we were in, if that happens i will definately post the pictures here.
as far as Ians description of where we were, i think he got it right describing desolation as far as any further description of where we were, we are carefull in our descriptions of location to protect our sites for obvious reasons you all know what we were doing out there, and it wasnt hunting for cats. The only give away of the location was to the dnr as for any further descrition of locality on this post......forget it
The only reason this got posted in the first place was to make the rest of our fellow michigan detectorists that a large cat has been spotted in lapeer and now you are aware of the possibility before going out detecting in the woods by yourself.
to tell you the truth i really wish i hadnt seen it because now i'm going to be paranoid and have to strap another 3-1/2 pounds of heavy metal gear on my belt just to feel safe.

DTM

 

[savant365]

Cougars in Lapeer county MI.

http://abclocal.go.com/wjrt/story?section=news/local&id=6587140

I think it's very possible you guys might have seen a big cat. The one in this video is black but I don't know anything about genetics, they may occasionally have light colored offspring? I know that young males are driven off by the older male cat and have to find new territory to live and hunt in so they head out and find it. I hope you get lucky with the trail cams, you might even hang some bait up to attract the cat to the camera. My uncle traps bobcats here in NW Missouri and uses turkey feathers tied up in a tree to attract them. Good luck catching it on camera, HH Charlie

 

[mcmich]

Hmmm...

see cougar paw print:

http://miwildlife.org/c_signs.asp

 

[arizonaames]

It was a Yeti!

 

[Monty]

I saw the Holy Handgrenade of Antioch on Ebay today. M nty

 

[SaginawIan]

Whoa - that looks like a similar print! Thanks for that link. Only thing is, that site says you will likely never get close to a cougar - like I was saying, this thing would have heard us coming before we got anywhere near it so that makes me think it couldn't have been something like that. Unless it was protecting its turf or den or whatever. I might go take another look this weekend and take some pictures - there was animal poop all over I remember b/c I kept swinging my coil over it! So, I'll take some animal poop pictures and post them for all to see

Ian

 

[bbqbull]

Do not take for Granted they don't exist in your area
just because the game commission says so.

I/we saw one from our deer blind 3 yrs ago.
I asked a conservations officer why they were lying to the folks here.....he said where did you see one at.
I told him Clare County, west side..............he said......we are ordered to tell folks they dont exist.
So me and my bold candor said to the CO......your ordered to lie.......he just gave me the glaring eyeballs.
I said to him..........at least your honest but a freakin liar.

 

[mcmich]

It all depends on whether you are upwind or downwind, standing still or clomping around. I have almost stepped on bucks laying in grass (not that I am stealthy or anything). Not sure I would go out there alone. Need back up let me know, sounds like fun.

 

[Deerhunter24]

Hey now...i know my animal Sh*t!

A mountain lion/cougar/puma is gonna be larger than a coyote. Coyote feces resembles dog feces, but you will find hair in their poop. This is not hard to see. Its not gonna be a few strands of hair. There is usually lots of hair...clumps even. Its very easy to see. Fox as well, but smaller.

Don't know much about cougar crap...but I'm guessing it would have hair in it as well, but be much larger than your typical dog.

Deerhunter24

 

[savant365]

OH BOY, OH BOY, pics of poop on the way, I can hardly wait...LMAO!
Just kidding, actually thats a pretty good idea. I am sure there is a way to identify the animal from its scat (proper terminology for a family forum). I really believe you guys saw a big cat, I can't wait for some trail cam pics. As for identifying an animal by its scat please read the following sign carefully:

 

[jeff of pa]

Ha Ha Good one savant

Has Bells in it.

 

[ivan salis]

I'd say if it is 3 to 4 in across thats a cougar track from either an albiono cat --or light colored one with the light hitting it just right,-- with what you "saw" and that huge cat type track ( dogs ,coyotoes and bears claws are always "out" --cats claws are retractible so no claw marks in the print) plus the odd "scat" piles (bits of hair and bone from "dinner") -- I'd say you were the the big cats " bowel dump zone" --- most of the time you will never see them --they will see and smell you however and sneak away -- with you never even knowing their there --stealth ihunting s their trade --their alpha preditors and very good at what they do . -- like all cats however they can be curious -- he might have been napping in the sun and hung around to dee what you were doing / up to . their highly intellegent (they can be very dangerous if your in deep woods far from help --alone , unarmed and if unaware their there too boot and they "decide to "surprize attack" you-- your screwed)

 

[pgill]

Im writing so that I can keep an eye on this topic The first thing that came to my mind when I saw your picture was the hind of a polar bear, but I dont think you have them near you Sorry Im from South Africa

God bless
Peter

 

[bigb03]

Just checked my "scats and tracks" book and that print is a match for a cat. Especially if there are no claw marks present. There are big cats all over in my opinion. If you see one you are very lucky. I know people that have lived in Montana there whole life and spent years in the woods and have never seen them and they are in very large numbers out there. They are just too stealthy and are too quick. If you have a few extra bucks go get a game camera. They strap onto trees and have a motion detector to snap pics. I'll be watching this thread for sure.

 

[jonmich]

I absolutely believe you saw it and I do believe it was a cougar. Two years ago while driving down M36 in Livingston county my wife and I seen a cougar cross the road. Very sleek and moving fast. It was fascinating. My wife and I just looked at each other and said at the same time "Did you see that" She had seen exactly what I had. A cougar. I don't care what the DNR says. they are here.
Just be careful out there. Once in the porkies in the U.P. A black bear crossed in front of my car while the wife, kids and I were vacationing. I pulled over grabbed the camera and chased it into the woods. (Hey what can I say I was in my 30s and still crazy). I get about 30 yards into the woods and I don't see it anywhere. The woods were not real thick. He just disappeared. The hair on the back of my neck did the raising thing and a voice told me to get the heck out of dodge quick which I did. I believe I'm living today because throughout my life Ive listened to that voice.
I now have a couple friends called smith and wesson. Friends like that makes it at least equal when your dealing with beasts. Jon

 

[123jerry]

 

[go deep]

Always do a plaster cast with plaster of paris, First spray down track with spray clear from10 inches up,soak it good.Let dry then pour plaster slowly. All the details show up that you dont see with your eyes,once you have a cast in hand it answers all the questions. Take care GO DEEP

 

[Tomas Frijole]

The google link has a Michigan sighting site and a story about an Escanaba cougar. I found a story about I guy camping in Wyoming who fought off a cougar with a chain saw recently but could not find it again to attach the link. The cat was "starving" and fit your description like a glove. If I find it again I will attach the link.

Three young cougars killed after stalking Princeton residents
Princeton residents are being warned to keep an eye out for cougars after three "killer cats" were shot and killed in a two-week period after they were seen stalking people at a campground, a swimming hole and a baseball tournament.

http://www.canada.com/vancouversun/...=68e4f6e8-ef16-4520-a4bb-02d9fb63914d&k=47403

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=cougar+sightings&btnG=Google+Search&aq=o&oq=&aqi=