Meet my new neighbor

David Freed · September 25, 2009, 08:20:46 PM

People have been hearing it for several weeks. This picture was taken 2 miles from my house. Makes me have second thoughts about walking up to my shop in the dark.

beenthere · September 25, 2009, 08:41:39 PM

That pic has been kicking around for several months now, and from what I gather it originated in Texas. There is a deer feeder in the background.
But the states of Ohio, Tennessee, and now Indiana are laying claim to having this cougar.

Google Cougar buck pic and a number of hits on this same pic will pop up for one to see the activity it has caused.

Maybe David found the real place. ??

Banjo picker · September 25, 2009, 08:43:05 PM

The adjoining land owner on the back side of my place swears that we have them here in NE Miss...said he has seen several deer carcases that showed evidence of a big cat...but I have never heard one or seen a track and I spend a good deal of time in the woods along creek banks and on trails ...looks like they would at least make a track...
Tim

Jeff · September 25, 2009, 08:54:50 PM

Yep, saw that pic about 3 months ago in my email. said it was in Texas in that one.

Jeff · September 25, 2009, 08:59:39 PM

http://www.buckmanager.com/2009/04/17/deer-management-and-some-thoughts-on-predator-control/

David Freed · September 25, 2009, 09:02:34 PM

A friend said one of his friends took the picture this week. I guess not. Some of my coworkers were talking about hearing one in recent weeks though.

Chico · September 25, 2009, 09:28:44 PM

I know their in central and eastern Tn I've seen them and heard them also in Ala up north of DEmopolis I sww one prob 10 yrs ago A cougar painter what ever you choose to call them are a lot more wide spread than folks think and the males will travel a long way in a weeks time I could time the on ein east Tn almost to the night He would come thru Females don't travel as far but still have a pretty wide area
Chico

fishpharmer · September 25, 2009, 09:33:26 PM

My dad and grandma swore they saw cougars several times here in MS when I was growing up.

I never saw it.

Of course maybe they were trying to keep me out of the woods so I would do my homework. Little did they know I was trying to find it. ;D

Radar67 · September 25, 2009, 10:03:43 PM

Haven't seen or heard of any cougars or panthers in my area, but I know for sure there is a big bobcat near my land. I saw him less than 25 yards, walking toward me on a dirt road. Only proof I have is the racing stripe on my drawers. ;)

Mooseherder · September 25, 2009, 10:29:59 PM

We had this Lynx in front of our Camp a few years ago.
Pardon the shaking video.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qta-93yyiPo

Handy Andy · September 25, 2009, 11:02:20 PM

I have seen a cougar on my land here in Kansas. And found deer carcases hollowed out as in eaten from the butt end, and all hollowed out inside. And a guy helping me starting going off about something one day when we were working cattle. Asked him later what he was talking about, he said there was that big cat there along the crick watchin us. Called in to a radio show when they had a fish and game guy on, he called me a liar. Said there are no cougars in Kansas.

fishpharmer · September 25, 2009, 11:08:50 PM

I believe you Handy Andy.

I have had lots of people tell me about cougar sightings here in MS. Had people tell about bear sightings too for years. Well it turns out we have a pretty good population spread across the state of MS. Why not cougars too. Cougars always seemed alot slicker than the bears to me ;)

Don K · September 26, 2009, 05:34:11 AM

I saw one a few yrs ago crossing the back corner of a field while I was turkey hunting. One crossed the road in front of us two weeks ago as we were traveling to a ball game. I was looking down and missed it. My wife said it cleared the two lane road in two bounds. She was quite amazed at what she saw.

Don

WildDog · September 26, 2009, 06:20:42 AM

I am sure glad we don't get cats like that or bears down here, I kinda like to be able to come home late from the paddock or back to the vehicle on foot in the dark without having to worry about being chewed on, we only have to watch the snakes, might stumble across a feral porker.

fishpharmer · September 26, 2009, 06:41:17 AM

You mean there aren't man eating Crocs everywhere? ;)

WildDog · September 26, 2009, 07:14:44 AM

Fish you got me, I forgot about the salty's and buffalos but those guys are further north than me, everthing hurts up there you don't even want to put your toe in the water, what with sharks, box jelly fish, stone fish, cone shells, sea snakes, mosquitos, even their scrub cattle play for keeps, everthing wants to kill you, think I will stay down here in the cold climate

.

okmulch · September 26, 2009, 09:28:25 AM

When I lived in Livingston Alabama I heard one once. We were sitting out on the porch one evening and it sounded like a woman screaming. Made the hairs on my neck stand up.

We now live in Stillwater Oklahoma and about two months ago my wife was sittint at the dining room table doing some work. She had been watching some hummingbirds fight at the feeder when out of the corner of her eye she sees a cougar walking out of the woods and into our backyard. She said it startled her enough she could not yell at me. I was in the other room with the boys and by the time she came in there it was gone. I asked her if she was sure because we do have a bobcat that lives around here(we have pics of it ). She said yes she was sure because her and the boys had seen one earlier that week at the zoo. :D We live on the very edge of Stillwater but to the west and south there is not much development. Other neighbors have seen and heard them aroung our neighborhood in the past couple of years. This is the second sighting in our yard, about a year age the post office delivery lady saw one run across our front yard. Both of these sightings were in day light also.

Mooseherder · September 26, 2009, 10:01:57 AM

Quote from: okmulch on September 26, 2009, 09:28:25 AM
When I lived in Livingston Alabama I heard one once. We were sitting out on the porch one evening and it sounded like a woman screaming. Made the hairs on my neck stand up.

That happened to us when we were at our camp in Maine. We were sleeping when awakened just outside of our Cabin walls was some death defying crys that sounded like a woman. :-\ It was a long time until morning.

CJennings · September 26, 2009, 11:20:37 AM

I saw a catamount here earlier this year. There was no mistaking what it was, it was massive, long tail. They're around.

beenthere · September 26, 2009, 11:27:52 AM

We have 'yotes that take up to carrying on at night, and sound like a woman or child screaming. Happens fairly often.

Cougars are so rare that getting a pic of one leads to the stretched stories such as have surrounded this one. Quite interesting reading the different places this one has shown up (TN, OH, TX). Last year there were some trail cam pics showing cougars eating whitetail, and Wisconsin was identified as the source. Come to find out, they were staged somewhere out west. But not before they too popped up for the states of VT, NH, and ME if I remember right.

But WildDog, we do not have to fear any cougars for all practical purposes. ;D
Can only hope to be lucky enough to see one. Seeing bigfoot might happen too.

Chico · September 26, 2009, 03:06:43 PM

I didn't see pics myself I saw the cats up close and personal once Chico ;)

Stan snider · September 26, 2009, 09:24:44 PM

Here is a site with some interesting cougar data and stories. The one killed at red rock (about 30 miles north of Stillwater ) was mentioned on a ODWC TV program a while back and they said it made the trip from northeastern Wyoming \South Dakota line to Red Rock Oklahoma in about 266 days. That is 600 plus air miles! It was a young male " looking for its own territory". Some males sure are picky I guess :D :D oklahomawww.easterncougarnet.org/prairiestates.html

rbhunter · September 27, 2009, 03:46:44 AM

The Wildlife and Parks in Kansas always denies any cougars. They do not even come out to investigate them. I am not sure what part of Kansas you are from handyandy but I know of some people who have seen one just north east of Topeka. One guy had a good look from about 60-70 yards and went in to get his camera and it was gone when he came out. It was out in the open in the field by the house.

okmulch · September 27, 2009, 12:50:42 PM

The wildlife and park service deny the facts because if they acknowledge that cougars are in their area then they are required to manage for them and accept some responsibility for them.

Kansas · September 27, 2009, 01:49:34 PM

I saw one on my farm about 9 years ago, thats about 30 miles west of topeka. Was out in the pasture checking calves, and it came out of the brush and ran into a draw. Funny part was, there were calves around there grazing and they didn't even lift their heads-like they were used to it.