More on cougars

[frisky]

Interesting! Did you see WHERE they have been sited?

[lvt01]

I got a picture of this cat on my trail cam last fall. DNR said that its a bobcat, but a number of the neighbors actually saw it on various occasions. Everyone said it had a long tail and was well over knee high at the shoulders. I found a couple of its tracks near my camera and they were as big as the palm of my hand. We've had bobcats around this area for many years, but this doesn't look like any of the ones I've seen before.

http://i818.photobucket.com/albums/zz10 ... 000013.jpg

[Grizzly Adam]

I've heard more than on big cat over the years in the early morning, predawn silence. I grin from ear to ear when it happens.

Yeah ... wait 'til one sounds off ABOVE YOU one morning.

Did Woody or anyone post about the recent DNR verified cougar trail-cam picture from southern Indiana?

[Stosh]

I saw onw like that in Wyoming county, Ne. Pa. 2 years ago. I was flinting and was still hunting when about 10 deer flew by me, about 10 min later there he was!!!

Stosh

[Big58cal]

Yeah ... wait 'til one sounds off ABOVE YOU one morning.

That's why I walk softly and carry a HUGE KNIFE!

That's why I carry a pistol! In KY, if you have your CCDW license, you can carry while bowhunting. Something may still "get" me, but I'm going to make whatever it is live pretty hard for a while at least. LOL!

I got a picture of this cat on my trail cam last fall. DNR said that its a bobcat, but a number of the neighbors actually saw it on various occasions.

The cat in the picture does look like a bobcat. It looks a little too 'long' to be one, but if you'll look, it's left leg is back, making it look longer than it really is. You can also see the black on the tip of the tail. Not doubting that you do in fact have cougars up there, but the one in the pic looks like a bobcat, and a big one at that!

There's been reported sightings of big cats in KY for years. Every time though, the KDFWR says that it's an escaped pet. They won't admit that we actually have them living and breeding here because if they did, then they would have to develop some kind of management plan for them. By saying that the ones here are escaped pets, they're protecting themselves from any lawsuits.

[lvt01]

Whatever it was...it was bigger than normal for around here. The bobcats we have in the area are maybe 15-30 lbs. This cat was probably 60-70 lbs. The grass he was walking in was about 8-10 inches tall so he stood pretty tall at the shoulder too. I know that cougars usually run 150-200 lbs, so I'm not sure what it was. Found a couple tracks a little further to the left away from the camera that were just too big to be normal bobcat tracks. We have black bears coming into the area too, which isn't normal for this far south in Minnesota. These animals must be getting pressured into having to go outside of their normal habitats is my thought.

[Cossack]

The pic does indeed look like a bob.
"We have black bears coming into the area too, which isn't normal for this far south in Minnesota."
Two bear were shot by DNR right up against MINNEAPOLIS/St PAUL last week. Guess no one told then they can't be in the cities.
We now have some 2,500 wolves in MN. Cougar sightings occur regularly, ND even had a season for them last year. A handgun is my constant companion when I'm in the woods alone.

[lvt01]

They just had a black bear raiding bird feeders in the city limits of Rochester yesterday. I don't blame you for carrying some fire power into the woods anymore. Its one thing if you are used to seeing these types of animals in your area, but its a whole different story when they just kind of show up when you aren't expecting it.

[wabi]

We have had a few species show up in our area of Ohio in the past few years, too.

Black bears are now known to inhabit the area.
(I knew of a den back in the 1970s well before they "returned")
Bobcats are showing up now.
(There again, I personally saw my first one in the wild over 30 years ago.)
Beaver are back to the extent there is now a trapping season for them.
(I witnessed beaver in the wild in my home county over 40 years ago, well before they were recognized as existing by the DNR)

But, sadly, there are also critters like coyotes also showing up much more regularly than is desirable. I've also seen a huge decrease in some species (like groundhogs).

Could there be a connection there?
As the predator species are re-introduced the (easiest to kill) prey species decline, then they wonder why the predators suddenly start preying on pets & livestock.

[Czy Horse]

I got a picture of this cat on my trail cam last fall.

From the size description and picture I think it is a lynx.

Czy Horse

[Cossack]

That really depends on what you're hunting, IMO. If it can hunt you back......

[VixChix]

....In my opinion, toting a firearm while archery hunting makes the experience less pleasurable.

Then you're ready to come live in Canada!

[evaughan]

When we bowhunt moose, we are in the densly populated bear areas in the WORLD. we sneak into calling spots in the dark as quietly as possible. We don't carry firearms and quite frankly I've never found it the least bit unsettling. I guess it's just something you get accustomed to. I've never even really thought about it. I suppose some bear spray is probably prudent but so far I haven't bothered. Many on this site bowhunt moose, interested to hear what others may or may not do for precaution/protection/piece of mind.