Skip to main content

With all of the kids going cuckoo over the abandoned kitty kats, it has reminded me of another topic that I have wanted to bring up here for sometime.

How many of you have seen or heard of someone seeing big cats in our area?

I have personally witnessed a half-eaten deer carcass in a cave high up on a bluff overlooking the river. I don't know how else this carcass could have gotten into the cave without the help of a big cat. No bobcat could have done this. There has also a large catfish carcass in this cave. Needless to say, we didnt stay around long. If you are crossing the Tennessee on the Trace, look to your left on the Colbert side. You can see some chainlink around the mouth of a cave. That is the cave.


I have heard people say that there are panthers in or around... hold your breath.... Panther Creek. Someone tell me more.
Original Post

Replies sorted oldest to newest

A buddy of mine said his dad had a recent pic of a mountain lion taken from a tree mounted camera on his deer lease. The lease is located in northeast Mississippi.

I've heard of a few other pics taken from other deer hunters I work with, but it's been a while and don't remember the specifics.

I've also heard there may have been one sighted near Cane Creek Nature Preserve in Colbert county.
About 5 years ago my daughter was walking TVA trails by herself and swears that a mountain lion crossed the trail ahead of her. I called TVA who claimed that it had to have been a bobcat. I have seen bobcat on the reservation. From her detailed description this was no bobcat. I have since heard other similar stories.
There are several that have been being seen in this area. In Lawrence county, a friend of mine has seen one many times near his chicken houses. I have a game warden friend and he has confirmed several sightings in the Barton riverfront to cane creek areas.
I have 200 acres down near Allsborough, this year I have been seeing some really big cat tracks for the first time. I went hunting friday at 2:00 p.m., when I came out at 5:00, there was a fresh set of tracks laid down in the interim.
Frankly, I am going to start carrying my pistol.
>>>>>> Posted 25 January 2010 07:24 PM Hide Post
There are several that have been being seen in this area. In Lawrence county, a friend of mine has seen one many times near his chicken houses. I have a game warden friend and he has confirmed several sightings in the Barton riverfront to cane creek areas.
I have 200 acres down near Allsborough, this year I have been seeing some really big cat tracks for the first time. I went hunting friday at 2:00 p.m., when I came out at 5:00, there was a fresh set of tracks laid down in the interim.
Frankly, I am going to start carrying my pistol.
<<<<<<<



You mean you went hunting without a gun?
Several years ago, I saw something cross River Road in Muscle Shoals after dark and it has had me wondering even to this day as to what it was. I was going west on River Road at the time when I saw something completely black with a very long tail in comparison to it's body cross the road ahead of me. It moved so swiftly that I was amazed at how it seemed to only touch the ground two or three times before it disappeared into the woods on the side of the road and was gone. The animal was only about 45 or 50 yards ahead of me and in my headlights I was able to get a pretty good look at it in the brief time that I saw it. The main thing that told me that it was a large cat was the way it held it's long tail in a horizontal position as it ran. At first I was telling myself that I'd just seen a very large black lab run across the road but I've never seen a Lab anywhere near the size or speed of what I saw cross the road. I looked in the Times Daily for several months to see if there were any more sighting reports or if there was a news article reporting the escape of someones exotic cat in the area but saw nothing. The animal was seen only once and I have not seen it again since.
Originally posted by Ronnie P.: "This one time at band camp."

You must have gone to Mars Hill.


And I am ashamed of you all. I can't believe we made it to page 2 without a single cougar joke.

Getting back on topic here. I believe that these animals are here. I have seen evidence with my own eyes that I cannot explain or dismiss.

PANTHER CREEK..... still looking for some info on where this name came from.
It has been 10 or 12 years ago that I saw a mountain lion on the Natchez Trace near Sutton Hill. It was late afternoon but it was a good sighting. I have always had an infinity for mountain lions and have seen many in zoos and there was a couple in Cherokee that had some in captivity. While in the navy, my wife worked at a boarding kennel and we lived on the premises. One of the clients had one as a pet so I knew what I was looking at as soon as I seen it.
With the range (up to 50 miles) many of the sightings mentioned in this forum, could be the same animal. As to the color, they have a darker under coat and in the right lighting and other conditions could look very dark though usually not actually black.
quote:
Originally posted by dogsoldier0513:
Game wardens don't believe the sightings, however.


YEP...! That's exactly what they told me....then reminded me not to shoot one because they are protected by Alabama Game Laws. That caution seemed unnecessary if there are no big cats here. Mynot had several thirty years ago....don't know if they survive today.

 I live in Giles county and im not sure but i have picts of what twra told me was a bobcat. thing is this thing is coming up to my windows and i have small dogs. the woman down the street has prints in her garden as well.  and she has kids at her house all the time. i havent seen the animal as of yet but im pretty sure no bobcat made this print its just to big.bobcat or cougar?

Picture 082

Picture 082

Attachments

Images (1)
  • Picture 082
Originally Posted by justsumgirlntennessee:

everything i have read on bobcats says they dont get more than 40 lbs

 


What the books say, and what actually happens aren't always the same.  The man who first saw it was in cavalry recon in WWII, trained to accurately report under stress.  Later, a couple of others saw the cat.   

Cougars have been reported on the Fort Morgan peninsula in an area which is as wild and remote as just about any area of this state.  I have been in that area and believe me, the terrain  is as rugged and difficult as any in this state--dense sawgrass, vines, and cottonmouths in abundance.  It is part of the Bon Secour National Wildlife Refuge, but the public does not go there simply because it is such a hellish place to get around in.  A long-time resident of the area described several sightings of eastern cougars in that area.  He said the state released some of them many years ago and they have continued to maintain a breeding population.

 

A cougar was shot in LaGrange, Georgia in 2008.  That city is not all that far from Alabama.  Here is a link to that incident:

http://cougarrewilding.org/CougarNews/?p=152

Originally Posted by direstraits:

There are about a dozen cougars in Alabama.  Game wardens don't mention them because they are concerned some yahoo will start hunting them, illegally.  Bob cats can get large. About 30 years ago, one about 80 to 100 lbs. cleaned out the deer at Barton steam plant.

 

 

 Soo  many years ago they did do a release of the said cougar. im not that far from the Alabama line. So my cat could possibly be a cougar?

Well  the game warden that came to my  house wanted to argue the point with me. i know they are in tennessee ive seen one myself. i almost hit it with my car. I still have not seen the animal  and i really dont want to. But i do want the peace of mind to  feel like i can let my dogs out without having to worry   about it all that much. Being alone and not able to do things like i  once  could makes it hard for me to  just  hunt it or trap  the thing. even if its a bobcat this paw print is at least 4 inches in width. And my  mother swears she saw a cougar while i was bringing her out to visit with me. just down the road from me.

 

 

Add Reply

Post

Untitled Document
×
×
×
×
Link copied to your clipboard.
×