# Cougar



## Try'n Hard (Oct 23, 2008)

Based on three eyewitness reports - I have a cougar or panther. I know, I know it seems unlikely but these guys are pretty reliable. Big, dark with a tail about 3’. I Found a big doe last weekend with her hind quarters completely gone and a ripped out neck. Dry ground - no tracks. No reason for it to be dead as far as I could tell. 
I want to set up my trail cams in the area he has been seen. The woods are pretty open now and I should be able to cover a large area. Should I try bait or just leave them out for a month? If bait, what?


----------



## hjorgan (Sep 30, 2007)

Got this on my tail cam... er.... trail cam.....


----------



## hyco (Oct 24, 2008)

Bait for a cougar? Young fit dude in early 20’s NOT wearing them skinny jeans or sparkly things on the pockets.


----------



## hyco (Oct 24, 2008)

hjorgan said:


> Got this on my tail cam... er.... trail cam.....


That’s a cougar!!!


----------



## Try'n Hard (Oct 23, 2008)

You guys! I’m being serious!!


----------



## lees way2 (Oct 7, 2007)

hjorgan said:


> Got this on my tail cam... er.... trail cam.....


I want to join your club,I here cougars can take care of your money problems.


----------



## lastcast (Oct 12, 2007)

Let me guess, one of those reliables was crack head Bobby!


----------



## llllllllll (Dec 31, 2010)

Try'n Hard said:


> You guys! I’m being serious!!


Put your trail cam on that dead deer, good chance whatever ate the 
hams will be back to feed again.


----------



## Cynical (Apr 26, 2008)

Big and dark you say? I see.


----------



## Bodupp (Oct 3, 2007)

Was the doe carcass covered in debris?


----------



## ThaFish (Feb 27, 2013)

hyco said:


> Bait for a cougar? Young fit dude in early 20’s NOT wearing them skinny jeans or sparkly things on the pockets.


I checked both my jeans & my pockets, & it looks like I may be able to lend a hand in this issue. I hope the OP contacts for me assistance!


----------



## stc1993 (Nov 23, 2014)

Cynical said:


> Big and dark you say? I see.


Did she drop it like it's hot?


----------



## sureicanfish (Sep 30, 2007)

I'd have some cameras out for sure but where to put them would be the big question. Set one up looking down a road, if it has a long range trigger. Be a ton of pics but you'd definitely see critters.


----------



## AdrenB (Jun 20, 2017)

hjorgan said:


> Got this on my tail cam... er.... trail cam.....


Id like to catch a couple of those...


----------



## Try'n Hard (Oct 23, 2008)

Bodupp said:


> Was the doe carcass covered in debris?




No sir


----------



## K-Bill (May 14, 2009)

i hope you get a pic of it. put to rest the decades old argument that there is no such thing as a black panther. melanistic shmelanistic. 

I can't speak for your sources, TH, but you're a sensible guy. I may put some cams near the carcass just to see what comes in to it. but I wouldn't hold my breath waiting for a black panther to show up in the pics.

just once I wish someone would say they saw a cougar/panther and it was brown or tan in color. I may be inclined to believe it, depending...


----------



## Try'n Hard (Oct 23, 2008)

I saw one as a teenager in Pace. 40 yrs ago and I can still picture it. 100% - No doubt! Hasn’t been a “for sure” sighting in Alabama in 50 yrs! However. I’m in the middle of 25 sq miles with only about 50 residents. Perfect place for one to live


----------



## Try'n Hard (Oct 23, 2008)

I may be destined to be a Panther locator - Here is a story from my family history - This is from Conecuh County, interesting read:

One Sunday, the men had decided to go to the fields..their crops were late and they had to get them harvested before winter set in.. There had been talk from the scattered neighbors about a panther, that had been seen prowling about. The men had gathered together and had went many times trying to track him down, but couldn't find him. William and John told the women..”If you hear the panther scream or get scared, go to the barn. William built a ladder and put it outside, so it would be easy to get to the loft. Matilda and Mary made plans, they would head for the hay loft as fast as they could, if they saw or heard any sign of the panther. One Sunday, soon after this, Mary had gotten the children ready for church and was almost over to Matilda's house, when they both heard the panther scream..and they knew it was close by them.. Matilda ran to meet Mary, and she grabbed the twins, one under each arm and ran to the barn..Mary had the baby and was behind Matilda. Matilda's heart was pounding so fast..she thought”Any minute I'll fall down, and that will be the end of me..or all of us!” As she got to the ladder she stood one child down, and up she went and pushed one child into the loft..back down and got the other one..She took the baby from Mary and climbed up with her..Mary was almost in, when the panther came around the crib and made a leap..he pulled Mary and the ladder down. Mary was screaming..the children were crying and in shock..all Matilda could do was gather Mary's children in her arms and hide their little faces..as the panther drug their mother behind the crib..and killed her.. 
When William and John got home, they gathered up what was left of Mary and all the men put the women and children in a good strong house..with shutters..while they tracked the panther down and killed it..After they buried Mary, it was decided the children would stay with Matilda as the men had to go back to work..at night John would keep the children with him, she knew he was in a lot of grief, but as time went by, she hoped he would somehow get over the horror of his wife's death..Mother Nature has a way of healing all wounds, it would just take time..


----------



## K-Bill (May 14, 2009)

Try'n Hard said:


> I saw one as a teenager in Pace. 40 yrs ago and I can still picture it. 100% - No doubt! Hasn’t been a “for sure” sighting in Alabama in 50 yrs! However. I’m in the middle of 25 sq miles with only about 50 residents. Perfect place for one to live


a black one or a tan one?


----------



## Try'n Hard (Oct 23, 2008)

K-Bill said:


> a black one or a tan one?




Dark, but not black. Darker than the ones I used to see on Lassie. I remember the tail more than anything. Long and big around as my wrist


----------



## sureicanfish (Sep 30, 2007)

The one I've seen was tan/brown, but no doubt, it was NOT a big housecat. The tail was as long as the body and big, impressive animal.


----------



## Breeze (Mar 23, 2012)

K-Bill said:


> i hope you get a pic of it. put to rest the decades old argument that there is no such thing as a black panther. melanistic shmelanistic.
> 
> I can't speak for your sources, TH, but you're a sensible guy. I may put some cams near the carcass just to see what comes in to it. but I wouldn't hold my breath waiting for a black panther to show up in the pics.
> 
> just once I wish someone would say they saw a cougar/panther and it was brown or tan in color. I may be inclined to believe it, depending...


I saw a tan one last year crossing the road just down from our house. It crossed about 100 yards in front of me. Saw a huge coyote on the side of the road by our house one day too. He was so big I initially thought it was a wolf as I came up on it. 

Sent from my Z988 using Tapatalk


----------



## hjorgan (Sep 30, 2007)

After thinking about the doe kill, and the way it was eaten, and NOT covered with debris... I'm gonna say.....

chupacapra... definate.

Oh and the best bait for chupacapra is unicorn backstrap.

(or could have been a cougar, I don't know.)


----------



## Backwoods11 (Oct 20, 2016)

I have a video somewhere of 1 coming across a field a couple years ago near atmore. We were cutting the dogs off an they were in a head between 2 fields and all of a sudden here comes the panther running out getting away from the commotion.


----------



## K-Bill (May 14, 2009)

Backwoods11 said:


> I have a video somewhere of 1 coming across a field a couple years ago near atmore. We were cutting the dogs off an they were in a head between 2 fields and all of a sudden here comes the panther running out getting away from the commotion.


that's cool. did you show the video to AL DNR or anybody like that? was it black or tan? I'm sure I speak for many when I say we'd love to see the footage!


----------



## Backwoods11 (Oct 20, 2016)

No I didn't show anyone from the state cause then all kind of people would be down on our place looking for it, however there were 4 or 5 of us standing there watching it all happen. It was a tan color, and I will see if I can find the video I took it on and old phone of mine and I think I still have it at the house somewhere


----------



## Yellow River Cat (May 3, 2008)

I saw one cross Dorcas Hwy. back in 1984? I was parked on the shoulder to keep the dogs from crossing if the deer they were trailing came that way. Just about the time that the dogs quit barking a big cat (120lb.s + or -) came out of the woods and crossed the highway 40 or 50 yards in front of me
It was brown with a tail almost as long as it’s body
Don’t care if anybody believes me or not I know what I saw


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


----------



## hjorgan (Sep 30, 2007)

Guys seriously .... I believe there are big cats roaming around Alabama and Florida. Just a few years ago no one believed black bears existed in South Alabama. But now (thanks to the Black Bear Alliance) we have verified photos, collared bears, and a program to study them. Swamps are big places, and there be monsters in there. Even chupacapras.


----------



## Breeze (Mar 23, 2012)

hjorgan said:


> Guys seriously .... I believe there are big cats roaming around Alabama and Florida. Just a few years ago no one believed black bears existed in South Alabama. But now (thanks to the Black Bear Alliance) we have verified photos, collared bears, and a program to study them. Swamps are big places, and there be monsters in there. Even chupacapras.


I know for sure that was one that I saw. Doesn't matter to me if anyone believes it or not, I know what I saw... 

Sent from my RCT6513W87 using Tapatalk


----------



## Try'n Hard (Oct 23, 2008)

You have to admit however that the fact that everybody carries a camera and most hunters are running multiple game cameras 24 hrs a day makes it hard to believe there hasn’t been one verifiable picture of one in Alabama in over 50 yrs


----------



## pcola4 (Apr 13, 2009)

Alabama states there are none in the state but we saw them on a regular basis at Riley crossing a few years back.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


----------



## JoeyWelch (Sep 25, 2009)

...


----------



## capt.joe (Feb 2, 2011)

Try'n Hard said:


> I saw one as a teenager in Pace. 40 yrs ago and I can still picture it. 100% - No doubt! Hasn’t been a “for sure” sighting in Alabama in 50 yrs! However. I’m in the middle of 25 sq miles with only about 50 residents. Perfect place for one to live


I grew up in Lowndes county on county rd 9. Me, sister, Mom and Dad were coming back from a neighbors farm one night. As Dad turned onto our road a doe jumped from the bushes. Then a cougar came up out of the bushes, had just caught the doe. It went side to side in the headlights and walked into the woods. That was like 7 miles from the house, I think 1984


----------

