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Big Cat in East Texas


Minoh

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I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THE PIC OF A CAT THAT YOU CAN PROVE WAS KILLED IN ET! MOST DO SHOOT WITH GUNS, THEN USUALLY FOLLOWED BY A SHOT WITH A CAMERA!

 

I can show where one is hanging on a wall. However, something tells me you would still say that i's not real, or it was killed elsewhere. Same holds true for photgraphs. If you were handed a satack of cat pictures, you wouldn't believe them.

 

 

PS - Lay off the ALL CAPS, it's annoying.

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I can show where one is hanging on a wall. However, something tells me you would still say that i's not real, or it was killed elsewhere. Same holds true for photgraphs. If you were handed a satack of cat pictures, you wouldn't believe them.

 

 

PS - Lay off the ALL CAPS, it's annoying.

IF I SHOWED YOU A PIC OF A BIGFOOT WOULD YOU BUY IT? NO, BECAUSE THE FACTS SAY THEY DON'T EXIST JUST LIKE BIG CATS IN E.T.

 

OPPS, I MUST HAVE FORGOT ABOUT THE ALL CAPS, SEEING AS IT ANNOYS YOU SO I WOULD MOST CERTAINLY NOT DO ANTHING TO UPSET YOU!

 

my deepest apologies daddy!

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IF I SHOWED YOU A PIC OF A BIGFOOT WOULD YOU BUY IT? NO, BECAUSE THE FACTS SAY THEY DON'T EXIST JUST LIKE BIG CATS IN E.T.

 

OPPS, I MUST HAVE FORGOT ABOUT THE ALL CAPS, SEEING AS IT ANNOYS YOU SO I WOULD MOST CERTAINLY NOT DO ANTHING TO UPSET YOU!

 

my deepest apologies daddy!

 

 

What, are you 12?

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IF I SHOWED YOU A PIC OF A BIGFOOT WOULD YOU BUY IT? NO, BECAUSE THE FACTS SAY THEY DON'T EXIST JUST LIKE BIG CATS IN E.T.

 

OPPS, I MUST HAVE FORGOT ABOUT THE ALL CAPS, SEEING AS IT ANNOYS YOU SO I WOULD MOST CERTAINLY NOT DO ANTHING TO UPSET YOU!

 

my deepest apologies daddy!

 

 

Flaming.

 

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Flaming.

 

 

HoosierDaddy

 

View Member Profile

 

 

Group: Members

Posts: 287

Joined: 24-April 06

From: State of Confusion

Member No.: 12,857

 

It does say he's from "State of Confusion"!!

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WELL, AT LEAST WHILE YOU ALL SIT ON YOUR MACS CALLING ME CHILDISH YOU WON'T BE OUT IN EAST TEXAS WITH ALL OF THOSE BIG CATS YA'LL HAVE BEEN SEEING. NO I AM NOT 12,( MY WIFE WOULD SAY YOUR GIVING ME TOO MUCH CREDIT).

I DIDN'T MEAN TO RUFFLE SO MANY FEATHERS WITH THE DADDY COMMENT, I JUST THOUGHT IT WAS FUNNY THAT THE ALL CAPS BOTHERED HIM THAT MUCH.

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It's not as much me as it is the forum's owner, David Smoak:

 

Posts that disrupt the message boards for other users, intentional or not, are prohibited. This includes, but is not limited, to:

 

* Message posts or topic titles that force browsers to scroll horizontally. This includes too many quote boxes - trim your quote boxes! Only quote what you need to.

* Large blank or content-free posts

* "Bumping" in any form - this means "ttt", "bump", etc....

* Posting multiple identical or near-identical messages or topics, including "fad" topics

* Intentionally hard-to-read topic titles (AlTeRnAtE cApS, no spaces, no or excessive punctuation, 1337 speak, et cetera)

* Posting in ALL CAPS! This is especially irritating. Don't post in CAPS or your post will be deleted.

* Posting multiple hard-to-read or nonsensical messages in a single or multiple topics

* Post counting (i.e. "First", "100th Post")

* Unsupported smilies, multiple smilies with no text.

 

 

Keep it up, biggun.

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WELL, AT LEAST WHILE YOU ALL SIT ON YOUR MACS CALLING ME CHILDISH YOU WON'T BE OUT IN EAST TEXAS WITH ALL OF THOSE BIG CATS YA'LL HAVE BEEN SEEING. NO I AM NOT 12,( MY WIFE WOULD SAY YOUR GIVING ME TOO MUCH CREDIT).

I DIDN'T MEAN TO RUFFLE SO MANY FEATHERS WITH THE DADDY COMMENT, I JUST THOUGHT IT WAS FUNNY THAT THE ALL CAPS BOTHERED HIM THAT MUCH.

 

Flaming.

 

One more and you'll be watching and not posting. What that means is you'll be suspended. Is that funny?

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Sorry about all the trouble with the caps, I honestly had no idea that it was " a rule". I meant no disrespect towards smoaky.com or the message boards as i enjoy reading and chating as much as the next guy. It was my ignorance of the rules and of the term "flaming" that has gotten me in this pickle. I actually thought the first flaming remark was a negative comment toward me. I apologize to all the smoakheads that keep these boards running smoothly and appreciate the effort made on ya'lls behalf. So i will end this by saying i love lowercase!

 

I still would love to see a big cat in ET.

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I think this pretty much ends the debate over whether or not there are big cats in ET. If 11 are found dead since 1990 it would make sense that there are many, many more doing just fine.

 

"After several decades of apparent absence from East Texas, confirmed presence of cougars began to be recorded in the early 1990's. The Texas Parks & Wildlife Department (TP&W) has provided The Cougar Network with 11 mortality reports from this area since 1990. We expect to receive additional reports of confirmed sightings in the coming months. The sheer number of credible reports suggests that transient cougars are beginning to show up in this portion of the state with some regularity, although some may be former captives. Given the area's proximity to Arkansas and Louisiana, it is possible that cougars are crossing over into those states as well. The major obstacle to re-colonization through East Texas is the increasing fragmentation of potential habitat and dispersal corridors. According to TP&W biologists, this portion of the state is projected to experience continued rampant development and human population growth, reducing the long-term likelihood of cougar re-establishment."

 

http://www.cougarnet.org/southeast.html

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  • 2 weeks later...
My dad saw one in the woods SW of Tatum near Martin Lake about 15 years ago. Havent heard of any sightings in that area since though.

I saw a big cat I thought it was a cougar about a month ago crossing Hwy 43 at about 5 pm. It was between Shan D and the Tatum softball park. I wanted to take a picture but all I had was my phone and I was driving.

The area near C E Rogers store is called Panther Bottoms and many a tale has been told. Those telling the tales are folks not prone to TALL tales but that is in the knowing of the teller.

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What I'm talking about is the "black panther" myth. There has NEVER been a recorded specimen of a black panther in the United States. None. That's not my opinion, it's a fact. I gave a link on the other "panther" thread.

 

think the balck panther myth is just a viewing of a mtn lion/cougar who has a darker shade pelt...the big cats are around NETX...the key is habitat and food supply...have seen tracks and heard one in the red river bottom north of dekalb...saw a cat walking a trail from my ladder stand south of clarksville about five years ago...made me realize i was not at the top of the food chain that afternoon...

 

was told (US park ranger)that one cat in the west tx/big bend area had to cover 220ish sq miles of territory for feeding reasons...wonder what that ratio is in this part of landscape...

 

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think the balck panther myth is just a viewing of a mtn lion/cougar who has a darker shade pelt...the big cats are around NETX...the key is habitat and food supply...have seen tracks and heard one in the red river bottom north of dekalb...saw a cat walking a trail from my ladder stand south of clarksville about five years ago...made me realize i was not at the top of the food chain that afternoon...

 

was told (US park ranger)that one cat in the west tx/big bend area had to cover 220ish sq miles of territory for feeding reasons...wonder what that ratio is in this part of landscape...

 

 

There are melanistic anomalies in most, if not all mammals, just as there are albino traits. I have seen many "black" squirrels that were from both (cat and fox) species.(not at the same time) There are melanistic deer. And, yes, it is just that they are producing more melanin (the colorant in skin and hair). It can happen in any type of cat, but on close examination you will be able to see the distinct markings of the species ie: stripes, spots and other markings.

 

No, there is not a species called "Black Panther." I spoke with a game warden about this, and was told that there have been reported sightings of these animals, but no documentation, either because TPWD can not be positive about the truthfulness of where the specimen came from and also because some biologist that work with them, do not consider a genetic anomaly such as the melanistic trait to be as "rare" as say an albino one. Esp. if, on close examination the species doesn't look as dark as would be considered "Black."

 

Yes, I have seen cougar-mountain lion-panther-puma (what ever you want to call it,) in East Texas before (But not a melanistic one) in Marion, Harrison, Panola and Shelby counties, (maybe it is the same one and he is traveling Big Cypress and the Sabine River.) I have also seen an ocelot (endangered)in the wild in East Texas about 5 years ago.

 

People used to think that it was a tall tale when someone mentioned seeing an alligator in Big Cypress and now that's an everyday thing. Also, "real" outdoor enthusiast would not kill such a rare animal. Unless it was threatening livestock.

 

But, I have NEVER seen one while pecking on my computer. So, take time to explore wild America. Get outside, take a kid fishing, go for a hike and explore the wonders that these great East Texas forrests have to offer. Remember to be licensed properly and to get permission from landowners. And PLEASE remember that pipeline and powerline right-of-ways are NOT public property, free for the taking, for your 4-wheeler pleasure. Someone owns that land and you are tresspassing if you do not have permission.

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floridapanther.JPG

 

"Historically, the Florida Panther occurred throughout the southeast United States, from Texas, Louisiana, and the lower Mississippi River valley north and east to the Atlantic Ocean, including Arkansas, Alabama, Florida, Georgia, and parts of Tennessee and South Carolina. Today approximately 70 panthers remain in parks and nearby private lands in southwest Florida. The Florida panther is one of the most endangered animals in the world. The only known wild breeding population occurs in south Florida within the Big Cypress Swamp region. Radio telemetry has also tracked panthers into locations ranging from the St. Johns River drainage from Okeechobee county south to Putnam county."

 

I can see how this cat would look black in the shadows.

 

From what I understand the panthers (mountain lions) of TX are a sub species of the above cat.

 

The big cat I posted about seeing back in the 70s on the other thread was not in the shadows. It was in the middle of the roadbed. I got a good look at if from front to back late in the evening in good light. It was black from head to tail. It never crossed my mind to report the sighting to the TP&W .... but now I wish I had reported it.

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Big cat was killed by a car right outside of Groveton, back in 1987 or 1988, 2 young cats were caught a kept in a pen, the people who caught them said they could here older cat making sounds in the woods behind the pen. I don't know what happened to the young cats. 2 very large cats, in the 190 to 175 lbs range were killed in Texarkana area in 1986 or 87. They had pictures in the Houston paper in the Sunday outdoor section. This was a long time ago but these were confermed sightings.

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The big cat I posted about seeing back in the 70s on the other thread was not in the shadows. It was in the middle of the roadbed. I got a good look at if from front to back late in the evening in good light. It was black from head to tail. It never crossed my mind to report the sighting to the TP&W .... but now I wish I had reported it.

 

I believe you when you say you saw a black cat. If it wasn't a panther it could be a jaguarundi which are native to tx and can be black. I had a person near the sabine in jamestown (smith co.) tell me they had a black panther in their garage one night. I can't help but be a little skeptical it's a black panther until a good photo or dead animal turns up. Not doubting what you saw though.

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I believe you when you say you saw a black cat. If it wasn't a panther it could be a jaguarundi which are native to tx and can be black. I had a person near the sabine in jamestown (smith co.) tell me they had a black panther in their garage one night. I can't help but be a little skeptical it's a black panther until a good photo or dead animal turns up. Not doubting what you saw though.

Good luck with that pic or video, I wouldn't hold my breath if I were you!

If you need some eye witness accounts your in luck, but pics are not so plentyful!

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  • 4 years later...

Pic taken on a dairy farm located off of FM 49 between Gilmer and Rhonesboro. I'd like other opinions, but it is obviously appears to be a big cat. However the tail doesn't seem quite long enough to be a mountain lion.

 

 

attachment=3822:IMG_0623.JPG]

IMG_0623.JPG

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Pic taken on a dairy farm located off of FM 49 between Gilmer and Rhonesboro. I'd like other opinions, but it is obviously appears to be a big cat. However the tail doesn't seem quite long enough to be a mountain lion.

 

 

attachment=3822:IMG_0623.JPG]

 

There is a cat around that area. Its been around Harmony, Perryville, Rain Tree. If you look at their range it could easily be the same one.

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QUOTE (Medman7 @ Feb 18 2008, 04:00 PM) How many have seen Otters, Mink, Ring Tail Cats, or flying squirrels in the wild. Not a hole lot of people have and yet they are alive and well in East Texas.

 

The same doubting Thomas issue came up when people first started talking about seeing Aligators and Bald Eagles in East Texas. We know that there is an abundance of them now and that sightings are common.

 

T have even gotten into argument swith people over the existance of Geckos and horney Toads in East Texas because they ahve never seen them. There are also plenty of those around here. Heck, I have a whole familty of Geckos that live around the eves of my house. They only some out at night so they are not seen during the day. Best natural cure for spiders taht I have ever seen and they moved in on their own. I leave then alone as long as they keep the insects at bay.

 

I give these examples to say that even though you have not seen one that does not mean they do not exist. When you do finally see one no one will convince you of anything any different.

 

 

What I'm talking about is the "black panther" myth. There has NEVER been a recorded specimen of a black panther in the United States. None. That's not my opinion, it's a fact. I gave a link on the other "panther" thread.

 

Some of the other animals you listed are quite common in East Texas. I have seen otters on several occasions and flying squirrells are all over, but they are nocturnal, small, and live in the trees.

 

I am glad you are an authority on the "black panther". I know for a fact ..... not opinion, that there was a black panther in the area around Edgewood. I have seen it personally in daylight. I have seen numerous times normal colored (tan) panthers (cougar or mountain lion) the same animal around Edgewood. They do travel through the Sabine River area and can go quite a distance. We were outside one night over at an Uncle's farm and his dog got into a fight with a cougar at the barn. We all 3 seen the fight and the cougar ran off. The dog was a Colley/Wolf crossbreed.

 

Just because it is not recorded does not make it so.

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  • 2 weeks later...

I am glad you are an authority on the "black panther". I know for a fact ..... not opinion, that there was a black panther in the area around Edgewood. I have seen it personally in daylight. I have seen numerous times normal colored (tan) panthers (cougar or mountain lion) the same animal around Edgewood. They do travel through the Sabine River area and can go quite a distance. We were outside one night over at an Uncle's farm and his dog got into a fight with a cougar at the barn. We all 3 seen the fight and the cougar ran off. The dog was a Colley/Wolf crossbreed.

 

Just because it is not recorded does not make it so.

 

Don't get your panties in a wad. I never said that "I was an authority", but I did offer proof to back up my point. The simple fact of the matter is that there is no such animal that has ever lived on this continent. Do the research yourself. A "black panther" does not exist...possibly a dark colored mountain lion, but not a black panther. There is a black jaguar, but it does not and never has lived in the U.S.

 

Now myths are created because everyone likes to tell a good story. I'm sure some people even believe their own tall tales after so many years of telling them. Personally, I have seen tracks(once) in all my years of hunting that were clearly that of a big cat. I have also seen the dead body of a juvenile mountain lion that was killed by a man I know that lives near Jacksonville. Cat was killed in "love's lookout" area. Can't remember what year it was(late 90's I think). This guy shot it with a pistol after his black-mouthed cur dogs had it pinned down. I saw the darn thing in this guy's chest freezer, and it had already be authenticated by state biologists. So, I know they are out there, but until someone takes a credible picture or produces a body of a black "panther", then I just will continue to believe otherwise. No need for you to take offense....I will be happy to be proven wrong if you can come up with some reliable proof.

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