Posted on 08/08/2014 7:47:16 PM PDT by SolidRedState
Denman
That is hilarious.
Short vid of the cat at the car wash.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sHmEM6txwRY
Nobody believed me so I stopped talking about it. All the experts back then said it was impossible 'cause no big cats are around here any more.....
First look at these tracks then... https://www.google.com/search?hl=en&site=imghp&tbm=isch&source=hp&biw=1920&bih=845&q=mountain+lion+tracks&oq=Mountain+lion+&gs_l=img.1.1.0l10.1425.4436.0.7318.14.10.0.4.4.0.145.817.8j2.10.0....0...1ac.1.51.img..0.14.841.SVZqDfiIbxs
You need to be careful, if you are passing through that area, they watch game trails.... what you may call foot paths. Mountain lions tend to be shy but will often make a kill then come back for it later. If it was in a ditch and the ground was soft or there was sandy material around, those are called track traps. Take a look where the cat would likely have walked and any ground that would be favorable to leave a mark. Do not look at noon, go out with a flash light just after dusk (be careful as this is hunting time) and point your flash light level with the ground in areas you think may be tracks, then sweep the beam back and forth and you should see the shadows fall into the tracks distinguishing patterns from the noise of regular ground features... of course post picts if you see something.
Your description sounds like a mountain lion. They will split rib cage to get at the lungs and will also bury the remains for later. They tend to become active at dusk and dawn and can have a range of 500 miles.
Your town’s dept. of public works came and picked up the carcass
My town picks up dead dear all the time on the sides of roads.
I live in a rural area of the Florida Panhandle. There are a few Black Bear and a lot of Coyotes. For the last few years I always put a Walther PP in .22LR in my pocket along with a spare mag in the other pocket.
It doesn’t hit hard but it hits hard enough. The only thing I have used it on are rattlesnakes. I would feel comfortable with it on feral dogs or coyotes. Black Bear would be only as a last ditch.
Yes, this is their natural instinct and they go for the neck. I would also be carrying.
“Your town’s dept. of public works came and picked up the carcass
My town picks up dead dear all the time on the sides of roads.”
__________________
Not likely around here. Pretty rural and nobody picks up dead deer carcasses around here. They can lay for weeks.
I suppose it is not impossible but none of the neighbors have ever known any one to come pick up any before.
Talked with a lady at the Heartland Museum of Military Vehicles about three years back. Not sure how we got on the subject, but she said they had mountain lions in Lexington, NE.
Also, I’ll try to find the thread, but got to reading a thread a few years back on FR about mountain lions...in places you wouldn’t normally think. I’ll see if I can come up with it.
“I would also be carrying.”
Yes, I was carrying the P22 but switched to my P95. I might just start carrying the AR as well.
Only problem is it might take us longer on our walk as people would be constantly stopping to inquire about what accessories I have on it. :)
What the heck is that?
Tracker and trained dog team. You don’t need to actually “track” the cat down - if it was one - but only confirm that one is present, and could still BE present.
Tracks, scent, spoor, sleeping spots. Other kills. All you need is a confirmation of the mountain lion. That enables YOU (and your family) to BEGIN taking sensible precautions.
“What the heck is that?”
I am surprised you don’t recognize a chucacabra when you see one. ;)
Here is a story from Lincoln, Nebraska:
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/2810036/posts
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.