Posted on 08/23/2008 7:31:22 PM PDT by SJackson
BULL VALLEY While driving down Thompson Road on Wednesday morning, Robert Poyner Sr. couldnt believe his eyes.
At first I thought it was a couple of small deer, he said. And then I said, Them aint deer; theyre two large cats.
Images fresh in his mind from when a cougar was shot and killed by police in Chicagos Roscoe Village in April, Poyner said the two animals looked similar.
He described them as about the size of German shepherds with golden brown fur and long tails.
My first instinct was to call 911, Poyner said.
I figured Id better report it to somebody, do something to let people know that these animals were around.
About 7 miles away in Woodstock, a woman driving on Route 14 near Doty Road on Sunday about 9 p.m. reported having to brake for an animal that looked like a cougar.
Woodstock police Sgt. Richard Johns said it was the only report that the department had received.
Bull Valley Police Chief Norbert Sauers said it wasnt unusual for people to call in and say they had seen a cougar.
Ive heard people over the years say that theyve seen something around here, but nothing confirmed, he said. I would have to say the chances of them seeing a coyote is closer to the truth.
But Poyner insists that he saw a pair of cougars.
Ive seen deer; Ive seen coyote, Poyner said. Ive seen a lot in my 25 years in McHenry County, so I know what I was seeing. I wear glasses, but Im not blind.
Stacy Iwanicki, a naturalist with the Volo Bog State Natural Area, said that cougars tended to be secretive animals that stay away from people, but that they should never be approached.
Back off and give them space, she said.
If he did see a pair, we could be looking at a future with the cats settling down, or they might just be moving through, Iwanicki said. Then again, its an unconfirmed sighting, and its hard to speculate until we get further evidence a picture or footprint.
Iwanicki said cougars could travel long distances easily.
These cats could be in Wisconsin by tomorrow or Iowa by the weekend, depending on which direction theyre traveling, she said.
I’ve seen shoulder kitties before, but not quite like that!
Probably heading for Denver, they heard there’s a rat convention <<<
Thanks for the ping, LOL, this struck me as funny, as I am sitting here listening to the Denver Police scanner and yes the rats have arrived.........complete with stashed weapons in a urinal.
Listening at:
scan denver.com
Also several at :
scan denver.net [ and .us]
Here kitty, here kitty, cougar story.
Thanks granny, better ping S&A.
They are here in Oklahoma.........
LOL!
My son was on leave from the army when Igor and I were volunteers with the USFS, and our son liked to go out early in the morning and just take in the country.
Our campground was in Madera Canyon, south of Tucson, and we had a 5th wheel. I was fixing breakfast, but kept thinking my son was in danger, so I kept stepping out the door, looking toward the hillside where I’d seen him disappear.
The last time I looked, I saw him beating feet to the trailer, while hanging onto the binoculars.
I said, “What’s wrong?!!” Expecting the worst, of course.
*pant-pant* “I’m sitting on this rock, looking around with the binoculars, checking things out (pant-pant) and I caught something moving. I thought it was just the grass in the wind, but when I focused, it was a cougar!! MAN! I couldn’t get out of there FAST enough!”
I felt my heart to make sure it was still in my chest, and then asked, “Was it going uphill or down?”
When he said “up,” I said, “It was full, so you could have watched it for a while.”
Still, it made for a great story!
And by the way -- Great FR Profile page. :)
Awwww. Garsh!
My photo doesn’t show up on my home page...can’t decide if it’s good or bad! LOL! but if you go here, you’ll see me.
http://www.myspace.com/shemac15
I was reared in the West, and chasing around in the foothills was a good experience for me. The least I could do was pass on the info to my son! He said that cat looked HUGH in his binoculars! It was evidently about the same color as the dried grasses in the area, so if the cat hadn’t moved, he probably would have walked right up on it.
I would love to see dogs have a predator for a change.....see how the bullies like it.
And become a secret felon. Character is what you do when no one is looking.
Another excellent big kitty PING! :) =^..^=
And dead is what your kids and pets will be since the gub’mint ain’t doing it’s job.
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