Free Republic
Browse · Search
General/Chat
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Mountain lion confirmed in Dallas area. Rare sighting of big cat in North Texas region
The Dallas Morning News ^ | 30 Nov 2020 | David Tarrant

Posted on 12/07/2020 7:42:02 AM PST by Theoria

There are very few sightings these days of mountain lions, which once roamed all over the state, but evidence has convinced experts this is the first ever in Dallas County in modern history.

For those who have long pooh-poohed the idea of a mountain lion roaming around North Texas, chew on this.

A Rowlett woman recently posted on her Facebook page a trail camera video of a mountain lion walking down a dirt road at night. The spooky image showed a big cat with a long tail that touched the ground, a feature that distinguishes it from a bobcat for which the mountain lion is commonly mistaken.

Stephanie Higgins and her boyfriend, Logan Aduddell, had set up the trail camera on the edge of his property near Lake Ray Hubbard, where they typically saw bobcats and coyotes. But at about 4 a.m. on Sunday, Nov. 22, a mountain lion strolled past the camera.

A few hours later that morning they looked at the video. “We reviewed it a couple of times and came to the conclusion it was a mountain lion based on the size and how long the tail was,” Higgins said.

(Excerpt) Read more at dallasnews.com ...


TOPICS: Outdoors
KEYWORDS: cat; cougar; dallas; mountainlion; rowlett; texas
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-37 next last

1 posted on 12/07/2020 7:42:02 AM PST by Theoria
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: Theoria


2 posted on 12/07/2020 7:42:12 AM PST by Theoria (I should never have surrendered. I should have fought until I was the last man alive)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Theoria

They are all over the place in central Colorado. It would seem likely they would be in Texas too.


3 posted on 12/07/2020 7:43:13 AM PST by CodeToad (Arm Up! They Have!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Theoria

Not rare. I had a property in Forestburg, NW of Dallas. Over a decade ago I walked up on a mountain lion who was leaving our pond after drinking (limited water sources in the area, woods right up to the pond). Just not normally seen in immediate DFW area.


4 posted on 12/07/2020 7:44:26 AM PST by rstrahan
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: Theoria

Fifty years ago I saw a puma crossing the railroad tracks near Fort Smith, Arkansas. It was late at night and I was coming home from work. Never have seen another one in this area but game cameras say they are here.

Seems like it would be very hard for a big cat like that to remain unseen in a place like Dallas.


5 posted on 12/07/2020 7:54:41 AM PST by Sequoyah101 (I have a burning hatred of anyone who would vote for a demented, pedophile, crook and a commie whore)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Theoria

Must have come down from Mount Plano.
/s


6 posted on 12/07/2020 7:55:47 AM PST by MattMusson (Sometimes the wind blows too much)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: Theoria

Who ever put that chart together needs to learn something about cats in Texas. The skinny feral cat currently asleep on the bed weighs in at 15 pounds, not 5-11. And the local bobcats are likely in the 25- 40 pound range.


7 posted on 12/07/2020 7:58:28 AM PST by PAR35
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: Sequoyah101
Seems like it would be very hard for a big cat like that to remain unseen in a place like Dallas.

There have been reports of cougars for years in Plano. The "experts" always say that the sight really was just a bobcat.

8 posted on 12/07/2020 8:00:39 AM PST by PAR35
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 5 | View Replies]

To: PAR35
We get the same type of "experts" in the north east. It's always something else until one got hit by a car.

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-mountainlion/mountain-lion-killed-in-connecticut-prowled-east-from-s-dakota-idUSTRE76Q5ZE20110727

9 posted on 12/07/2020 8:15:07 AM PST by Dutch Boy
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 8 | View Replies]

To: Iowa Granny; Ladysmith; Diana in Wisconsin; JLO; sergeantdave; damncat; phantomworker; joesnuffy; ..

Outdoors/Rural/wildlife/hunting/hiking/backpacking/National Parks/animals list please FR mail me to be on or off . And ping me is you see articles of interest.


10 posted on 12/07/2020 8:16:30 AM PST by SJackson (We don't let them have ideas. Why would we let them have guns. Joseph Stalin)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 9 | View Replies]

To: Dutch Boy

Sad story. Poor kitty. I wonder if its mate was captured and sent to a zoo in the northeast.


11 posted on 12/07/2020 8:30:18 AM PST by PAR35
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 9 | View Replies]

To: Theoria

CLM!
MLLM!


12 posted on 12/07/2020 8:30:39 AM PST by SgtHooper (If you remember the 60's, YOU WEREN'T THERE!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Theoria

A couple of years ago, I saw one new Columbia, Mississippi. The Pearl River basin in that area consists of the Honey Island Swamp, a huge wilderness area, plenty of habitat.


13 posted on 12/07/2020 8:30:48 AM PST by Islander7 (There is no septic system so vile, so filthy, the left won't drink from to further their agenda)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: PAR35

Everything is bigger in Texas! :-)


14 posted on 12/07/2020 8:31:38 AM PST by SgtHooper (If you remember the 60's, YOU WEREN'T THERE!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 7 | View Replies]

To: Theoria; 5thGenTexan; AirForce-TechSgt; Alamo-Girl; Allen In Texas Hill Country; Ancesthntr; ...

Texas cougar ping list! And a follow up on a story where a 28 y.o. man was killed (or maybe eaten once dead?) by a mountain lion.

We also see these large cats in Ellis County.

15 posted on 12/07/2020 8:34:09 AM PST by texas booster (Join FreeRepublic's Folding@Home team (Team # 36120) Cure Alzheimer's!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: Theoria

My friend saw one at White Rock lake about 10 years ago.


16 posted on 12/07/2020 8:34:39 AM PST by mfish13 (Elections have Consequences.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: Theoria

In 1985-86 we hunting deer in Hood Co. just out of Tolar.
I came off my night stand and was walking toward where my husband was.
As I came up to where he was on the ground, something jumped up and ran.
It was just behind the bush where he was setting in a blind.
It was not a deer. Low to the ground, fast and dark.


17 posted on 12/07/2020 8:35:08 AM PST by TribalPrincess2U
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: texas booster

50-50 chance it is someone’s escaped pet


18 posted on 12/07/2020 8:39:52 AM PST by tbw2
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 15 | View Replies]

To: Theoria

Thanks for the size chart...I was wondering why people don’t fight back...now I know, they’re BIG, and no doubt strong as hell.


19 posted on 12/07/2020 8:41:05 AM PST by BobL (I'm Boycotting the Georgia Elections to 'Teach the GOP a Lesson' (by destroying the country))
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: PAR35

I was pheasant hunting in N.W. Kansas one year and following a night time snow fall, I came across the tracks of a bobcat that was walking on the rail of a railroad track for about a tenth of a mile.......It didn’t fall off once....LOL!


20 posted on 12/07/2020 8:52:04 AM PST by Hot Tabasco (uqu)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 8 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-37 next last

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.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
General/Chat
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson