Posted on 12/10/2005 10:00:17 PM PST by Lorianne
Lion sightings that began being reported in May 2004 have been few and far between for nearly a year. But now, one more big cat encounter is being added to the list. And for this one, there is physical proof.
Like the others who have had sightings before him, Rufus Hurst of Granville man says he knows what he saw. But unlike the others, he has the pictures to prove it.
"That is a very, very, big cat,” Hurst said, referring to the photographs.
"The tail, I mean this thing goes all the way back. I think it's just a big, big cat."
That cat was in Rufus Hurst's backyard Saturday around noon. His wife saw it first and urged him to get his camera.
"Finally, when I did see it, I started taking pictures of this rather large cat."
And 30 minutes after it left, Hurst shot pictures of the paw prints it left behind in the snow. While the pictures may not completely relate how large it is, Hurst says trust him. The cat is huge.
"I would say that animal is in the vicinity of 3 plus feet long and stands at least 30 inches to three feet at the shoulders."
Last year there were several sightings of what some people called a lion. Reports came in from Gahanna, east Columbus and Pataskala among other places.
Hurst says then, he never gave the reported sightings much thought.
"At that point, I just thought maybe those people may have seen something," said Hurst, explaining his past cynicism.
Maybe they saw what they said the saw. Hurst says he knows he did.
Several agencies, including the Ohio Department of Natural Resources, went to Hurst’s home Saturday to investigate the report. Some actually saw the cat for themselves.
Authorities also took plaster molds of its paw prints. However, officials say it will be a while before they determine exactly what type of cat it is.
Bigpaw!
From snopes.com
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Garfield of Dreams
Claim: Photograph shows an enormous 89 lb., 69-inch mutant cat raised by a Canadian man.
Status: False.
Actually, I've seen that photo. Did further research(Because I couldn't believe the size of the cat) and discovered that it was an actual photo(If this is the same tabby cat we're talking about).
It was a Maine Coon Cat, not a tabby
"However, officials say it will be a while before they determine exactly what type of cat it is."
Mountain lions have characteristics prints. If it is one, they know it already and trying to figure out a way to keeo the public from "panicking".
Also, there are some very dark colored Mountain Lions, but I don't believe a solid black one has ever been authenticated/
On the other hand, a large dark lion in the dark would appear black.
The animal in the above picture sure as heck looks like a lion to me.
It might not be solid black, just dark brownish.
There ARE kions in Michigan. Read "Cat of Never, Beast of God".
Ohio ain't that far from Michigan.
There have been other authenticated sightings in the midwest.
Me too.
Well, it's probably not a liger.
No, that's for sure.
While its nice cougars are still extant, they clearly don't belong in crowded communities. But, like black bears, once established in resdiential areas, they will be difficult to remove - not just from a logistical basis, but also due to radical animal rightists.
I believe bears and cougars are following the reforestation of America and the increased deer herds.
Despite what many people think, with the abandonment of farming lands, the size of forested areas in eastern North America is probably greater than it has been since the late 1700s.
forest rangers won't confirm or deny, but here in Maryland there have been "sightings" here and there.
Coyotes are in every county now in Maryland, so why not the others.
This man with the big white cat was just on AFV (American Funniest Videos) TV Thurs. or Fri. night. My husband & I watched it. They had a cat segment on, and this cat was hightlighted in the show. He was walking outside on the guys deck, and he was deffinitely real and definitely that BIG !
Karen
We've had a sighting and photographs of a mother and a cub down here at the border of Monroe county (MI) and Lucas county (OH).
With so many deer running around, I wonder when the wolves will show up. There building quite a population in the northern lower pennisula and there isn't a lot of population down the center of the state to dissuade them from migrating.
Granville is about 25 miles from me as the crow flies...too close for comfort.
Yup. I've come across thousands of tracks in the wild and I tell at a glance whether they are mountain lion prints or not.
***[I]f called by a panther,
Don't anther.
--Ogden Nash***
I love Ogden Nash's stuff.
LOL!! I and I have two, but just LOL...
Me too!
BIG GRIN!!! PSU '88!
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