Panthers in North Texas? (Dallas, Jasper: camping, living, dangerous)

[robinhood]

My family has owned and resided on a sizable piece of country in North Texas, about 15 miles south of the Red River for the past 50 years. Over the years, my dad always told me that he believed there were a few mountain lions, or maybe panthers living abroad. We had a dairy farm with many cattle and he worked during all hours of the day and night. Both he and my uncle swore to hearing far off screams at dusk, but I never believed them and assumed it must be bobcats. However, last year, my dad and my brother were out in the back yard working on a tractor, and they heard that same unmistakable scream coming from what they thought was the creek less than a half of a mile from the house. Of course, it totally freaked them out, and they were inside in only a matter of seconds. The next morning, they went down to the creek to look around. They saw tracks, but never an actual animal. About a week later, on his way home, my dad spotted the animal in the creek bed. It was a dark chocolate brown color, and he says he thinks it was a panther. However, it could be a mountain lion, but we know the size of this beast was way to large to be a bobcat. We've seen many bobcats over the years. Has anyone else in North Texas come across any of the animals? Like I said, I didn't believe it until last year. I thought panthers and mountain lions were in the wilds up North. Please let me know if you've heard of any similar sightings and what location they were in.

[BobTex]

Robyn,

Panther, mountain lion, cougar, catamount are all different names for the same animal. Because of their secretive nature (frequently nocturnal) they are less apparent to us humans than they actually are. Range for a dominant male is roughly 50 square miles. Supposedly East Texas, where I live, is not part of their "home range" but I have seen cougars several times here out in the bush. So has my mom, and other friends have told me of their sightings. A near record book male was killed near Jasper about 20 years ago (missed making the Boone and Crocket record book by about 1/8"). I also know they have been seen down on the coast in the marshes which would not be considered their "traditional" habitat...........lots of game there though......which is the #1 prerequisite for these animals......a food source! So these animals are around......the one tell tale sign on them is the mating "scream" we hear.

In the local gunshop there is a pic of a cougar killed just west of Ft. Worth by a fellow that had an electronic predator call (he was hunting coyotes). This cat weighed over 200 lbs and from tip of nose to his butt was over 6'.

Hope this helps........Texas has very good habitat for these animals and lots of food sources (unlike places like California where there are not nearly as many deer as here in Texas).

Bob

[robinhood]

Thank you for your input. I guess I jsut couldn't believe that these animals were around here. I've grown up with the sense that we don't have the dangerous wildlife that exists in other places. (such as bears and wolves) As a child, my friends and I felt perfectly comfortable roaming and camping in the deep woods at night. The only creatures we ever were cautious about were snakes. We knew the threat of bears or wolves was only in the books we read or on the television. Imagine how surprised we would have been to come upon one these overgrown cats? Anyway, thanks agin for the information. I'll pass it on to my dad and uncle.

[Tude]

Came across this site and thread after doing a search on this topic.

Taking a wild stab, was the location of the sighting anywhere near Riverby and Direct, TX?

Two years ago, I had a dark brown cat cross in front of me just east of the Bois d' Arc river in northern Fannin county. As big as a mountain lion, long curving tail, etc. No mistaking what it was at midday and at approx. 15 yards. Ran across the road into an open field, paused and make haste to a treeline. I pulled over to confirm what I had just seen by looking for tracks. In the common fine sand found along the roadside, the unmistakable tracks of a mountain lion were there, the size of tea saucers. I have hunted mountain lion in west texas and SE New Mexico, and this cat was identical to what we stereotype a typical mountain lion to be except for the dark brown color.

[robinhood]

Tude-Yes! This was in Fannin County. My cousins have always come up from Dallas to take their kids camping on Dad's land. After they found out that he heard and sighted the animal the day after they stayed the night near the creek, they've not been back. Well they've been back, but not to sleep outdoors. I wonder how many may be around? Did you find out much in your research?

[neddy]

Found this for ya ....
http://www.nsrl.ttu.edu/tmot1/Default.htm

[robinhood]

Neddy - Thanks for the site. The areas they said these animals were most commonly located in aren't near our location, so it was probably some uncommon sightings for them to be around here. I just thought it was interesting, and I know those who spotted them were really fascinated.

[neddy]

Robyn, I am mostly on the SA board but we have a ranch in the hill country and I know we have a couple of bobcats cause we have seen them plus there is one cougar in the area. Loads of deer in the area and the ranch next to ours is a game ranch with imports. I have a friends in Eagle pass and in the past six months he had to get rid of a black bear! ( He is a game warden, they tried to relocate the bear but it kept coming back. They think it came from Mexico)

[stargazer]

I just wanted to say that is amazing he came out when he did to be seen. I too have felt comfy in our woods never thinking about large animal dangers.

[bdlee73]

This thread is kinda funny because in Boise (where I live) its a question of how often mountain lions come into town. A few months ago, one was shot in someones yard. In texas, I'd be more frightened of snakes rather than mountain lions.