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Old 08-31-2017, 02:49 PM
 
Location: NW Nevada
18,138 posts, read 15,550,789 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by cremebrulee View Post
It wasn't a mountain lion or cougar, unless both of those species are jet black.....but just as big. It did not show any fear or run, and it certainly knew we were there.

I'm thinking it was someone's pet, and it got loose or was let loose.

However, as I said, I googled, black panthers seen in PA and there were several other reported sightings, and one man reported the same jet black coat. I'm not saying it was the same one, but several have been spotted.

They used to call black Mountain Lions "Catamounts". The only difference between a Mountain Lion (as we call them out west) and a catamount is color. That is all. Catamounts are quite rare. They were more common in the swamp areas of FL, and the Carolinas back in the day. They are not a special breed. They are still Mountain Lions. Just black ones.
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Old 08-31-2017, 02:56 PM
 
Location: colorado springs, CO
9,512 posts, read 6,044,970 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by NVplumber View Post
It's possible these animals were mixed with feral dogs. Coydogs we call them. They are nasty customers and we have an issue with them here now thanks to city dicks dumping in the scrub. Some have adapted and interbred. They are bold , vicious, and have no fear of people.
Yes; I'm familiar with the area Sonic is referring to & in the late 1990's there were several compounds of dog fighting organizations that were busted out there. In the process, many of the dogs escaped & they had a problem with feral packs roaming around so this is highly possible.
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Old 08-31-2017, 03:32 PM
KCZ
 
4,655 posts, read 3,620,433 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by NVplumber View Post
They used to call black Mountain Lions "Catamounts". The only difference between a Mountain Lion (as we call them out west) and a catamount is color. That is all. Catamounts are quite rare. They were more common in the swamp areas of FL, and the Carolinas back in the day. They are not a special breed. They are still Mountain Lions. Just black ones.
The term "catamount" has been used in northern New England since colonial times, referring to the eastern mountain lion subspecies which are/were brown/tan. The USFWS has declared them extinct, although there are increasing reports of sightings, and it's unclear if actual catamounts are being sighted vs a stray western mountain lion like the one killed on the CT highway, mentioned a few posts back (or bobcats, house cats, or non-felines). Interestingly, there have been numerous reports of one in my neighborhood in the past few months, although I personally have not seen it.

Florida panthers are a separate subspecies and are also brown/tan.

Last edited by KCZ; 08-31-2017 at 03:59 PM..
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Old 08-31-2017, 03:48 PM
 
Location: Phoenix, AZ
20,273 posts, read 14,508,110 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by coschristi View Post
Yes; I'm familiar with the area Sonic is referring to & in the late 1990's there were several compounds of dog fighting organizations that were busted out there. In the process, many of the dogs escaped & they had a problem with feral packs roaming around so this is highly possible.
Wow, seriously? That was way before I lived here. Crazy! I did not know that.

Yeah the area I mean more specifically (since you would know of what I speak) is south of Ellicott, way down a gravel road. I used to hate driving out there, that road did a number on the suspension of my van. But once I got there, it sure was pretty with all that open sky and the view of the mountains in the distance.
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Old 08-31-2017, 09:40 PM
Status: "A solution in search of a problem" (set 29 days ago)
 
Location: New York Area
34,608 posts, read 16,678,923 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by cremebrulee View Post
Quote:
Originally Posted by jbgusa View Post
Cougars can be black.
Really? I never knew that?

Why Thank you!!!!
I since did some research and there's a mixture of views. Apparently the very rare or extinct catamount (a variety of cougar formerly common in the Northeast) was sometimes black or dark brown. Cougars are elusive and unlike wolves don't set up a big racket. I'm not so sure that they were exterminated.

If I was wrong ont he black cougar I'm sorry.
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Old 09-01-2017, 01:16 AM
 
Location: colorado springs, CO
9,512 posts, read 6,044,970 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Sonic_Spork View Post
Wow, seriously? That was way before I lived here. Crazy! I did not know that.

Yeah the area I mean more specifically (since you would know of what I speak) is south of Ellicott, way down a gravel road. I used to hate driving out there, that road did a number on the suspension of my van. But once I got there, it sure was pretty with all that open sky and the view of the mountains in the distance.
Yup; Ellicott. I lived there for a year but worked in Pueblo & had to drive those darn rutted & wash board roads for miles until I reached the highway at Hanover.

One of those compounds had been right down the road from where I moved & the impact of the dogs/possible coydogs was evident from the behavior of the other animals:

I was talking to a neighbor on her porch & a small group of animals composed of 1 pig, 1 rooster & 2 goats walked by like they had been lifelong friends ... I was like; "Did I just see that?"

My neighbor said that yes; they walked everywhere together, likely due to the feral dogs & then I heard about the illegal dog fighting that had gone on.

It is a pretty place but the animals are strange & some of the people even stranger. There is no zoning in effect out there so it attracts the "does not play well with others" crowd. I was happy to move back into town after that year.
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Old 09-01-2017, 11:38 AM
 
Location: Kentucky Bluegrass
28,889 posts, read 30,142,652 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by jbgusa View Post
I since did some research and there's a mixture of views. Apparently the very rare or extinct catamount (a variety of cougar formerly common in the Northeast) was sometimes black or dark brown. Cougars are elusive and unlike wolves don't set up a big racket. I'm not so sure that they were exterminated.

If I was wrong ont he black cougar I'm sorry.
no need to apologize, if you search google for sightings of large black cats in PA, you will see many sightings....and they seem to be none aggressive and shy....the one I saw had just woke up from a nap, stretched and I guess just stood there watching us....thank goodness the dogs never saw it.
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Old 09-02-2017, 02:53 PM
 
Location: NW Nevada
18,138 posts, read 15,550,789 times
Reputation: 17125
Quote:
Originally Posted by KCZ View Post
The term "catamount" has been used in northern New England since colonial times, referring to the eastern mountain lion subspecies which are/were brown/tan. The USFWS has declared them extinct, although there are increasing reports of sightings, and it's unclear if actual catamounts are being sighted vs a stray western mountain lion like the one killed on the CT highway, mentioned a few posts back (or bobcats, house cats, or non-felines). Interestingly, there have been numerous reports of one in my neighborhood in the past few months, although I personally have not seen it.

Florida panthers are a separate subspecies and are also brown/tan.

Interesting. I had always thought that was the term for a black colored panther (as they are called back east). We call them mountain lions or just plain old cats, Here in NV there has never been a documented case of a black cat .Mousey grey is the most common. Tawny the second most Thanks for the tip.
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Old 09-02-2017, 02:58 PM
Status: "A solution in search of a problem" (set 29 days ago)
 
Location: New York Area
34,608 posts, read 16,678,923 times
Reputation: 29775
Quote:
Originally Posted by NVplumber View Post
Interesting. I had always thought that was the term for a black colored panther (as they are called back east). We call them mountain lions or just plain old cats, Here in NV there has never been a documented case of a black cat .Mousey grey is the most common. Tawny the second most Thanks for the tip.
Catamounts resided in East Coast areas that were heavily forested. Black or dark coloring would be a camouflage advantage.
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Old 09-03-2017, 09:15 AM
 
Location: Virginia
10,052 posts, read 6,351,808 times
Reputation: 27532
I've seen a catamount in Chesapeake, VA at a remote radar installation bordering on the Great Dismal Swamp. I was going back to the barracks when I glanced over my shoulder and saw the critter rise up out of a drainage swale, stand for a couple of minutes, and then slowly lope off toward the southern area near the swamp. It was amazing. I've also seen two coyotes: I almost hit one with my car a mile from my house on the main highway (that was the first time I'd seen one, so I googled it), and one trotted through my backyard and across the street into the neighbor's jungle of a yard. There's also a bunch that howls at the base a couple of blocks from me, usually in the middle of the night - that's impressive to hear. I have acquaintances that have shot yotes 2 miles from me, because they were going after their cattle - we still have some large farms quite near here, even though the main "drag' is becoming commercial. We have more foxes around here than anything else; they walk around the streets shrieking at 3 AM, although I've seen one come through my yard at dusk. I also have a large raccoon that comes nightly to eat cat food on my back steps. The possums finish up whatever the raccoon leaves.
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