OT: Did I Tell You About This Guy?

[RockyMTblue2]

The wife took this shot on the way home about a month ago. Yup, they do not hang out in daylight, so he's hungry and he is very smart staying on the road to conserve energy. He's also smart enough to know she'd never hurt him! This guy is one cool customer.

 

[nwhoopfan]

Cool! Big kitty. I've only seen one once, very briefly along the side of the road before it disappeared into the brush (not counting zoos). It happened so fast my brain was trying to catch up and figure out what I was seeing. The long thick tail left no doubt, there's nothing else it could've been. I was driving in the wee hours of the morning. It was an area that is popular for no fee, disperse camping, so there were tents all around there, but I'm pretty sure I'm the only person who had any clue a cougar had just passed by.

Where are you at? Maybe Montana based on your user name?

I've seen bobcats several times, both while driving and hiking. Saw a lynx one time run across the road right in front of me just before I entered Glacier National Park. In several of the encounters the cat sat on it's haunches and watched me go by, didn't seem particularly concerned.

I go hiking all the time. I've never seen a cougar on trail, but I'm assuming that's only because I didn't look in the right place or they were concealed, not because I haven't been in close proximity to them.

 

[RockyMTblue2]

They see you more than you see them, for sure. Yes, SW Montana. But this photo went electric here, because no one ever sees these guys in daylight. My wife took about 20 shots of this magnificent guy. She showed me when she got home and I got upset at her. He's only out there now because his hunger has overwhelmed him and you are chasing him up the road!!!! He wouldn't get off the road because getting in the snow would burn extra energy. The good news? He hasn't been sighted again, but my dogs alertness and the deer carcasses say he is alive and well.

A Nat'l Geo Photographer has requested her 20 photos. A friend who has lived here 25 years is so thrilled and heart sick because he has never spotted one of these elusive great cats.

 

[JordyG]

Heck, I used to one of these in NYC all the time:

At least yours isn't defunct.

 

[RockyMTblue2]

Heck, I used to one of these in NYC all the time:

At least yours isn't defunct.

Oh Lordy, the Merc... so many bad automobiles dressed up like Wild Things! I feel a digression coming on... maybe? Is Elvis in the building?

 

[nwhoopfan]

I've done several road trips to MT over the years. It's such a big state I've only scratched the surface, but I've enjoyed my visits. As nice as Glacier NP is, I prefer the Beartooths. The Bitterroots are nice, too.


I rarely see wild cats, but I've been having a good run of seeing bears the last 4-5 years. Here in WA it's not like Glacier or Yellowstone where you practically expect to see one. We have plenty, but they're fairly elusive.

 

[JordyG]

Oh Lordy, the Merc... so many bad automobiles dressed up like Wild Things! I feel a digression coming on... maybe? Is Elvis in the building?

No, but the last I saw of Jimmy Hoffa he was in the trunk. Funny how that car went from a horse to a wild cat overnight.

 

[RockyMTblue2]

I've done several road trips to MT over the years. It's such a big state I've only scratched the surface, but I've enjoyed my visits. As nice as Glacier NP is, I prefer the Beartooths. The Bitterroots are nice, too.


I rarely see wild cats, but I've been having a good run of seeing bears the last 4-5 years. Here in WA it's not like Glacier or Yellowstone where you practically expect to see one. We have plenty, but they're fairly elusive.

Our first "spring" run into the west entrance to Yellowstone with 2 out of 3 daughters (never can get the 3 together) we had the pleasure of a mom Griz and 2 young ones with mom all bent out of shape because the youngsters would not get up a tree. Too funny.

You're right. We expect to see them and mostly we do. But, please , keep this our little secret okay?

 

[nwhoopfan]

a mom Griz and 2 young ones with mom all bent out of shape because the youngsters would not get up a tree

You should always listen to your mother, especially if your mother happens to be a grizzly bear!

 

[RockyMTblue2]

You should always listen to your mother, especially if your mother happens to be a grizzly bear!

I suspect that's true.

 

[FairView]

I've seen bobcats in my back yard here in Burlington, CT.

 

[BroadwayVa]

Oh Lordy, the Merc... so many bad automobiles dressed up like Wild Things! I feel a digression coming on... maybe? Is Elvis in the building?

Haven't you heard--he departed---the building--et al.
Sorry---he's taking care of business---he is a singer after all!!

 

[BroadwayVa]

The wife took this shot on the way home about a month ago. Yup, they do not hang out in daylight, so he's hungry and he is very smart staying on the road to conserve energy. He's also smart enough to know she'd never hurt him! This guy is one cool customer.

Ok when did you drive thru Virginia??? That's my kitty---my beautiful tabby---we call him Peaches--
If he is with his adopted kitten---please send them both home. Here--kitty kitty kitty---Never mine
They both are locked into SOME not all not even close to All --Canned Cat food--or my plate. Keep em

 

[BroadwayVa]

You should always listen to your mother, especially if your mother happens to be a grizzly bear!

We had some "wild cats", North East bears, Deer, Moose, Coyote, Fox, wild turnkey (bird type), etc in our yard in North Granby, Ct ---When the boom boxes were lowered you could hear the cat at night--
I saw what I thought was an elk cross the road 20 feet from me while I was walking--it was bigger than a deer--grey, and rounder than a deer--but was told no Elk in Ct. Must have had too much wild turkey!!

 

[RockyMTblue2]

Ok when did you drive thru Virginia??? That's my kitty---my beautiful tabby---we call him Peaches--
If he is with his adopted kitten---please send them both home. Here--kitty kitty kitty---Never mine
They both are locked into SOME not all not even close to All --Canned Cat food--or my plate. Keep em

I don't understand half of it, but I like it.

 

[nwhoopfan]

One of my bobcat sightings was in Virginia, in Shenandoah National Park.

 

[triaddukefan]

I wonder what........ aw never mind

 

[BroadwayVa]

I don't understand half of it, but I like it.

I am either getting more lucid or you have been immersed into the By too long---if you understood HALF of it.

 

[BroadwayVa]

One of my bobcat sightings was in Virginia, in Shenandoah National Park.

The only things wild that has been on my property is a herd of deer--15 or 20--nearly all year long. IN the spring we get a couple of fawns born under a huge pine tree 30 ft from the house.

 

[Rocket009]

I've only seen two in the wild.

The first was when I was driving home one night and a deer jumped out in front of the car in front of me and ran across the road. Then a mountain lion jumped into the road in front of me, paused for a split second and turned around and disappeared back into the trees.

The second was when I was out hiking with my dogs. We were just starting out and I noticed a mountain lion just off the trail about 50 ft away. I'm really glad a) I have large dogs and b) they were still on leash. Getting up close like that makes you realize just how large they are and how easy it would be to become a meal.

 

[TRuconnfan]

I live near Greenville SC in an area you don't expect to see these guys. My neighbor took the photo in his yard with one of those auto movement cameras.

 

[TRuconnfan]

Took this photo from our front porch..he was about 50 feet from us.

 

[rvwsleep]

I took this photo in Union Square Park.
They were for sale.

 

[nwhoopfan]

I live near Greenville SC in an area you don't expect to see these guys. My neighbor took the photo in his yard with one of those auto movement cameras.
View attachment 21597

Wow! This picture inspired me to do a little researching. There are persistent accounts of black mountain lions, but a decided lack of verification of the existence of such. My initial reaction is that the cat in the pic looks like a leopard to me. Of course non-native, but exotics are released in various places they don't belong, so not impossible. Jaguars also are known to have all black coloration, but are extremely rare in the U.S. and probably not native to South Carolina at all. Huh.

Poking around on the internet, there are potentially other large cat species in South America that are neither a jaguar or a mountain lion. Also there are persistent accounts of large black cats in places w/ no indigenous species such as England and Australia.

 

[RockyMTblue2]

The only things wild that has been on my property is a herd of deer--15 or 20--nearly all year long. IN the spring we get a couple of fawns born under a huge pine tree 30 ft from the house.

Pretty cool. Fawns in a pine needle manger.