Cougar's in Tennessee???

[Guest BEARMAN]

After reading the recent Elk / Cougar thread, I decided to post this picture a friend sent me from last years hunting season's trail cam photo's.

This is an adult Cougar with a freshly killed 8 pointer, taken off a trail cam in Benton county, Tennessee....suposedly.

Question is...is it really from Tennessee, or is it from a western state, who does have a large Cougar population?

I do know that my Brother-in-law and his wife have seen Cougars in Hickman county, crossing the roads down there at night, on seperate occasions, and while driving seperatly.

They both are very credible, and aren't prone to playing shenanigans and such.

He's an accomplished deer hunter, so I know he know's the difference between a Bobcat and a Cougar.

So, what gives? The TWRA dismisses the sightings as "wrongful identification" however, they could be in denial as they don't want to have to deal with the copensatory damages the cougars inflict, such as livestock depredation and capture / relocation expense. TWRA is on a tight budget anyways, so why add another burden?

So, what say you guy's...anybody else heard of this, or know someone who has seen one?

[Daniel]

Use search. That picture and this discussion have gone on before.

No offense intended.

[Daniel]

http://www.tngunowners.com/forums/hunting/26342-mountain-lions.html

http://www.tngunowners.com/forums/general-off-topic/13460-cougar.html

There are a couple.

[DaveS]

That picture has been around the internet for a couple years now. Not real sure where it came from.

[Will Carry]

I saw a cougar on I-40 in 1978, in Tennessee. Near Cookville, late at night.

[Guest BEARMAN]

Sorry...my bad. Mods delete this post. No offense to you folks either.

[xRUSTYx]

That Trail Pic is Actually From Texas:

Deer Management: Mountain Lion Photographed with Dead Whitetail Buck | Deer Management at Buck Manager

[LazyAce]

The game and parks division here in Nebraska won`t admit to big cats being around either. I have had several people say they have seen one on my property. I have seen the tracks but not the cat. I have a trapper who has seen several Bobcats also when he is checking his trap line. The cats are out there regardless of what they say.

[Guest Bronker]

I was muzzleloader hunting in Humphreys Co. back in high school with my father, up on a ridge overlooking thick underbrush. We were sitting along a logging trail that the deer were using as a path from their bedding area over some hardwoods, into a feeding area.

We watched a spike come out of the brush, unhurried, and work his way up over the ridge. He was set to walk up the path about 30 yards from us. I was preparing for a shot, when all of the sudden the buck went berserk, and ran over the hill looking over his shoulder as he ran. Behavior I had never seen. I quickly looked back over to the brush hoping that a monster buck had spooked the deer, when instead there came from the brush a large cat. He had his nose to the ground and was following step-for-step the path of that young buck. He was only trotting.

He was headed right for us, but had not paid us any attention. When he finally spotted us, we were only about 50 yards apart. We were sitting on the ground. He threw his head up, turned, and bolted back into the brush.

Now listen. I'm never been one to get too excited. My father also saw the cat. He has over 50 years in the woods. We have seen bobcats up close numerous times.

This was no bobcat. He was three times the size of a bobcat. His tail was as long as his body. We were both quite sure of what we saw, though most folks would never believe that. His color was similar to that of a deer, and he ran very low to the ground (like cats do).

Take that FWIW, but my father and I are quite sure of what we saw.

[jughead]

i didnt see it but i have a neighbor about 3/4s of a mile from me that had one try to take his dog in a fenced yard about 3 years ago. this gentleman is not one to spread untruths. he said the tail was as long as its body. neadless to say i watch my 6 after dark.

[memphismason]

Thread Repost. Closing it down.