Not 100% certain but I believe I saw a Mountain Lion Cub

[Master Carper]

John W. Howe from Vinita shot and killed a female mountain lion in 1979...

 

[beastep]

Its that tail man. When yo see that tail, you will know. Since its been brought up, all but one that I have seen have been black. I dont care what name you give it or how crazy the odds are that they are here, I have seen very large black cats. I havent seen a black one in 20 years but Ive seen them and their tracks. The only yellow one I saw was a young one maybe 40lbs and I was only possibly 20 yards from it when I first saw it. Friend of mine was with me and saw it too. As close as I was, as he turned and trotted away from us, I still couldnt tell if it had nuts or a vjay.

 

[dlbleak]

I saw one that was very dark if not black. It was along highway 74 right where the creek crosses under the highway,north of Covell and south of Coffey Creek.

 

[undeg01]

I saw one that was very dark if not black. It was along highway 74 right where the creek crosses under the highway,north of Covell and south of Coffey Creek.

I have a couple friends that run cattle in that area who said they saw one a couple years back, but haven't seen it since. But they said the one they saw was tan.

 

[Jared]

Whatever you saw you DID NOT see a melanistic mountain lion. You are getting chastised because it is well known that Puma Concolor does not even carry a gene for melenism. Therefore it simply cannot occur. It would take a mutated gene to produce one, which is EXTREMELY rare and often fatal to the animal. From Mountain Lion.org:

Many people have heard the term "black panther," but these are actually melanistic jaguars or leopards: a genetic trait that makes an individual cat's fur appear much darker than the usual coloration. To date there has never been a confirmed case of a melanistic (black) mountain lion.

Never ever anywhere, even in well known mountain lion country has there ever been a confirmed melanistic lion. EVER! We aren't talking bigfoot here, but dang close! LOL Maybe you saw an escaped leopard from someone's enclosure? That would honestly be more likely than a black Mountain Lion.

BACK TO THE OP! Mt. Lion cub? More likely than a black mountain lion, but highly doubtful. Unless I am wrong all the mountain lions confirmed in Oklahoma are males? Have we ever had a female in state? Any confirmed breeding females in state? Males especially young ones are more likely to go on a "walkabout" looking for new territory or even mates. I believe that's all we have found in Oklahoma. Anyone know for sure?

We did have a female lion that showed up in Tulsa. It was probably 6-7 years ago and I recall it being up a tree in town. We tranquilized her and I recall that her DNA came back from Black Hills which is where a lot of our few confirmed lions have come from. I believe it is still a mystery as to how she ended up here. All of the other cats we get (with the exception of Cimarron Co.) are transient young males that are seeking new territory and they don't realize they are travelling to country that does not have an established population. (I use the term "we" loosely as I was not actually involved)

 

[dennishoddy]

We did have a female lion that showed up in Tulsa. It was probably 6-7 years ago and I recall it being up a tree in town. We tranquilized her and I recall that her DNA came back from Black Hills which is where a lot of our few confirmed lions have come from. I believe it is still a mystery as to how she ended up here. All of the other cats we get (with the exception of Cimarron Co.) are transient young males that are seeking new territory and they don't realize they are travelling to country that does not have an established population. (I use the term "we" loosely as I was not actually involved)

The mountain lion that was killed by an OG&E coal train near the town of Red Rock had a collar on it. It was a male that came from South Dakota. Why it decided to play chicken with a train is anybody's guess, but it did.

 

[ElkStalkR]

Sounds like we have had some females in state! Interesting.

 

[DEER 24/7]

I know a guy that shot and killed a female with cubs west of Minco several years ago.

 

[dennishoddy]

I know a guy that shot and killed a female with cubs west of Minco several years ago.

Name?

 

[CHenry]

Sounds like we have had some females in state! Interesting.

AND some black cats