What did I see? Mountain lion?

[cinco]

Relentless is correct dog tracks

Yep, cougar tracks typically will not show the retractable claws in the prints. Looks like a big dog or coyote.

 

[CHenry]

Yep, cougar tracks typically will not show the retractable claws in the prints. Looks like a big dog or coyote.

Thats interesting. The tracks I saw didnt show any claw marks which confused me. Just a big ass print about 6" diameter IIRC. Now I understand.

 

[cinco]

There's no such thing as black mountain lions and those are dog tracks

This would explain the colors I seen on the cat .
Copied from Texas wildlife sight.

The Mountain Lion is a large, slender cat with a smallish head and noticeably long tail. Its fur is a light, tawny brown color which can appear gray or almost black, depending on light conditions. Contrary to popular belief, there are no black panthers in North America; no one has ever captured or killed a black Mountain Lion. Mountain Lions are also called cougars, pumas, panthers, painters, and catamounts.

I've had at least 6 very respectable folks (lifelong ranchers) swear they have seen black cougars (two even playing and wrestling). From the above quotes, I realized all those accounts took place in the early morning and dusk hours. That could be a very feasible reason for the perception of a "dark colored" cat.

 

[CHenry]

I've had at least 6 very respectable folks swear they have seen black cougars (two even playing and wrestling). From the above quotes, I realized all those accounts took place in the early morning and dusk hours. That could be a very feasible reason for the perception of a "dark colored" cat.

The one I seen at Stratford appeared black as night. It was early morning before sunup, we had stopped to open a gate and before we got out, the cat walked right in front of us on the other side of the barbed wire fence in the headlights. Being dark with the lights shining on it seemed like we could see it fine but apparently not. We were all 3 in shock for a minute. It was also odd that it wasnt afraid of the truck.

 

[cinco]

Here is a cool website and pic...

http://www.bear-tracker.com/caninevsfeline.html

 

[cinco]

Can't remember what documentary I saw on them - but, wow, they quickly became one of my favorite animals. I think this may have been it...

 

[Tumbleweed]

Well I feel silly and relieved at the same time.

 

[swampratt]

Now the big question is .. would you have shot that cat in my situation ..or do what i did and just shoot to scare?

 

[CHenry]

Now the big question is .. would you have shot that cat in my situation ..or do what i did and just shoot to scare?

I would have shot it if it was in season ..or if it was hunting me.

Sent from my XT1058 using Tapatalk

 

[SWRhodd]

Reading this thread got me thinking. I live in very southwest oklahoma and have seen mountain lions out in wheat fields and my wife has seen one (a long time ago when she was in her teens) on her parents property where we hunt.

But during this past muzzleloader season, I was walking to my stand and happen to flash my light to my right in a small clearing of tall grass and noticed a set of eyes about 20 yds but they weren't green like a deer or coyote, they were like and orange or amber color and I didn't take notice then.

So here we are now and I just looked up mountain lion eyes at night and by George if they aren't an amber color when a light hits them at night. Kinda scary now thinking about it.