big cats in northern Indiana

[koenig clone]

don't be distracted by asher either. that cat is vicious!

 

[CountryBoy19]

I saw one near the wabash in Fountain county, DNR says they are getting more reports of them, but can't "prove" they are back in Indiana till they get a body..

They have a body. The one in Decatur a few years ago was shot by an Amish man. DNR showed up within an hour and walked right to the dead cat that they Amish man couldn't find. They carried the body out in a "body bag" and nothing was ever said about the incident. I'm not sure what they ever found out, I guess maybe they could've found out that it was an escapee. Some suspect that the DNR released them, and that is why they were able to pinpoint its location after it was killed.

 

[hotfarmboy1]

makes you think a little differently about those predawn treks to the treestand. I think i'm going to take my 45 with me now too. Just in case. As much as i like my bow, don't know that i am good enough to hold off a cat like that with it.

This is why my 357 mag taurus 608 is always in my shoulder holster when hunting, either that or one of my 45's.

After my buddy saw that one he contacted DNR and they said if he gets a shot to take it. Otherwise call them immediately.

 

[dcary7]

Personally, I believe Indiana has them. There are tons of reported sightings... however, I believe the majority are escapees. There is a wildcat refuge on the east side of Terre Haute, and "I was told the owner confirmed that he has had some cats get out." (see what i did right there ^^ ) Although yes I was told that... I have no way of confirming it. So, I do not believe a lot of the "rumored' sightings, all the trail cam pics that float around.. you can find half the pictures on the internet and they came from a different state. I will fully believe it when I myself see it. not a picture.

Do I believe they're in IN? yes.. but I don't believe for one second they're as prevalent as people make them out to be. We would have more bodies than we're rumored to have. I think the people WANT them to exist here. I think it would be cool personally . I just don't put too much stock in hearsay

 

[win87]

They said it had a long tail . A bob cat has a short tail as the implies.

 

[Whosyer]

There have been 3 confirmed sightings in Illinois. By confirmed I mean bodies. From the Cougar Network website.
"Illinois has had three recent confirmations, the most recent one in early 2008 being the most extraordinary -- a cougar shot in Chicago! DNA analysis said this was the same cat that had been confirmed earlier in southeast Wisconsin. In July 2002, a male cougar was killed by a train in Randolph County in the southwestern portion of the state. Analysis of the carcass indicated it was of North American genotype and that it had been feeding on white tailed deer (click here for paper). There was no evidence that this animal was ever in captivity. This appears to be a transient which traveled through Missouri which is just across the border. A second male cougar was killed by a bowhunter in December 2004 in New Boston (northwestern, ILL). "

The cougar shot in Chicago was confirmed to have been from The Black Hills ,South Dakota. a pretty good little jaunt.

Wisconsin and Michigan also have recent confirmations.

"Wisconsin has had a number of sightings, and four recent confirmations, two in 2008 and two in 2009. DNA analysis in one incident in 2008 where blood from a cut foot was collected indicated the cat appeared to be related to the population in the Black Hills. The other 2008 confirmation was of a track set which was only 23 miles from the previous confirmation and may be the same animal. The Wisconsin DNR believes there are occasional transients in the state.
Michigan has one confirmation from 2008 in the Upper Peninsula. Tracks were found and confirmed by a researcher doing Kirtland Warbler (a rare bird) surveys and also confirmed by the Michigan DNR."

 

[erik7941]

There was a lady a few years ago that had a mountain lion for a pet. She lived around the Pendleton/Fortville area. But I, and several of my neighbors, have seen signs: tracks, feces, glimpses, of bobcats around the area as well. I know a bobcat isn't the same size as a mountain lion/cougar but it's not your average house or barn cat either.

 

[mike4sigs]

anybody ever seen one here first hand? I struck up a conversation with a stranger about deer hunting and he proceeded to show me a picture of a cougar dragging an 8 pt buck by the neck from one of his game cameras in the southern part of the state. I was skeptical about it, especially since i don't know him well. There are websites with sightings all over the state. I'm an avid hunter. I had never heard of this though. Just wondering if anyone else had seen one first hand. I'm sure someone will post some pics of some hot women, I won't complain about that either.

I think i saw this one Also ! And the more it got forwarded the more this cat moved from county to county ! I have heard 4 Different locations !
I do beleive it is a real pic ! just dont know where it was taken!

 

[CountryBoy19]

I think i saw this one Also ! And the more it got forwarded the more this cat moved from county to county ! I have heard 4 Different locations !
I do beleive it is a real pic ! just dont know where it was taken!

And state to state as well. I've seen it too, and the picture I saw definitely wasn't of any terrain found in IN, and that picture was associated with being taken in at least 4 different states that I had heard of.

 

[shooter521]

the picture I saw definitely wasn't of any terrain found in IN, and that picture was associated with being taken in at least 4 different states that I had heard of.

It was actually taken on a ranch in south Texas. Here's the story, and additional pictures:
Deer Management: Mountain Lion Photographed with Dead Whitetail Buck

 

[Annie Oakley]

Hubby and I have both seen with out own eyes a black cougar strolling across my horse's pasture. We have also seen bobcats.

I called DNR after finding a fawn that had been torn up. According to them you can't "hunt" them but if they are on your property and you see them they can be shot. They are considered a non-native species.

 

[Cain71]

It may be none native but they are protected in Indiana. the CO will probably write a ticket, unless you can prove that it is destroying property,I would not take the shot.

 

[cubby]

i haven't read this whole thread... first page only.

but there had BETTER be a "Cougar" joke in here somewhere!!!

 

[CountryBoy19]

It may be none native but they are protected in Indiana. the CO will probably write a ticket, unless you can prove that it is destroying property,I would not take the shot.

Protected in IN? Can you give a reference to this? There appears to be conflicting opinions; many say they can be shot because they're not protected and not controlled as a game species.

 

[Annie Oakley]

According to the DNR and two of our local conservation officers they are not protected. Will try to find it in writing.

 

[tv1217]

I've heard of sightings near Demotte, you can never tell though.

 

[offroadking208]

any sightings near Switzerland county down in southeast indiana? i go hunting down there. stuff's thick enough there that i'd believe there were. soooo... i hunt with an 870 using 3" Brenneke Magnum slugs, so everybody in agreement that that'd do a mountain lion if necessary? i dont think my Sigma would do much but **** one off...

 

[jstrahl]

I've heard of plenty bobcat sightings in bartholomew and brown counties, but never anything like a cougar

 

[jeremy]

There is a couple of cougars up here around Tipton and Clinton Counties...

 

[jsharmon7]

There is a couple of cougars up here around Tipton and Clinton Counties...

Giggity...