|
|
Post by mythic1 on Mar 22, 2010 18:40:32 GMT -5
I had heard a rumor a few years back that the" Indiana DNR" had released Cougar's / Mt.Lion's in our Indiana Forests without public knowledge for the sole purpose of controlling the explosive Deer population in Indiana.  I was wondering with all of the sudden Wolf sightings and shootings has anyone on here ever heard this rumor ?? I for one would not want to run into one of these animals because every year out West there our multiple reports of attacks on campers, hiker's, and hunters. I think i would rather run into a wolf than a stealthy, stalking, hungry big ole Mt. Lion sitting in a tree or hiding in the underbrush waiting to pounce out of know where to make a meal of me !!! So if you have heard this rumor or seen a Cougar / Mt. Lion please post here and let us know, and by the way Bobcats don't count. Thanks  |
|
|
|
Post by raporter on Mar 22, 2010 20:29:18 GMT -5
They dropped the wolves, cougars, coyotes and rattlesnakes from helicopters. ;D All rumors.
|
|
|
|
Post by mythic1 on Mar 22, 2010 21:45:39 GMT -5
Hmm, i would not doubt it one bit...
|
|
|
|
Post by Indyhunter on Mar 22, 2010 23:02:04 GMT -5
Were they black stealth copters raporter??
|
|
|
|
Post by Russ Koon on Mar 23, 2010 0:22:05 GMT -5
Highly doubt the reports of the DNR's involvement, although I did personally experience an encounter with an elk they released back in the early 60's in Brown County. I also drew a bead on a Rocky Mountain Gray Squirrel that was experimentally released a few years later, and IIRC, the swamp rabbits were another experimental release.
This area was once populated naturally with both mountain lions and black bears. I believe some of the reports of lion sightings to be true, although most are probably mistaken identity or just plain tall tales. And there are those occasional escapees from captivity like the documented one over near Terre Haute a couple years ago, that has never been recaptured.
|
|
|
|
Post by DEERTRACKS on Mar 23, 2010 5:55:53 GMT -5
Negative on the DNR Black Ops Mission, but there is a big cat roaming around the farm I hunt & the adjoining properties in Owen County. The cat has been seen twice by neighbors last year. The only thing that I have seen of the big cat on the farm is scratching post marks on a mature Papaw tree & faint weathered paw impressions.
|
|
|
|
Post by swilk on Mar 23, 2010 7:39:25 GMT -5
Saw a cougar on 2 desperate occasions in knox county about 10 years ago. Im guessing it was an escaped pet ......
First evening we saw it we were out glassing for deer from the roads .... got a crystal clear view of it through my binocs about 200 yards away.
Second time we saw it we were sitting on the roadside talking (there were 4 of us) and we heard something running through the cornfield. We stepped out on the road and the cougar ran out of the cornfield and across the road about 50 yards away from us.
Never saw it again or heard of it again after that.
Did make it interesting to go into the woods in that area .... I was just sure every little noise I heard was that cat waiting to pounce on me.
|
|
|
|
Post by dbd870 on Mar 23, 2010 10:48:14 GMT -5
Yep, any big cat around here had help getting here. It may have been dumped as well once it grew up and wasn't a sweet little kitty anymore.
|
|
|
|
Post by catahecassa on Mar 23, 2010 12:29:35 GMT -5
Well, personally I have seen QUITE a few in Kentucky....primarily at 4th Street Live in Louisville...but not nearly as many in Indiana!  |
|
|
|
Post by Decatur on Mar 23, 2010 12:39:57 GMT -5
;d
|
|
|
|
Post by mythic1 on Mar 23, 2010 21:25:51 GMT -5
I heard about the Cougar sightings in Knox Co. there are many miles of prime river bottom land and plenty of deer to support a Cougar there.
|
|
|
|
Post by tenring on Mar 24, 2010 7:24:16 GMT -5
I heard, I heard, I heard, I heard, I heard, GOOD GRIEF!
|
|
|
|
Post by ihunt2liv on Mar 25, 2010 9:52:34 GMT -5
Ok...I'm not calling anybody a liar.....I'm sure you saw what you saw......but....I look at the possibility of a wild mountain lion roaming the hills and hollars of Indiana as quite slim to nill. I've heard people talk about ufos, bigfoot, the mothman....etc. Here in lies the issue with all of this....There are no proven photos, no authenticated tracks, scat or DNA of any kind. Sorry, show me a big kitty taking a dirt nap along I-69 and maybe I'll come around
|
|
|
|
Post by tickman1961 on Mar 25, 2010 13:54:41 GMT -5
Ok...I'm not calling anybody a liar.....I'm sure you saw what you saw......but....I look at the possibility of a wild mountain lion roaming the hills and hollars of Indiana as quite slim to nill. I've heard people talk about ufos, bigfoot, the mothman....etc. Here in lies the issue with all of this....There are no proven photos, no authenticated tracks, scat or DNA of any kind. Sorry, show me a big kitty taking a dirt nap along I-69 and maybe I'll come around Photo's do exist... Trail cams in Owen County have caught them, (CO admitted to seeing them in "Ask a Conservation Officer section) and a bowhunter hunting along I70 in Clay County took a picture of one that was placed in the Brazil paper along with an article. |
|
|
|
Post by mythic1 on Mar 25, 2010 14:00:39 GMT -5
i agree, just because you can't see or find something doesn't mean that it doesn't exist, ever lost a set of keys ??
|
|
|
|
Post by tickman1961 on Mar 25, 2010 14:01:58 GMT -5
|
|
|
|
Post by duff on Mar 25, 2010 17:16:49 GMT -5
He didn't say they don't exist but not a true wild cat. I find it hard to believe too. I do beleive there are a few released/escaped cats such as the one in Brazil last year.
Is it possible? Sure but much like the lake lore of a huge catfish in every body of water where your uncle told you about the local dive rescue team that went down and one little lady came back up vowing to never dive in that lake or river again due to the catfish as big as a VW bus. Or some similuar variaion of the guy who cut his line after a 2 hour fight.
Stories are just that. Like my past boss used to tell me "Trust but verify." I trust you all believe or have seen but I won't believe it until I can verify it.
|
|
|
|
Post by ihunt2liv on Mar 25, 2010 17:24:54 GMT -5
Ok...I will put a cougar sighting on my wish list from santa......sorry, but come on. Has anyone ever heard of photoshop or lying. I saw a trailcam pic too.....this was supposed to be from the warsaw area. So who do you believe......  ? |
|
|
|
Post by freedomhunter on Mar 25, 2010 17:55:22 GMT -5
those owen/clay cats are from the feline rescue center, some credible sightings of possible wild ones I know of have come from Perry County, Derby area
|
|
|
|
Post by tickman1961 on Mar 26, 2010 14:23:21 GMT -5
Ok...I will put a cougar sighting on my wish list from santa......sorry, but come on. Has anyone ever heard of photoshop or lying. I saw a trailcam pic too.....this was supposed to be from the warsaw area. So who do you believe...... ? Credible people who have seen the beast. Furthermore, it is illegal to kill them - to find out if genetics would conclude a wild animal. I guess we will never know. |
|
I was wondering with all of the sudden Wolf sightings and shootings has anyone on here ever heard this rumor ??
?