Well, I can't say I'm surprised...
The photo posted to Facebook last night of a large black cat is real enough but it was not taken anywhere close to Kosse, TX. Hit this link and it will take you to a story on black leopards in Africa which includes this same photo.
Bummer...
Does this dampen my enthusiasm about the possibility of large black North American cats being real? Momentarily maybe but I'll get over it. One hoaxed photo doesn't mean they don't exist. All I have to do is look at the sighting reports that continue to pour in to my site. These folks are seeing something and I just don't believe they are all mistaken or liars.
Onward...
Sunday, October 27, 2013
Texas Black Panther Clearly Photographed...Maybe
Below is a photo allegedly taken by a game camera near Kosse, TX.
Unlike many photos that are purported to show black panthers, this one is undeniably a big cat. It is clearly very large and you can see the spots despite the black coat. IF this shot really was captured in Texas then it is a game changer. The photo was brought to my attention by a Facebook follower who came across it on another Facebook page called Big Bucks & Diesel Trucks.
What is interesting about it is how matter-of-factly the photo was received by the site administrator who said, and I’m paraphrasing, “Not a big buck but this would be a hell of a kill.” No amazement that a “black panther” was photographed. No accusations that this could not have possibly been taken in Texas (though at least one commenter did make that statement). It was the type of response that I would expect from a rural Texan who actually lives and spends time in the outdoors.
I left a message on the site asking the person who uploaded the photo to contact me but have not heard from her yet. Keep your fingers crossed that she does and that I can get down there in the near future to investigate.
The photo is clearly genuine. There is no doubt what it shows. What we do NOT know with certainty is where the picture was taken. If there is anyone out there that knows the story on this photo, please contact me at Texascryptidhunter@yahoo.com.
Unlike many photos that are purported to show black panthers, this one is undeniably a big cat. It is clearly very large and you can see the spots despite the black coat. IF this shot really was captured in Texas then it is a game changer. The photo was brought to my attention by a Facebook follower who came across it on another Facebook page called Big Bucks & Diesel Trucks.
What is interesting about it is how matter-of-factly the photo was received by the site administrator who said, and I’m paraphrasing, “Not a big buck but this would be a hell of a kill.” No amazement that a “black panther” was photographed. No accusations that this could not have possibly been taken in Texas (though at least one commenter did make that statement). It was the type of response that I would expect from a rural Texan who actually lives and spends time in the outdoors.
I left a message on the site asking the person who uploaded the photo to contact me but have not heard from her yet. Keep your fingers crossed that she does and that I can get down there in the near future to investigate.
The photo is clearly genuine. There is no doubt what it shows. What we do NOT know with certainty is where the picture was taken. If there is anyone out there that knows the story on this photo, please contact me at Texascryptidhunter@yahoo.com.
Saturday, October 26, 2013
Black Panther Sighting Distribution Map
Anyone who has read this blog for very long knows of my interest in the cryptid black panthers that many are convinced roam the more remote areas of Texas and the Deep South. I know that there is not supposed to be any such animal. I know that the term black panther is generally considered to be a misnomer and that the only large melanistic cats out there are the leopards of Africa and the jaguars of Central and South America. I know that no melanistic cougars have ever been documented in captivity or the wild. I know all of this.
Yet, the sightings continue to pour in…
I’ve never seen a black panther myself but I know several people who say they have. I would trust these men with my life and believe their stories. I have met and interviewed many others who have had sightings of what can only be described as black panthers. I have no reason to doubt their accounts and detected no signs of deception from them. I’ve also seen a handful of very intriguing photos that, while not conclusive, seem to suggest that a large black cat of some sort just might be out there. I want to prove once and for all that these cats are out there. I want them documented and recognized by science. More than anything, I want to know what they are. New species? North American jaguar? What?
I have been holding onto and publishing the accounts of people who claim to have had encounters with these cryptid cats for several years now. I thought the accounts were fascinating and would make interesting reading for my followers but also hoped that some kind of pattern would become apparent as I studied them. Maybe some common denominator would appear that would help me zero in on where the best place to find one of these animals might be. I wanted to create a distribution map showing the location of each sighting. Only recently did I come to the point where I felt I had enough credible sighting reports to begin the process of creating such a map. I have plotted the location of right at one hundred sightings of large, black, long-tailed cats in the Lone Star State. I’ve included a handful of reports out of Oklahoma that have been sent to me as well. I have received sighting reports from other regions of the country and have published them in various blog posts but they are not included on this particular map. My black panther distribution map is below. The map shows the major rivers of Texas by name. Major cities are denoted by black dots. Sightings of large, black, long-tailed cats are denoted by red dots.
Have any patterns emerged as a result of my effort? Maybe. It appears that there are three definite hot spots for black panther sightings. They are the North Texas area surrounding the D-FW Metroplex, the Texas Hill Country and the Big Thicket/Piney Woods area of Southeast Texas. Central Texas has a high concentration of sightings as well but they are not in quite as tightly packed as the reports coming out of these other three regions. There is also a nice concentration of sightings in Northeast Texas.
Major rivers seem to play an important role in these sighting reports, particularly the areas where the rivers originate. For example, the Hill Country sightings are packed tightly within an area sandwiched between the headwaters of the Nueces, San Antonio, and Guadalupe Rivers. The Trinity River is a major player, too, with sightings concentrated at its beginning point (North Texas) and ending point (Southeast Texas). Secondary hot spots share this characteristic as well. Take the mini-flap of sightings just south of Wichita Falls near the point where the Brazos really begins to take shape and the small concentration of sightings in Northeast Texas near the headwaters of the Sabine and Neches Rivers. One seeming exception to the “headwaters” pattern is in Central Texas. The sightings here are concentrated in the region where the Brazos and Colorado Rivers begin to flow pretty close to one another but are already well established. Smaller rivers like the Leon, Little River, and Lampasas, however, do originate in this area so maybe it isn’t an exception after all. Southeast Texas, though, would definitely be an exception. This is the area where rivers culminate. The Sabine, Neches and Trinity all dump into the Gulf of Mexico near this area. The area does share many similarities with the headwaters areas mentioned above as large numbers of creeks, bayous and marshes cut through the region. These areas are inhospitable to humans but rich in resources for wildlife.
The fact that the sightings are concentrated near and along rivers is certainly no surprise. The waterways are natural corridors that wildlife uses to travel from one area to another. Even rivers that flow through major metropolitan areas, like the Trinity, are often surrounded by greenbelts a mile or more in width. These greenbelts certainly would not sustain a large predator for any real length of time but would provide more than adequate food resources and hiding places for transient cats as they moved through a highly populated area.
What is a bit eye opening to me is how the sightings are bunched up near the headwaters of rivers. I have no real explanation for this. Are these areas somehow richer than other areas along the path of these rivers? Maybe. Certainly the concentration of springs, creeks and small streams in these areas would make for a rich environment. Add the fact that many of the areas where our major rivers originate are still fairly remote and we might be on to something.
Please keep sending in your reports of black panther sightings. Encourage any friends you know that have seen these cats to do the same. The more credible sightings I can plot on the map the better.
Maybe we really can begin to zero in on the mysterious black panthers of Texas.
Yet, the sightings continue to pour in…
I’ve never seen a black panther myself but I know several people who say they have. I would trust these men with my life and believe their stories. I have met and interviewed many others who have had sightings of what can only be described as black panthers. I have no reason to doubt their accounts and detected no signs of deception from them. I’ve also seen a handful of very intriguing photos that, while not conclusive, seem to suggest that a large black cat of some sort just might be out there. I want to prove once and for all that these cats are out there. I want them documented and recognized by science. More than anything, I want to know what they are. New species? North American jaguar? What?
I have been holding onto and publishing the accounts of people who claim to have had encounters with these cryptid cats for several years now. I thought the accounts were fascinating and would make interesting reading for my followers but also hoped that some kind of pattern would become apparent as I studied them. Maybe some common denominator would appear that would help me zero in on where the best place to find one of these animals might be. I wanted to create a distribution map showing the location of each sighting. Only recently did I come to the point where I felt I had enough credible sighting reports to begin the process of creating such a map. I have plotted the location of right at one hundred sightings of large, black, long-tailed cats in the Lone Star State. I’ve included a handful of reports out of Oklahoma that have been sent to me as well. I have received sighting reports from other regions of the country and have published them in various blog posts but they are not included on this particular map. My black panther distribution map is below. The map shows the major rivers of Texas by name. Major cities are denoted by black dots. Sightings of large, black, long-tailed cats are denoted by red dots.
Have any patterns emerged as a result of my effort? Maybe. It appears that there are three definite hot spots for black panther sightings. They are the North Texas area surrounding the D-FW Metroplex, the Texas Hill Country and the Big Thicket/Piney Woods area of Southeast Texas. Central Texas has a high concentration of sightings as well but they are not in quite as tightly packed as the reports coming out of these other three regions. There is also a nice concentration of sightings in Northeast Texas.
Major rivers seem to play an important role in these sighting reports, particularly the areas where the rivers originate. For example, the Hill Country sightings are packed tightly within an area sandwiched between the headwaters of the Nueces, San Antonio, and Guadalupe Rivers. The Trinity River is a major player, too, with sightings concentrated at its beginning point (North Texas) and ending point (Southeast Texas). Secondary hot spots share this characteristic as well. Take the mini-flap of sightings just south of Wichita Falls near the point where the Brazos really begins to take shape and the small concentration of sightings in Northeast Texas near the headwaters of the Sabine and Neches Rivers. One seeming exception to the “headwaters” pattern is in Central Texas. The sightings here are concentrated in the region where the Brazos and Colorado Rivers begin to flow pretty close to one another but are already well established. Smaller rivers like the Leon, Little River, and Lampasas, however, do originate in this area so maybe it isn’t an exception after all. Southeast Texas, though, would definitely be an exception. This is the area where rivers culminate. The Sabine, Neches and Trinity all dump into the Gulf of Mexico near this area. The area does share many similarities with the headwaters areas mentioned above as large numbers of creeks, bayous and marshes cut through the region. These areas are inhospitable to humans but rich in resources for wildlife.
The fact that the sightings are concentrated near and along rivers is certainly no surprise. The waterways are natural corridors that wildlife uses to travel from one area to another. Even rivers that flow through major metropolitan areas, like the Trinity, are often surrounded by greenbelts a mile or more in width. These greenbelts certainly would not sustain a large predator for any real length of time but would provide more than adequate food resources and hiding places for transient cats as they moved through a highly populated area.
What is a bit eye opening to me is how the sightings are bunched up near the headwaters of rivers. I have no real explanation for this. Are these areas somehow richer than other areas along the path of these rivers? Maybe. Certainly the concentration of springs, creeks and small streams in these areas would make for a rich environment. Add the fact that many of the areas where our major rivers originate are still fairly remote and we might be on to something.
Please keep sending in your reports of black panther sightings. Encourage any friends you know that have seen these cats to do the same. The more credible sightings I can plot on the map the better.
Maybe we really can begin to zero in on the mysterious black panthers of Texas.
Tuesday, October 22, 2013
Monday, October 21, 2013
Waxahachie Field Report: An Interesting Day
I made a long overdue trip up to my study site near Waxahachie, TX yesterday. Just to remind everyone, and alert new readers to what I’m up to there, this is the area where several horses and a mule have suffered injuries from what the property owners feel is a big cat of some kind. Both property owners claim sightings of cougars and a large black cat of some kind over the last couple of years. One of them claims to have actually been semi-charged by a large cougar-sized cat that was very dark in color one night while feeding the horses. I say “semi-charged” because the cat did stop short and retreat back into the brush.
Currently, I have two game cameras on the property and have spent a little time still-hunting and hoping for an opportunity to see for myself just what might be stalking the property. Up to this point I have had no luck finding anything concrete that might prove the presence of a big cat of some kind on the property. While my trip yesterday failed to produce a photo or a sighting, it did provide some tantalizing tidbits that may point to the, at least occasional, presence of a large predator on the property.
I started the day by refreshing the two cameras, which are located adjacent to a small pond near the rear of the property. One camera was placed overlooking a game trail which wound from a heavily wooded area bordering Waxahachie Creek and yielded a lot of photos. Upon checking the card, I was a bit dismayed to see that the camera was taking nice night shots but the day shots were poor in quality. The edges of all daytime photos are very fuzzy and blurred. The area that remained in focus seemed to get smaller with each passing day. I found it odd since all of the night shots were perfectly focused. This obviously meant it was not just a dirty lens. A bit confused, I downloaded the images, changed the batteries, and left the camera to continue its work. I moved to the second camera that overlooks an area the property owners have taken to calling scat rock. This is a rocky area on the east side of the pond where loads of predator scat has been found. The scat contains bones and hair and is white in color. When I tell you there is a lot of it at this location I am not engaging in hyperbole. The area is covered. It is clearly a latrine area for some predatory animal. I was very excited to see lots of new scat directly in front of the camera location. My excitement was short-lived, however, when I found that the camera had malfunctioned and failed to take even one photo. This is the second time this particular camera has malfunctioned and I am fed up with it. I went ahead and fiddled with it a bit, changed the batteries, and redeployed it. I changed the settings so that it is now programmed to take still shots instead of videos in the hopes that would work. I had little to lose, as I had no new camera with which to replace this one. I will have a replacement ready for deployment next time.
I spent the rest of the afternoon walking the more remote portions of the property. I found an area situated on a long, tree-covered berm that separates two portions of the property and sat down, rifle in hand, in the hopes that the problem cat might wander out in front of me. Within 15 minutes, I began to hear a large animal of some kind moving about in a heavy thicket about 50 yards in front of me. The volume of the noise led me to believe this was a substantial animal. It moved about a good bit, even thrashing about quite violently at one point, but I was never able to obtain a visual. After more than an hour of this, I decided to move and loop around in the hopes of getting a look at the hidden animal. I retreated to the opposite side of the berm and quietly hiked approximately 200 yards to the north. I then climbed back over the berm and made my way back toward my original location as stealthily as possible. The hope was that the mystery animal would have seen me leave but not sensed me returning (the wind was in my favor so it should not have winded me). I had crept to within 25 yards of my original location when I found something I’ve never come across before.
I spied what appeared to be a thick leg bone (probably from a hog) wedged into the “y” of a tree. The bone was about five and a half-feet off the ground. At the base of the tree was another bone. This particular tree had recently been snapped off only a few feet above the spot where the leg bone was wedged. The limb that shot off from the snapped trunk had also been broken just beyond the bone’s location. In my many years of hiking about in the woods, mountains and swamps, I’ve never found a bone in a tree. Ever. I photographed the scene and then examined the bone but found no obvious signs of gnawing. I decided to replace it. I didn’t really know what else to do. It was beginning to get dark by this time so I started making my way back toward my truck.
I was still about a quarter of a mile away from my truck when I heard another (same?) animal moving about in the tree line to my left. As before, this was obviously a heavy animal of some kind. It was crashing about the brush and creating quite a ruckus. I wasn’t too worried about it being a cat. No cat carries on like that. I was guessing it was a big hog as the property is covered up with them. I couldn’t believe I couldn’t see whatever it was that was making so much noise. It couldn’t have been more than 20 yards from me. It was right THERE but I saw nothing. I continued walking and it paralleled me. When I stopped it would stop, though it continued to be loud. It was only when I got to within 100 yards of the truck that whatever it was moved off. I could hear it as it retreated.
I was a bit puzzled by this mystery animal’s behavior but, honestly, was more intrigued by the bone I had found wedged in a tree. I shared the pictures with several friends, all of whom have years of outdoor experience. As you might imagine, I received all manner of possible explanations. As far as animals that might have carried the bone up into the tree, raccoons, bobcats, porcupines and vultures were mentioned. One friend even mentioned the possibility that the bone might have become lodged in the tree during a high water event. A human culprit was also suggested. Everyone had different ideas. The one possible explanation that every single one of them mentioned was a big cat.
Mountain lions are not known to cache kills in trees. Generally, they cover kills with dirt, grass and leaf litter. This is generally pretty effective and since there are no other large carnivores in the area (that we know of) that might steal a kill it makes little since for cougars to expend the energy necessary to haul prey into a tree. It is a common misconception that all big cats do this. Leopards are really the only known big cat to cache kills in trees but only because of the presence of lions and hyenas. Mountain lions don’t have the same worries here in North America. Jaguars certainly are strong enough to cache prey in trees but have only been observed doing so on a few occasions. It is my understanding that the jaguars seen doing this only did so in order to avoid losing the kill to rising flood waters.
I suppose I should stand down a bit here. Clearly, this bone does not represent an entire carcass cached in a tree. It was one bone (though the additional bone at the base of the tree suggests it, too, might have been in the tree at one point). I cannot assume that there was an entire carcass in this tree at some point. I can only go with what I found. Since only one bone, even though it was quite substantial, was located, maybe a smaller animal did grab a piece of a carcass and enjoy a snack in the tree. As intriguing as this find might be to me, it does not prove a big cat is on the property.
The bone is another piece in an ever-expanding puzzle. Something has attacked the resident horses and mule on more than one occasion, these animals exhibit fearful behavior several times per month (I’ve seen it myself), a predator of some kind is leaving a LOT of scat on the property, and now something has deposited a leg bone in a tree. Add the anecdotal evidence of the big cat sightings reported by the landowners and the puzzle begins to take shape.
The puzzle remains incomplete, however. It is as if all the edge pieces are in place, forming a frame, but the middle pieces that reveal all the answers remain missing. I can only hope that with continued effort, I can find those middle pieces and solve this riddle once and for all.
More soon.
Currently, I have two game cameras on the property and have spent a little time still-hunting and hoping for an opportunity to see for myself just what might be stalking the property. Up to this point I have had no luck finding anything concrete that might prove the presence of a big cat of some kind on the property. While my trip yesterday failed to produce a photo or a sighting, it did provide some tantalizing tidbits that may point to the, at least occasional, presence of a large predator on the property.
I started the day by refreshing the two cameras, which are located adjacent to a small pond near the rear of the property. One camera was placed overlooking a game trail which wound from a heavily wooded area bordering Waxahachie Creek and yielded a lot of photos. Upon checking the card, I was a bit dismayed to see that the camera was taking nice night shots but the day shots were poor in quality. The edges of all daytime photos are very fuzzy and blurred. The area that remained in focus seemed to get smaller with each passing day. I found it odd since all of the night shots were perfectly focused. This obviously meant it was not just a dirty lens. A bit confused, I downloaded the images, changed the batteries, and left the camera to continue its work. I moved to the second camera that overlooks an area the property owners have taken to calling scat rock. This is a rocky area on the east side of the pond where loads of predator scat has been found. The scat contains bones and hair and is white in color. When I tell you there is a lot of it at this location I am not engaging in hyperbole. The area is covered. It is clearly a latrine area for some predatory animal. I was very excited to see lots of new scat directly in front of the camera location. My excitement was short-lived, however, when I found that the camera had malfunctioned and failed to take even one photo. This is the second time this particular camera has malfunctioned and I am fed up with it. I went ahead and fiddled with it a bit, changed the batteries, and redeployed it. I changed the settings so that it is now programmed to take still shots instead of videos in the hopes that would work. I had little to lose, as I had no new camera with which to replace this one. I will have a replacement ready for deployment next time.
I spent the rest of the afternoon walking the more remote portions of the property. I found an area situated on a long, tree-covered berm that separates two portions of the property and sat down, rifle in hand, in the hopes that the problem cat might wander out in front of me. Within 15 minutes, I began to hear a large animal of some kind moving about in a heavy thicket about 50 yards in front of me. The volume of the noise led me to believe this was a substantial animal. It moved about a good bit, even thrashing about quite violently at one point, but I was never able to obtain a visual. After more than an hour of this, I decided to move and loop around in the hopes of getting a look at the hidden animal. I retreated to the opposite side of the berm and quietly hiked approximately 200 yards to the north. I then climbed back over the berm and made my way back toward my original location as stealthily as possible. The hope was that the mystery animal would have seen me leave but not sensed me returning (the wind was in my favor so it should not have winded me). I had crept to within 25 yards of my original location when I found something I’ve never come across before.
I spied what appeared to be a thick leg bone (probably from a hog) wedged into the “y” of a tree. The bone was about five and a half-feet off the ground. At the base of the tree was another bone. This particular tree had recently been snapped off only a few feet above the spot where the leg bone was wedged. The limb that shot off from the snapped trunk had also been broken just beyond the bone’s location. In my many years of hiking about in the woods, mountains and swamps, I’ve never found a bone in a tree. Ever. I photographed the scene and then examined the bone but found no obvious signs of gnawing. I decided to replace it. I didn’t really know what else to do. It was beginning to get dark by this time so I started making my way back toward my truck.
I was still about a quarter of a mile away from my truck when I heard another (same?) animal moving about in the tree line to my left. As before, this was obviously a heavy animal of some kind. It was crashing about the brush and creating quite a ruckus. I wasn’t too worried about it being a cat. No cat carries on like that. I was guessing it was a big hog as the property is covered up with them. I couldn’t believe I couldn’t see whatever it was that was making so much noise. It couldn’t have been more than 20 yards from me. It was right THERE but I saw nothing. I continued walking and it paralleled me. When I stopped it would stop, though it continued to be loud. It was only when I got to within 100 yards of the truck that whatever it was moved off. I could hear it as it retreated.
I was a bit puzzled by this mystery animal’s behavior but, honestly, was more intrigued by the bone I had found wedged in a tree. I shared the pictures with several friends, all of whom have years of outdoor experience. As you might imagine, I received all manner of possible explanations. As far as animals that might have carried the bone up into the tree, raccoons, bobcats, porcupines and vultures were mentioned. One friend even mentioned the possibility that the bone might have become lodged in the tree during a high water event. A human culprit was also suggested. Everyone had different ideas. The one possible explanation that every single one of them mentioned was a big cat.
Mountain lions are not known to cache kills in trees. Generally, they cover kills with dirt, grass and leaf litter. This is generally pretty effective and since there are no other large carnivores in the area (that we know of) that might steal a kill it makes little since for cougars to expend the energy necessary to haul prey into a tree. It is a common misconception that all big cats do this. Leopards are really the only known big cat to cache kills in trees but only because of the presence of lions and hyenas. Mountain lions don’t have the same worries here in North America. Jaguars certainly are strong enough to cache prey in trees but have only been observed doing so on a few occasions. It is my understanding that the jaguars seen doing this only did so in order to avoid losing the kill to rising flood waters.
I suppose I should stand down a bit here. Clearly, this bone does not represent an entire carcass cached in a tree. It was one bone (though the additional bone at the base of the tree suggests it, too, might have been in the tree at one point). I cannot assume that there was an entire carcass in this tree at some point. I can only go with what I found. Since only one bone, even though it was quite substantial, was located, maybe a smaller animal did grab a piece of a carcass and enjoy a snack in the tree. As intriguing as this find might be to me, it does not prove a big cat is on the property.
The bone is another piece in an ever-expanding puzzle. Something has attacked the resident horses and mule on more than one occasion, these animals exhibit fearful behavior several times per month (I’ve seen it myself), a predator of some kind is leaving a LOT of scat on the property, and now something has deposited a leg bone in a tree. Add the anecdotal evidence of the big cat sightings reported by the landowners and the puzzle begins to take shape.
The puzzle remains incomplete, however. It is as if all the edge pieces are in place, forming a frame, but the middle pieces that reveal all the answers remain missing. I can only hope that with continued effort, I can find those middle pieces and solve this riddle once and for all.
More soon.
Thursday, October 17, 2013
Texans Report More Black Panther Sightings
Following are the latest handful of black panther sighting reports sent in by readers. I continue to get reports from people who claim visuals of these cryptid cats on an almost weekly basis. The reports below are the presented exactly as they were sent to me. The only items withheld are the names of the submitting witnesses.
These reports should generate renewed interest as they come on the heels of the Fox News report out of Montgomery County earlier this week that detailed attacks on horses by some sort of big cat.
8/13/13
“Had a few sightings at our ranch in Washington County a few months ago. Our neighbor says it was a large feral domestic cat. To me it seemed to be too large and too fast. Was only about 2.5 feet long but jet black with long tail. Seemed, to me, that it might have been a juvenile larger cat? There has been quite a bit of talk in the area of larger black cat sightings and the local HS mascot is actually named The Panthers. Old-timers in the region call them "swamp cats" cause they say you used to be able to find the around the creek beds.”
- Anonymous
TCH Comment: While it is possible the witness spotted a juvenile cat, I can’t dismiss the possibility of a large domestic/feral cat in this instance. They can get quite large as the photo below of a feral cat shot in Australia shows. Having said that, I believe people, especially those who’ve had a good long look or multiple sightings, know a domestic/feral cat when they see one. A jaguarundi in dark-phase must also be considered for this sighting. One last thing to keep in mind is that Washington County sits just South and East of Montgomery County where there have been some very interesting “black panther” related events (see link above).
8/16/13
“The ones I've seen are a very dark shade of brown and it could be described as a charcoal brown color, the cats were seen and heard twice in 2011 and many more times in 2012 just North Cooper Lake, all the ones I've seen was while I was in my tree stand just before dusk or just after the sun set, I'm always in full scent free camo gear and its during deer season.
I've only told a few people about it and I don't think they really believe me, all I can say to the non-believers is, if you only knew how real the danger is, you wouldn't be going in any woods in Texas without a gun in hand.
Take care...”
- Anonymous
TCH Comment: The witness did not mention the size of the cat(s) he has seen but if the cats were not huge a jaguarundi must be considered as a possible suspect. These cats are most often a rusty reddish-brown color but the charcoal color is not uncommon. Mountain lions can also be an almost charcoal color as seen in the photo below of a cougar taken in far West Texas.
8/25/13
“I saw a large black cat run across Alamo Parkway in San Antonio on Saturday, August 23rd. It ran across the road in front of my car about 100 feet in front of us.”
- Anonymous
TCH Comment: Few details here but be careful about dismissing a report that comes from within a large city like San Antonio. Alamo Parkway is located on the far West side of San Antonio outside of Loop 1604 and not far from the Government Canyon State Natural Area. The area West of San Antonio is sparsely populated and remains pretty wild so a large cat of some kind venturing in from this area is not far-fetched at all.
9/2/13
“I lived in San Felipe, Texas a quarter mile from Stephen F. Austin State Park and the Brazos River from 1998-2007. Spotted large black spotted cats on several occasions when we camped on the river bottom. Once we watched a female with two kittens walking the bank across the river from us in broad daylight for several minutes with five witnesses. Stunned us all, the general consensus was it was a jaguar.”
- Anonymous
TCH Comments: Reports of large black cats have been common up and down the Brazos River for decades. The area near San Felipe is not heavily populated and the river could provide a travel corridor for a large predator. Another interesting fact is the proximity of the sighting to the Attwater Prairie Chicken National Wildlife Refuge. I think the description of “black spotted cats” is interesting. If this description is accurate, I can see why the witnesses believe they saw a jaguar.
9/28/13
“Northeast Texas, Fannin County. This area known as "The Wildcat Thicket" and also for Sam Rayburn home in Bonham and the Lee - Peacock fights near Trenton, TX. We have seen this black cat with a tail as long as its body on Sept. 25th at 10pm and about a year ago. We also see bobcats, which have longer legs and a different walk.”
- Anonymous
TCH Comment: Another report without a whole lot of detail but the witness does clearly differentiate between the black long-tailed cat he saw and the more common bobcats that make the area their home. The area North of Dallas-Fort Worth up to the Red River is an area that has become a real hot spot for sightings of large black cats.
9/30/13
“I know all of these sightings are mostly in Texas, Arizona and New Mexico. However, I live on the Oregon coast and have been seeing what sounds to be the same type of cat. The cat i have seen is about 100 to 120 pounds, i reference this by comparing to our golden lab at about 80 pounds and the cat was considerably larger. The tail was at least 3 feet long and this thing is all black. I first saw it at about 100 yards in the timber and first thought was it was a bear. Then i got a better look at it and knew it was no bear, i grabbed some binoculars and got it in my view just as it disappeared in the trees and all i could see was mid body back. My wife seen it also but without the binoculars. We have been trying to research what it was and everybody tells us large black cats don't exist in Oregon. Well, my wife's folks are visiting us from Washington and we were telling them what we had seen from our back deck and they were receptive but skeptical, until she saw it at about 75 yards on Friday and now she believes us. Her description was at least 5 feet long with a 3 foot long tail and large head and all black. We have a camera set up just waiting to get a photo. Anybody have any ideas?”
- Anonymous
TCH Comment: I’ve included this report even though it originates far outside of the region in which I live. I think it is important to show that black panthers are not solely a “southern thing.” I appreciate this witness taking the time to share his experience. Please let me know if those cameras catch anything.
10/1/13
“I'm not sure if there is the right place to post a sighting, but this is what I saw.... On September 26, 2013, approx. 6PM, I was almost at a complete stop in my truck as I was going to turn into my property in Bishop, Texas, I noticed something dark moving slowly in the field right across from my location. The field is used to grow corn and cotton( but it has been cleaned for awhile now). The large black panther looking animal, approx. 3 1/2 feet long and about 18" in hieght, continued to walk across the street, right in front of me while I was in my truck, and he came into my property. I say he because the face was very masculine with a flat box top of head, it was not curved from ear to ear, his head was flat, the ears were short/little and pointy, his fur was full/thick, and tail was long and thick from end to end as the width was too. He was black, black, no spots or dark brown. He did not resemble a bobcat. He looked in my direction as he crossed in front of my truck and it appeared his eyes were light in color.
I have 2 dogs, 1 Great Pyrenees and a 1 Catahoula. They were barking and running from one end of the 5 acres I have to the other. The next morning, I had a hen missing and feathers were scattered. What exactly is what I saw??”
- Monika XXXXXXX
TCH Comment: The descriptors the witness uses include a “flat head,” a “dark” color, “small pointy ears,” and an animal “approximately 3.5 feet long and 18 inches high.” This is a classic description of a jaguarundi. The witness also states that the sighting took place near Bishop which is located in deep South Texas very close to the very limited accepted range of the jaguarundi. I’m guessing that is exactly what this lady saw.
These reports should generate renewed interest as they come on the heels of the Fox News report out of Montgomery County earlier this week that detailed attacks on horses by some sort of big cat.
8/13/13
“Had a few sightings at our ranch in Washington County a few months ago. Our neighbor says it was a large feral domestic cat. To me it seemed to be too large and too fast. Was only about 2.5 feet long but jet black with long tail. Seemed, to me, that it might have been a juvenile larger cat? There has been quite a bit of talk in the area of larger black cat sightings and the local HS mascot is actually named The Panthers. Old-timers in the region call them "swamp cats" cause they say you used to be able to find the around the creek beds.”
- Anonymous
TCH Comment: While it is possible the witness spotted a juvenile cat, I can’t dismiss the possibility of a large domestic/feral cat in this instance. They can get quite large as the photo below of a feral cat shot in Australia shows. Having said that, I believe people, especially those who’ve had a good long look or multiple sightings, know a domestic/feral cat when they see one. A jaguarundi in dark-phase must also be considered for this sighting. One last thing to keep in mind is that Washington County sits just South and East of Montgomery County where there have been some very interesting “black panther” related events (see link above).
8/16/13
“The ones I've seen are a very dark shade of brown and it could be described as a charcoal brown color, the cats were seen and heard twice in 2011 and many more times in 2012 just North Cooper Lake, all the ones I've seen was while I was in my tree stand just before dusk or just after the sun set, I'm always in full scent free camo gear and its during deer season.
I've only told a few people about it and I don't think they really believe me, all I can say to the non-believers is, if you only knew how real the danger is, you wouldn't be going in any woods in Texas without a gun in hand.
Take care...”
- Anonymous
TCH Comment: The witness did not mention the size of the cat(s) he has seen but if the cats were not huge a jaguarundi must be considered as a possible suspect. These cats are most often a rusty reddish-brown color but the charcoal color is not uncommon. Mountain lions can also be an almost charcoal color as seen in the photo below of a cougar taken in far West Texas.
8/25/13
“I saw a large black cat run across Alamo Parkway in San Antonio on Saturday, August 23rd. It ran across the road in front of my car about 100 feet in front of us.”
- Anonymous
TCH Comment: Few details here but be careful about dismissing a report that comes from within a large city like San Antonio. Alamo Parkway is located on the far West side of San Antonio outside of Loop 1604 and not far from the Government Canyon State Natural Area. The area West of San Antonio is sparsely populated and remains pretty wild so a large cat of some kind venturing in from this area is not far-fetched at all.
9/2/13
“I lived in San Felipe, Texas a quarter mile from Stephen F. Austin State Park and the Brazos River from 1998-2007. Spotted large black spotted cats on several occasions when we camped on the river bottom. Once we watched a female with two kittens walking the bank across the river from us in broad daylight for several minutes with five witnesses. Stunned us all, the general consensus was it was a jaguar.”
- Anonymous
TCH Comments: Reports of large black cats have been common up and down the Brazos River for decades. The area near San Felipe is not heavily populated and the river could provide a travel corridor for a large predator. Another interesting fact is the proximity of the sighting to the Attwater Prairie Chicken National Wildlife Refuge. I think the description of “black spotted cats” is interesting. If this description is accurate, I can see why the witnesses believe they saw a jaguar.
9/28/13
“Northeast Texas, Fannin County. This area known as "The Wildcat Thicket" and also for Sam Rayburn home in Bonham and the Lee - Peacock fights near Trenton, TX. We have seen this black cat with a tail as long as its body on Sept. 25th at 10pm and about a year ago. We also see bobcats, which have longer legs and a different walk.”
- Anonymous
TCH Comment: Another report without a whole lot of detail but the witness does clearly differentiate between the black long-tailed cat he saw and the more common bobcats that make the area their home. The area North of Dallas-Fort Worth up to the Red River is an area that has become a real hot spot for sightings of large black cats.
9/30/13
“I know all of these sightings are mostly in Texas, Arizona and New Mexico. However, I live on the Oregon coast and have been seeing what sounds to be the same type of cat. The cat i have seen is about 100 to 120 pounds, i reference this by comparing to our golden lab at about 80 pounds and the cat was considerably larger. The tail was at least 3 feet long and this thing is all black. I first saw it at about 100 yards in the timber and first thought was it was a bear. Then i got a better look at it and knew it was no bear, i grabbed some binoculars and got it in my view just as it disappeared in the trees and all i could see was mid body back. My wife seen it also but without the binoculars. We have been trying to research what it was and everybody tells us large black cats don't exist in Oregon. Well, my wife's folks are visiting us from Washington and we were telling them what we had seen from our back deck and they were receptive but skeptical, until she saw it at about 75 yards on Friday and now she believes us. Her description was at least 5 feet long with a 3 foot long tail and large head and all black. We have a camera set up just waiting to get a photo. Anybody have any ideas?”
- Anonymous
TCH Comment: I’ve included this report even though it originates far outside of the region in which I live. I think it is important to show that black panthers are not solely a “southern thing.” I appreciate this witness taking the time to share his experience. Please let me know if those cameras catch anything.
10/1/13
“I'm not sure if there is the right place to post a sighting, but this is what I saw.... On September 26, 2013, approx. 6PM, I was almost at a complete stop in my truck as I was going to turn into my property in Bishop, Texas, I noticed something dark moving slowly in the field right across from my location. The field is used to grow corn and cotton( but it has been cleaned for awhile now). The large black panther looking animal, approx. 3 1/2 feet long and about 18" in hieght, continued to walk across the street, right in front of me while I was in my truck, and he came into my property. I say he because the face was very masculine with a flat box top of head, it was not curved from ear to ear, his head was flat, the ears were short/little and pointy, his fur was full/thick, and tail was long and thick from end to end as the width was too. He was black, black, no spots or dark brown. He did not resemble a bobcat. He looked in my direction as he crossed in front of my truck and it appeared his eyes were light in color.
I have 2 dogs, 1 Great Pyrenees and a 1 Catahoula. They were barking and running from one end of the 5 acres I have to the other. The next morning, I had a hen missing and feathers were scattered. What exactly is what I saw??”
- Monika XXXXXXX
TCH Comment: The descriptors the witness uses include a “flat head,” a “dark” color, “small pointy ears,” and an animal “approximately 3.5 feet long and 18 inches high.” This is a classic description of a jaguarundi. The witness also states that the sighting took place near Bishop which is located in deep South Texas very close to the very limited accepted range of the jaguarundi. I’m guessing that is exactly what this lady saw.
Tuesday, October 15, 2013
Jaguarundi Photographed in the American South?
I received an interesting photo from a reader this past week. The reader had very little information about the picture but said he thought it had come from a game camera in Mississippi or Missouri. If true, then we may very well have photographic proof that the jaguarundi has spread much farther North and East than anyone ever would have suspected (including me).
The jaguarundi (Puma yagouaroundi) is a relative of the cougar but much smaller. It averages between 30 and 45 inches long and can be dark in color though, it is thought, not black. According to the Mammals of Texas – Online Edition, “Jaguarundis live in the brush country of extreme south Texas in Cameron, Hidalgo, Starr, and Willacy counties – where it is rare.” They are not even supposed to get as far as East Texas much less Missouri or Mississippi. IF this photo does originate from either of these two states then it is an important discovery.
There is little doubt in my mind that the photo shows a jaguarundi. Compare the game camera photo to the picture of a jaguarundi in dark phase below and I think you’ll come to the same conclusion. The flat head, long body, small ears, thick long tail and overall weasel-like appearance are present in both photos. The cat in the game camera photo appears lighter, which would be more common than a darker specimen, but that is about the only difference I see.
I see nothing in the photo that would lead me to believe it is a fake of some kind. The only thing that I cannot be sure of is WHERE the photo was actually taken. I have no reason to doubt the story of the reader who sent me the photo. He readily admitted that it had not been his game camera that captured the photo. He stated that he had seen the picture on some sort of hunting forum and thought he remembered reading that it had been snapped in Mississippi or Missouri. If the jaguarundi has spread this far North and East then the species is doing far better than wildlife biologists believe. It would also prove that they are among the most elusive of North American mammals to have moved so far without detection.
If this photo does turn out to have come from Missouri or Mississippi then it could validate at least some of the “black panther” sightings so often reported in Texas and the Deep South. As you can see from the photo of the jaguarundi in dark-phase above, it wouldn’t be too hard to mistake one of these cats for a panther. They are larger than domestic/feral cats with long, thick tails. A quick glimpse of a dark jaguarundi crossing a road could fool almost anyone.
If there is anyone out there who knows the complete story behind this photo please contact me.
The jaguarundi (Puma yagouaroundi) is a relative of the cougar but much smaller. It averages between 30 and 45 inches long and can be dark in color though, it is thought, not black. According to the Mammals of Texas – Online Edition, “Jaguarundis live in the brush country of extreme south Texas in Cameron, Hidalgo, Starr, and Willacy counties – where it is rare.” They are not even supposed to get as far as East Texas much less Missouri or Mississippi. IF this photo does originate from either of these two states then it is an important discovery.
There is little doubt in my mind that the photo shows a jaguarundi. Compare the game camera photo to the picture of a jaguarundi in dark phase below and I think you’ll come to the same conclusion. The flat head, long body, small ears, thick long tail and overall weasel-like appearance are present in both photos. The cat in the game camera photo appears lighter, which would be more common than a darker specimen, but that is about the only difference I see.
I see nothing in the photo that would lead me to believe it is a fake of some kind. The only thing that I cannot be sure of is WHERE the photo was actually taken. I have no reason to doubt the story of the reader who sent me the photo. He readily admitted that it had not been his game camera that captured the photo. He stated that he had seen the picture on some sort of hunting forum and thought he remembered reading that it had been snapped in Mississippi or Missouri. If the jaguarundi has spread this far North and East then the species is doing far better than wildlife biologists believe. It would also prove that they are among the most elusive of North American mammals to have moved so far without detection.
If this photo does turn out to have come from Missouri or Mississippi then it could validate at least some of the “black panther” sightings so often reported in Texas and the Deep South. As you can see from the photo of the jaguarundi in dark-phase above, it wouldn’t be too hard to mistake one of these cats for a panther. They are larger than domestic/feral cats with long, thick tails. A quick glimpse of a dark jaguarundi crossing a road could fool almost anyone.
If there is anyone out there who knows the complete story behind this photo please contact me.
Tuesday, October 8, 2013
Daniel Falconer on Melba Ketchum
"I honestly get the impression Melba thinks she’s fighting the good fight. I don’t think, as some do, that she is trying to scam anyone, nor am I happy to see her being ridiculed. The destructiveness of this all is the worst part. She is just trying to prove what she believes she already knows. But, the study doesn’t do that. What she calls results, other scientists call errors, and her conclusions just make no sense. I don’t for one minute buy the ridiculous notion that other scientists are trying to discredit her for reasons of jealousy or some other agenda. That’s fantasy land. Folks like Disotell would like nothing better than to be part of a discovery as monumental as ultimate proof of bigfoot, but this study doesn’t provide that. It’s flawed, which is why it didn’t pass peer review and why every other scientist with relevant expertise who has looked at it since it was published has called out the same problems. There’s no conspiracy here, just a big mistake that is being compounded with every new piece of publicity it gets. Meanwhile the whole field looks even more foolish."
- Daniel Falconer
- Daniel Falconer
Monday, October 7, 2013
Alleged Wood Ape Encounter Reported by Reader
I received an interesting email this weekend from a gentleman who follows the Texas Cryptid Hunter facebook site. It is an interesting account. Read it below.
“This event took place in Camp Wood, TX on the Nueces River.
October 1998
A Friend and I were camping on the riverbed, which we did every weekend.
We were not prepared for the drop in temperature so we decided to head home.
We were both riding on a small 4 wheeler. My friend was driving and I was sitting in a pile of sleeping bags, back packs and tents which were strapped to the cargo rack.
We pulled off the gravel bed and onto a dirt road. As we were passing through a grove of large oak trees, I saw something White stand up from behind a bush.
At this point we were driving very slow. It was too cold to drive fast and I didn't have a good hold on the ATV while sitting on the pile of camping supplies. My first thought was a large white bear. I pointed the creature out, saying, "What is that!"
About that time I was flung from a top the pile. My feet and arms went everywhere! I luckily kicked my friend in the arm and he grabbed my leg to keep me on board. At this point I was hanging off the back of the ATV waiting to hit the ground. Once I realized that I was still on, I opened my eyes just in time to see the "bear" before we turned back onto the gravel bar.
We went back the next morning. The brush line was on the edge of a dry creek bed. Whatever it was seemed to be about 6ft tall the night before but the creek bed was roughly 2ft deep.
The next weekend we went camping with 2 other friends at Roaring Springs. Roaring Springs is about a 20-mile drive from the site where we saw the creature the weekend before. We were Excited to tell our friends our story. However, before we could get a word they told us a similar story!
They were camping the same weekend in Roaring Springs. One of the guys walked into the brush to collect firewood. He walked up to an oak tree and bent over to grab a stick. Something large and white jumped out of the tree and landed directly in front of him! My Friend stood just shy of 6ft and had to look up at the white figure in front if him. He dropped everything and ran back to camp! Their event took place around 10pm.
Roaring Spring is a gated community in the foothills of the canyon.
We were surprised to hear our story told back to us!
Thanks for listening!”
Now, let’s dispense with the bear theory. The witness clearly doesn’t believe what he saw was a bear. This is evident by the way he put the word ‘bear’ in quotation marks in the original email
The account is interesting for a couple of reasons. First, the white color of the creature is unusual. Light colored wood apes have been reported on occasion but these reports are fairly rare. There were two reports about a decade ago that originated out of Newton County that involved a honey-blonde colored sasquatch. The famous Lake Worth Monster was reportedly white. Several NAWAC members have reported a massive grayish wood ape in our main area of study within the last two years. Still, light-colored wood apes are rarely reported making this account unusual.
The second aspect of this report that I find fascinating is the second-hand story the witness relates regarding the experience one of his friends had with the same, or a very similar, creature. The report of the ape jumping down out of a tree near this man is both intriguing and terrifying. Can you imagine the shock this man experienced?
You may be asking yourself, “Do wood apes climb trees?”
I’m glad you asked.
Yes, it seems they do. This really isn’t a new belief. Apes in trees, usually small or juvenile individuals, have surfaced from time to time. Harlan Ford, the man who shot the famous Honey Island Swamp footage years ago, always recommended looking up when an ape seemingly vanished into thin air. Recent events in the NAWAC’s main area of study seem to verify that apes, even surprisingly large ones, can and do climb trees on occasion. The possible reasons for doing so are many. Food gathering, nesting/resting and using trees as observation posts are just a few possibilities.
I want to be clear that the gentleman who sent me this report did give his full name and corresponded back and forth with me several times during the process of getting the story to me. While I can’t absolutely vouch for the authenticity of the report, this man didn’t do or say anything to make me doubt his credibility.
Make of it what you will.
“This event took place in Camp Wood, TX on the Nueces River.
October 1998
A Friend and I were camping on the riverbed, which we did every weekend.
We were not prepared for the drop in temperature so we decided to head home.
We were both riding on a small 4 wheeler. My friend was driving and I was sitting in a pile of sleeping bags, back packs and tents which were strapped to the cargo rack.
We pulled off the gravel bed and onto a dirt road. As we were passing through a grove of large oak trees, I saw something White stand up from behind a bush.
At this point we were driving very slow. It was too cold to drive fast and I didn't have a good hold on the ATV while sitting on the pile of camping supplies. My first thought was a large white bear. I pointed the creature out, saying, "What is that!"
About that time I was flung from a top the pile. My feet and arms went everywhere! I luckily kicked my friend in the arm and he grabbed my leg to keep me on board. At this point I was hanging off the back of the ATV waiting to hit the ground. Once I realized that I was still on, I opened my eyes just in time to see the "bear" before we turned back onto the gravel bar.
We went back the next morning. The brush line was on the edge of a dry creek bed. Whatever it was seemed to be about 6ft tall the night before but the creek bed was roughly 2ft deep.
The next weekend we went camping with 2 other friends at Roaring Springs. Roaring Springs is about a 20-mile drive from the site where we saw the creature the weekend before. We were Excited to tell our friends our story. However, before we could get a word they told us a similar story!
They were camping the same weekend in Roaring Springs. One of the guys walked into the brush to collect firewood. He walked up to an oak tree and bent over to grab a stick. Something large and white jumped out of the tree and landed directly in front of him! My Friend stood just shy of 6ft and had to look up at the white figure in front if him. He dropped everything and ran back to camp! Their event took place around 10pm.
Roaring Spring is a gated community in the foothills of the canyon.
We were surprised to hear our story told back to us!
Thanks for listening!”
Now, let’s dispense with the bear theory. The witness clearly doesn’t believe what he saw was a bear. This is evident by the way he put the word ‘bear’ in quotation marks in the original email
The account is interesting for a couple of reasons. First, the white color of the creature is unusual. Light colored wood apes have been reported on occasion but these reports are fairly rare. There were two reports about a decade ago that originated out of Newton County that involved a honey-blonde colored sasquatch. The famous Lake Worth Monster was reportedly white. Several NAWAC members have reported a massive grayish wood ape in our main area of study within the last two years. Still, light-colored wood apes are rarely reported making this account unusual.
The second aspect of this report that I find fascinating is the second-hand story the witness relates regarding the experience one of his friends had with the same, or a very similar, creature. The report of the ape jumping down out of a tree near this man is both intriguing and terrifying. Can you imagine the shock this man experienced?
You may be asking yourself, “Do wood apes climb trees?”
I’m glad you asked.
Yes, it seems they do. This really isn’t a new belief. Apes in trees, usually small or juvenile individuals, have surfaced from time to time. Harlan Ford, the man who shot the famous Honey Island Swamp footage years ago, always recommended looking up when an ape seemingly vanished into thin air. Recent events in the NAWAC’s main area of study seem to verify that apes, even surprisingly large ones, can and do climb trees on occasion. The possible reasons for doing so are many. Food gathering, nesting/resting and using trees as observation posts are just a few possibilities.
I want to be clear that the gentleman who sent me this report did give his full name and corresponded back and forth with me several times during the process of getting the story to me. While I can’t absolutely vouch for the authenticity of the report, this man didn’t do or say anything to make me doubt his credibility.
Make of it what you will.
Friday, October 4, 2013
Melanistic Deer
Here's a cool shot of an unusually dark fawn. According to the Texas Parks & Wildlife Facebook site, this photo was taken in the Texas Hill Country. The Hill Country seems to have a higher occurrence of melanistic deer than any other part of the state.
Curiously, many black panther reports come out of the Hill Country as well. Interesting.
Curiously, many black panther reports come out of the Hill Country as well. Interesting.
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