Mountain Lion/Couger in the area?

23,675 Views | 101 Replies | Last: 3 yr ago by EBrazosAg
Cartographer
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Mountain Lions are solitary creatures.... Should you spot one, you will likely never see it again as they tend to have ranges of 100 square miles.

These factors contribute to their low confirmation numbers. I would venture to say they likely roam our rural areas but are mostly passing through. But there have been Mountain Lion confirmations in Brazos county before so I would likely err on the side of at least one roaming the area.
Love Gun
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Buford T. Justice said:

I just ran past a pack of either wolves or coyotes on Williams Creek Dr. (Main Street). They were down in the creek bed and my headlamp picked up their eyes looking at me. I'd say 8-10 sets of eyes.

Tha'll get the HR up.

Wolves?
OnlyForNow
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AG
Just let it go.

Was probably something like coons.
Buford T. Justice
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Coyotes
BQ_90
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AG
panduh bear said:

Mountain Lions are solitary creatures.... Should you spot one, you will likely never see it again as they tend to have ranges of 100 square miles.

These factors contribute to their low confirmation numbers. I would venture to say they likely roam our rural areas but are mostly passing through. But there have been Mountain Lion confirmations in Brazos county before so I would likely err on the side of at least one roaming the area.
when was the last confirmed siting in Brazos County?
Cartographer
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They recovered a carcass pre 2005. Not sure the exact date. Found some literature from the state about it.
Rex Racer
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AG


Looks like there *could* be one here. Apparently, between 1983 and 2005 there was a cougar mortality in Brazos County.

This according to this site: https://mountainlion.org/us/tx/-tx-habitat.php

Take it for what it's worth. Highly unlikely, but possible that one could be passing through.
BQ_90
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AG
Many that are professionals in this field also challenge if that map is truly accurate since many of these reports cannot be truly documented.

Could one roam through this area, sure, just like you could win the lottery.



JM84
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I believe the last confirmed sighting was hit by a vehicle in 1984. I think it'd be pretty cool to have a mountain lion come through every once in a while, but with the amount of game cameras people have These days I figure we'd have some photographic evidence by now.
wasntme
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Is there a wall around Zavala County?
histag10
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Why are you so adamant about there being absolutely no possibility? Do you have some outlandish bet with someone and you are hoping you dont lose everything? I just find it odd that the only "experts" can be from the outdoors board and any information from anywhere else must be unequivocally false.
BCStalk
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Because with over a quarter million people in the area with smartphones, not a single person has produced evidence of said sightings. We have bobcats and coyotes, that's about it.
Cartographer
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Respectfully, even game cameras have a hard time catching them. A creature that intentionally hides in order to hunt, scavenge, and survive while traveling far away from open areas is not likely to be caught by a smart phone.
soso33
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This was in college station near highway 6
Not sure what it is but it caught my eye from about 300 yards away. I drove nearer to it before it stared at me for about 30 seconds then disappeared into the woods. This was Aug 2018.
This same area one morning I thought a dog was crossing in front of my car but it turned to look at me and it seemed like it was a cat in dog suit. The tail was not a dog's tail. I believe I saw a large cat. It wasn't a few months later that I saw what you see in this photo. Because the two sightings happened in such close vicinity (the "large cat" was heading to the same woods) I'd say it's the same animal. But I don't know that for sure.
BCStalk
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That looks like a coyote. Tiny abdomen where as large cats are solid.
soso33
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Thanks. I forgot to mention that when it passed right in front of my car it was the morning but still dark and I was still trying to wake up. A coyote would make sense.
BQ_90
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histag10 said:

Why are you so adamant about there being absolutely no possibility? Do you have some outlandish bet with someone and you are hoping you dont lose everything? I just find it odd that the only "experts" can be from the outdoors board and any information from anywhere else must be unequivocally false.
Because those experts are called wildlife biologist, many who have spent years and careers studying and researching wildlife and in some cases trapping/researching cougars all over the country. They mostly congregate on the outdoors board.

Again don't you find it a bit odd that all these people on this thread have either seen or swear they know someone that has seen one, yet nobody can provide any proof. Esp with thousands of games cams everywhere

I think it would be awesome to actually see proof of one in this area, they're amazing animals and one of the few apex predators left in the wild.

The reality is it would be very very very unlikely a big cat is in this area.
Buford T. Justice
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About one month ago, something exactly like that ran right in front of my car. I was leaving the TP Gold's Gym at 6:00a.m. And it ran into the woods across the street. It was a sight to behold. Maybe 70-90 feet away. Clearly not a dog.
Cartographer
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That's clearly a coyote. Thin midsection as noted and rail thin legs.

I've never seen a cougar. I don't know anyone that has. I simply refuse to believe it's impossible and the argument that they don't exist in our area because they haven't been tracked or seen isn't good enough for me.

I'll take evidence that proves they can't be here and believe you. Absent that I like to believe we still have enough room for a solitary animal to roam.
histag10
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BQ_90 said:

histag10 said:

Why are you so adamant about there being absolutely no possibility? Do you have some outlandish bet with someone and you are hoping you dont lose everything? I just find it odd that the only "experts" can be from the outdoors board and any information from anywhere else must be unequivocally false.
Because those experts are called wildlife biologist, many who have spent years and careers studying and researching wildlife and in some cases trapping/researching cougars all over the country. They mostly congregate on the outdoors board.

Again don't you find it a bit odd that all these people on this thread have either seen or swear they know someone that has seen one, yet nobody can provide any proof. Esp with thousands of games cams everywhere

I think it would be awesome to actually see proof of one in this area, they're amazing animals and one of the few apex predators left in the wild.

The reality is it would be very very very unlikely a big cat is in this area.



And its 100% impossible that a wildlife biologist could possibly frequent this board? Or do you know absolutely everyone on this board and can confirm this? Because I'm pretty sure the answer is no. My point is that you seem to think the OB is the be all end all for experts, and I dont get that at all.
histag10
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panduh bear said:

That's clearly a coyote. Thin midsection as noted and rail thin legs.

I've never seen a cougar. I don't know anyone that has. I simply refuse to believe it's impossible and the argument that they don't exist in our area because they haven't been tracked or seen isn't good enough for me.

I'll take evidence that proves they can't be here and believe you. Absent that I like to believe we still have enough room for a solitary animal to roam.


I've seen one (not here). I grew up in west texas, and lived in MT for 5 years. Both places have them, and if you are outdoors enough/know enough people, you will eventually see one, or see a dead one.
BQ_90
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histag10 said:

BQ_90 said:

histag10 said:

Why are you so adamant about there being absolutely no possibility? Do you have some outlandish bet with someone and you are hoping you dont lose everything? I just find it odd that the only "experts" can be from the outdoors board and any information from anywhere else must be unequivocally false.
Because those experts are called wildlife biologist, many who have spent years and careers studying and researching wildlife and in some cases trapping/researching cougars all over the country. They mostly congregate on the outdoors board.

Again don't you find it a bit odd that all these people on this thread have either seen or swear they know someone that has seen one, yet nobody can provide any proof. Esp with thousands of games cams everywhere

I think it would be awesome to actually see proof of one in this area, they're amazing animals and one of the few apex predators left in the wild.

The reality is it would be very very very unlikely a big cat is in this area.



And its 100% impossible that a wildlife biologist could possibly frequent this board? Or do you know absolutely everyone on this board and can confirm this? Because I'm pretty sure the answer is no. My point is that you seem to think the OB is the be all end all for experts, and I dont get that at all.


Where did I say it was 100% that a biologist doesn't frequent this board? But I frequent OB and know these discussions occur there from time to time. And people have identified themselves as biologist on that board. I'm suggesting that board as very good source of information.

I'll ask again, don't you find it odd that all these people that are adamant that they've seen one, but no real confirmation, either pictures or confirmed tracks aren't documented.

Again they do have a large range, but the habitat requirements coupled with all the urban fragmentation make it pretty slim that any are in this area. Esp the distance they'd have to travel from their currently established range.

OnlyForNow
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I mean, the guy that used to run part of the urban wildlife program specifically dealing with mountain lions does post on the OB. Should get his take on lions in B/CS.
EBrazosAg
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It's highly unlikely there are any resident mountain lions. It's not unlikely, in fact probable if you look at the research on adolescent male mountain lions, that there are transient lions moving up and down the river and creek bottoms at times. Likely that 90% of the sightings are bogus. Unlikely that 100% are.
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FlyRod
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On 45 near Buffalo there's a rest stop with a little exhibit about the "Texas Bigfoot." There's about as much chance a mountain lion is in our area as there is in finding one of those things.
techno-ag
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Careful. Staff has been deleting Bigfoot references.
JM84
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I think this is pretty accurate except for the last part. I'd put the percentage of false sightings somewhere around 99%. Wouldn't surprise me one bit if one or two juvenile males made it through the area every year. I just seriously doubt that anyone is laying eyes on them, with VERY few exceptions.
EBrazosAg
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Really irrelevant if it's 90 or 99. Likely a split. It's not 100% as some on this thread hold.
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astonefox
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I live off of the Tabor exit on Broach. The mountain lion is on my lot. I have heard it, caught a glimpse of it, and I find its tracks. They look like the tracks of a large dog but no claw marks. The coywolves now stay away because this isn't their territory anymore. The overlap of tracks and the bones I've found suggest it is going after the feral piglets. The pigs reproduce year round and make a more convenient target than the deer.

It's out there but I doubt it got your dog; there's easier prey. I know one of my neighbors takes all strays that end up on his lot back to FM2223 to dump so they can be someone else's problem. A lot of dogs get hit by cars at Tabor & 2223.

I will start setting up camera traps to see if I can get images.
FlyRod
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You have a bobcat, or a stray golden retriever. There are no mountain lions in this area, unless some idiot was keeping one as a pet and abandoned it.
MUAG
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If google on "Are there mountain lions in the Dallas area" will bring up an interesting, informative article on mountain lions. Centers on Dallas area, but good information in general. Gives explanation of why so many folks think they have seen a mountain lion.
MUAG
spicyitalian
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I haven't seen a cougar/mountain lion, but I have seen a puma.
astonefox
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My family has been here a long time and I've been in those woods since I was a kid. I know what the bobcats look like because I have seen them getting busy making more bobcats. I also know what a golden retiever looks like because my family used to be heavily involved in the dog show circuit. Canid prints have claw marks because their claws do not retract. Large prints with no claw marks come from felids. Prints with a fluffy border are made by gray foxes. Bob cat prints look just like feral cat prints but a little bigger. What I've been finding are felid prints of a size comparable to a Saint Bernard.

As for coywolves, there is such a thing as the eastern coywolf, but that is not what we have. You'll find coyotes the size of German shepherds around here. We already know coyotes and wolves have been hybridizing (de-speciation in action). DNA testing near Houston says ours are coyotes mixed with red wolves. That would explain the coyotes being so big, running in packs of 5-8 members, and having odd calls and coat colors. Their howls don't match wolves or coyotes, but are something in between. www.houstonchronicle.com/news/houston-texas/houston/amp/Galveston-photographer-s-discovery-led-to-13545686.php

30 years on 30 acres of heavily wooded and undeveloped land... I know what's out here, and how things have changed. We used to have a lot of turkey buzzards, for example, but not anymore. The droughts pushed the black vultures and other animals out of their old territories, and those animals have pushed out some other species.

What was true is not assured to remain true. Animals speciate and de-speciate. They migrate and their territories shift. You don't think of this place as gator country yet there are some well known alligators around. Black bears and mountain lions disappeared from even west Texas for a while, but they came back to Big Bend 15 years ago and have been spreading eastward since.

I have no reason to believe we have a substantial population of mountain lions. They have large territories. But we do seem to have more than zero. Small population of a shy, stealthy animal means you won't just see them wandering across campus.

Keep your eyes and your mind open.
legalbird
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I wouldn't worry about the naysayers/experts. Over time, I have seen specific cases or proof of everyday life in Brazos county.

When posted on Facebook or a forum, the naysayers call it fake or doctored.

Glad that you are out and about and not glued to a PC screen 24/7.
Hammerheadjim
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AG
You do understand that a mountain lion sized creature would leave a fair amount of evidence in a well-travelled area such as Brazos County. Where is this evidence? Dead carcasses, missing calves, coyotes shredded for territory, scat, tree scratchings, lairs?

Folklore and fact are not the same thing.
Walk softly and carry a big stick! Make sure the big stick makes big boom noises and flashy bright lights.
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