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Posted: 1/5/2015 10:53:50 AM EDT
[#1]
they are a protected species? what are the consequences if you have to shoot one in self defense? I have heard that they area very rare, is that so or is it they have just gotten real good at staying out of our way?
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Posted: 1/5/2015 11:39:55 AM EDT
[#2]
Very protected in Florida. I would think if you were protecting your life then it would be ok, but prepare yourself for a bunch of hassle.
The State of Florida has been working hard to protect their numbers and even,IIRC, brought in big cats from out west to increase the genetic diversity. I don't know the official numbers but they are rare to say the least. Scary thing is, where I saw the Panther going is a trail to a tree stand someone put up, I use that trail almost every time I am out there. This day I went further into the WMA because I wanted to hunt a different area. I know they are here but not hearing anyone talk about them, you kind of forget they could be right on top of you. |
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Posted: 1/5/2015 12:06:56 PM EDT
[#3]
Thats cool- they are ghosts- Walked up on a bob cat enjoying a rabbit last year. He was mannerly, picked up his lunch, got off the trail and took his lunch into the trees. Nice kitty. Now I'm glad we only have mountain lions, and babkittahz the ML are all out west of me-
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Posted: 1/5/2015 1:26:30 PM EDT
[#4]
I think the FL panther is more or less dead. It is so intermixed with your standard mountain lions that it is no longer a unique sub-species...
At least from what I have read on their genetic studies. |
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Posted: 1/6/2015 7:02:04 PM EDT
[#5]
Quoted: Brevard County, Florida. I didn't have a chance to get a picture but sure enough it crossed my trail 100 yards in front of me. I was on my way back from an uneventful hunt. Its an area where you have to either walk or bike into the WMA. (Three Forks, part of St. Johns WMA.) As usual I was looking through binoculars at the trail ahead of me and it crossed onto a levy and down the other side. Its been over 20 years since I have even heard of one in my neck of the woods. That is all, just keep your eyes open and be safe out there. |
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Posted: 1/6/2015 7:05:03 PM EDT
[#6]
Florida Panthers love wild hogs!
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Posted: 1/6/2015 8:33:34 PM EDT
[#7]
Quote HistoryOh snap! 
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Posted: 1/6/2015 11:08:06 PM EDT
[#8]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
That's really cool. How big do you think it was? Quote HistoryQuoted:
Quoted:
Brevard County, Florida. I didn't have a chance to get a picture but sure enough it crossed my trail 100 yards in front of me. I was on my way back from an uneventful hunt. Its an area where you have to either walk or bike into the WMA. (Three Forks, part of St. Johns WMA.) As usual I was looking through binoculars at the trail ahead of me and it crossed onto a levy and down the other side. Its been over 20 years since I have even heard of one in my neck of the woods. That is all, just keep your eyes open and be safe out there. Hard to say, It was at best guess 100 yards away and walking in a crouched position (like a house cat would when sneaking up on a bird) |
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Posted: 1/8/2015 7:55:17 PM EDT
[#9]
Quote HistoryGood Kitty! Sickem! |
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Posted: 1/8/2015 8:05:15 PM EDT
[#10]
ran into a panther once while hog hunting down there and saw one from the road on two other occasions. Walked up on a bear once also, that was more concerning than a Panther.
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Posted: 1/8/2015 11:01:19 PM EDT
[#11]
Quote HistoryThat is all sorts of bad ass! |
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Posted: 1/8/2015 11:10:31 PM EDT
[#12]
I've seen two mountain lions here in Maine. State says they are not here.... but they are.
My father in law swears they saw a panther/ mountain lion in the under growth in their yard in Vero Beach a number of years ago.... They said they got a good long look at it too. Possible I guess but I find that one harder to believe. Maybe a released "pet" that got too big. |
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Posted: 1/8/2015 11:38:08 PM EDT
[#13]
I had a buddy see one in the wild. He said that part of your brain from the caveman days roars back to life when you're unarmed and remember the unarmed man's spot on the food chain.
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Posted: 1/8/2015 11:49:47 PM EDT
[#14]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
I had a buddy see one in the wild. He said that part of your brain from the caveman days roars back to life when you're unarmed and remember the unarmed man's spot on the food chain. That's exactly what happened to me the second time I saw one. Only 60 feet away and we got into a staring contest for about two minutes. |
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Posted: 1/9/2015 10:40:19 AM EDT
[#15]
I ran into a mountain lion/panther/cougar (same animal) while deer censusing this year.... we have quite a few of them in the hill country of TX. Several people within 45 miles of me have killed one this year alone. Bobcats and ML are beautiful animals and I have gotten to the point where I will let a Bobcat walk.
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Posted: 1/16/2015 10:32:07 AM EDT
[#16]
I've seen a few of them on our place.
They don't stay put long enough for a shot. |
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Posted: 1/27/2015 5:36:42 PM EDT
[#17]
Quote HistoryHe looks hungry. I would think they would be nice and fat out there. |
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Posted: 2/8/2015 8:17:56 PM EDT
[#18]
I had one walk up on me within 10 yards while bowhunting in an area of Oklahoma where they said there weren't any. Needless to say I got a lot of folks not believing me until 10-15 years later when there were several sightings including a cougar that wandered on a small towns baseball field one evening and was caught on camera by a police officer driving by. NOW they believe me lol. I will say that standing on the ground, with no gun or knife and only a bow I could never draw in time, that close to a full grown cougar, can make you reexamine your life.
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Posted: 2/8/2015 8:32:17 PM EDT
[#19]
one is killing my neighbors chickens. almost hit one on my quad years ago, had one walk up on me in the dark when I was gutting a deer, one of my fellow hunters (who did not think carrying a pistol was necessary) was stalked by a large panther.
lots of them have been getting killed in my county (collier) there is way more them than the government tells us |
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Posted: 2/8/2015 8:40:34 PM EDT
[#20]
Quoted:
Brevard County, Florida. I didn't have a chance to get a picture but sure enough it crossed my trail 100 yards in front of me. I was on my way back from an uneventful hunt. Its an area where you have to either walk or bike into the WMA. (Three Forks, part of St. Johns WMA.) As usual I was looking through binoculars at the trail ahead of me and it crossed onto a levy and down the other side. Its been over 20 years since I have even heard of one in my neck of the woods. That is all, just keep your eyes open and be safe out there. Very interesting Do you have any feeling as to the cat being aware of your presence? I am wondering if it is one of those things where for every once you happen to see the cat the cat sees or hears you 10 or 20 times |
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Posted: 3/8/2015 2:20:23 AM EDT
[#21]
See them all the time when hunting south of Lake O. I am more worried about bears than panthers. You sure you saw a panther and not a bobcat?
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Posted: 3/15/2015 6:52:39 PM EDT
[#22]
Had two guys I know run across one a few years back while out trail running.
This was in Eastern Hillsborough county (East of Tampa), close to the same area where I hike. I have never seen one, but have seen some hog bones, not sure what might have killed them. The hogs would be a nice food source for a cat. |
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Posted: 3/16/2015 7:33:32 AM EDT
[#23]
They are pretty wicked to hear howling at night!
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Posted: 3/16/2015 8:24:58 AM EDT
[#24]
Neighbor caught one on his game cam. I didn't believe it until I saw the pic.
Pretty amazing. Bailey, TX |
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Posted: 3/28/2015 11:19:47 AM EDT
[#25]
I was moving to the north either Wisconsin or N Illinois a bunch of years ago. I had been reading on some hunting forums the people were seeing mountain lions/panthers in Wisconsin.
I went to the Wisconsin DNR site and right at the top of the page it said, "there are no mountain lions in Wisconsin." Below it it described what to do if you encounter a mountain lion. |
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Posted: 3/28/2015 11:36:44 AM EDT
[#26]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
I was moving to the north either Wisconsin or N Illinois a bunch of years ago. I had been reading on some hunting forums the people were seeing mountain lions/panthers in Wisconsin. I went to the Wisconsin DNR site and right at the top of the page it said, "there are no mountain lions in Wisconsin." Below it it described what to do if you encounter a mountain lion. While riding horses at a bird sanctuary in NW Wisconsin 25 years ago the wife and I rode up on one. It was just walking across the trail about 75 yards in front of us. There is no doubt what it was. It was a unique kind of chill up my spine to see one so close while unarmed. |
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Posted: 4/6/2015 6:34:29 AM EDT
[#27]
You are very fortunate to have had the opportunity to see a Fl panther. I grew up there, spent a lot of time in the woods all over the state, and even heard rumors of them being around, but I never saw one.
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Posted: 4/6/2015 7:34:01 AM EDT
[#28]
I've heard them around here. Never seen one. I called the Department of Wildlife boys after I heard one scream several times, and was told "there are absolutely no panthers in MS. And if you kill one its a $10,000 fine plus jail". I didn't point out how stupid that was.
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