Big Cat Killing Livestock in Berryville

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[ARCHIVED THREAD] - Big Cat Killing Livestock in Berryville

Posted: 8/22/2014 10:19:11 AM EDT

Heads-up for anyone hunting that area, or even if you have a bit of land, watch for this critter on a game camera. Toll so far is 20+ sheep and goats, and two horses.

Posted: 8/22/2014 10:38:05 AM EDT

[#1]

I'll be on the look-out tonight! Heard about it yesterday.

Posted: 8/22/2014 11:07:28 AM EDT

[#2]

[big_kitteh_troofers] But..but..but.... there are no large cats in the Shenandoah area... it must be a coyote!! [/big_kitteh_troofers]

Posted: 8/22/2014 11:42:57 AM EDT

[#3]

Like full size horses?

Posted: 8/22/2014 12:57:22 PM EDT

[#4]

Here Kitty Kitty

Posted: 8/22/2014 1:39:49 PM EDT

[#5]

I'd swear there was one in Markham about 4 years ago. Some of the old timers swear they'd seen it.

Had 2 3-350lb Holstein steers killed in a feed lot and drug over a board fence about 200 yards in the woods.

Posted: 8/22/2014 2:16:32 PM EDT

[#6]

I had heard of an up tick in bear maulings to include a mule or 2 in North Fauquier in the last year, but it appears to correlate to terrible nut mass last season. This sounds entirely different. With that many livestock attacked there should be ample evidence of the predator, if not some patterning to intercept this thing. Keep us posted.

Posted: 8/22/2014 3:13:56 PM EDT

[#7]

Reports are that it is a black cat smaller than a Great Dane. Local game warden wants it dead or alive.
I haven't seen any pictures yet.
Game cams deployed at my goat barn.

Posted: 8/22/2014 4:55:54 PM EDT

[#8]

Quote History

Quoted:
Reports are that it is a black cat smaller than a Great Dane. Local game warden wants it dead or alive.
I haven't seen any pictures yet.
Game cams deployed at my goat barn.

View Quote

Black panthers are often confused with black jaguars or extremely melanistic pumas. Not say either couldn't possibly be on the loose, but those are some insane odds to bet on. All those attacks have provided what physical evidence? I've never heard VDGIF recognize big cats here, any quotes from the warden?

Posted: 8/22/2014 5:44:58 PM EDT

[#9]

Quote History

Quoted:

Black panthers are often confused with black jaguars or extremely melanistic pumas. Not say either couldn't possibly be on the loose, but those are some insane odds to bet on. All those attacks have provided what physical evidence? I've never heard VDGIF recognize big cats here, any quotes from the warden?

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Quote History

Quoted:

Quoted:
Reports are that it is a black cat smaller than a Great Dane. Local game warden wants it dead or alive.
I haven't seen any pictures yet.
Game cams deployed at my goat barn.

Black panthers are often confused with black jaguars or extremely melanistic pumas. Not say either couldn't possibly be on the loose, but those are some insane odds to bet on. All those attacks have provided what physical evidence? I've never heard VDGIF recognize big cats here, any quotes from the warden?

Black jaguars are black panthers as are black leopards....they're both of the panthera genus.

Posted: 8/22/2014 6:44:09 PM EDT

[#10]

Quote History

Quoted:

Black jaguars are black panthers as are black leopards....they're both of the panthera genus.

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Quote History

Quoted:

Quoted:
Reports are that it is a black cat smaller than a Great Dane. Local game warden wants it dead or alive.
I haven't seen any pictures yet.
Game cams deployed at my goat barn.

Black panthers are often confused with black jaguars or extremely melanistic pumas. Not say either couldn't possibly be on the loose, but those are some insane odds to bet on. All those attacks have provided what physical evidence? I've never heard VDGIF recognize big cats here, any quotes from the warden?

Black jaguars are black panthers as are black leopards....they're both of the panthera genus.

I guess we are saying the samething. There is a melanistic puma, just like we have black gray squirrels, but I'm not even entertaining the idea b/c if even lions exist here, there isn't enough of a population to sensibly consider such rare recessive traits.

Posted: 8/22/2014 6:53:13 PM EDT

[#11]

Quote History

Quoted:
Reports are that it is a black cat smaller than a Great Dane. Local game warden wants it dead or alive.
I haven't seen any pictures yet.
Game cams deployed at my goat barn.

View Quote

At least your game warden is willing to admit it exists. WV DNR just said "there are no big cats in the state".

Posted: 8/23/2014 5:17:04 AM EDT

[#12]

All my info is coming from people on, ahem, Facebook. It sounds like maybe this cat escaped from someone. There used to be small zoo called Wilson's Petting Zoo near Winchester but I would think if a big cat escaped their would be some "official" announcement.
I highly doubt this is a truly wild black panther.
Nothing on my cams this morning but the goats.

Posted: 8/23/2014 7:21:03 AM EDT

[#13]

Wilson's is still there, I took my daughter over the summer. I remember seeing a lion and tiger, but no black panther-type big cats.

Posted: 8/23/2014 10:40:06 AM EDT

[#14]

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Quoted:
Like full size horses?

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This is what I'm wondering. I know people have those miniature horses that are good size for a cat to take.

Posted: 8/23/2014 11:21:40 AM EDT

[#15]

Quote History

Quoted:
I'd swear there was one in Markham about 4 years ago. Some of the old timers swear they'd seen it.

Had 2 3-350lb Holstein steers killed in a feed lot and drug over a board fence about 200 yards in the woods.

View Quote

That sounds more like a bear than a big cat.

However I have a buddy that has property near Hillsboro, they have seen big cat tracks and found deer kills that look like they were committed by a cat. So I believe there are some in VA.

Posted: 8/23/2014 1:24:36 PM EDT

[#16]

Quote History

Quoted:

That sounds more like a bear than a big cat.

However I have a buddy that has property near Hillsboro, they have seen big cat tracks and found deer kills that look like they were committed by a cat. So I believe there are some in VA.

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Quote History

Quoted:

Quoted:
I'd swear there was one in Markham about 4 years ago. Some of the old timers swear they'd seen it.

Had 2 3-350lb Holstein steers killed in a feed lot and drug over a board fence about 200 yards in the woods.

That sounds more like a bear than a big cat.

However I have a buddy that has property near Hillsboro, they have seen big cat tracks and found deer kills that look like they were committed by a cat. So I believe there are some in VA.

I'd have thought the same, but I've never known a bear to haul one over a fence. The ones I've seen, and the few I've taken aren't big enough to do it.

Posted: 8/24/2014 4:32:57 AM EDT

[#17]

Oh man, I happen to know some folks with 550 acres out there....

Posted: 8/24/2014 4:41:11 AM EDT

[#18]

Over the mountain in P'ville. I'll get my camera going again. Did get a coyote on it last winter, and small cats.

Three years ago my neighbor called saying she just saw a big cat behind her house. Armed with my video camera and ran over that way, only to find deer playing in a field. I tracked through all the muddy areas looking for prints. Nothing.