What kind of tracks are these?

[peshewah]

Islander, the house cats up north must eat alittle better than ours. Really, alot of our cats get ate in the winter.

Dtel that made me laugh. I think I've seen those tracks here in Mo.

[winchester21]

Footnote to previous post. After IDing the tracks my 2 sons and I took a loud boom box out with a predator call cd-(rabbit squeal designed to attract coyotes). This was like 11 pm at night. We set up about 50 yards from the suspicious tracks. We set the boom box up about 30 yards in FRONT of a ground blind designed for hunting. We played the 30 min Cd with no results. We decided to give it another spin then go to the house. About 5 mins later something- I assume- a cougar walked up BEHIND the blind- blocking the path back to the cabin- and started with the most godawful growling and hissing that I have ever heard in my life. We had a fully loaded AR-15, a 12 ga Benelli shotgun loaded with buckshot, and several large bore handguns. I literally felt scared out of my wits and felt seriously undergunned. I had a 1,000,000 candlepower Q beam hooked to a car battery which I shined in the direction of the noise. What ever it was ran through the brush raising hell obviously less than happy. We grabbed up our stuff and beat a fast retreat to the cabin. I have been in some scary situations before but this was the worst. I will never forget that sound as long as I live.

[dtel]

Ok if I have to serious.

Front paw print of a cougar. An adult paw print is approximately 10 cm (4 inches) long

Although when I searched for Cougars, a completely different animal came up, I can't post any of those pic's !

[Islander]

We don't often get cougars in town, but it has happened. More typically, they can be a threat to small children in the countryside, usually a young male cougar who's not a good hunter and is hungry. Here's a story of a dog that saved a boy from a cougar:
http://www.vancouversun.com/business/saved+from+cougar+still+veterinary+hospital/2408688/Retriever+saves+year+from+cougar+attack+Boston/2401815/story.html

This mom saved her son from a cougar while armed with only a rag:
http://www.vancouversun.com/business/saved+from+cougar+still+veterinary+hospital/2408688/cougars+attack+young+boys+within+week/2405390/story.html


In Toronto a couple of years ago, coyotes were seen in High Park, a big park in the west end of town. Some fools started feeding them, the coyotes became less shy, and now they like to eat small dogs. I hope no coyotes wind up suffering for somebody's failure to think.

Toronto's a big city of over 3 million people, but has the Don River Valley in the east and the Humber River Valley in the west, both running through town, as well as lots of ravines, which like the Valleys are well-forested, so there are lots of places for raccoons, foxes and coyotes to live.

http://www.citytv.com/toronto/citynews/news/local/article/8881--fears-grow-after-coyote-kills-pet-in-local-neighbourhood

http://network.nationalpost.com/np/blogs/toronto/archive/2009/11/09/toronto-s-coyote-reality.aspx

[winchester21]

yep- same here- idiots are feeding the coyotes- now a problem in the Charlotte city limits- they love to munch out on tethered dogs- have seen 3 dead ones killed by cars wirthin 1 mile of my office.

[Rich_Guy]

This is closer to a Cougar print.

There are a lot of those Cougar's around here in Orange County. []

[dtel]

There are a lot of those Cougar's around here in Orange County.

They can be very dangerous, and have quite a reputation !

Here is a rare pic of one making tracks.......

[peshewah]

Dtel LOL, they look pretty fierce. I've heard storys but never had the pleasure.

Keep'em coming Dtel. Your bound to run out of them before long.

[J.4knee]

FWIW I had my dogs at the beach today, their imprints measured about 4 inches across and were spot on for your imprint.

[peshewah]

J.4knee, Someone told me that the county and city trains dogs in that area. Boy oh boy. That figures.

[J.4knee]

That would make sense, working dogs, GSD, Malinois, Dutch Shepherds, Labs.... yep all good sized dogs all capable of those tracks.

[Trey Cannon]

Winchester, I was hoping you would respond. Here in the Ozarks you hear the same thing from the Conservation Dept. They say there is no cougar in this area but there was one killed in Branson Mo( Around that area) a few years ago. And our lady who lives down the road said she seen one. She live right on the river. Her husband says she is crazy LOL. But hell who knows what comes up and down them rivers at night. I've heard some pretty wild stuff myself.

While in Hope, G&F dept told us that there were no Panthers in the area. I told him the next time that cat came into range that I would prove it to him.

I love the cats, just not in range of the kids. I have been in the woods at dusk and hear them scream.

Track looks like a dog / wolf. Pads are wrong for a cat.

[winchester21]

I think the cats are beautiful as well- in the wild. Away from people. The G&F position of denying the existance is curious and dangerous. Better idea- Admit that they are there. Study, track, and monitor them. When the numbers become dangerous to humans,pets,and livestock- sell hunting tags for big dollars- plenty of takers. Put the cash back into game management and habitat. Hunting dollars=positive results for game and non game species. Of course persuing such a logical idae would make entirely too much sense for any govt agency. Particulary for something that does not exist.