Indiana cougar sightings to become common

[Delbert]

For the past eight years in Lawrence County of Southern Indian, we have watched a small black Cougar at times. It first came to our freshly tilled garden and we stayed up one night to see it. It came within twelve feet of our bedroom window to look at us as we sat on the bed in the dark. This only lasted about forty five seconds, until it left. I think it is a real Eastern Cougar which is smaller than Western tans. At least a dozen neighbors have seen to over the years, plus a tan one sometimes. People buy the kittens and they soon get too large to feed and take care of. So they turn them out somewhere and I suppose some survive. I think ours is a female as we hear it screaming around Christmas, and I suppose it's in heat.

Colonial literature tells of many attacks by large black cats. The DNR does deny them, but one game warden didn't. When I told him about it he just asked what it weighed for some reason. I caution many people about their children and most ignore me. I have a great fear we will lose a child to a hungry cat.

[worried at Rush franklin]

worried in Rush County wrote:

I was awaken by my dog barking at 1:30AM in the morning. I stepped out my front door to find a truck pulling up the drive. The gentleman in the truck said that one of my horses was being chased by what looked like a cougar. As he appraoched the animals the horse took off towards the barn, and the cougar ran the opposite direction into the soybean field. The gentlman was visibly shaken and had no idea there were large cats in the area. I checked the horse, no injuries, but was lathered up and very upset. I live in Rush County, Indiana......has anyone else seen a cougar in the area?

around the same date the 10th or so our Jack Russells who normaly would not run in the house I have never seen them run from any thing,but this night three of my girls came running threw the door nearly knocking my husband and I down to get in,I let them in but put one back out to watch the house.she disappered,my daugher got a text today witha photo the text said cougar caught on wildlife cam with deer in Rush county near Andersonville area this is where my dog disappered from,just wondering if anyone else has any info?

[Laurel Indiana]

worried in Rush County wrote:

I was awaken by my dog barking at 1:30AM in the morning. I stepped out my front door to find a truck pulling up the drive. The gentleman in the truck said that one of my horses was being chased by what looked like a cougar. As he appraoched the animals the horse took off towards the barn, and the cougar ran the opposite direction into the soybean field. The gentlman was visibly shaken and had no idea there were large cats in the area. I checked the horse, no injuries, but was lathered up and very upset. I live in Rush County, Indiana......has anyone else seen a cougar in the area?

There is a picture going around that states it was caught on a deer cam near Andersonville in Rush County. It is a mountain lion killing a buck deer! Very frightening! Last week my daughters were very frightened one night saying that they had heard a "big cat" and that it sounded as though it was killing a cow.

[arlington]

Can any one post a picture? I have been hearing a lot about a large cat around here...

[Rush Co Livestock Farmer]

As a livestock producer and horse owner in northen rush county who with his family have had several unconfirmed encounters we would like to know what part of rush county you are located in.

worried in Rush County wrote:

I was awaken by my dog barking at 1:30AM in the morning. I stepped out my front door to find a truck pulling up the drive. The gentleman in the truck said that one of my horses was being chased by what looked like a cougar. As he appraoched the animals the horse took off towards the barn, and the cougar ran the opposite direction into the soybean field. The gentlman was visibly shaken and had no idea there were large cats in the area. I checked the horse, no injuries, but was lathered up and very upset. I live in Rush County, Indiana......has anyone else seen a cougar in the area?

[Rush Co Livestock Farmer]

what is your e-mail and I will send the picture in an e-mail.

arlington wrote:

Can any one post a picture? I have been hearing a lot about a large cat around here...

[KAT]

How stupid to leave your Jack Russell outside unprotected! Especially when he wanted in so desperatly. Shame on you! I saw the picture of the cougar dragging away a huge deer. The photo was cuaght on the deer cam over by Rushville.

[Rushville Resident]

Have you heard anymore about a cougar? We just received a text picture today of a cougar spotted in Andersonville (intersection of 244 & 52) dragging a large buck in it's mouth. It was confirmed by a Sheriff to be a true photo. The picture was taken via a deer cam that detects motion. We are worried because we live on a small farm and have dogs. We have not seen any postings in the newspaper about this though.

[worried at Rush franklin]

KAT wrote:

How stupid to leave your Jack Russell outside unprotected! Especially when he wanted in so desperatly. Shame on you! I saw the picture of the cougar dragging away a huge deer. The photo was cuaght on the deer cam over by Rushville.

my dogs have been outside for 10 years now with now problems,are you crazy I did nothing wrong my daughter has a kitten indoors and I couldnt leave the dig inside to kill the kiten now could I shame on you!

[worried at Rush franklin]

Rushville Resident wrote:

Have you heard anymore about a cougar? We just received a text picture today of a cougar spotted in Andersonville (intersection of 244 & 52) dragging a large buck in it's mouth. It was confirmed by a Sheriff to be a true photo. The picture was taken via a deer cam that detects motion. We are worried because we live on a small farm and have dogs. We have not seen any postings in the newspaper about this though.

That is where 52/244 I live and if that pic was taken here then there is only one place that photo came from,a lane right here off 52 called Scotts rd dead ends to our property,and the last house are deer hunters and maybe the ones with the wildlife cam he is a probation officer in Rush co. and his son a deputy in shelby co. oh my gosh it probly is a true pic then! What is this community to do,let our cattle and dogs get eaten?

[arlington]

[e-mail]

Maybe sherwood should look in to this.

[worried at Rush franklin]

sherwood is not at 52 and 244 a couple live on 244 out of aville the other lives outside on Bueina vista rd so that wouldnt be 244/52 thats right here I can see the stop sign from my home and the only place that would have hunting cams would be behind our proprty its very quiet and not bothered alot by people so it perfect and they have a deer feeder like the one in the back ground of that photo,the poles, if this is true why are no one telling the people who live here what about our kids?

[worried at Rush franklin]

my son corrected me,he thinks thats a deer stand in the back ground not a feeder,I'm sorry I dont hunt deer I dont know these things my mistake

[worried in Andersonville]

KAT wrote:

How stupid to leave your Jack Russell outside unprotected! Especially when he wanted in so desperatly. Shame on you! I saw the picture of the cougar dragging away a huge deer. The photo was cuaght on the deer cam over by Rushville.

oh also my dogs are in a fenced yard where she was the fence is 10 fet tall,but there is a tree and tree house beside the fence,I didn't throw my dog out unprotected as you state,and many dogs live outdoors in this area with no fenced yard and have been fine for years my dog was almost 9 and has gotten out before but not went anywhere and she knows her home well

[Get the facts straight]

I too have seen "the picture", supposedly taken around Andersonville, Indiana, near the intersection of 52 and 244. But if you Google "cougar dragging deer" you'll see the same picture with credits from Georgia and Texas. Having said that, there are too many other reported sightings NOT to believe that cougars are in fact here. We don't need bogus pictures for "proof". And just for the record, Andersonville is just across the line in Franklin County, not Rush.

[spanky]

if you type cougar dragging deer in to google it brings up the article and picture it is a deer feeder sombody has chopped the photo but the hunting web site confirms the picture to be real and taken in texas at a deer farm it is the same picture check it out

[Gator Hunter]

http://www.buckmanager.com/2009/04/17/deer-ma...

[woodlandbabe]

My aunt & uncle living in Morgan County Indiana, forest lake area very rural saw a mountain lion on their property about 50 feet from the house. Both on different levels of the house heard the cat growling/screeching, carrying on and went to the window and both reported seeing a mountain lion climbing on their wood pile. Apparently speaking with their neighbors it had been noted to be in the area for about 1 week. Several neighbors also had sighted the mountain lion. This was in 2008. Over the past year I'm hearing more stories about mountain lion sightings. Coyotes are common in Indiana and everyone knows what a coyote looks like. Unmistakably these are mountain lion sightings. They are here in Indiana.

[JAM]

Confirmed couger sighting in Clay County. Picture and story is in the Brazil Times. Look up at thebraziltimes.com Story came out on the 10/13/09.

[geengecko]

JPN wrote:

We saw a big one on a bycicle ride in Park County just north of Bridgeton June 2007. 150 pounds at least.

What color bicycle was it riding?