We're heading into banhammered territory. PM me, I have similar thoughts but let's keep this forum clean. Thanks, JB.
Horkin- big cats- been down here in wauk. cty far back as 80's I know as I tracked one for a full day out by Genesee Depo area( course it could have been the other way around). Only got a glimpse once or twice but a gal in the area had pictures of it - fairy long range for her camera, DNR denied it - came up with all kinds of goofy excuses. Early 2000's Wild Rose- one walking down the road right in front of truck. Neighbor had it or them on game cams in his back 40. No mistaking the prints or scat. Same for wolves in the 90's ( definitely not yotes) #1 excuse - don't want to alarm public. Not that long ago there was information released about cats from the DNR records that went back a fair ways. Its the old out of sight out mind deal + smoke and mirrors.
A guy I know; who is a sheriffs deputy in the next county over, has trail cam pics of a big cat. VDGIF used to say they were not here, but with the advent of evidence like that they have changed their tune to: that is a "transient sub adult" and there isn't a "breeding population". I saw a mt. lion while backpacking with a friend in Dinosaur National Monument. It was March, there were herds of elk, mule deer, and antelope on the lower benches with snow still being in the high ground. Contrast that with the red rock canyons and it was cold but beautiful. I guess it was 97-98 the Hale Bop comet was in the sky and out there it filled about 1/3 of it. We were headed out and crossing a sage flat when we hit a shallow gully, up it jumps out of the gully and hauls butt down the gully. We walked about 50 yards and jumped up a group of mule deer bedded in the sage.
