Big Cat in Texas

[chief38]

I recently read an article that the most life threatening thing to the dwindling Panther population in the State of Florida are motor vehicles. Apparently, there are just over 200 of them left here and between all the new developments being built and increased traffic, they are being culled down even more.

Where we live we do get to see a few every month or so - captured on our inferred Ring cameras in the wee hours. I have twice spotted a mother Panther presumably chasing down dinner for her young cubs which we heard but had not seen as they were still hidden by the foliage in the back of my house.

We just spotted a nice size Black Bear just a few weeks ago too. He seems to like our driveway and left a nice "package" in my side yard - lol.

 

[ACORN]

OK, somebody's got to ask, so it might as well be me, what caliber car for zombies?

 

[jeffrefrig]

OK, somebody's got to ask, so it might as well be me, what caliber car for zombies?

1966 Bonneville with a 389-4 barrel, posi-traction.

 

[forindooruseonly]

I can't recommend a Honda Accord with a velocity of 130 feet per second for deer, it did the job but the level of fragmenting from the projectile was concerning...

 

[THE PILGRIM]

A while back my Bro was on Highway 287 making a late afternoon run for Amarillo.
One of those careless Texas Whitetails stepped out onto the highway.
It unwrapped the front of his new F-250 better than a body shop could do it!

 

[pasound]

May of 2019, I-70 westbound, barely into Ohio. Young buck, zero - Nissan Rogue, zero. Nissan was a brand new 2020 model from the rental agency, less than 400 miles, while on a business trip driving back from Wheeling, WV.

 

[Skeet 028]

I see one here very much by luck. The cat comes by the house in the irrigation ditch in winter...on the road next to the ditch when it has water We figured we lost a yearling to either the cat or one of the wolves that we see frequently I kinda snuck up on one trying to get up on a small bunch of mule deer. I was at about 15 ft When I saw it turn it's head and looked at me. very slowly the cats hair kinda stood up...tail got big and it hissed kinda loudly ...and took off down the hill towards the deer that it was hunting too. I realized I had 2 inch hair on my hind end....and I had my Win 64. It was an instant end of our deer hunting. . I'd shoot a wolf...but not a mountain lion..my feeling is they are... elegant

 

[SMSgt]

I nearly took out an Alaskan moose with our '80 Corolla wagon, although who took out whom might have been debatable. I snagged a '83 Jeep Wagoneer for tooling around the back roads after that.

 

[boykinlp]

As far as taking big cats and bear with large caliber vehicles, I've hit them with trains.
I hate it when that happens.

I'm reminded of the elk I saw on the shoulder of I-40 just outside Flagstaff last year. I'm guessing Kenworth is the recommended caliber.

All I can say is "YIKES!"
Larry

 

[CAJUNLAWYER]

By the way, if you let 3 small children play with a large cougar carcass on the front lawn, you will stop traffic.

This Kinda like the time my friend and I turned loose our 12 year old sons with his brand new four wheeler. Half hour later they both came back on foot, mud from head to toe and no four wheeler. As we were taking the truck and the tow straps down to where it was, I remarked to him that we KNEW what was gonna happen so we deserve to get muddy pulling it out-Just don't get mad at the boys cause this is a teaching moment for all of us!

 

[LoboGunLeather]

May of 2019, I-70 westbound, barely into Ohio. Young buck, zero - Nissan Rogue, zero. Nissan was a brand new 2020 model from the rental agency, less than 400 miles, while on a business trip driving back from Wheeling, WV.

Is that what they mean when someone says 'grilled venison'?

 

[glowe]

The Ford Navigator seems to offer superior performance on larger game animals . . .

Still not suitable for the largest game in Thailand and Malaysia. First time and only time I have ever seen these signs was driven at high speeds on the expressway from Thailand to Malaysia.

 

[Doug M.]

I am aware of a case in Maine, up on US 1 north of Houlton in which a semi hit 2 moose on US1. On was DRT; the other walked away and had to be found and put down. The impact broke the bolts holding the tandem to the frame. That's a lot of force.

 

[TX-Dennis]

I am now 100% convinced that the cat was killed where and how the lady claimed. Last night I saw additional photos that she took at the time including a photo of her holding the cat's front paw and photos of the damage to the front end of her Navigator.

My skepticism was just because facebook is full of photoshopped and AI images claiming to be something they are not. Along with reposted pictures that were originally claimed to be elsewhere.

 

[tx_oil]

I was hit by a deer- yes, the deer approached me at 90 degrees and thumped into my car- a 77 Volare Road Runner- one fall eve back in 1980. Dished in passenger door but left no blood or hair and left scene under his own power.
Fast forward a few years (2000 or 2001) I was driving on TX 105 north of Beaumont about 2 A.M. and something-all I saw was a brown blur- kamakazi'ed in front of me and took out drivers side grille, headlights and fender of the '84 Cutlass I was driving. Never found whatever it was but it must have vaporized from the huge fan shaped spray of gristle/blood on road. Coyote, perhaps. For some reason I've not been a fan of night time driving on lonely Texas roads since then.

 

[boykinlp]

I was hit by a deer- yes, the deer approached me at 90 degrees and thumped into my car- a 77 Volare Road Runner- one fall eve back in 1980. Dished in passenger door but left no blood or hair and left scene under his own power.
Fast forward a few years (2000 or 2001) I was driving on TX 105 north of Beaumont about 2 A.M. and something-all I saw was a brown blur- kamakazi'ed in front of me and took out drivers side grille, headlights and fender of the '84 Cutlass I was driving. Never found whatever it was but it must have vaporized from the huge fan shaped spray of gristle/blood on road. Coyote, perhaps. For some reason I've not been a fan of night time driving on lonely Texas roads since then.

That sounds like no fun. BTW, back when I graduated from Clemson in 1984, an '84 Cutlass was one of the coolest cars you could own, along with the Monte Carlo.
Larry