I have a friend that's seen two cougar near here. One was across the bay near his home at 3AM when his dog was barking wildly and he went to check. Said it was pacing around a street lamp. He was in a rather wild area, no one around him there, all brushy. He saw the other on 3 acres of land he had that bordered the fence line of Aransas NWR. He said the place was long and skinny and he had bought it just to put a stand on and catch the deer traffic to and fro. He got his deer every year, so I guess it was a good 3 acres, LOL. He saw it when deer hunting there one morning. I've not laid eyes on one myself. They are rare around here, I have no doubts, but there has to be a viable, reproducing population in or around the refuge I'll betting. There are huge numbers of prey species down there, of course. Lots of deer, hog, javelina, etc, etc. Now, over across the bay, there has been a lot of chemical plant development since then and maybe not anymore. Habitat has been drastically reduced. I hated to see all that happen. But, that's a long story.
about the presence of the big cats. If you want to know,ask the farmers. We have had cougars and "black panthers" in Alabama all my life(I'm 56) as well as black bears but the wildlife officials want us to believe that it is a case of mistaken identity whenever a sighting is reported. Most sightings go unreported because of the ridicule from those same officials. I have personally seen 3 cougars and many tracks as well so no one can tell me they aren't here.:banghead: Are the Jaguars still in the U.S.? Don't ask the USFWS,ask a farmer.
