In 1973 or 1974, I saw a Mountain Lion...

[JIMMY BOARFFETT]

...near Ben Lomond.  It happened again this morning.  It was a big un crossing Hwy 27 in Pike County near what is locally called "Tower Mountain". It was headed west.  Even though it was crossing a shouldered highway in the daylight, no more than 30 - 40 yards in front of me, it takes a few seconds for it to register just exactly what you're seeing.  I'm glad I was in the car.

I did my civic duty and reported the sighting to the AGFC. 

[ErieHog]

Don't worry,  they'll call you back in a few weeks to tell you it actually lives in Montana, and was just on its way down to visit relatives in Shreveport.

[PharmacistHog]

I saw bigfoot hitchhiking at the Rodney Parham intersection off 430 today. I thought it was OTR at first but he doesnt have thumbs.

[str8volfan]

I saw Chewbacca flying a crop duster south of Hamburg.

[theFlyingHog]

You notice nobody ever sees a small one? "I saw one this one time, it was big". If you've seen only one, how do you know it was big?

[JIMMY BOARFFETT]

You notice nobody ever sees a small one? "I saw one this one time, it was big". If you've seen only one, how do you know it was big?

Compared to a Labrador retriever, it was big.  Compared to a deer, it was big.  Compared to a house cat, it was really big.

[tophawg19]

well it ain't fornicating in our state . we got laws against that

[theFlyingHog]

[HogBreath]

You notice nobody ever sees a small one? "I saw one this one time, it was big". If you've seen only one, how do you know it was big?

I believe Jimmy said this was the 2nd one he'd seen, plus he may have at some point in time, viewed some pictures of puma's and such, that could possibly have some bearing on his sizing it up.

I saw a critter years back that I suspect was a black panther, even though I hear they don't really exist or ain't allowed in Arkansas or something, but it looked to be a small one, maybe 30 inches to 3 feet in length. I first thought it was just a black kitty cat, but realized it was too big for that.

Odd thing is, I saw it going down thru a ditch in to an open field, but never saw the thang again, it just flat out vanished.

[theFlyingHog]

I seen tracks along I-20 in Louisiana on a job a couple years ago. I know tracks. I didn't say nothin but I made sure there was always somebody behind me

[PonderinHog]

Compared to a Labrador retriever, it was big.  Compared to a deer, it was big.  Compared to a house cat, it was really big.

I've seen 10-12 that were Biggers...

[HogBreath]

...near Ben Lomond.  It happened again this morning.  It was a big un crossing Hwy 27 in Pike County near what is locally called "Tower Mountain". It was headed west.  Even though it was crossing a shouldered highway in the daylight, no more than 30 - 40 yards in front of me, it takes a few seconds for it to register just exactly what you're seeing.  I'm glad I was in the car.

I did my civic duty and reported the sighting to the AGFC. 

Was it on the M'boro or Kirby side of the tower?  And what time of morning did you see it..Mr Boarffett, wise & kind sir?  Real early I'd guess.  Was it there near Prarie creek?

Sheesh..I'd love to just see one.

[JIMMY BOARFFETT]

Sheesh..I'd love to just see one.

It was on the Murfreesboro side about 1/3 of the way down from the top.  It was about 7:15 - 7:30 in the morning.

[Rzbakfromwaybak]

...near Ben Lomond.  It happened again this morning.  It was a big un crossing Hwy 27 in Pike County near what is locally called "Tower Mountain". It was headed west.  Even though it was crossing a shouldered highway in the daylight, no more than 30 - 40 yards in front of me, it takes a few seconds for it to register just exactly what you're seeing.  I'm glad I was in the car.

I did my civic duty and reported the sighting to the AGFC.

Would love to see one of those things. Trying to pinpoint exactly where you saw the lion.  Can't find anything called "Tower Mountain" on a map, in that area on hwy. 27.   I can see CR 10, CR 12, CR13, CR 510. Is it closer to Kirby, or Murfreesboro....& approx. how far south or north ??

[JIMMY BOARFFETT]

Would love to see one of those things. Trying to pinpoint exactly where you saw the lion.  Can't find anything called "Tower Mountain" on a map, in that area on hwy. 27.   I can see CR 10, CR 12, CR13, CR 510. Is it closer to Kirby, or Murfreesboro....& approx. how far south or north ??

I hope you can make heads or tails out of these screenshots.  Additionally, the location of the sighting was at the NE 1/4 of the NE 1/4 of Section 11, Township 7 South, Range 25 West.

[Rzbakfromwaybak]

I hope you can make heads or tails out of these screenshots.  Additionally, the location of the sighting was at the NE 1/4 of the NE 1/4 of Section 11, Township 7 South, Range 25 West.

Yes, thanks.  Found exactly the place you pointed to.  Looks like it's between CR8 & CR10.  You wouldn't think a mountain lion would show up in an area like that.  You would expect to see them farther west or north in more remote area's.  Just goes to show, that you never know what you'll see crossing a hwy.  Is there a lot of deer in that area ??

[JIMMY BOARFFETT]

Yes, thanks.  Found exactly the place you pointed to.  Looks like it's between CR8 & CR10.  You wouldn't think a mountain lion would show up in an area like that.  You would expect to see them farther west or north in more remote area's.  Just goes to show, that you never know what you'll see crossing a hwy.  Is there a lot of deer in that area ??

Actually, that area is somewhat remote.  There are a few houses along the highway, but all in all, it's not very populated.  It's fairly rugged country as well.  If you look at the close-up screenshot, you can see the crest of the ridge on the left side of the highway.  That is pretty much a wall of rocks.

Yes, it is deer country. I moved from the area in 1987 and returned in 2008.  From what I've seen, the deer population exploded over that time.

[JIMMY BOARFFETT]

 I meant to mention that there was a game camera photo of a mountain lion taken in the city limits of Murfreesboro about five years ago.

[Rzbakfromwaybak]

I meant to mention that there was a game camera photo of a mountain lion taken in the city limits of Murfreesboro about five years ago.

How did the AGFC explain that ??   Seems that 5 years ago, they were still claiming there were no Mt. lion in the state.....& even if there were....they weren't having sex.   

[Rzbakfromwaybak]

Actually, that area is somewhat remote.  There are a few houses along the highway, but all in all, it's not very populated.  It's fairly rugged country as well.  If you look at the close-up screenshot, you can see the crest of the ridge on the left side of the highway.  That is pretty much a wall of rocks.

Yes, it is deer country. I moved from the area in 1987 and returned in 2008.  From what I've seen, the deer population exploded over that time.

By not remote, I was referring to being just 3 miles from Lake Greeson with all the activity & people, boating, fishing, camping, etc. going on most of the year.  I believe you indicated that the cat was headed in the direction of the lake.  Guess he's probably just hanging around the same area's the deer use.

[theFlyingHog]

How did the AGFC explain that ??   Seems that 5 years ago, they were still claiming there were no Mt. lion in the state.....& even if there were....they weren't having sex. 

AGFC is like Adam Sandler bout some mountain lion sex. "Nah, they were doing military presses!"


Obscure reference; YouTube Adam Sandler sex or working out

[HogBreath]

By not remote, I was referring to being just 3 miles from Lake Greeson with all the activity & people, boating, fishing, camping, etc. going on most of the year.  I believe you indicated that the cat was headed in the direction of the lake.  Guess he's probably just hanging around the same area's the deer use.

I ran across some tracks over on the west side of Lake Greeson, back in the late 70's, that I suspected were from a cougar, have also seen tracks a couple of other times, a little west of the lake,  that I thought were. 

There's been rumors and such floating around for years and years, but I've never ran in to one.  I've ran game cameras for years on a patch of woods where they have been supposedly spotted, but I don't have any pictures of one.

[LSUFan]

He was just there to get the goats Rev screwed to death.

[GolfNut57]

back in 75 a buddy and I both saw this Cougar/Mountain Lion crossing a dirt road down near east Camden in what was commonly called "the area" while out on a deer hunting trip back in those days. The "area" was a Industrial section of East Camden where the Military did a lot of their making of explosives.

Anyway.....my buddy and I were standing beside the dirt road discussing where we might try to set up a couple of deer stands when we saw this BIG tawny colored cat about the size of a large dog go slinking across the road about 200 yards away, and this was in broad daylight. After the animal disappeared into the woods on the north side of the road neither of us felt an urge to go investigate the animals tracks or the animal itself. For that matter discussion of setting up a deer stand in the vicinity also ended. We hauled ass!

[Rzbakfromwaybak]

I ran across some tracks over on the west side of Lake Greeson, back in the late 70's, that I suspected were from a cougar, have also seen tracks a couple of other times, a little west of the lake,  that I thought were. 

There's been rumors and such floating around for years and years, but I've never ran in to one.  I've ran game cameras for years on a patch of woods where they have been supposedly spotted, but I don't have any pictures of one.

Well, from Boarffett's sighting the lion just a few miles from the lake...sounds like your analysis of those tracks, & the rumors in the area....have been correct.

[Rzbakfromwaybak]

back in 75 a buddy and I both saw this Cougar/Mountain Lion crossing a dirt road down near east Camden in what was commonly called "the area" while out on a deer hunting trip back in those days. The "area" was a Industrial section of East Camden where the Military did a lot of their making of explosives.

Anyway.....my buddy and I were standing beside the dirt road discussing where we might try to set up a couple of deer stands when we saw this BIG tawny colored cat about the size of a large dog go slinking across the road about 200 yards away, and this was in broad daylight. After the animal disappeared into the woods on the north side of the road neither of us felt an urge to go investigate the animals tracks or the animal itself. For that matter discussion of setting up a deer stand in the vicinity also ended. We hauled ass!

Have a buddy that lives in SE Okla.  His neighbors had reported multiple mt. lion sightings for years. His cousin was bow hunting about 10 years ago on the property, where he had a couple of tree stands.  Early one morning he was hunting by himself  from a stand about 10 ft off the ground, he saw something walking thru a thicket.  When he was able to see what it was....there was a large mountain lion, about 20 yds away.  It came out of the thicket, stopped & started looking around.....then it slowly walked out of sight.  My Buddy asked his cousin why he didn't shoot at it.  Cousin replied, I was just 10 ft off the ground with only my bow, was afraid I would miss or just wound it. He said he didn't move or hardly breathe till the cat was out of sight.  Said he waited a couple of minutes, then went down the stand as fast as he could, & left in the opposite direction the cat was headed.  He only gun hunted that area the rest of the season, & nobody saw the cat again.

[HogBreath]

He only gun hunted that area the rest of the season, & nobody saw the cat again.

Maybe he kilt the thing but blacked out and couldn't remember what he had done?