They gonna call me a liar...

Kaos · « **on:** September 16, 2015, 02:53:42 AM »

I've debated on sharing this because ya'll gonna call me a liar, but I don't care that much anyway so here goes.

Sunday afternoon I was driving down a fairly well traveled road in Baldwin County. Lots of residential areas near, but this particular stretch of road is mostly woods on both sides. Yeah the woods open up into neighborhoods eventually, but they're woods as you go through.

This animal burst out of the woods to the left, loped across the road and turned to look directly at my car as it did. The thing crossed in front of me, leaped across the ditch and disappeared into the woods on the right.

It was a fucking panther. A yellow-brown colored panther. Like the pictures I've seen since of what they call Florida Panthers.

I wasn't drunk. I wasn't high. It wasn't a dog. It wasn't a bobcat. It wasn't somebody's overgrown kitty. If I had to estimate I'd say the thing weighed over 100 pounds. It crossed the entire road in three, three and a half strides.

I'm 100% sure that what I saw was a panther. The face, the build, the ears, everything. It was a panther.

People I've told this to claim there are absolutely no panthers in Alabama. I saw a deer or something. But I know for certain that it was a panther.

My thought process was:
"What the fuck? Oh shit, what is that? Holy fuck! it's a fucking panther!"

Then I saw the tail, long and curved. Dogs, deer, bobcats, ferrets, housecats... they don't have tails like that.

Has anybody else seen one of these damn things around? I assume it's trying to stay as far away from people as possible, but we're talking about a wooded area less than a mile from two neighborhoods. A wooded area full of squirrels, deer, groundhogs, mice, possums, coons and an assload of panther food.

bottomfeeder · « **Reply #1 on:** September 16, 2015, 05:33:02 AM »

We have Panthers in Lower Alabama.

http://www.fws.gov/verobeach/MammalsPDFs/AGuideToLivingWithFloridaPanthers.pdf

GH2001 · « **Reply #2 on:** September 16, 2015, 08:02:49 AM »

Conservation "experts" who "study" shit and university lab rats will tell you that there are not any.

Game wardens and residents/hunters will tell you there are.

One group sits in classrooms, labs and books all day and bases it off theory. One group sits outside in nature and sees it with their own eyes.

You choose which one you believe.

FWIW - I believe you saw what you think you saw. Were right next door to Florida.

chinook · « **Reply #3 on:** September 16, 2015, 08:05:12 AM »

I'm going to need a ruling on this post...shouldn't this be in the cool story, bro thread?

Anyhoo...

I'm betting it was a cougar.

AUJarhead · « **Reply #4 on:** September 16, 2015, 08:06:55 AM »

60% of the time, it works every time.

chinook · « **Reply #5 on:** September 16, 2015, 08:13:51 AM »

And on another note...I couldn't tell you anything about a Florida Panther but I am willing to bet it is a Cougar but with a fancy name.

Also, at least in Oregon, Cougars [Mountain Lions] are fairly active right now. I have crossed paths with 2 or 3 in the early mornings.

GH2001 · « **Reply #6 on:** September 16, 2015, 08:17:13 AM »

Quote from: chinook on September 16, 2015, 08:13:51 AM

And on another note...I couldn't tell you anything about a Florida Panther but I am willing to bet it is a Cougar but with a fancy name.

Also, at least in Oregon, Cougars [Mountain Lions] are fairly active right now. I have crossed paths with 2 or 3 in the early mornings.

Correct sir.

Snaggletiger · « **Reply #7 on:** September 16, 2015, 09:47:59 AM »

Nookie's right. Mods...lock this bitch down and move it to the Cool Story, Bro thread. And spike K's warn meter.

Godfather · « **Reply #8 on:** September 16, 2015, 09:48:12 AM »

Quote from: chinook on September 16, 2015, 08:05:12 AM

Anyhoo...

I'm betting it was a cougar.

Now what would a single older woman be doing crossing the road between the woods?

Buzz Killington · « **Reply #9 on:** September 16, 2015, 09:48:21 AM »

Sorry I ruined your Black Panther party

Snaggletiger · « **Reply #10 on:** September 16, 2015, 09:53:20 AM »

Quote from: Godfather on September 16, 2015, 09:48:12 AM

Now what would a single older woman be doing crossing the road between the woods?

Kaos tried to run over Courteney Cox?

Kaos · « **Reply #11 on:** September 16, 2015, 09:54:31 AM »

Quote from: Snaggletiger on September 16, 2015, 09:53:20 AM

Kaos tried to run over Courteney Cox?

Wouldn't have noticed if I had. Nothing but skin stretched over bones.

GH2001 · « **Reply #12 on:** September 16, 2015, 10:07:48 AM »

Quote from: Kaos on September 16, 2015, 09:54:31 AM

Wouldn't have noticed if I had. Nothing but skin stretched over bones.

Her downfall was so sad.

Such a pretty girl next door early on. Why any woman thinks plastic surgery on their face is a good idea is beyond me.....

WiregrassTiger · « **Reply #13 on:** September 16, 2015, 10:12:46 AM »

I've never seen one but I heard one. And in Baldwin County. There is absolutely no mistaking it. Yep, like a woman screaming at the top of her lungs.

May have faintly heard one before in Geneva County fishing one time. I've heard numerous panther stories from many credible people. For some reason, people think it's not true but they've been here for a long time.

My grandmother told me a story about riding in a covered wagon at night and hearing a panther following them in the trees.

A good friend of mine topped a terrace in his field one day and on top of a big rolled bail of hay, there was a panther chilling out. Looked at my friend, hopped down and slowly strolled into the woods. He said he didn't look scared at all.

Panthers are pretty bad dudes.

RottenBottom · « **Reply #14 on:** September 16, 2015, 11:32:02 AM »

One used to live in my friends cow pasture, and I've heard one turkey hunting one morning. They're beautiful cats.

DnATL · « **Reply #15 on:** September 16, 2015, 01:13:26 PM »

Quote from: RottenBottom on September 16, 2015, 11:32:02 AM

One used to live in my friends cow pasture, and I've heard one turkey hunting one morning. They're beautiful cats.

High praise from someone who doesn't normally like pussy

Snaggletiger · « **Reply #16 on:** September 16, 2015, 01:57:36 PM »

Quote from: DnATL on September 16, 2015, 01:13:26 PM

High praise from someone who doesn't normally like pussy

Bazinga!!!

djsimp · « **Reply #17 on:** September 16, 2015, 02:37:25 PM »

Well, I call bs on the no panthers in Alabama statement. There are a few in the Palisades Park area in Blount County. An old friends dad had pics, from a hunting camera, of one in his backyard. Dude has several Alaskan Malamutes and one was tore up pretty bad after a loud as skirmish in the middle of the night. He put his hunting camera up in his backyard and got pics of the beast. Panther it was.

Catphish Tilly · « **Reply #18 on:** September 16, 2015, 02:53:56 PM »

I side with the hunters and the game wardens/game and fish personnel of the state who claim panther sightings, in spite of official statements that no such thing exists here.

I remember reading the Alabama Game and Fish mag a few deer seasons ago and seeing a cash prize offered for footage proving a panther in the state. I never followed up on the results.

Never seen one myself but know folks who have. Hell, you wouldn't expect black bears (ole miss fans excluded) nearby either but one was spotted in a Trussville subdivision only a few years ago.

Snaggletiger · « **Reply #19 on:** September 16, 2015, 02:57:17 PM »

Not anything as sinister as a panther, but I had an early morning encounter with some type of fox several years ago. Came out to get in my ride about 5:00 in the morning. Dark. Heard something in the woods and when I looked, this big ass fox comes running out and stops at the end of my driveway. Wasn't a red fox. Pretty common around there. This one looked gray and was twice the size of a red. It was about 15-20 feet from me. Looked right at me and let out a blood curdling scream. WTF??? It screamed several more times and then ran across the street in the neighbor's yard and started screaming at me some more. I walked towards it because you could tell it was scared and probably just trying to scare me off. It took off after a few more screams.

Okay, I just got cussed out by a fox. Cool story, bro.