black panther

[anglerjohnny]

hello i am new to this site and would like some help or ideas on how to trap or kill a black panther who has killed seven goats,the panther has been seen twice in the daylight,please help.

[Darrel in Minn]

There may be some ideas there for you. Welcome to your first of many posts. Where are you from? Don't ever here of this kind of varmint much.

[StevenD]

hello i am new to this site and would like some help or ideas on how to trap or kill a black panther who has killed seven goats,the panther has been seen twice in the daylight,please help.

Might check with the local divisionof wildlife or whatever they are called. They may have a live trap or something like they do with problem bears around here.

[anglerjohnny]

I am from south texas and would like to do this with a caller or some sort of baiting I am shooting a 243 with a 85 grain bullet.

[StevenD]

I am from south texas and would like to do this with a caller or some sort of baiting I am shooting a 243 with a 85 grain bullet.

Honestly, I have no experience in calling black panthers. I don't know anyone who has. But I would be a little concerned over the possibilty of $5000 fine that potentially accompanies such an event in Texas, unless I am mistaken.

If you could call it in with, say a distressed goat sound and get photos of it, complete with tracks and evidence of its existence, you would probably be thousands of dollars ahead - even considering the loss of the goats. No one has physical evidence of one, even though reports do exist.

But be careful though!! You may want someone to back you up. If one of those things hops into your lap it can play "chainsaw massacre" in no time. Just read the accounts from the 1880's.

Again, calling the Texas authorities or W.T. Block @
http://www.wtblock.com/wtblockjr/BlackCat.htm
may be your best call.

Good Luck.

[AceBall]

Wack'em Good!

[Markbo]

Absolutely, positively contact your local Game Warden. I have been told the same thing after a neighbor saw what he called a black panther in the big thicket about 25 years ago. The TPWE people we talked to said that there is NO proof of black panthers ever existing in Texas.

If you can get photographs of this thing, you will be WAY better off doing that rather than killing it. My guess is that it is a Puma and if it has actually been seen it probably was seen in the shadows around dusk. I am highly dubious of a black panther's existance, but if you could get proof other than killing "the last surviving black panther in Texas" (as the media will portray it)it could be of great benefit to you.

Mark

[Dwayne TX]

Kinda reminds me of the time on a deer hunt on the company ranch. Several hunters were standing in the back yard of the ranch house watching a corn feeder for the 14 pt 'house buck'. All of a sudden, somebody yelled 'mountain lion', which of course made the rest of us run out of the house to see. The ranch manager and his right-hand man started laughing hysterically and told us that was their yellow tom cat. The only response they got was how much bigger binoculars make things look.

[Larry L]

Before you decide to start shooting, you may want to check with the area Animal Damage Control office. There is a room waiting for you with the federal government for the next 15 years should be caught killing this cat or any other large cat like mountain lion or the elusive panther in Texas. The office for S. Texas is in Kingsville/Corpus and the old phone number was
(512) 593-2422 ask for Rick. He is the head honcho of the S Texas district. If the number does not forward or give you the correct number, post here again and I will get it for you. Besides a house cat, the only cat available for kill is the Bobcat in Texas. All others are HIGHLY protected.

[Markbo]

From the Texas Parks and Wildlife Website:
Nongame and Other Species

--------------------------------------------------------------------------NONGAME ANIMALS (Includes, but is not limited to the following):
Armadillos*
Bobcats*
Coyotes*
Flying squirrels
Frogs
Ground squirrels
Mountain lions
Porcupines
Prairie dogs
Rabbits
Turtles
Does not include feral hog (see Exotic Animals).
No closed season. These animals may be hunted at any time by any lawful means or methods on private property. Public hunting lands may have restrictions. A hunting license is required.

Edited to add: I was able to confirm that TPWD official stance is that black panthers do not and have not ever existed in Texas. No proof, i.e. a body, has ever been produced to back up sighting claims.




According to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife service, of the 94 threatened or endangered species in Texas, the Mountain lion (any sub species) are not one of them. In fact the Puma is threatened only in Florida and the Eastern Puma is endangered in CT, DC, DE, IL, IN, KY, MA, MD, ME, MI, NC, NH, NJ, NY, OH, PA, RI, SC, TN, VA, VT, WV. Note the conspicuous absence of Texas.

I am not advocating shooting this animal, but I hate to see misinformation spread. As always, the best source for information will be your local resources as they are the persons charged with enforcement of same as it applies to you, the shooter.

[Kamo]

First, I have never called or killed a big cat. So you know how expert I am. But I have talked with guys who have and read a lot about them. I think they are the ultimate trophy for a caller.

Most of the cats mentioned are various names for the same creature. What is being seen is a darker version. The most popular name around here is "mountain lion" or "lion" but they are also called panthers, catamounts, puma and probably some others. May be subspecies but primarily the same cat. They are not game animals and are unprotected in Texas.

They are cats and will respond to prey calls. I have read they like the larger prey critters like fawns, kids lambs, etc. They will also respond to lion vocalizations if you have them and know how to use them. Wildlife Tech has a lot of lion sounds on their caller and Steve Craig in Arizona is a very successful lion caller. FoxPro also has some lion vocalizations (some are very new). Lions have big ranges (50-100 sq mi) so being at the right place at the right time is not easy.

If the lion you are targeting has a good food source (goats) he may stay put. Set up to call just like a bobcat. Use kid distress calls and be patient. You can try anytime of the day or night (legal in TX). And as an experienced lion hunter told me "don't go to sleep".

There are a lot of experienced lion callers on the Predator Masters forum.

Maybe this will help until soneone who knows what they are talking about responds. Good luck.

Pat

[Carl Porter]

Go to the TPW website and do a little research. While cougar/mountain lion can be hunted and shot at any time there are other big cats that cannot and are on the endangered list.
http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/publications/pwdpubs/media/pwd_bk_w7000_0013.pdf

[Hardwood]

Panthers are protected in the south. I've seen 3 in the wild - the first one in south GA and the second in north MS, the third was dead on the side of the highway south of Bunkie LA - neither were black but a dark tan, darker than a mountail lion (which I've never seen in the wild nor look forward to doing so). Rumors went around that panthers were being introduced back into MS along with the red wolf but my local conservation officer wouldn't confirm or deny this. There are panthers and red wolves in south MS along the coast, but supposedly none in the north part of the state. If you're in the south, I'd contact the wildlife officer in your area to see if they can trap it. Shooting it could cost you a bundle. If it is indeed black, that would be interesting. I've heard old timers tell tales of them, but no one has any proof. There was a recent black bear sighting in north MS on the edge of the delta. Some guy I know was getting his deer feeder wrecked and put up a game cam to "Shoot" the culprit. Turned out it was good sized black bear that was more than 100 miles from the nearest confirmed black bear areas in southwest MS along the Mississippi River.

[Markbo]

I'm just curious... why do you guys keep warning him shooting it could be costly when TPWD and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife service both are on record (which of course he should confirm himself) saying that they are NOT a protected, threatened or endangered species in Texas?

[RandyinVA]

There has been a single sighting of a black panther in NC,
Va, and Maryland. They are rare and avoid people like the plague.

The Eastern variety is a smaller Fla type, not as large as the western cousin.

[Markbo]

In response to an email inquiry, i have just received the follow email from TPWD:
Quote
"Mark,
It is NOT ILLEGAL to shoot cougars/mountain lions in Texas since they are one of our 3 predators and may be hunted 365 days of the year and no bag limit. All you need is a hunting license."
Unquote



For anyone interested, they also included this:
Quote
Live *COYOTES are currently under a statewide rabies quarantine that prohibits them from being transported or sold in Texas (see hunting license exception).

For information on the rabies quarantine, visit:
http://www.dshs.state.tx.us/idcu/health/zoonosis/default.asp
Unquote

[trickn7474]

There are no black panthers in the U.S., there never has been any killed, trapped, or authenticated. Ever! There is a $13000 dollar reward for a black panther at MS taxidermist shop. There is a reward offered by the State wildlife people in MS. I have lived all over the south and every community has there Black panther story. I have research everry place I can, atural History, the Smithonian Institues National Geographic Society and have recieved the same answer, At no time has there been a BLACK PANTHER authinticated in the U.S. I don't doubt you have a panther, raqther I doubt it was black.

[doughboy]

How about sasquatch and swamp yetties? I bet you dont think they exist either:D

[Markbo]

The power of the human imagination to overcome even its owners senses, never ceases to amaze me.

[VARminator]

http://www.anomalist.com/features/jag.html

They say its the Jaguarandi.:eek:

[tsiero]

If you were and member of a ranch family or an employee in New Mexico here this is what you can do. This is for a depredation situation. First stake down the dead prey ( goat, sheep, calf) with wire cable. Go around the spine so it is secured well. Set up your vehicle about 75 yards away with a rest that you can shoot off of instantly. Be mindful of the wind. What works well is if you are right handed to shoot out of the drivers side window and you are in the center of the truck seat. There has to be a spotting light on the rifle so you can turn it on instantly and be ready to fire at the cat. The rifle on the rest has to trained on the carucus. Set a timer or use your cell phone in viberate mode to go off every 20 minutes. Turn on the spotlight and it should be ready in the carcass to fire. You have one second. If nothing is there keep going until daybreak. Usually by the second night the cat will return. Don't pursue the cat after you shot it. Wait until daybreak. That 243 will be adequate.

[Chainsaw]

About four years ago, I saw what I believe was a black or very dark jaguarundi run across Hwy21 in Central Texas. I called Texas Parks and Wildlife, and they told me in no uncertian terms that the animals were protected, and if caught shooting one, then I'd end up in jail and fined.

They doubted what I told them, and I then informed them that there were three others within twenty miles, then they got real excited and wanted to know where the cats were located. I refused them any info because if I couldn't get one, I didn't want them disturbing them. We both went away unhappy that day, but I got the better deal.:cool:

jim

[Ackman]

I'm just curious... why do you guys keep warning him shooting it could be costly when TPWD and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife service both are on record (which of course he should confirm himself) saying that they are NOT a protected, threatened or endangered species in Texas?

Amazing isn't it. Happens for the same reason that they go on and on about the rules in some other state even though the poster specifically said TEXAS. And for the same reason that even though it's been seen twice, people who don't know what anyone saw and weren't there will still say that the see-ers really didn't see, and that the (whatever) doesn't exist in that area. It's the same mentality that immediately calls a particular photo "fake" because of this or that reason.

1) They simply don't have any idea but want to look like they know at least something.
2) They just have to put in .02 worth and see their own words in print.

[Groundhog Devastation]

The "3 S" rule is probably needed if the thing is getting beligerant and causing damage to livestock!! GHD

[GoWyo!]

talk of the smaller jaguarundi is plausible, but so is the potential for a jaguar. I've been reading that some are being spotted in S. AZ. That might change the DOW outlook if it was an illegal.

Good luck with what ever route you go.

Keep us posted.

Gary