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Cougar sighting, no the other one


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I have caught all kinds of wildlife on game cameras on Austin area mtb trails. When I reported the more unusual ones to whoever I though appropriate, I generally get the same answer - 'Yes we know about those. But please, Please, PLEASE don't tell or show anyone. If you do, there will be a public outcry to destroy it/them. Just look at the coyotes." 

When I had a picture of a cougar I went to the TPWD web site and looked for what TPWD said about where the  cougar were. I recall a Texas map that showed them in every county around Travis, but not in Travis County. Hmmm, so the wild animals get to the county line and stop to think "I need to go around this county".  Yeah. Right. Now I find a somewhat similar map that shows cougar mortalities instead of sightings - https://tpwd.texas.gov/publications/pwdpubs/media/pwd_br_w7000_0232.pdf That map shows cougar mortality only in one adjacent county to the northwest.

 

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1 hour ago, notyal said:

I bet more than 2 saw you.

Quote

I'm from that general area (PNW), rode around their a few times on a MTB and dirt bike. Definitely a rare occurrence to have a cougar attack.

I actually spoke with a hunter in Ellensburg, WA who hunted cougar and their strategy was to go with three guys, walking down a forest service road and spread out just as far as you could see the guy in front of you. The idea was eventually the cougar would start stalking hunter #1 or #2 and they guy behind him would take the shot. #3 had to look over his shoulder alot.

They are creepy that way...

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2 hours ago, RedRider3141 said:

As of 20 hours ago I had no idea this thing even existed. 

Same.  I thought a jaguarundi was similar to a jackelope.  About 20 years ago I stopped at an old gas station somewhere between Dallas and Austin  that had one hanging from the wall.  I went inside to pay and a lady was ahead of me.  She was very interested.  When she started asking questions, the guy behind the counter gave me the "shhh, don't say anything" look.  When she asked if they hopped or ran, and the guy replied "a little of both" it was all I could do to hold it in.

Edited by AntonioGG
clarity
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Neighbors here in Gracywoods have reported seeing one (maybe a mom coyote) that hangs out by Lincolnshire, in the heavily wooded area south of the Walnut Creek detention dam (now with concrete sidewalk). 
In my 'hood near Braker/Swearingen, there are opossums, raccoons, skunks and coyotes wandering around at night. I've smelled skunk on several occasions.  
I too love to see an ocelot or a jaguarundi!  Even a bobcat would be awesome; they have incredibly cute ears. Mountain lion in the wild? Not so much.  


I’ve seen both Fox and bobcat at Walnut. Last bobcat I saw about 2 years ago on church hill was freakin huge. Odd he was out midday during summer. Probably spooked from his usual hideout. There was a fox hanging in inner log loop I’d see regularly on weekday morning rides until they started construction on the sidewalk/NWC trail. Crappy Pic below. 75b15b62698fb4d0544edc37e8d4db48.jpg


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Not in the cat family, but coatamundi (coati, ringtail cat) are related to raccoons.  My first interaction with one was camping in the Aravaipa Canyon Wilderness in Arizona.  We set our packs down to eat a snack, without realizing that within less than two minutes, one of the rascals would chew a hole in my pack to get to food.  When we went to bed that night (no tent),  they were rummaging through our camp within minutes of crawling into sleeping bags. 

That looks like a big fat happy fox at Walnut.  There are lots of bunnies at WC that would make a tasty treat for Mr. Fox, who probably also forages for cat food and what not in the houses adjacent to the park.  Foxes are crazy successful in urban and suburban environments. 

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Never seen a cougar, although there are occasional sightings out here.   Have seen a few bobcats over the years.  The State Park has a wildlife viewing blind and I lucked out one night and got some pics and video of this one.

ears.jpg

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18 hours ago, June Bug said:

Not in the cat family, but coatamundi (coati, ringtail cat) are related to raccoons.  My first interaction with one was camping in the Aravaipa Canyon Wilderness in Arizona.  We set our packs down to eat a snack, without realizing that within less than two minutes, one of the rascals would chew a hole in my pack to get to food.  When we went to bed that night (no tent),  they were rummaging through our camp within minutes of crawling into sleeping bags. 

 

 

I had a pair of ringtails take up residence in my attic last year. They were tough to get rid of.

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Not in the cat family, but coatamundi (coati, ringtail cat) are related to raccoons. 


I wondered if they were the same thing. Only one I’ve seen was at the Frio Bat Cave. A couple of bats collided and hit the ground and it came flying out of the rocks above the cave and snagged a bat and scurried back away from the crowd. All the predators know when the buffet opens for business!


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Never seen a cougar, although there are occasional sightings out here.   Have seen a few bobcats over the years.  The State Park has a wildlife viewing blind and I lucked out one night and got some pics and video of this one.
ears.thumb.jpg.edfa2e5bc7d49a7a32e8885a3ec155bd.jpg


Nice shot Kyle!


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Feral hogs are everywhere now. You will see lots of damage where they are finding food. It there is no food they move on. Most of the places they create the damage is where there is deep(er) soils.

There was a cougar sighting reported yesterday in my south Austin neighborhood. Not the first time. Won't be the last.

 

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Around noon today I was at a school in southeast Austin. Not really in the city. Not really in the country. Kind of on the edge.

While I was waiting for my escort in the office, a male peacock and three turkeys walked up and stared in the windows. That was not a sight I expected to see. 

Turkey.JPG

Peacock .JPG

Edited by cxagent
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