# Cougars in Ohio



## Kelman (10 mo ago)

Ok I know what your gonna say I’m mistaken or don’t know what I was looking at or I saw a bobcat. No I saw a cougar. I KNOW I did. Bobcats don’t have a three foot tail and stand 20 inches at the shoulder. I was no more than 20 yards from it and had my bright lights on my car hit it. It froze I was turning and stopped looked at it for at least five seconds. Think what you want but I know what I saw. I’m an avid hunter and outdoorsman grew up hunting fishing and I’m telling ya I saw a cougar. I assumed it had escaped from a private zoo or something never heard of it though. I wouldn’t believe me either but I’d bet a second Generation Colt on it. Why or how it got in northern Ohio who knows but it surely wasn’t a house cat or a bobcat there’s no comparison this thing was 20 inches maybe a bit more at the shoulder with a three foot tail tan left a TRACK as big as the palm of my hand. You’ll see someone else will see it. Hell theres coyotes on W. 11th St. in downtown Cleveland at least five so why not


----------



## winguy7 (Mar 12, 2014)

I believe you. That would of been cool to see. I read an article awhile ago about a cougar they tracked. I think it started out it in Wisconsin and made it's way around the Canadian side of the great lakes. So they'll roam. What area of Ohio did you see it in?


----------



## snagless-1 (Oct 26, 2014)

They are here and have been for a while.I know a police officer that worked nights and would sit on Pleasant Valley Rd.going toward Canal Rd.On the hill going down towards Canal he has seen deer,turkey,bobcats,coyotes,grouse,and a cougar several times.He saw it more than once, but ODNR seems to always want to keep things hush hush.He and several others have also seen black bears in the same area.They travel and have no boundaries.


----------



## threeten (Feb 5, 2014)

Very well could’ve been one. They are dispersing from populated areas. 
They had a collar on one that went from ND to Maine where it was hit by a car.


----------



## Southernsaug (May 23, 2019)

I am sceptical of most of the cougar reports, but I don't rule out the possibilities of a sighting. I think ODW is willing to acknowledge sightings, but they want them confirmed by some colaborating evidence. That evidence would be verification from multiple qualifies persons ( Wildlife Officers, Police, naturalist, informed and reliable public trained in identification, etc.), video and photo evidence, tracks and so on. IN most cases it's a single eyewitness or two and no colaborating evidence. Since it is well accepted that many wildlife species do indeed travel great distances a periodic occurance is only incidental and insignificant to spend many resources following. Now when repeated sightings are occurring and there's evidence a resident population is establishing then the state will get involved. With all that said, 95% of all cougar sightings are not verifiable and most are other animals mistaken for cougars. I'm not poo pooing your sighting just stating what I believe are facts. Your cougar is probably transient and only a neat event to have witnessed. Most likely a young male looking for territory with a possible mate, so he's not stopping until he finds a home around other cougars.


----------



## DiverDux (May 19, 2012)

Kelman said:


> left a TRACK as big as the palm of my hand.


Photo of the track by any chance?


----------



## creekcrawler (Oct 5, 2004)

Snagless-1 - Had a bud that worked in the valley down off Schaaf Rd. They found hand sized tracks, the thing jumped a six foot fence. Also found an alpaca head ( a lady down there raises them).


----------



## Flathead76 (May 2, 2010)

You will see plenty April 8-10 during Ohio University Moms Weekend. No man is safe.


----------



## cement569 (Jan 21, 2016)

a friend of mine has a cabin down by caldwell ohio and he checked his trail cam one day and had 2 pictures of a cougar n it. and yes i seen the pictures and yes it was a cougar, no mistaking that. im going to see if he still has those pictures but that has been 2 or 3 years ago, so who knows


----------



## M R DUCKS (Feb 20, 2010)

Flathead76 said:


> You will see plenty April 8-10 during Ohio University Moms Weekend. No man is safe.


I thought that was bobcat country.


----------



## Mooner (Feb 12, 2017)

Flathead76 said:


> You will see plenty April 8-10 during Ohio University Moms Weekend. No man is safe.


I believe you. I'm married to one.


----------



## DH56 (Dec 31, 2012)

Did you take a picture of the track you found and call the DOW?


----------



## RJH68 (Sep 3, 2019)

To help with track identification, cougar on the left and bobcat on the right.


----------



## berkshirepresident (Jul 24, 2013)

Flathead76 said:


> You will see plenty April 8-10 during Ohio University Moms Weekend. No man is safe.


That was a terrific weekend during my Junior and Senior years at O.U. 
Much more fun then Halloween Weekend was....which I came to dislike.


----------



## buckeyebowman (Feb 24, 2012)

Heck, they have them roaming all over the metro Los Angeles, California area. Why not here?


----------



## Flathead76 (May 2, 2010)

M R DUCKS said:


> I thought that was bobcat country.


It is bobcat country but we are talking about cougars in this thread.


----------



## 1basshunter (Mar 27, 2011)

It was most likely a walking black croppie mystery solved


----------



## Crankbait-Crazy (Feb 25, 2020)

Flathead76 said:


> You will see plenty April 8-10 during Ohio University Moms Weekend. No man is safe.


I too thought this thread was about older women on the prowl. Disappointed to find out it's about four legged mammals.


----------



## pitdweller (Sep 16, 2004)

saw one at Salt fork a couple of years ago probably close to 40 lbs with a large tail, slowly went went into brush off of the side of the road


----------



## Jim white (Feb 19, 2018)

Don't know how many bobcats you all have seen but they are pretty tall. so 20" at the shoulder aint nothing. but that 3' tail a Bobcat does not have 🤪 I live close to old AEP or new Appalachian hills wildlife area. People say they see Cougars around here. Seems no one ever gets a pic. There is a pic floating around but everyone seems to have the same pic 🙄


----------



## MidwestHunter71 (10 mo ago)

Flathead76 said:


> You will see plenty April 8-10 during Ohio University Moms Weekend. No man is safe.


😂😂😂😂 Thats hilarious!! Might have to remember this area as predator rich environment.


----------



## Jim white (Feb 19, 2018)

MidwestHunter71 said:


> 😂😂😂😂 Thats hilarious!! Might have to remember this area as predator rich environment.


I may have to check that out also. It's just over the hill an it's my birthday weekend 🤪


----------



## MidwestHunter71 (10 mo ago)

Jim white said:


> I may have to check that out also. It's just over the hill an it's my birthday weekend 🤪


Haha sounds like a memorable birthday weekend in store!!


----------



## chadwimc (Jun 27, 2007)

It has taken this far into a 'cougars in Ohio thread' to claim:  "...ODNR is dropping them from helicopters. Its all paid for by insurance companies to eradicate deer..." ???

Usually said claim is made when a hunter has no deer to show for his efforts...


----------



## floater99 (May 21, 2010)

Dont forget rattlesnakes also


----------



## Flathead76 (May 2, 2010)

MidwestHunter71 said:


> 😂😂😂😂 Thats hilarious!! Might have to remember this area as predator rich environment.





Jim white said:


> I may have to check that out also. It's just over the hill an it's my birthday weekend 🤪


Don’t make the mistake that some of these unsuspecting students make during this time period. These are a few questions not to ask.

1) Are you two sisters?
2) Do you live on campus?
3) What classes do you take here?

If you do make any of these mistakes you mine as well be a piece of chocolate cheese cake.


----------



## JIMS SVT (Aug 19, 2004)

All my deer and turkey had disappeared the week this guy showed up. It looked very large. And has a long tail. Neighbors said they had seen a large cat a few years ago in the same field. Brown county


----------



## MidwestHunter71 (10 mo ago)

Flathead76 said:


> Don’t make the mistake that some of these unsuspecting students make during this time period. These are a few questions not to ask.
> 
> 1) Are you two sisters?
> 2) Do you live on campus?
> ...


Hahaha solid points!!!


----------



## codger (Aug 16, 2020)

JIMS SVT said:


> All my deer and turkey had disappeared the week this guy showed up. It looked very large. And has a long tail. Neighbors said they had seen a large cat a few years ago in the same field. Brown county


Looks to me like a classic tabby colored domestic cat. Almost looks like one of ours.


----------



## southern Dan (Sep 10, 2019)

Kelman said:


> Ok I know what your gonna say I’m mistaken or don’t know what I was looking at or I saw a bobcat. No I saw a cougar. I KNOW I did. Bobcats don’t have a three foot tail and stand 20 inches at the shoulder. I was no more than 20 yards from it and had my bright lights on my car hit it. It froze I was turning and stopped looked at it for at least five seconds. Think what you want but I know what I saw. I’m an avid hunter and outdoorsman grew up hunting fishing and I’m telling ya I saw a cougar. I assumed it had escaped from a private zoo or something never heard of it though. I wouldn’t believe me either but I’d bet a second Generation Colt on it. Why or how it got in northern Ohio who knows but it surely wasn’t a house cat or a bobcat there’s no comparison this thing was 20 inches maybe a bit more at the shoulder with a three foot tail tan left a TRACK as big as the palm of my hand. You’ll see someone else will see it. Hell theres coyotes on W. 11th St. in downtown Cleveland at least five so why not


----------



## southern Dan (Sep 10, 2019)

You don't know what you will see anymore. People can buy anything off the web and they think it's cool till they can't take care of it. I know web site you can get on and buy any kind of venomous snake you want and have it shipped to your door. I ha e even found places to buy lions cubs online and shipped to your door. There was a guy in Cleveland who was caught with 91 venomous snakes and no permits. One gets out do you think they call? Jail time fines and if they have anymore they take them as well. Wolf's, cougers has been seen in Northern ohio for years off and on. Black bears I have had in my back yard. Pa is only 30 miles


----------



## JIMS SVT (Aug 19, 2004)

codger said:


> Looks to me like a classic tabby colored domestic cat. Almost looks like one of ours.


Could be. But it’s way bigger than any house cat that I’ve ever seen.


----------



## berkshirepresident (Jul 24, 2013)

Flathead76 said:


> Don’t make the mistake that some of these unsuspecting students make during this time period. These are a few questions not to ask.
> 
> 1) Are you two sisters?
> 2) Do you live on campus?
> ...


Nonsense! You just told the Mom how young she looks. Now proceed to Step 2...............


----------



## matticito (Jul 17, 2012)

I believe you. When covid started, I was going out to pymatuning few times a week and fling home on i90. O e night I get on 90 wb at rt 11 and I'm somewhere west of 11 between the next exit and there was some big wild cat creeping along the highway. I believe had to have been a cougar. Had the shape,, size, tail. If I weren't flying I would've stopped.


----------



## eyecat (Sep 17, 2018)

floater99 said:


> Dont forget rattlesnakes also


A guy in WV once told me the DNR is dropping rattlesnakes in balloons to control the turkey population. How in the world do you get a rattlesnake into a balloon?


----------



## fasteddy (Jul 15, 2012)

Getting it in the balloon is easy compared to blowing it up


----------



## matticito (Jul 17, 2012)

MidwestHunter71 said:


> 😂😂😂😂 Thats hilarious!! Might have to remember this area as predator rich environment.


💀💀💀💀💀


----------



## southern Dan (Sep 10, 2019)

Lol I think someone was just trying to pull one over on you. Now they did turn loose timber rattlesnake in ohio wv and so on but not to control the turkeys. There's alot of state now you can't even kill a snake. You could get a fine for it. Alot of people that's bit by venomous snakes didn't know they was for one and 200 to 300k is hospitals bills adds up. Now if that's not bad enough in some states timber rattlesnake are a endangered species. It takes them 5 years to start breeding.


----------



## WPM (Jun 9, 2006)

I'd love to see that - I've spent hours watching the ones at the Toronto zoo. And then, of course, there's this...https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3ugUJpTr26Q


----------



## Scott Hoberty (May 12, 2017)

Jim white said:


> I may have to check that out also. It's just over the hill an it's my birthday weekend 🤪


If your over the hill you’re not likely to attract their attention


----------



## Jim white (Feb 19, 2018)

Scott Hoberty said:


> If your over the hill you’re not likely to attract their attention


Right. good luck to ya lol


----------



## buck16on (Feb 10, 2014)

There was a mountain lion whose DNA was proven from scat and trail camera in Wisconsin and then the same DNA was found in mountain lion scat on the east coast. Many years ago, I was a volunteer working on duck blinds at Mogadore Reservoir and one of the other volunteers, a quiet keep to himself type of fella, as we talked about bow hunting deer said he saw a Mountain Lion along the Cuyahoga River in Geauga County. My understanding is Mountain Lions need a large territory to call their own and therefor will range out far and wide to find their own hunting grounds. of the main prey of Mountain Lions are deer size animals so whitetail deer would be their type of prey and with the overabundance of whitetails around here this would a great place for them to survive.


----------



## E72 (Apr 4, 2009)

Not shocked . I’m sure they pass through like bears do in southern Ohio looking for new turf. Thick timber in MI and Ontario aren’t really that far away .


----------



## jdkswhite (Jan 3, 2008)

Flathead76 said:


> You will see plenty April 8-10 during Ohio University Moms Weekend. No man is safe.


😂


----------



## MidwestHunter71 (10 mo ago)

WPM said:


> I'd love to see that - I've spent hours watching the ones at the Toronto zoo. And then, of course, there's this...https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3ugUJpTr26Q


Hahahah Nice touch, Well played!


----------



## Hatchetman (Apr 13, 2004)

Danny flathead chaser said:


> Lol I think someone was just trying to pull one over on you. Now they did turn loose timber rattlesnake in ohio wv and so on but not to control the turkeys. There's alot of state now you can't even kill a snake. You could get a fine for it. Alot of people that's bit by venomous snakes didn't know they was for one and 200 to 300k is hospitals bills adds up. Now if that's not bad enough in some states timber rattlesnake are a endangered species. It takes them 5 years to start breeding.




Just once, JUST ONCE I would like to see someone present some evidence that the state of Ohio stocked rattle snakes from any source, plane, ground or boat!! Always hear they did this but it's always "I have a buddy who's wife's brother lives next door to a guy who works with another guy's cousin who was involved in the stocking!" ....


----------



## fastwater (Apr 1, 2014)

Hatchetman said:


> Just once, JUST ONCE I would like to see someone present some evidence that the state of Ohio stocked rattle snakes from any source, plane, ground or boat!! Always hear they did this but it's always "I have a buddy who's wife's brother lives next door to a guy who works with another guy's cousin who was involved in the stocking!" ....


I'm with ya on that HM.
Have heard those tall tales for years but have never seen any solid evidence that it ever occurred.
Actually have a few guys I've known well for years that are now retired from ODNR and both had many years in the field. Actually one of them passed away a couple years ago. 
I used to tease him about turnin them timber rattlers loose. Remember one time tellin him he coulda got rich sellin all them timber rattlers to them snake handlin church's down south. He just grinned and told me he makes all his $ black marketing chupacabra's.


----------



## jkiefer1362 (10 mo ago)

I've had some close encounters in Colorado. Had no clue they were actually stalking me. 

Sent from my SM-S908U using Ohio Game Fishing mobile app


----------



## Lazy 8 (May 21, 2010)

Ah heck y'all. Take it from somebody who knows. All cats are the same, just rub him a little behind his ears and he'll purr like a kitten.


----------



## Saugeye Tom (Oct 6, 2010)

Danny flathead chaser said:


> Lol I think someone was just trying to pull one over on you. Now they did turn loose timber rattlesnake in ohio wv and so on but not to control the turkeys. There's alot of state now you can't even kill a snake. You could get a fine for it. Alot of people that's bit by venomous snakes didn't know they was for one and 200 to 300k is hospitals bills adds up. Now if that's not bad enough in some states timber rattlesnake are a endangered species. It takes them 5 years to start breeding.


yes but if you are bitten and the snake is dispached....no fine


----------



## bobk (Apr 30, 2004)

Lazy 8 said:


> Ah heck y'all. Take it from somebody who knows. All cats are the same, just rub him a little behind his ears and he'll purr like a kitten.


Him?


----------



## jeff rod builder (Sep 21, 2014)

anyone see a black panther?


----------



## Lazy 8 (May 21, 2010)

bobk said:


> Him?


Good one! But all cats are the same when it comes to rubbing behind the ears. 
I've got one named Early. He was the first one outta the womb. Early bird? That cat took a shining to me. All gray. He's my boi.


----------



## TRIPLE-J (Sep 18, 2006)

jeff rod builder said:


> anyone see a black panther?


Yes actually i have about idk 15 years ago i saw one in a field off of i271 in the richfield area..
Told i guy i work with that hunts about it, he told me i was crazy
Then about 2 weeks later theres a news paper article about people seeing one in that area that got away from someone that had it as a pet
Was really cool to see even from a distance


----------

