Black Cougar

[smurleigh]

Me and my buddies were doing some hunting up in pemberton, and on are way back to whistler, me and my friends spoted a black cat that ran across the highway. it had a tail as long as its body, was jet black and was the size of a small cougar. the location was around soo river forest service road off of the sea to sky highway. which unfortunately for me that area is a no shooting area at this time of year, but opens up later in the year. this was the crazy thing ive ever seen and just another reason why i love hunting.

[BCBRAD]

Did it have two legs & a fro

[smurleigh]

lol heard that acouple time

[Plincker]

I've also seen a black cougar, thought it was a bear at first till I saw it's long ass tail! I saw it out on the Kennedy lake FSR near Tofino.

I guess you didn't get a pic of it?

[KB90]

Too bad you didn't get a Picture! Then you could prove them wrong. I've got no reason not to believe you but this is what i've found with a quick internet search.

"There are no authenticated cases of truly melanistic cougars (pumas). Melanistic cougars have never been photographed or shot in the wild and none has ever been bred. There is wide consensus among breeders and biologists that the animal does not exist.
Black cougars have been reported in Kentucky and in the Carolinas. There have also been reports of glossy black cougars from Kansas, Texas and eastern Nebraska.[citation needed] These have come to be known as the "North American black panther". Sightings are currently attributed to errors in species identification by non-experts, and by the memetic exaggeration of size."

[Plincker]

"Sightings are currently attributed to errors in species identification by non-experts, and by the memetic exaggeration of size."[/quote]


I guess that makes us, non-experts then lol! Next time I'll be keeping my out for a black bear with a long frick'n tail!!

[leadpillproductions]

One of our contract coal drivers said he seen one onn the tumbler hwy

[.300WSMImpact!]

saskwatch!!!!!!!

[smurleigh]

no i wish i got a pic, but ive been hunting for many years, u know wat a cougar looks like. I saw a tall lean cat, the body type could never be confused for a bear.

[Clint_S]

There's been reports aplenty before but no pictures. Sure would love to be the guy to get one up a tree.

[dedapair]

I saw a full body mount of a cougar taken on the island sometime in the 40's or 50's. It was chocolate brown, almost black. The ministry came in ( it was for sale at a sporting goods store Rutland ) and took hair samples. According to the test results it was definately a cougar. I wish I could see a live one through the crosshairs.....

[BlacktailStalker]

I believe it.
You're lucky to see have seen it.
I have heard of one on the Island here, sure would love to tree/see one.

[TyTy]

Speculation doesn't matter. - Black variety of cougar: - soo river. Anyone else sees one in the next 5-10 years, could mean a genetic variety in the area.

The black variety does occur in animals like albinoism. But i would imagine a black cougar added with its elusive behaviour; hense it never being photographed. interesting for sure.

[BearStump]

I've sen one too. about 6 yrs ago. it was about 40 klicks up the harrison east fsr. was'nt too much mistaking it. it was obviously a cougar body and like SMURLEIGH said it hads a tail as long as its body. all black and it moved across the road in front of the truck like it was slow motion.
It seemed too surreal to be true and untill this post, I have always been doubting what I know I saw with my own two eyes.

[goatdancer]

Probably just been rolling in a big mud puddle to become camouflaged.

[The Hermit]

I've seen one too... in Florida!! It would be great to get one here... Now that would make an awesome mount!!

[dana]

I saw a pic of one in a thread about Black Panthers on a hound forum once. Was freakin awesome. Someone photoshopped a dead black house cat onto a pic and made it as big as the hunter standing next to it. It was pretty damn funny!

[Greenhead]

I have no doubt that you saw a black cougar, pretty cool considering most people have never even seen a cougar in the wild period! I saw a jet black cougar up the pitt river valley about 10 years ago that totally took us by surprise, so I know for a fact that they exist.
GH

[dana]

Wow, seems we are overrun by the suckers. Bigfoot look out, there now is a new creature wandering our forests. Anyone see Elvis too?

[M@B]

Yeah, I saw Elvis in the Elaho Valley in November..... couldn't get a clean shot on'em though.

[smurleigh]

well i now where u can start looking. i would be all over it and wouldnt even be tellin anyone about it if i had access to some hounds.

[skibum]

I can see it now - The Great Black Cougar Rain Forest

[dana]

These black lions must be magical because they don't leave any tracks. If they did then some houndsmen would have treed one by now. Not hard to take pics of a lion when it's up in a tree. ;)

[mpotzold]

My guess-a cougar appearing black because of light conditions, some other dark furred animal or a large black domestic cat.
From a couple of sites-
-Despite anecdotes to the contrary, melanism (all-black colouring) the opposite of albinism has never been documented in cougars

-The fur of a mountain lion is a light, tawny brown color which can appear gray or almost black, depending on light conditions. Contrary to popular belief, there are no black panthers in North America; no one has ever captured or killed a black Mountain Lion.

[smurleigh]

i was like 100 yards away and the sun was still high.

[Stone Sheep Steve]

Do a Google Image search for "Black Mountain Lion":neutral:.

If you were lucky enough to snap a pic you would be the first one in history:wink:.
Wolves come in black and are relatively slender with "longish" tails.


SSS

[chilcotin hillbilly]

These black lions must be magical because they don't leave any tracks. If they did then some houndsmen would have treed one by now. Not hard to take pics of a lion when it's up in a tree. ;)
x2 Dana, the amount of lions treed in a winter on North America you would think someone would get luck as it looks like there is one in every valley.

[BiG Boar]

A friend of mine has a black cougar in his garage. So I know they are out there.

[mark]

A friend of mine has a black cougar in his garage. So I know they are out there.

get us a pic, and put this thread to rest! :)

[Clint_S]

A friend of mine has a black cougar in his garage. So I know they are out there.

He'll have to ride over there on his Mustang first. :)

[BigfishCanada]

I dont see why there wouldnt be any, there has been pics down south,

http://www.michigancougar.com/vandenbergblackcougar.jpg

[835]

This thraed is funny,
A couple years ago i was driving from Ucluelet to Port Albernie with my wife. She looked down at the Upper kennady river and yelled "There's a black panther down there!!" she made me turn around and look. I explained how there is no black panthers on the island and told her she saw a black bear or something else. Mabye she did see a mythical island black panther?

[ryanb]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jaguar

This is probably what your friend has in his garage, and can explain many of the sightings in the far southern United States. I highly doubt any exists in Canada though, seeing as even in the fossil record they only extend as far north as California/Arizona etc.

[835]

That pic BFC is a dog

[GoatGuy]

I dont see why there wouldnt be any, there has been pics down south,

http://www.michigancougar.com/vandenbergblackcougar.jpg
hahahahahahaha

[500grhollowpoint]

Interesting thread. We saw one when I was a kid. Very close to residential area, 100 yds from us.

[digger dogger]

if it does exist, i would think it's worth it's weight in gold. the cape if is a true cougar would be a worth a fortune. i'm sceptical if it does really exist, but i've been wrong before.. a tranq gun would be great in a case like this.. so if ya find it andy call a bio with a tranq gun, or a c.o. :-) maybe they could borrow some of the cats baby batter. (if it's a tom) lol

[835]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jaguar

This is probably what your friend has in his garage, and can explain many of the sightings in the far southern United States. I highly doubt any exists in Canada though, seeing as even in the fossil record they only extend as far north as California/Arizona etc.


um no Ryan it is thhttp://image.mustangandfords.com/f/9320796/mufp_0606_03_z+1968_mercury_cougar_XR_7+rear.jpgis

[One Shot]

I've seen one too... in Florida!! It would be great to get one here... Now that would make an awesome mount!!

I have seen both variants in Florida. Is the NA Cougar/Puma not related to the SA Puma or Black Panther? (did not have time to google it). I also believe that black is a dominant gene. Would that mean we will see more black variants? May be be harder to spot in some bush areas particulariy at night. More stories and myths.....Are there already existing stories in local FN history about them or will they be made up and then it will go the way of the Komode bear variant and we will not be able to hunt it?

[smurleigh]

my best geuss is people are afaid to put a pic up cause they dont now if its legal or not.

[Mik]

I can see it now - The Great Black Cougar Rain Forest
X2....you better find some hounds and go get it:idea: before its too late.

[Tardigrade]

Is the NA Cougar/Puma not related to the SA Puma or Black Panther?

Nope, different sub-family so not very closely related at all. Jaguars (i.e. black panther) are much closer to lions, tigers, and leopards.

[Benelli FanBoy]

:-D This is the type of thread where my signature comes in handy!

[Rackaholic]

Jaguar's are Orange/yellow with black spots, not all black. We have quite a few of 'em down here.

[ryanb]

Black jaguars are common, or at least highly doccumented in the wild and captivity. See my link.

[Tardigrade]

Yep, traditional 'black panthers' in the Americas = melanistic jaguars in Africa/Asia = melanistic leopards. Normal markings are still there, just swamped by the black in the really dark ones.

[log_roller]

Me and my buddies were doing some hunting up in pemberton, and on are way back to whistler, me and my friends spoted a black cat that ran across the highway. it had a tail as long as its body, was jet black and was the size of a small cougar. the location was around soo river forest service road off of the sea to sky highway. which unfortunately for me that area is a no shooting area at this time of year, but opens up later in the year. this was the crazy thing ive ever seen and just another reason why i love hunting.

next time pack a lunch, its not a good idea to eat the mushrooms you find growing wild , some instances I have heard of are sightings of Sasquatch, whales in Harrison lake , unicorns UFOs leprechauns and black cougars I believe the mushrooms were a contributing factor in such sightings :mrgreen:

[BlacktailStalker]

http://i50.photobucket.com/albums/f314/BlacktailStalker/ml1h08.jpg

[yamadirt 426]

Can you say photoshop. Good job though.

[Kid Hunter]

HAHA pretty big house cat there!!! I thought for a second the guy had a cat face too! hah

[308Lover]

Yep, a fisher can look pretty big when you first see one, especially when you've just had a smoke, or a mushroom, or just wore the wrong eyeglasses (the REALLY thick ones)

[hunter1947]

Anything is possible in this day and age ,it probably was a black cougar..