quick question on cougars.

gumpokc · #1 02-14-2006, 10:26 PM

Ok i didn't see a thread specfically for this, and figured it might be better to put it where everyone would see it.

I personally saw a cougar today, in north central oklahoma.
Abit unusual, since i was driving my delivery truck along highway 8/58 between cleo springs, and cherokee oklahoma, and he appeared in the ditch alongside the highway. (two lane highway out in BFE)

I thought at first it was a coyote, but when it turned sideways, i knew it was not a dog for sure.
Definate cat, at first i thought it was a damn big lynx, but it did have a full tail.
What really surprised me, and the reason i am askign about it was the color.

The primary color was a silverish-gray, but there a an unmistakable strong blue tint as well. It was patchy as if it was dropping some of it's winter coat (really goofy weather around here) but not mangey or torn.

It was roughly 1pm, sun well up, no clouds to speak of, and not in shade.
I had a clear view for 35-45 seconds at ranges from 400-500 yards, down to 30 yards. I didnt stop the truck, but i did slow down to keep an eye on "him".
He was never ina hurry, but not dawdling either.
Went under a fence, near a creek bottem, took 3 leasurely leaps up a small hill, and i lost sight of him.

Is it normal for them to have such coloring? or am i going nuts?

weather has been goofy as mentioned, anywhere from 30 degrees to 73 degrees for the lat few weeks, cold to warm, sometimes in the same day.

Nulle · #2 02-14-2006, 10:40 PM

Guess I never saw one that color in these parts = redish brown this time of year = not sure what you saw lol

gumpokc · #3 02-14-2006, 10:56 PM

hehe i know for a _fact_ it was a cat, there's ain't no dog that ever moved like that.

But it had me stratching my head after i saw it, seems abit unusual, so i figured I'd come here to ask around.

TreeDoc · #4 02-15-2006, 12:58 AM

Without a doubt, you saw El Chupacabra!

gumpokc · #5 02-15-2006, 01:00 AM

rofl treedoc, methinks i'm abit too far north for mr central/south american boogieman

TreeDoc · #6 02-15-2006, 01:06 AM

No way, dude! They're moving northwards. You better get some of these........

Rocky Raab · #7 02-15-2006, 09:30 AM

I don't doubt it was a cougar. The color?

Could've been a trick of the light. Or the cat may have rubbed against something - a cattle fly strip or such. If there are sheep nearby, they are often marked with a blue swab of paint (at least here in Utah they are), and cougar definitely kill sheep.

gumpokc · #8 02-15-2006, 05:19 PM

well maybe treedoc has a point, i wonder if those things come in supersize bag for cattle feeders???? :P

Rocky, I thought about the lighting, and while anything is possible, he was in pretty good light. rather pretty too, almost the color of one of those "russain blue cats" but a hell of alot bigger.

I'll probably never know for sure, but it made my day just to see him. Hmmm..come to think of it, i have next week off to play hookie, maybe i need to see if i can find a trailcam to borrow and go set it up.

Wahnie · #9 02-15-2006, 06:18 PM

TreeDoc, you scared the heck out of me when I scrolled down!

rick savage · #10 02-15-2006, 06:23 PM

gumpokc, we are getting more and more big cats here in ok. most of the cats beeing seen down here around durant are gray to a reddish color. there is no doubt it was a cat, when you see one you don;t forget, we have run across several while hunting hogs, just glad my dogs leave them alone

Skyline · #11 02-15-2006, 06:58 PM

The coloring you describe would not be tha unusual and especially in the bright sunshine...........they are southern desert cats, not the same color as other areas.

When I hunted for aoudad in west Texas the local cat hunter killed one while I was there. Nice cat, but not at all the color I am use to up here.

Cal Sibley · #12 02-15-2006, 07:08 PM

A few years ago I was on a fly-in trip hunting moose in Northern Ontario. The day before the season opened we were coming up stream in a canoe dragging our gear behind us in another canoe. I spotted a cow and yearlng moose in a meadow between two streams. On one side of us was a high rock outcropping with a great view of the area. I thought that's where I'll be in the morning. Sure enough, next morning I was there but no moose. Instead, right after daybreak a pack of 7 wolves came through. They were loping along at a good clip, obviously after something, probably the moose I had seen the previous afternoon. I had never seen a wolf pack before. They were fierce looking beggars, weighing about 100lbs each. I don't think they saw me, or were more intent on continuing their pursuit. What did surprise me gretly was the coloring. I had thought of wolves as being predominantly gray, but the major color in this pack was a rich brown with a lot of black thrown in. Four were mainly brown The other three were mainly black. You just can't tell about coloring as it varies a lot. In any event I didn't see another moose all week so they scared hell ot of everything in the area for sure. Best wishes.

Cal - Montreal

gumpokc · #13 02-15-2006, 08:00 PM

Thanks for all the replies, I was just really surprised by the color.

I have seen a cougar before, at close range about 10 yearsor so ago down by Magnum okla, he was pretty normal sandy-tan color.

surprised him in a ravine, it had been really wet and nasty during deer season, and it was the first sunny day in several weeks.
was working my way down the ravine, wet cold, but sunny, and came around a small outcropping.

he was slightly higher up , about 18-20 feet away i guess sunning himself.

I saw him, he saw me, we both yelled, he went one way and i went the other. Is really funny thinking back on it, never even thought about shooting him, which is just as well, since it wouldn't have been legal nor was he a danger to me. all i could think of was just "feet don't fail me now".

and btw Treedoc, nice photoshop

silly chuckling about that