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What is this?
photo by Adam Koob
Mississippi Department of Wildlife and Fisheries conservation officer Steven Strader takes a report from Gary Stewart, center, and Robert Woods.
Several Natchez residents see cougar
Published Thursday, December 18, 2008
NATCHEZ — When Gary Stewart stepped out of the office at Oak Ridge Apartments Wednesday, something caught his eye.
Stewart, part of the complex’s maintenance crew, said he has no doubts about what he saw.
“I saw its figure,” Stewart said. “And I went inside to get the binoculars. But right away I knew what it was.”
Stewart, and several others, believe they saw a cougar behind the complex.
“It was looking right at me,” Stewart said. “I could see her face.”
The cat was spotted in a clearing at the top of a gully approximately 100 yards from the rear fence of the complex.
Robert Woods also works at the complex and said the cat didn’t appear to be doing much.
“It was just laid out just looking around,” Woods said.
Both Stewart and Woods said they often see deer in the same clearing were the cougar was spotted — but in the last week they haven’t seen any.
Unlike other recent, but brief, cougar sightings, Wednesday’s was unique in more than one regard.
First, witnesses said the cat did not appear to be doing anything and was resting for at least 30 minutes before it walked off into the bushes.
Secondly, Wednesday’s sighting was the first in which more than two people had seen the cat at the same time.
At least six people saw the cougar on Wednesday, including two Natchez Police officers who were called to the scene.
“It was really something to see,” Woods said.
But Wednesday’s sighting was not the first for Stewart and Woods.
The duo said they saw the cat around the same time last year in the same spot.
Woods said in that sighting, the cougar was in the same locale for close to an hour and appeared to be eating.
The Mississippi Department of Wildlife and Fisheries exotic species program leader Richard Rummel said he was notified about Wednesday’s sighting and has been examining its proximity to recent sightings on the Natchez Trace.
Rummel said Wednesday’s sighting is less than two miles from other sightings on the Trace.
He said he’s beginning to think if the animal truly is a cougar, it either escaped or was released from captivity.
“You have to think ‘Where did it come from,’” he said. “But first we have to substantiate what it is.”
To do that, fisheries conservation officer Steven Strader, who was at the scene on Wednesday but missed seeing the animal, will be looking for tracks once he gets permission from the landowner to enter the property where the cat was spotted.
Comments
Posted by goodoleboyslikeme (anonymous) on December 18, 2008 at 6:55 a.m. (Suggest removal)
I believe they saw it - everybody sees unusual things sometimes- me, I saw Mommy kissing Santa Claus, underneath the mistletoe last night.....;>
Posted by redusmfan (anonymous) on December 18, 2008 at 6:55 a.m. (Suggest removal)
LIKE I SAID YESTERDAY, it would be the apartments behind ACCS or the apartments across the highway behind the B&K bank. This makes sense because of the creek that runs the length of all of the sightings. I would just say to be careful along St. Catherines Creek with small children or small pets. They will not be able to fend off a cat that size. BUT be careful when you go into HER HOUSE.
Posted by adguy (anonymous) on December 18, 2008 at 8:03 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Since when does a Wildlife Officer have to get permission from a landowner to enter his land? They enter land all the time looking for hunting violations without permission.
Posted by drawpaintsing (anonymous) on December 18, 2008 at 8:30 a.m. (Suggest removal)
If I would see a cougar, the last thing I would think about is getting a camera.
Posted by pedro (anonymous) on December 18, 2008 at 8:45 a.m. (Suggest removal)
If I saw one the first thing I would think about was a camera. I bet a local paper would pay some big bucks for a clear shot of the cat....LOL.....Stopped on the side of Hwy 15 in Concordia parish yrs ago to watch a bobcat. It was eating a snake and the snake was still alive wrapping all around it's face and neck. Smith n Wesson and I got out the truck and walked within 10 feet of the cat and it just looked at me. Weird deal. I had no camera and the cat stood it's ground eating the snake. I let the bobcat slide. Did not want to interupt his meal..
Posted by hitchcock (anonymous) on December 18, 2008 at 9:38 a.m. (Suggest removal)
I'm not doubting anything anyone says about the cougar, but at least try to find someone with a camera. Almost everyone carries a cell phone with cameras these days. I have my camera mith me everyhere I go for they perfect Kodak moment & the cougar would be just that.
Posted by MamaD (anonymous) on December 18, 2008 at 9:45 a.m. (Suggest removal)
A cougar is very fast. Area residents should be warned.
Posted by srh1995 (anonymous) on December 18, 2008 at 11:27 a.m. (Suggest removal)
I'm confused. Two police officers saw it? Are they not going to do anything to capture this thing??
Posted by iomo (anonymous) on December 18, 2008 at 11:49 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Why would you want to capture it? if you do that then you'll have to go after the bears, gators and snakes in the area... :) It sounds as if this cat is complacent and needs to be left alone.
Posted by jlm448 (anonymous) on December 18, 2008 at 1:38 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Okay,since there are no documented photos available, someone please tell me whether we are dealing with a a large feline, or a 35+ year old female who is on the "hunt" for a much younger, energetic, willing-to-do-anything male.
Posted by aak1972 (anonymous) on December 18, 2008 at 3:08 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I bet its the latter!!!
Posted by JohnQ (anonymous) on December 19, 2008 at 1:01 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Duckhunter I agree with you 110%
Posted by siriuseve (anonymous) on December 19, 2008 at 8:16 a.m. (Suggest removal)
ok people. I live in Morgantown and there is a huge gully behind my house. For the past month my family and our dogs have been seeing this HUGE and i mean HUGE cat!! we hear it calling out some nights and it is so scary. My dogs are terrified of it. after one close encounter my bull mastiff came home and urinated on himself he was so scared. Why is it so hard to believe that there is a cougar here?
Posted by redusmfan (anonymous) on December 19, 2008 at 9:52 a.m. (Suggest removal)
I believe that it has been around for a long time. UNFORTUNATELY, it is getting complacent about human contact. THIS is the scary part. It does not consider humans a threat anymore, so humans had better be watching out for it.
Posted by theduke (anonymous) on December 19, 2008 at 12:11 p.m. (Suggest removal)
People are treating this like a joke. Why can't people realize this is real! I'm not afraid, but I'm going out looking for it.
siriuseve
You need to be sure your dogs are in a good enclosure, if there are any enclosurers that cougars can't get into. I'm sure a mastiff would be hard to keep indoors. For them to be acting that way something is scaring them.
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