# Mountain lions in Karnes County...



## jimk (May 28, 2004)

My BIL called me breathless about 6pm...while driving down a sendero he had three...not one, but three cougars walk in front of him. Our place is located just north of Panna Maria and Cibolo Creek frontage. He said two appeared fully grown and one smaller one.

If you walk in South Texas enough, you've probably been sniffed a time or two. I think they were traveling through...maybe they'll be other sightings.


----------



## Bukkskin (Oct 21, 2009)

Thats purty cool, or not cool, depending on which way you look at it. 
I think it's purty cool.
Had one kill a calf a few years back.
I think there are a lot more out there than people suspect.
Puts a little more excitement to walking to and from the deer stand in the dark.:biggrin:


----------



## jimk (May 28, 2004)

Bukkskin said:


> Thats purty cool, or not cool, depending on which way you look at it.
> I think it's purty cool.
> Had one kill a calf a few years back.
> I think there are a lot more out there than people suspect.
> Puts a little more excitement to walking to and from the deer stand in the dark.:biggrin:


As thick as cover is on the place, you'd have to be in the right place at the right time to see them...that's a once in a lifetime sighting.


----------



## Bukkskin (Oct 21, 2009)

jimk; you'd have to be in the right place at the right time to see them...that's a once in a lifetime sighting.[/QUOTE said:


> I agree, I have been hunting Old Mexico since I was 18 yrs. old. In some of the most desolate, cougar friendly country you can imagine. And I have yet to " for sure" see one. Them suckers are smart and stealthy.


----------



## jimk (May 28, 2004)

Bukkskin said:


> I agree, I have been hunting Old Mexico since I was 18 yrs. old. In some of the most desolate, cougar friendly country you can imagine. And I have yet to " for sure" see one. Them suckers are smart and stealthy.


I'm kind of a "show me" person...but my BIL and sister both saw them and he's a seasoned hunter.

It adds a little spice to my walks around the place, but I'll just stick to my 22. My chances of seeing one are pretty slim.


----------



## Bukkskin (Oct 21, 2009)

Oh, I am not denying that they saw them. I believe them 100%. I was just saying they DID have a once in a lifetime encounter. I AM a little jealous though. I have seen a longtailed "something" run across the road several times. One of my best hunting buddies had a large pair walk by his stand a few years ago. Then another bud watched a single from about 500 yards, 2 yrs ago. 3 of my other close hunting buds have killed them. I have seen TONS of tracks over the years. 
I have never had the Privilege.sad3sm


----------



## jimk (May 28, 2004)

Bukkskin said:


> . I was just saying they DID have a once in a lifetime encounter. I AM a little jealous though.
> I have never had the Privilege.sad3sm


That's what I was trying to say...I hope I get to see one in the wild before my time's up!!


----------



## RACER (Mar 15, 2006)

i HAVE SEEN THE A FEW TIME BUT NEVER MORE THAT A GLIMPS I hope to add one to my wall one day


----------



## RB II (Feb 26, 2009)

I have never seen one. As has been said, it would be really cool to do. Tracks at water holes is about as close as I have been.


----------



## let's go (Nov 14, 2005)

I had the good fortune to be sitting in my tree stand while bowhunting out near Rocksprings when one walked down the dry creekbed adjacent to the stand. I had been watching a nice 8 pt easing in my direction when the deer froze and started staring at something. I figured it was a bigger buck coming and when I turned to see what it was there was a mountain lion. The lion walked by within 60 yards and never saw the buck. A few minutes after the lion disappeared the buck moved closer and gave me a clean shot. I almost felt a little bad b/c the old buck thought he was in the clear. 

I normally gut my deer on the spot, but with dark approaching I decided it best to just haul him out of there. Wouldn't want to get in an argument with a mt lion.


----------



## RB II (Feb 26, 2009)

let's go said:


> I had the good fortune to be sitting in my tree stand while bowhunting out near Rocksprings when one walked down the dry creekbed adjacent to the stand. I had been watching a nice 8 pt easing in my direction when the deer froze and started staring at something. I figured it was a bigger buck coming and when I turned to see what it was there was a mountain lion. The lion walked by within 60 yards and never saw the buck. A few minutes after the lion disappeared the buck moved closer and gave me a clean shot. I almost felt a little bad b/c the old buck thought he was in the clear.
> 
> I normally gut my deer on the spot, but with dark approaching I decided it best to just haul him out of there. Wouldn't want to get in an argument with a mt lion.


If I could script my sighting of a mt. lion, it would sound just like this. 2cool and congrats on an experience of a life time.


----------



## jimk (May 28, 2004)

let's go said:


> I had the good fortune to be sitting in my tree stand while bowhunting out near Rocksprings when one walked down the dry creekbed adjacent to the stand. I had been watching a nice 8 pt easing in my direction when the deer froze and started staring at something. I figured it was a bigger buck coming and when I turned to see what it was there was a mountain lion. The lion walked by within 60 yards and never saw the buck. A few minutes after the lion disappeared the buck moved closer and gave me a clean shot. I almost felt a little bad b/c the old buck thought he was in the clear.
> 
> I normally gut my deer on the spot, but with dark approaching I decided it best to just haul him out of there. Wouldn't want to get in an argument with a mt lion.


That's really an amazing way to kill a deer...that's a memory I'd revisit a lot!


----------



## wampuscat (Jun 30, 2009)

*ghost cats*


----------



## wampuscat (Jun 30, 2009)




----------



## Bukkskin (Oct 21, 2009)

wampuscat said:


>


 I been wondering where my little foot warming house Kitty ran off to.:tongue::biggrin:
Mexico?


----------



## jimk (May 28, 2004)

I just got these photos of tracks from my BIL...he didn't have his camera yesterday.


----------



## scwine (Sep 7, 2006)

From 
http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/learning/webcasts/desert/lions.phtml


----------



## Bukkskin (Oct 21, 2009)

*They ARE much bigger than you would Think*

Everytime I see one, I am taken back about the size of them PAWS.:ac550::ac550:


----------



## jimk (May 28, 2004)

I wished he had put a coin or something for size reference in the pictures....and I hope they're still there when I get to look at them. I'm waiting on a grandson to be born this week and can't go far from home.


----------



## TX CHICKEN (Jun 4, 2004)

We have a lease in Karnes just south of Falls City about 10 miles and I have seen 2 mountain lions in the past. The first was about 6 years ago I was sitting on a little dam just before dark getting set up to call for yotes and one walked up across the tank and got a drink and then slowly walked away-biologist actually came out the next day and verified the tracks. The second was during bow season 2 years ago-deer at the feeder and all of the sudden they bolt and just seconds later and 20 yards away a mountain lion cruises by at a quick walk. I hunted S Texas all my life and had never got a glimpse until these and I can still picture both like it happened yesterday.


----------



## jimk (May 28, 2004)

I filed a report with TPW this morning via email...I thought maybe they'd like to look at the tracks, but haven't heard from them yet.


----------



## Pablo (May 21, 2004)

That is cool. Good pictures too. I've seen one juvenile cat about 15 years ago. My dad and I were driving along a county road and one ran in front of us for about 50 yds before he turned and went into a field. When we got even with him, he/she stood broadside for a few seconds and we got a good look. My dad said that was the first one he had ever seen too.


----------



## bigfishtx (Jul 17, 2007)

My place in in Goliad county and they are always around. Getting to see one in the wild is a rare occurrence though, but, according to the biologist working the county, he says there are 5+ cats in the county at all times.

I have personally seen them a few times but never shot one there.


----------



## Levelwind (Apr 15, 2005)

I saw one near brackettville during a turkey hunt several years ago. One of those "kodak moments" although he was a good ways away. Got a good look at him through binocs. They sure shut the turkeys up!


----------



## fish1kemah (Feb 26, 2009)

Saw one our lease in Rock Springs, he or she was in a dry creek bed over looking my feeder , for a solid thirty minutes it was watching a small doe and spike in the feed pen , guess one thing they cannont keep still is the tail which is all I could see moving , thought is was the biggest snake I ever did see until it did a 180 and was gone , don't know if if winded me or not but sure was a rare sight. Does make the hair stand up stright up and down your spine the next morning walking towards your stand. 

F1K


----------



## Rack Ranch (May 25, 2004)

I can't belive this thread has gone so long without someone using the words black panther... you TTMB guys are starting to slack on me.. 

Two years ago in Leon co. my FIL caught 2 on video filming out of his deer stand... he thought they were yotes until we looked at the video...Walker


----------



## TXDRAKE (Jun 24, 2004)

Rack Ranch said:


> I can't belive this thread has gone so long without someone using the words black panther... you TTMB guys are starting to slack on me..
> 
> Two years ago in Leon co. my FIL caught 2 on video filming out of his deer stand... he thought they were yotes until we looked at the video...Walker


Boo!! Black Panther!!! LOL


----------



## jendruschb (Apr 9, 2007)

*Beavers*



TX CHICKEN said:


> We have a lease in Karnes just south of Falls City about 10 miles and I have seen 2 mountain lions in the past. The first was about 6 years ago I was sitting on a little dam just before dark getting set up to call for yotes and one walked up across the tank and got a drink and then slowly walked away-biologist actually came out the next day and verified the tracks. The second was during bow season 2 years ago-deer at the feeder and all of the sudden they bolt and just seconds later and 20 yards away a mountain lion cruises by at a quick walk. I hunted S Texas all my life and had never got a glimpse until these and I can still picture both like it happened yesterday.


you didn't happen to see any "Battlin Beavers" out in that area did you?


----------



## jimk (May 28, 2004)

Seeing them was a big deal for me...I grew up on the place and walked over it with my 22 every chance I could and never saw one. Now my BIL and sister see three (3) of them...just not fair. LOL
...and I've never seen a black panther either!!


----------



## wampuscat (Jun 30, 2009)

*black panther : )*


----------



## elpistolero45 (May 9, 2010)

My Dad saw a "Long Tailed Cat" on the Vivoritas Ranch in 1980. That was off FM 1017 South of Hebbronville. I didn't see it, I only saw Dad stop on the hill for 5 minutes before he picked me up off my stand. He told me after we'd returned to camp. That place had the game! If it lived in South Texas, that place had one of 'em.


----------



## jimmybobcat (Aug 6, 2009)

I saw one in Moores Plantation up in East Texas from a stand.


----------



## jdsuperbee (Jun 13, 2007)

I was working in my office in far north Arlington, some years ago, about 150 yards off highway 360 and one came out of the trees (probably out of the Trinity River). He lingered around in a field between the 6 story buildiing I was in and a convenience store before returning to the tree line.
This is an area near commercial, retail apartments, single family housing and a golf course. In other words lots of human presence, but he/she wasn't intimidated at all.
It was so cool. I've never seen one before.


----------



## Trouthunter (Dec 18, 1998)

Very cool! I've never seen more than one at a time in the wild!

TH


----------



## B-Sell (Sep 7, 2005)

*lions*

saw two of them two years ago just north of charco, not far from ya.


----------



## landlokt (Mar 10, 2009)

jdsuperbee said:


> I was working in my office in far north Arlington, some years ago, about 150 yards off highway 360 and one came out of the trees (probably out of the Trinity River). He lingered around in a field between the 6 story buildiing I was in and a convenience store before returning to the tree line.
> This is an area near commercial, retail apartments, single family housing and a golf course. In other words lots of human presence, but he/she wasn't intimidated at all.
> It was so cool. I've never seen one before.


Saw the biggest bobcat I've ever seen on that golf course


----------



## Chief317 (Apr 4, 2010)

Im surprised no one mentioned this cougar. There was an email floatin around that this guy killed one in Mont Belveiu,Tx. Upon investigating this apparently just about every state had this pic floatin around it was killed in their state. lol


----------



## ddakota (Jun 28, 2009)

One has been spotted on our lease north of Katy here in Harris County 2x in the past couple of years. I spotted it first when it crossed the road late one evening coming from a high grass pasture going into the woods on the creek. Couldn't believe what I saw and tried to convince myself it was something else, but nothing else has that tail. This spring, 2 other lease members saw it near the same place and vindicated my spotting.

When I was telling my vet the story, he told me of one that was in his pasture behind his house one afternoon - laying on a dirt mound watching his calves. This was on Spring Cypress Road right here in NW Houston. He also told me stories of when he used to do house calls on area ranches of finding dead calves 20' off the ground in large oak tree off 519 near Katy Hockley Cutoff.....what do you think could do that?

TPWD official stance is "you saw something else"....off the record they will admit there are more around than people are aware of.


----------



## activescrape (Jan 8, 2006)

We didn't see the cat, but we scared it off it's kill. We had seen a deer carcass buried with leaves, dirt and twigs about a month before this. Then the next year about a mile down the road a guy killed one. This was near San Saba and was in the paper there.


----------



## Cynoscion (Jun 4, 2009)

The dead young deer in the above pic was more than likely killed by a canine of some sort. Tell tale sign is the fact that he was eaten up in the hind end first. Canines are not nearly the efficient predators that some think they are. Therefore, their prey is generally brought down from the hind end first.

Felids, cats, generally kill with a bite to the head/neck region and will generally start eating from this end as well.

Another thing to think about is the fact that it is a young buck. All of the lion research that I am familiar with has found that mature lions tend to take mature bucks rather than immature bucks and/or does. 

I would guess that if there were leaves, branches, other debris pulled up on the deer, then a bobcat probably took possession of the animal after coyotes killed it. I have seen it happen before with gut piles and other deer debris.


----------



## TX CHICKEN (Jun 4, 2004)

Good info and exactly what our biologist told us when we found a dead dear buried under some grass. He said for sure a cat and since we had seen a lion days before and 90% sure it was a lion and 100% sure it wasnt a yote since it had eaten around the throat and front shoulders. He said without a doubt if it is eaten from the back end it is a coyote or wild dog.


Cynoscion said:


> The dead young deer in the above pic was more than likely killed by a canine of some sort. Tell tale sign is the fact that he was eaten up in the hind end first. Canines are not nearly the efficient predators that some think they are. Therefore, their prey is generally brought down from the hind end first.
> 
> Felids, cats, generally kill with a bite to the head/neck region and will generally start eating from this end as well.
> 
> ...


----------

