Panthers in NYS via DEC?

K

Kendog

New member
Rumor has it that the New York State DEC has placed a few panthers into our larger tracts of timber to combat the deer/coyote/?children? populations. Although there have been 'sightings', it is denied by any officer in green. Any truth /thoughts?
 
I heard something of the same affect down around here around the begining of deer season. I just talked to a DEC officer that I'm in the process of doing some work for about this and he says That there are no breeding populations here in NY. To me that doesn't mean that they aren't here. Maybe I'm reading between the lines to much.
Kinda makes ya think though; especialy when out bow hunting.
 
Kendog,I havnt heard anything about panthers but did see a bobcat while deer hunting near Marthon this fall.What a big rush to see a bobcat I couldnt even think about how excited I would get if I saw a panther in the woods lol.
 
Was at the DEC office in New Paltz, NY today getting a bobcat sealed, spoke to one biologist who swore there is no self sustaining population of lion here in NY. He says there is a decent black market of cougar as pets, and thinks after they get too big to handle, people release them. But they can't survive in the wild.
I am leaning toward there being a breeding population, but am not convinced so yet.
Though I did cut a large cat track on a frozen lake in a really remote area 2 years ago and it was'nt a bobcat! Just wish I had a camera at the time.
 
It sounds like you guys in NY are getting the "standard" BS about the big cats from your DEC. The MI DNR, aka Do Nothing Right or Destroyer of Natural Resources, used the same crap when the cougars started showing up in the UP of MI. The thing is, we heard about the "pets" and no viable population, but the blasted cats are being seen all over here. There's little doubt who released their "pets" too. Wait until you get the wolves dumped in your lap. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/mad.gif MI VHNTR
 
Last deer season a woman I worked with said she looked out her back window and saw a panther. She called her husband to look at the big cat and her 2 sisters and their husbands who were all there visiting. They all swear it was a panther. They called the DEC (Region 8) and reported the sighting ,and asked what was up .
She told me that they were told there had been selective releases of panthers to control both the deer and coyote pop . The area she lives in is very rural and there is a huge deer heard and coyote population in that section of the Finger Lakes. (My partnerand Iare dooing out best to reduce the yote population )
This woman is no wacko and I know here husband and sisters.

So that is my tail of the "Big Cat"

It's like UFO sightings, I geuss . You got belivers and ya got those who think is all BS. I've been out her way looking for tracks and have found none. No more sightings by them either.
I'll keep ya informed if anything else turns up .I'm going to callthe DEC and see if any one will confirm the story.
 


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