Cougar scat

[Guest firebird]

I found cougar crap on a trail i hunt west of Kakabeka. This is the first sign i have seen here but i a few people i know have said they have seen cougars around. When is the MNR going to admit it haha. Anyways i thought that would be interesting.

[randomheroj 16]

ive seen one or 2 cougars around kashabowie in the past years

[Jayfishin 63]

I found cougar crap on a trail i hunt west of Kakabeka. This is the first sign i have seen here but i a few people i know have said they have seen cougars around. When is the MNR going to admit it haha. Anyways i thought that would be interesting.

I think they agree that they are around but don't want to admit it officially as it opens up a big can of worms! ie. There would be people out there let PETA, among others, who would then fight to stop all logging, and protect all of northwest ontario for them, restricting access to many areas which could afffect current hunting and fishing opportunites, etc, etc. Better to leave status quo.

Jay

[Guest TerryK]

I think jay just about nailed it.

I haven't seen an actual cat, but Ive seen enough sign, including tracks in the mud, to keep me looking over my shoulder sometimes when out near a river!

[Guest Wes]

The only cougars you need to worry about are the ones offering to buy you drinks.. hahaha

[randomheroj 16]

The only cougars you need to worry about are the ones offering to buy you drinks.. hahaha

mounting those ones can get you into tooo much trouble though but i dont think peta would mind

[Guest Beamer]

The only cougars you need to worry about are the ones offering to buy you drinks.. hahaha

Are you referring to the ones that don't remove their cigarettes when putting on lipstick

[Guest Dan]

I was fortunate enough to practically come face to face with a Puma in the 70's. I was walking a trail hunting Grouse near South Gillies at the time, when this huge tawny colored cat pounced onto the trail about 10 yards in front or me. The body on this animal was probably 5 feet long. Double that if you add the head and tail. Anyways, he stared at me for a second, and then took off down the trail running away from me. There was a fallen spruce that crossed the trail not far from where he first appeared. He cleared that tree like it wasn't even there. I'd guess that he had to have jumped about 15 feet high to accomplish that feat. And I never heard even the slightest sound when he did that. So, I ran after him to get a better look, but I couldn't catch up to him. True story.

A couple of years ago I took this photograph of a Cougar at the Chippewa zoo.

I had the photo posted in a photography forum that I frequent and one of the members asked for permission to use my photo for a painting to benefit the Ontario Puma foundation. ONTARIO PUMA FOUNDATION Of course I said yes. Here's the finished painting. Awesome work by Pamela Dallaire.

[Guest fish_on]

I was fortunate enough to practically come face to face with a Puma in the 70's. I was walking a trail hunting Grouse near South Gillies at the time, when this huge tawny colored cat pounced onto the trail about 10 yards in front or me. The body on this animal was probably 5 feet long. Double that if you add the head and tail. Anyways, he stared at me for a second, and then took off down the trail running away from me. There was a fallen spruce that crossed the trail not far from where he first appeared. He cleared that tree like it wasn't even there. I'd guess that he had to have jumped about 15 feet high to accomplish that feat. And I never heard even the slightest sound when he did that. So, I ran after him to get a better look, but I couldn't catch up to him. True story.

A couple of years ago I took this photograph of a Cougar at the Chippewa zoo.

I had the photo posted in a photography forum that I frequent and one of the members asked for permission to use my photo for a painting to benefit the Ontario Puma foundation. ONTARIO PUMA FOUNDATION Of course I said yes. Here's the finished painting. Awesome work by Pamela Dallaire.

Now thats some great stuff Dan, thx for sharing

[Thefishleclair 175]

I think they agree that they are around but don't want to admit it officially as it opens up a big can of worms! ie. There would be people out there let PETA, among others, who would then fight to stop all logging, and protect all of northwest ontario for them, restricting access to many areas which could afffect current hunting and fishing opportunites, etc, etc. Better to leave status quo.

Jay

Ive read allot about cougar sign and scat and even cattle ripped up from "Cat Like" markings down in Southern Ontario, MNR was called to most of these places and said the cuts to cattles backs and shoulders were made more then likely from Coyotes!! Yeah right!!

HA......Lots of speculation and guessing from the southerners as the rumor mill down there is the Ministry is reintroducing the Cougar in hopes to get the deer poulation down, It sounds plausable and most likely somewhere along them lines, I dont know what to think but, hey Ive also seen wild turkeys along roads in T.Bay too..

[Guest firebird]

I went back out today and took some pictures

[Guest segabo]

Back in November a coworker and I were travelling back to Thunder bay and saw a cougar on the highway right by the cattle place near finmark road. at first we thought it was a deer but it didnt hop when it ran, it walked like a cat and had a slightly more tan color...also the tail was a dead give away. i thought it was pretty neat but i hope i never see one of those following me in the woods!

[canadianyanke 7]

The reason that the MNR cant admit that cougars are present in this area is because there is no scientific proof. Sitings arent good enough and there is no way to prove that what people have seen are indeed cougar. For instance, a few years ago, a local family in Nipigon was driving to there camp at Kama Bay when they seen 2 cougars cross the highway and the 'cougar' jumped up the rock outcrop and ran into the bush. They reported it and the MNR thought they were credible since the man was a trapper so they went out looking for this animal and they came across 2 wolves with a serious case of mange. I work at the MNR in Nipigon and have set up hair plots and trail cams and havent gotten any proof that they are here although I believe they are. I spoke with a trapper who was walking on his trapline and came across a full sized deer hanging in a tree in th middle of winter. what animal could have done that?

Did you bag the scat and give it to the MNR? If you did they would of sent it away for analysis and could of proved that they are here.

[Guest firebird]

No i didn't bag it. I assume MNR employees have seen cougars or signs of them themselves and have plenty of reports (plus i didnt have a bag, and it was a long walk back to the truck). I know that cougar scat and wolf poo looks similar but the size of the scat I found was much larger than any wolf poo i have ever seen, and after doing research on the internet i still believe it is cougar scat. I believe the MNR not admitting there are cougars in the area has to do more with the publics reaction and the need to create more regulations. Also the fact that there is not much proof could be due to the large range a cougar has. There could only be a few moving through the area on their way to somewhere else. The only reports i have heard or read have been of large cougars. Possibly if there where reports, sightings, and proof of cubs then that would prove they are being raised in this area. Then the MNR could not deny that there are cougars, and that population is growing in this area.

[canadianyanke 7]

No i didn't bag it. I assume MNR employees have seen cougars or signs of them themselves and have plenty of reports (plus i didnt have a bag, and it was a long walk back to the truck). I know that cougar scat and wolf poo looks similar but the size of the scat I found was much larger than any wolf poo i have ever seen, and after doing research on the internet i still believe it is cougar scat. I believe the MNR not admitting there are cougars in the area has to do more with the publics reaction and the need to create more regulations. Also the fact that there is not much proof could be due to the large range a cougar has. There could only be a few moving through the area on their way to somewhere else. The only reports i have heard or read have been of large cougars. Possibly if there where reports, sightings, and proof of cubs then that would prove they are being raised in this area. Then the MNR could not deny that there are cougars, and that population is growing in this area.

The Bio's would love to say "yes we have cougars" but before they can get money to manage for them the guys above them would say "ok great, wheres your proof" then what do you say "well we had lots of sightings". Theres people that see bigfoot and there is increasing sitings, do you come out and say "yes we have bigfoot's" The fact is there needs to be scientific proof before you can make a statement like that. The closest thing the Nipigon MNR has to cougar signs is cast of paw prints on an old logging road by Northwind Lake.

edit- also cougars like other cats usually bury there scat which is another reason why they are hard to get.

[Guest Nonus]

I love the first picture with the hand modeling. "Now here is a fine example of a turd, this can be yours for only 19.99".

I guess someone needs to spend some time to track them down and either bag one or take pictures, however pictures can be taken anywhere and the location faked.

[Guest firebird]

"I spoke with a trapper who was walking on his trapline and came across a full sized deer hanging in a tree in th middle of winter. what animal could have done that?"

"The Bio's would love to say "yes we have cougars" but before they can get money to manage for them the guys above them would say "ok great, wheres your proof" then what do you say "well we had lots of sightings"

- Well if the MNR bigwigs dont think there are cougars around, there's no other possibility, it was obviously bigfoot's deer.

[canadianyanke 7]

- Well if the MNR bigwigs dont think there are cougars around, there's no other possibility, it was obviously bigfoot's deer.

hahaha

[Guest Nick C]

lol. I can't believe that the mnr hasn't recieved any evidence of their presence in this region. They are here. I saw one in the bush land behind canadian tire on arthur street a couple years ago. It was the one time I decided not to bring my camera. But, like Canadianyanke said, if there is no proof then it can't be confirmed by the mnr.

Nick C

[Guest firebird]

hahaha

I'm glad you liked that one

[Buck 120 32]

I saw one running across the hwy about 8 years ago when driving back from Fort Frances. It was near Mine Centre on a straight stretch. I remember the long tail curved behind it. I remember thinking "what the hell is a greyhound dog doing in the middle of the bush"? I was wrong, it was a cougar running across the hwy.

[Guest TerryK]

I've never seen one, but I have seen very clear cougar pug marks very close to Thunder Bay. I do question many of the sightings however. It is easy to be mistaken in low light conditions, or over great distances. I would love to see someone come up with some concrete evidence for the MNR so we might see some management and hopefully protection of the big cats.

[Guest Nick C]

I agree Terry. It would be nice to have some concret evidence. It also seems that sightings and rports are on the rise so there might be a better chance of gatherin some evidence. Im sure eventually that it will be either confirmed or denied.

Nick C