Black Panthers Spotted in South Carolina
Posted by: Craig Woolheater on April 28th, 2007
Upstate has its share of cat tales
DNR wants hard evidenceANDERSON - Is it a case of wild cats or wild imagination?
People in the Upstate say what they have seen or experienced was not imagined.
“Big cats has been a subject discussed about every Saturday morning for several years now at the Public Well,” said Steve Goodson, who has told his story at the local gathering place in Anderson County.
Goodson said he has sent photos of tracks to the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources, but has not been able to have anyone investigate.
Last spring, Goodson built a couple of ponds on his property and after a rain soaked the freshly compacted red clay, the tracks were clear and crisp.
“I sent several photos, but could not get anyone to come out and make some casts,” Goodson said. “The guy at the DNR said that it’s not a dog, it’s a cat and the track is too big to be a bobcat. He asked me not to call the newspaper.”
Larry Patterson, who lives near Pelzer, said he saw a big cat in the area nine or 10 years ago.
“I never told nobody and I’ve been living here 22 years,” Patterson said. “It was down by the Lee Steam Plant and that thing was the size of a German shepherd. It was pitch black as if someone poured motor oil all over it.”
Patterson said he also knew a retired security guard who saw one at Bargains Food Store near a trash bin that contained meat scraps from the butcher.
“He said he walked toward the Dumpster and out jumped this cat, the biggest, blackest cat he had seen in his life. He said he never told anybody about that,” Patterson said.
Myrtle Bryson of Westminster said about five months ago she lost her small dog, a Chihuahua, but could not be sure if her 2-pound canine companion was the victim of a big cat or coyotes. She did say her grandson Josh Stewart has seen a big cat in Oconee County.
Goodson also said he has heard several other stories from people who have had close encounters with big cats.
“This man and his son told me they walked up on a pair of big cats sunning themselves on a rolled bale of hay,” Goodson said. “And my neighbor has lost several baby goats down here. I know because all that was left of one was head and ears and it was left next to my house.”
Capt. Larry Holbrooks with DNR’s law enforcement division has discussed big cats several times on local radio shows. He said if someone has seen a big, black cat it was likely turned loose by a private owner.
“I would love to confirm there is one,” Holbrooks said. “I have not gotten any calls. Sometimes your eyes will play tricks on you.”
The official stance of the state DNR is that there have been no documented sightings of big cats, whether black or the traditional tawny. The department is looking for proof, such as photos, tracks or a body where a big cat might have been hit by a car.David Williams
So, then, was the guy at the DNR a scoftic?
Well, the proof is the Carolina Panthers football team-their emblem is a Black Panther head growling on their helmets. Here in Colorado we have the Avalanche hockey team with it’s bigfoot prints on the shoulder of the jerseys. My point is; These things are known by and are part of the common mans world, no matter what the “Authorities” say exists (or doesn’t) out in the woods. I accept the word of the common man who lives in the wild areas over that of academicians who spend most of their time in laboritories in large cities; Especially when it comes to the EVERYDAY environments of the former.
I always wondered about the choice of color for the guy on the Panthers’ helmet.
Black seems the Cool Color of Choice in sports; and the juxtaposition of black and panther was, I guess, irresistable.
(I’m surprised Jacksonville didn’t use a melanistic jaguar. Although they did a good job coloring around him.)
But ain’t that s’posed to be a cougar?
Yes. A black one, frequently reported in the east.
Right?
If anybody deserves the term scofftic, it’s state DNR.
OK, maybe we need to go on a case by case basis on that one.
I have lived in SC my entire life. I speak from experience, and I can tell you that large black cats (panthers) do in fact exist in the Carolina region. I have personally witnessed such an animal on two different occasions. I know what I have seen, and I have heard of many other sightings, some of which were reported by people that I know personally. There are several “hot spots” for such sightings, including a town close to were I live named Pelion, were it is widely accepted that panthers are a part of life. The local H.S. mascot is a black panther, and you can consume liquid refreshments at “The Panther Parlor”. There are other hot spots around SC were I am sure the large cats exist. SCDNR is very laughable. They don’t know squat. Large black cats are a part of life in SC, no matter what the DNR tries to tell you.
I live in Anderson county, SC and can tell you the big cats are there. I have seen them 7 times since the mid 80’s. Many people that live in the small town of Antreville have seen them.I have seen them deer hunting several times, but the best view and the one that made me sure I wasn’t seeing things was one night coming home from work. I saw eyes on the side of the road and started slowing down. When I got to it it started across the road and stopped on the yellow line and stared at the car. I stopped the car literally less that 20 feet from the cat. It was beautiful, jet black and probably 110-120 lbs. I watched it for about 2 minutes and it went over the bank on the other side of the road and was gone. The DNR could have evidence if they would investigate the calls they get. Myself and my neighbors at the time all called the DNR and they told us we were seeing bobcats or just seeing things! Just a month and a half ago, a Georgia biologist reported a black panther stalking him on the Chattooga river, on the Oconee, SC/Rabun county, GA line. If you can’t believe a biologist when he sees one, who can you believe?
Why is it so hard for the supposedly intelligent DNR to believe there are black cats roaming in certain places? They used to be here in abundance, no problem believing that, so why not believe a few are still here? Over their head, I guess?
I live in Marlboro County SC, and we have had several reports of large black cats in this area as well. Of course, we have been told no bears are in this area. That said, two weeks ago, a wildlife trail cam, posted by a deer hunter, snapped a real good pic of a large black bear, right near the Pee Dee River. The argument is always presented as well, there are never any bones around. There are far more birds in this country than most other animals. How many birds, others than those hit by cars or shot, have you found just lying on the ground? I dare say not many, if any.
When I was going to Trident Technical University in North Charleston I had a friend named Glennis who said he saw a large black cat. He lived in a country area that was close to the Charleston district. He said it terrified him and he called the animal control. I didn’t think much of this thinking that he might have made it up. But seeing as how “black panther” like cats have been seen in other many areas of the Palmetto state, he may not have been yanking my leg. The first thing that came to my mind was “cougar”. But I’m pretty sure there are no cougar populations any where near the Charleston area. Quite perplexing.
I moved to Sullivans Island from Chicago back in late 2005. It was not long after that I encountered a very large black cat at close range. I was walking on Ion Ave on a clear bright day and saw something under a elevated semicircle drive way. I wasn’t clear what it was at first - I thought maybe it could be a large dog - I stopped and looked. Then he came right out from under and stared directly at me - even showed his teeth and growled at me. I swear that thing was going to attack - I couldn’t have been more then 30 feet away - completely unobstructed view - I described it as a black panther. Just moving their I thought maybe these were native. This is when everyone begin telling me they did not have black panthers/cats in SC. I still say now what I said then - TRUST ME, YOU DO.
I live in North Myrtle Beach SC near the waterway. We have a small pond out back, the other afternoon around 6:00 I was sitting on the back porch and a large black came out of some woods and sat down and rolled over, then it went into some tall reeds and I have not seen it since. About a week later my wife saw a large cat, she described it as dark grey with some white on the face, a large long body and a thick long tail. The cat I saw was dark black with a tail about 30″ inches long. I am sure it was a Black Panther, as some call them.
My neighbor spotted a large track on his property. We are thinking about setting up a camera out back, if we get some pics. would like to see them?