Comments on: Illinois Panthers

By: John A. Lutz

John A. Lutz — Sun, 04 Oct 2009 15:14:32 +0000

The midwest is NOT the only region of renewed big cat sightings, as central Virginia is overrun with repeated sightings, some from trained observers with backgrounds in game & forestry management.
4 years ago, multiple sightings began along the southeastern perimeter of Shenandoah National Park near Crozet, then gradually spread up the forest’s eastern boundary as far north as the forests of western Rappahannock County.
A decade ago, repeated sightings with track identifications occurred within the SNP, but NO cougar was ever officially located.
In summer of 2007, renewed sightings began near Blackstone in central Virginia’s Nottoway County. Within 14 months, similar reports filtered in from Powhatan County, west of Richmond, indicating to us, the lone cougar was moving north probably using railroad tracks, where the most recent reports are coming in from Caroline & Spotsylvania Counties.
Eastern Puma Research Network field researchers are continuing to monitor the central Virginia situations & at times are conducting field investigations of the new reports.

By: goodneat

goodneat — Sun, 09 Aug 2009 19:33:49 +0000

it looked to be about the size of a regular couger,much MUCH to large to be a house cat.when i seen it was walking away at a 45 degree angle 40 to 60 yards aprox. so no eye contact.

By: cryptidsrus

cryptidsrus — Mon, 03 Aug 2009 18:44:38 +0000

Great sightings you are reporting, people, and great post!!!

Hopefully, more “Panther” sightings will be reported soon.

“The thing that bothers me about it is the people reporting it are very credible. These are people you have to put some credence in what they are seeing.”

Apparently Chief Of Police Young tends towards the “skeptical side.” Apparently he started off with the idea that these sightings were fake and is now “bothered” by the fact they might be real after all. Oh, well…:(
Maybe he’s worried about possible “concern” that might spread if the Panther sightings are “verified.” Who knows…

Goodneat—Coatesville, Indiana sounds like one of those places where Panthers might be seen. Can you estimate how big it was??? Did it make eye contact with you???
Care to elaborate on your sighting?

By: goodneat

goodneat — Mon, 03 Aug 2009 00:05:27 +0000

I saw a black panther in April 2008, northwest of Coatesville, Indiana. It was only 50 yds. from me.

By: Shelley

Shelley — Sun, 02 Aug 2009 22:42:36 +0000

In 2004 they found a full-grown bobcat dead on the railroad tracks along the Mississippi in S. Illinois. People who live in the outer rural areas say they have been there for years, and probably cougars too.

cally, we are wondering what the effect of our terrible weather this spring was on the wildlife. We had weeks of terrible storms, huge damaging hail, and a derecho with constant winds around 120 mph for half an hour. In some areas 50% of the trees and shrubbery was taken down and in all of the populated areas was removed and burned. Although the wilder areas further to the south were unaffected by this particular storm, across the state from the Mississippi at Jacob through to Harrisburg and the Ohio, there was great loss of ground cover and trees. We are already seeing more deer on the roads at night than we usually do, probably because their usual habitats are tangles of fallen trees. The extreme wetness and cool weather, with a few hot spells, seem to have made abundant food for the grazing animals, so I guess the carnivores should be thriving too. But it’s going to be a lot harder to get into the wild areas to see any of them unless they come out. The hunters will have a really hard time this fall and winter.

By: Jjm3233

Jjm3233 — Sun, 02 Aug 2009 18:46:58 +0000

Intriguing, I grew up in the Ottawa area (a farm in Deer Park [LaSalle County]), and heard people occasionally talk of big cats. My Uncle runs “horse rides” in the Starved Rock area, so I’ll try to see what he heard.

By: Henshaw

Henshaw — Sun, 02 Aug 2009 15:31:57 +0000

I know for a fact that it’s possible…

My mother lived on a small farm just outside Santa Clause, Indiana in Spencer county. As long as I can remember (I’m 57) she has talked about the panther that would come out of their woods and frolic in the pasture like a kitten. She saw it up close several times when it would pace them while riding their pony. It was definitely not a feral cat. Much, much larger…

By: tropicalwolf

tropicalwolf — Sun, 02 Aug 2009 14:05:30 +0000

These animals have been moving into the midwest for years. DNRs need to stop sitting on their hands and acknowledge it.

By: fossilhunter

fossilhunter — Sun, 02 Aug 2009 13:56:04 +0000

Greetings All!
Henry would be a logical place for transient cats to be seen. The Illinois River valley would be a natural coridor, lots of wild areas and wildlife refuges. henry is about half-way between Peoria and Starved Rock State Park, for those who are a little familiar with central Illinois.
I spoke with a laborer last year, and he and his son had seen what he described as a “black panther” near Iuka, Illinois on their own land. They also have bobcats that breed there, and he said it was definitely something different.
Oddly, the only real positive record of a big cat in Illinois, was a puma in a Chicago suburb not terribly long ago! It was said to have wandered in from Wisconsin. Personally I think that the Shawnee national Forrest, which ranges across the southern-most part of our state, might harbour a few. And for those keeping score at home, armadillos have now made it as far north in Illinois as Belleville (St. Louis, MO is one of our well-known suburbs!).