70's my ass I am 30 now I saw my first one in 1995 in Columbia NC while hunting. my second sighting was in 1998 in Mashoe's NC. both areas are of the same terrain. and the second one was crossing the road at night and it pretty much took up 1 whole lane. I know what I saw, and I know they exhist. as for you, come down here and we will go on a panther hunt. I can take you to the first place I saw one and you can examin the tracks, the scratches on the tree's around the pond and make your conclusion then.