Big Cat in IL
12-06-2009, 01:16 AM
#21
Spike
Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: Idaho
Posts: 54
Not so fast to doubt this is in Illinois. I am from Centralia, Il. which is in Clinton & Marion Co., (Southern, Ill). I have not personally seen anything like a cougar/panther while hunting, but my Dad & his neighbor have seen one on more than 1 occasion. In fact... he still lives south of town right where the town actually ends & just this past fall he has seen a family of Timberwolves & a large cat like this about 500 yds off of his back proch. A few of the locals believe they were implanted by the DNR several yrs ago due to the over poulation of Whitetail. It sounds like they are getting closer & closer to town. So, if this picture is in Pike Co... I would believe it.
Last edited by Quakklz; 12-06-2009 at 01:30 AM. Reason: add a picture
12-06-2009, 09:14 AM
#23
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: Central Pennsylvania
Posts: 2,313
Nah that picture is mine, that was in the woods behind my house, don't know why they think it was from pike county, see those leaves, clearly those are pa leaves. Everyone knows that.
Ryan.
Ryan.
12-06-2009, 01:41 PM
#24
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: Illinois
Posts: 3,558
Really? Is that why the cops shot one in downtown Chicago? Or how about the one the bowhunter shot? Or the one that was hit by a train? IL. has produced 3 dead cats since 2003. Yes, they are here.
12-06-2009, 06:10 PM
#25
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Dec 2005
Posts: 1,200
I saw that picture when it first came out. First I heard was a guy talking about my friends cousins boyfriends sister (yeah one of those deals) got the picture in Calhoun Co. Later I saw it and some guys were saying it was a hoax and taken out west somewhere, and another story said it was from Pike Co. Missouri.
Who knows I guess, I just hope I never run into one.
Who knows I guess, I just hope I never run into one.
12-06-2009, 07:38 PM
#26
Nontypical Buck
Thread Starter
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: Deer Country
Posts: 2,244
Well like I said, I dont know if there are or are not cats here, but for those of you saying you seen this pic a long time ago, the time stamp on the pic is Oct 19th 2009, thats not that long ago.
I would think a major outdoor website would have seen these pics "a long time ago" before joe blows cousin sent them to your sisters ex-boyfriends best friend.
I would think a major outdoor website would have seen these pics "a long time ago" before joe blows cousin sent them to your sisters ex-boyfriends best friend.
12-06-2009, 08:59 PM
#27
Fork Horn
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: Southern Illinois
Posts: 262
Im from So. Ill and ive heard stories of people seeing cats, and wolves and even bears. I do know the DNR has let wolves go at the state park around here. My uncle worked for a loggin company and was running a skidder and seen a wolf chasing a deer. He spent alot of time in the woods and he said that was the first thing like that he has ever seen. He said when they were on that job he was scared to get out of the skidder. I also had a great aunt and uncle who lived in the country there whole lives and they seen a panther back in the late 70's and when the both passed away we found pictures that they had taken of it 2 seperate times right in their yard. My great uncle said they never seen it again after they seen it the second time. I mean people used to think bob cats were never in Illinois and now its almost nothing to see one or two a year while hunting.
12-07-2009, 06:00 AM
#28
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: West Central Illinois
Posts: 1,099
I think the cats are here, but I believe the picture is fake. I have a hard time believing a cat would attack and hold onto a piece of plastic. If they are here, they are very good at staying out of the spotlight. With that in mind, I want to think they would realize that a decoy is not prey.
