RE: Mountain Lions Are Absolutely in PA (photo Added)
 

I received the photo file from Gr8ful deer a short time ago. I played with a whole bunch of things to try to get it to a state where I could see exactly what this critter is. I am still unsure, but am posting web addys for the three different renditions of the photo after I played with it. I tried to get the image of the animal to stand out better from the surroundings.
Here is the first one:

RE: Mountain Lions Are Absolutely in PA (photo Added)
 

RE: Mountain Lions Are Absolutely in PA (photo Added)
 

OK. Since the site here won't let me post photos, or maybe I don't know how, lets try it this way. Click on the links below to see what I tried with the original photo. In each of them, I tried different color variations, contrasts, and brightness levels to try to make the critter show up better. YOu can zoom in on them and see what you think. I am still not sure, but Gr8tful deer's uncle is sure what is in the photo is a mountain lion. I wasn't there, so I can't testify to it. As of now, the only evidence we have is the photo, so use your own judgement.

In the first photo, I tried changing colors. This seemed to make the animal stand out better. I also used an auto fix feature to adjust the photo.

http://www.hunt101.com/showphoto.php?photo=359332&sort=7&thecat=5 00&password=

In the second one, all I monkeyed with was the contrast.
http://www.hunt101.com/showphoto.php?photo=359334&sort=7&thecat=5 00&password=


In the third, what I tried to do was make the greens and yellows brighter. This seemed to make the tawny animal stand out better.
http://www.hunt101.com/showphoto.php?photo=359335&sort=7&thecat=5 00&password=

The problem I see is that at the nose of the animal, there is a dark area. As much as I magnify this area and play with it, I can't tell whether this animal has a long, dog-like nose or a short, cat-like pug nose. I will keep trying.

RE: Mountain Lions Are Absolutely in PA (photo Added)
 

Looks like a house cat to me.

RE: Mountain Lions Are Absolutely in PA (photo Added)
 

I would put it in the same vein as NH F&G stance on both wolves and mt lions, they deny it until forced to admit it, which means a dead one shows up. Once they admit either are here, they have to have a management plan for them, which takes money, its cheaper to ignore than admit.

RE: Mountain Lions Are Absolutely in PA (photo Added)
 

I think that the animal is actually looking away from the camera and what appears to be a nose is the side of its head and a shadow. I am not convinced that what looks like a front leg is actually a leg at all, but just a stick or branch that happened to be postioned in such a way as to appear to be a front leg. I think that the cat is looking away from the camera and it's tail is curved in the direction it is looking. When viewing my version of the picture, move back from the monitor about 4 or 5 feet and it will seem clearer. Spend some time looking at the photo and details come into focus, so to speak.

RE: Mountain Lions Are Absolutely in PA (photo Added)
 

Thanks Livbucks & Patrkyhntr! ... Like I said, my photo manipulation skills are limited to cropping and re-sizing.

I wish the doubters on this board actually knewmy uncle personally.I am certain that theywould change their mind. He is one of the most God-fearing Catholics I ever met, and his level of honesty isboth honorable anddesirable. Unfortunately, his level of honestyseems to benoticeably absent in much of today's generation. [:@]

Again, he saw this animal with his friend when it was in the middle of the road - very close to the front of his truck. Unfortunately, it took him some time to get the camera, and the cat ranup the bank before he could get the shot. I am certain that if he could have got the photo when it was in the road, the details would have clearly shown that the animal was a cougar.

However, I suspect that there would be some that would still doubt the validity. :eek:

- Gr8ful Deer

RE: Mountain Lions Are Absolutely in PA (photo Added)
 

T in PA3:

Compare the size to the posted signs in the background and to the tree it is climbing onto... no way, it is a house cat (or even a bobcat for that matter.) Waaaayyy too big!!!

... Unless you know of some extremely enormous house cats wandering around in the middle of nowhere. Most house cats I have seen wouldn't even show up in photo from that distance.

- Gr8ful

RE: Mountain Lions Are Absolutely in PA (photo Added)
 

That cat, what ever it is, is not that big.
Figure those posted signs might be 6-7' high. Even compared to the size of the signs that cat isn't big.

RE: Mountain Lions Are Absolutely in PA (photo Added)
 

Housecats do not have round abdomens like a cougar does. Housecats and bobcats have abdomens that appear to distend lower than the rest of their bodies.