I need help IDENTIFYING this animal ASAP
 

Earlier today my dobermans were raising hell outsiode.
I went outside and heard ALOT of running through the bushes.
Tonight I pulled into my driveway to find 6 small dog/cat like creatures in my driveway.
Maybe as big as a fox, but LOOKED like a cat with a very long skinny tail, very bushy fur, and RED and BROWN striped.
They looked like a red and brown zebra.
In almost 20 years of hunting I have NEVER seen these kinds of animal before, they were NOT foxes or coyotes.
IF they were some form of wild cat then they were genetically all screwed up. I live in Charlotte NC on the outskirts in 29 acres of VERY heavily wooded land.
When I pulled in they didnt run, they stood there making like, yelping noises?
I honked the honr they didnt move, I layed on the horn for almost 10 seconds and they WALKED into the bushes.
WTF kind of animal is that???

RE: I need help IDENTIFYING this animal ASAP
 

no idea!!! but i can't wait to find out... i think i wouldv'e stayed in my truck unless i was fully armed!!!

RE: I need help IDENTIFYING this animal ASAP
 

Turn the dogs loose!

RE: I need help IDENTIFYING this animal ASAP
 

I spent quite a bit of time looking on the net for what you described. Good thing my boss doesn't know.

Anyway I couldn't find anything that, that is native to North Carolina.
Best resources I found were http://www.mammalsociety.org/statelists/ncmammals.html and for all locations http://enature.com

There isn't anything that I could find that fit that description. I only checked native species to North America though. Could be something somebody smuggled in an let loose.

RE: I need help IDENTIFYING this animal ASAP
 

Hoopy:

could it be a fisher? sounds like it fits the description.

RE: I need help IDENTIFYING this animal ASAP
 

No that does not describe a fisher. They also don't congregate like that.

My guess it was a family of foxes, they can sometimes look cat-like if you have the right angle.

If it wasn't that then it was probably an exotic. I would just shoot one and find out.

RE: I need help IDENTIFYING this animal ASAP
 

I want to say an Lynx but its hard to say. I know there is an rather odd looking fox that is in the family tree. My best advice is go or call the wildlife department and maybe find out that way.

RE: I need help IDENTIFYING this animal ASAP
 

There is no lynx in NC. It could have been bobcats, but if it was then that was the largest bobcat group ever seen in history probably. lol!

RE: I need help IDENTIFYING this animal ASAP
 

Couldn't have been bobcats. BOBcats don't have tails, and these did. Man, I would be tempted to bag one of those critters and get some advice. To not be scared of you is too wierd. Most times a horn or barking dogs will run a wild animal off. Hope you don't have any little dogs to go along with your dobermans!

RE: I need help IDENTIFYING this animal ASAP
 

Try this link:

http://www.cfbisd.edu/schools/blk/ac...d%20Panda.html

Does it look like the picture?

Dan O.