anyone here get a predator they cant identify?

[matimeo]

I second the motion that it was a chupacabra. That's what it is in every grainy cell phone video on Youtube of a mangy dog.

 

[Debbi]

Well, you can laugh if you want, but are there any exotic animal farms/preserves near to your friend's place?? Here in Missouri, they get in rare animals to use in private hunting preserves. Most of these idiots go broke within a few years, and instead of selling or disposing of these animals properly, they turn them loose! About 10 years ago, I had a lion/tiger type animal run me, a friend, and my son in the house with a huge roar. Thinking it was probably a bear, I went out with a 12 ga. to fire a round in the air to run it off. Instead, it roared again, then paced our fence line in the woods (never did see it), for at least two hours, huffing and snorting! Called the Game Warden, but by the time he got out here, whatever it was, was gone. He thought bear too, but when I told him what it sounded like, and that a shot did not scare it off, he told me of these farms, and all of the strange animals that were showing up at the local taxidermists! There were 3 of these farms in my immediate area. Ggggrrrreeeaaattt! About a week later, I came home to find a set of LARGE catlike tracks in my driveway, about 15 feet from my front door. I've hunted these woods for the last 20 years, and NEVER heard that noise before. It sounded like an African lion roaring! It has not been back, thank God, but who knows what may still be out there? My son also told me he saw two men taking a large dog crate out of the back of a pickup near our house, and he said what jumped out and ran, looked to him like a hyena. I laughed at him first, but when we looked on the net, he pointed out what he saw. Said it went running and yipping towards the woods and bluff across the road. So, who knows what may have gotten your friend's horse. If it was clawed it was a big cat of some kind. Find out if there are any animal preserves around that may have lost some of their animals. Also, you may want to call the Conservation Dept. or Fish & Game in your area. If it is a legal game preserve, they have to have a license. If illegal, good luck!

 

[MMPoultryFarms]

Quote:
x2

 

[sred98]

We have exotic animal preserves and people that raise them for the hunts, also. I came face to face with one that had grabbed a guinea. I still don't know what it was. It was about 10 yards from me (SUPER CLOSE!!!) and didn't care that I was there. Just walked right by like it had every right. It was about the size of a boxer, but a cat and RED! with no spots and a short tail. Very lanky, not stocky like a bobcat. Our FFA instructor is certain that it was a mountain lion with a chopped off tail, but I'm not so sure.


All I know is that you don't go out at night without a gun...adults, kids, whatever. We moved out here and the boys wanted to camp out in tents...forget it!


Shelly

 

[Dutchess]

Just this morning on my way to work in a very rural area, I saw a coyote that looked like a hyena! This is the second one I've seen, one in Eliot Maine, the other in So.Berwick, Me. The first one was identical to the last, the fur was mangey and it had rounded ears with a "brindle" patterned fur. Very different from others I've seen in the area. I was surprised to read this thread after just seeing them! What is going on in the states here! And, I don't know of any exotic animals in the area.

 

[Debbi]

Quote:
I was only aware of one nine miles to the north of me. The Game Warden pointed out that there were TWO more less than 2 miles from my house! Who knew?? The hyena? my son saw was healthy, with sleek spotted/striped fur. He described the body shape as "like a triangle". Doesn't sound like a coyote to me, and why would anyone release a sick coyote out here? They wouldn't, they'd just shoot it. There's a bunch of crazy stuff going on around here these days for sure!

 

[NYboy]

People with more money then brains get exotics for pets. When they realize they don't make good pets, they turn them loose.

 

[theFox]

NYboy,

It is even worse than that people claiming not to be able to afford the required licenses set up facilities and beg the public for money to feed their animals a case in point the next town over from me:

http://www.pressherald.com/news/sanctuary-has-heart-no-permits_2010-10-13.html

as a result of that story we now have:

http://www.pressherald.com/news/Wardens-to-investigate-unlicensed-wolf-sanctuary.html

Me thinks there is a lot of this going on. It is a very quick way to spread animals into new areas.

ETA: The "sanctuary's" website is here: http://www.rwws.org/

 

[Debbi]

Yup. So far in the last 15 years, I've seen the following first hand here. None of these were native to the area for decades!

Ring Neck Pheasants

Black Bears

Timber Rattle Snakes

Black Russian Hogs (that interbreed with our already nasty tempered feral hogs!)

Elk

Red Wolf

And though I never saw it, what ever that BIG CAT was that left prints in my driveway and scared the bejesus out of us! Thanks exotic pet people!