Interesting Paw Print Found. Cougar?

[Win1300]

I happened upon this paw print along with others leading away from the guts of my buddies deer we field dressed opening day of shotgun. The prints were found Saturday, my last day out hunting. The guts were long gone by the second weekend of shotgun. The prints had to have been made either the 23rd or 24th. The area where they were found is on an incline and part of a driveway. So when it rains, water floods the area and runs down like a river.

I believe they are cougar prints. Also they were about 20 yards away from our cabin. My property butts up to the Hoosier National Forest and that is the direction it was walking. I know there have been about 230 sightings in Indiana within the last year. Only one confirmed sighting of a cougar.

I'm about 15 min outside of Paoli, IN.

 

[netsecurity]

That is a dog print. Cougars have staggered toes, and retracted claws. Here is a good link:
www.bear-tracker.com/cougar.html
www.bear-tracker.com/caninevsfeline.html

I did some research last year on tracking cougars. I am interested if anyone finds evidence of a cougar in Indiana.

 

[sbcman]

Yeti or possibly snipe.

 

[Bounty Hunter]

Claws would not show just walking.

 

[Win1300]

5 Inch dog paw?! It must be a huge dog then. I don't recall any one near me having any other kind of dogs than coon hounds. Hmm

 

[UncleMike]

Good info on the subject....
ODFW, Living with Wildlife: Cougars

 

[Win1300]

That is a dog print. Cougars have staggered toes, and retracted claws. Here is a good link:
www.bear-tracker.com/cougar.html
www.bear-tracker.com/caninevsfeline.html

I did some research last year on tracking cougars. I am interested if anyone finds evidence of a cougar in Indiana.

Good info on the subject....
ODFW, Living with Wildlife: Cougars

Yes well I guess that solved that. Haha I was kind of hoping to catch one on a trail camera but I guess not!

 

[netsecurity]

It could be a wolf, or a large Labrador. Too big for a coyote though. One interesting thing about the gut pile...

I read somewhere that cougars dispose of the guts because they are sickened by them. Whereas a k9 would chew right into the soft tissue first thing, a large cat will push the guts aside, and drag the carcass behind a log or into some hidden brush to save for later.

 

[hps]

My female shepherd has paws that size.

 

[Marc]

definitely dog but not a small one thats for sure

 

[Zoub]

Yeti or possibly snipe.

Nope, its Bigpaw

 

[hammer24]

That's most definitely a black panther print! NO DOUBT!

 

[eldirector]

For comparison, here is a certified "cougar" print:

 

[Double T]

My golden retriever's prints are just about that size...my BIL/SIL's St Bernard would definitely be that size or larger.

 

[SideArmed]

That is a dog print. Cougars have staggered toes, and retracted claws. Here is a good link:
www.bear-tracker.com/cougar.html
www.bear-tracker.com/caninevsfeline.html

I did some research last year on tracking cougars. I am interested if anyone finds evidence of a cougar in Indiana.

There have been multiple reported sightings in southern Indiana, and one has even been caught on a trail camera a time or two. Not sure if there has been any more recent confirmed sightings, but I seem to remember something from the Lawrence county/Bedford area coming out awhile back.

Greene County Daily World: Local News: Mountain lion: Several more unconfirmed Greene County sightings reported (05/10/10)

 

[Westside]

For comparison, here is a certified "cougar" print:

 

[Westside]

oh and I am voting for chupacobra.

 

[netsecurity]

Greene County Daily World: Local News: Mountain lion: Several more unconfirmed Greene County sightings reported (05/10/10)[/URL]

Excellent photo. That is the clearest possible evidence.

 

[Lonnie]

Dog

 

[Oliver]

Damn, you guys must have some monsters at home. I just checked my 105lb gsd, and he only has roughly 3 1/2-4 inch paws tops.