Whatever

Exactly, I've seen so many different animals by sitting in a climbing tree stand 30 feet off the ground. They never even knew I was around. I was in a small tree one morning, maybe ten feet off the ground and had a buck stop right under me. Only problem was it was still dark, and I could just make out his antlers. I've seen foxes, and I swear one morning during bow season, right before daylight, a really big cat lurking through the woods. Bigger than a bob cat, made the hair stand up on my arms.

 

Morning.

Yeah.

 

@StayinStock , liked your lawn chair fishing story. Once in Colorado, while fishing with my buddies. Nothing was biting and we'd been up all night. So I laid down to take a nap, when they suddenly woke me up, claiming I had a big fish on my line. I started reeling in my line thinking I had a nice fish, but it wasn't fighting very hard. These bone heads, had found a nasty old pair of mens tighty whitey's laying around and had hooked them on my line and threw it back into the lake. When I finally reeled them in, everyone around had a good laugh, me I felt like a smuck.

 

Mississippi. He was dead floating in the reservoir. I pulled him in with a lure. Later that same day, a little bit bigger one stole my brand new Hulapopper.

 

I know right? We water skied with gators all over in the bayous of La. Only time to worry is when momma has babies.
Morning inmates.

 

#295798

 

#165106 upper right, lol.

 

#298734

 

That's what I feel like when I first open my front door in the morning. Sun's shining right in my face. I feel like a vampire that's outside his element.

 

Where’s my damn decoder ring...
Morning Ray Jack.

 

I get you creed!

 

https://www.colorhexa.com/295798

 

inmate#

 

inmate @UOFan

 

Morning all. Checking in with proof i'm no robot, and some random pictures for no reason:

 

Yep!
we're all inmates.

 

Story time.

You know, a friend of mine, who is the most truthful guy I know, told me something similar.
A big cat, but not enough light to make out the markings.
I believe him. He's a highly experienced hunter.
Which begs the question...
What was it, exactly?

Was it an (illegal, unlicensed) exotic big cat "pet" that some asshole let loose when he discovered he got more than he bargained for?
It's happened before.
But the truth always comes out eventually when it can't fend for itself and it becomes a nuisance, if not a danger.

Or was it a Mountain Lion?

I'm old enough to remember some times that the PA Game Commission and wildlife biologists got things hilariously wrong.

One time my Dad was reading the little magazine PA Game News, put out by the Game Commission.
An item or comment said that turkeys were totally extirpated in PA during the Great Depression by subsistence hunters.

My Dad snorted.
"Oh, they're way back in the most remote hollows and they've gotten really shy. But they're there.
And during the War they were pretty much undisturbed. They'll be back."

The Game Commission eventually realized this.
For all the Commission's efforts at reintroduction, it was those remnant flocks of wild turkeys that repopulated the state.
Now they're everywhere.

Or the time a Game Commission guy gave a talk at the Club 20 years ago.
He was asked about Black Bears.
"Oh, there are no bears in Michaux State Forest or anywhere near here."
The audience (of hunters, some of them poachers) knew better.
Hell, I knew better. I hadn't seen one myself, but I'd seen unmistakable sign.
Within a couple years, people were taking pics of them in their backyards and sending them to the local paper.

Leaving the PA Game Commission out of it...
For a long time it was an article of faith that Mountain Lions were totally extirpated east of the Rockies.
Then Lo and Behold, it turns out there were Florida Panthers in the Everglades.

Just saying...I dunno.
But there are some very remote and rough places in the Appalachians.
And I mean rough.

Oh, and there have been occasional so called "sightings" for many, many years.
The vast majority being hoaxes, no doubt about it.
So no one ever believes it and won't until somebody shoots one.
If there are any...

 

#80791

 

Mid to late 80's for me, but yes!