Really not sure what to think about this . . .

[Ideation 8,216]

Now, i know i'm going to get a lot of flak for this, but i just had to put it up, to see the responses.

 

Firstly i will say, i am still undecided. . . . but anyway . . . . . here goes.

 

I live out in the sticks, just a lot of forest, woodland, and rolling hills and fields, not a whole lot of folk around. There are mostly farms surrounding. There is a small farm down the road, that has some sheep, a lot of different poultry, few cows, horses etc.

 

They had a lot of losses of birds, which we put down to a fox. There have also been loses right up and down the valley, probably running into a couple of hundred birds all told, from bantams, up to full grown geese, some of it, definatly the work of a fox.

 

Anyway, this one small farm has been hit badly, but then they locked all of the birds away, and next thing, they are still losing birds, only the runs are getting ripped into, mess split open, wood smashed in etc, lots of birds killed, and dissapeared.

 

The bloke seen some funny tracks and some funny looking shit, and decided to get an expert in, i think from some university or the government or something. Any way, the guys opinion was that it was a big cat, to be precise, a kind of cougar, mountain lion type.

 

So the first i heard of it, was when the farmer turned up on my doorstep, warning me to be careful in the woods, as they thought there was a cat about, he also went round the cuple of other farms in the area, warning them.

 

Obviously i was a little amused and surprised, as i didnt believe it, but the guy was convinced, and he doesnt really drink, or take drugs and is a pretty laid back farmer, rather than some city reject moved out here.

 

Anyway, they had a load of big traps put around etc, and despite seeing trackls around them and more shit, trapped nothing.

 

Didn't really think about it until last night, when the farmer was hammering on my door, really shaken up, proper freaked out.

 

He said, he had been out doing the animals, and had heard a lot of commotion coming from one of the chicken pens, he walked to the gateway to have a look what was going on, and there was a big, brown cat, stood, with front paws up on the mesh, looking in at the birds, he then watched it rip open the mesh with its claws, and all of the birds obviously spilt out. He said at this point he shouted at it, and it turned and just looked at him, then after a bit of a pause, swattd a chicken, grabbed it in it's mouth and walked across the field, and jumped the fence into the woods, he said he was probably about 50 meters from it, maybe more, and it had no fear of him etc.

 

Now, he was REALLY shaken up, and seemed very very genuine, and isnt someone who has ever had a tall tale, or wierd thing to say, just a normal, run of the mill farmer, who has been a farmer all his life, and is probably in his 50's, so too young to be losing it.

 

Now, i'm pretty much refusing to believe it, but can't think why he would make up a total lie (cant be a mistaken identity), then come and disturb his neighbours and lie to their faces, for no gain whatsoever, when he is a normal, sensible bloke, who knows the countryside.

 

It really has got me stumped!

[asanley 1,009]

The only iffy part I can see is that the university guy seems to have put it into his head that there was a big cat about , but if he seems genuine and sensible to you , why wouldn,t you believe him ??

[johnny boy68 11,726]

Come and pick me up tonight mate we'll go have a shine.

 

Them mountain lions ain't so tough mate, we'll bait him with the whippet then unleash the bull x !!

 

[Born Hunter 17,775]

I wouldn't put much faith in Britains government experts on such things. A north american cat trapping expert is what is really needed in this country. As for the farmer, obviously it's impossible to say but eye witnesses are often mistaken. If there is a big cat knocking about causing that amount of damage then it won't be long untill it is shot, especially with the harvest starting, lampers will be out in force.

 

Keep a 12 bore handy! lol.

[forest of dean redneck 11,621]

I wouldn't put much faith in Britains government experts on such things. A north american cat trapping expert is what is really needed in this country. As for the farmer, obviously it's impossible to say but eye witnesses are often mistaken. If there is a big cat knocking about causing that amount of damage then it won't be long untill it is shot, especially with the harvest starting, lampers will be out in force.

 

Keep a 12 bore handy! lol.

They had a tv program on it ,a Canadian fella come over and said all danny ninehams photos are dog kills.

 

[alimac 882]

Jonny boy its getting to eat chickens & geese so there's no need to go and feed it your bull x too...

[martin 332]

Jonny boy its getting to eat chickens & geese so there's no need to go and feed it your bull x too...

 

[paulus 26]

why only birds not sheep,dogs,cats pigletts and so forth a cat the size of a couger is more than capable unless its a bird expert like the ocelot

[johnny boy68 11,726]

Jonny boy its getting to eat chickens & geese so there's no need to go and feed it your bull x too...

Wasn't planning on using mine, stabba was bringing his 100%er down mun.

[Lab 10,979]

I think whats making it difficult its someone you probably trust thats told you. If it was some pissed c**t coming back from the pub then you could just dismiss it. I'll bet he has seen a big cat but thats exactly what it will be.....a big feral cat getting bigger on easy chickens. Maybe the bit where it ripped through the netting is a little far fetched......is he sleeping alright at night do you know....

[mickmck 716]

if there was big cats about im sure they would be a lot more reported siteings , i mean the chances of somone coming accross a big cat while out lamping or mooching at night would be pretty high i would have thought ?????

[stewie 3,387]

maybe a lynx???

[scothunter 12,609]

Maybe a bad trip lol

[mushroom 13,048]

Is there a lot of wombles your way?? I hear they can be pretty nasty

[undisputed 1,664]

Now, i know i'm going to get a lot of flak for this, but i just had to put it up, to see the responses.

 

Firstly i will say, i am still undecided. . . . but anyway . . . . . here goes.

 

I live out in the sticks, just a lot of forest, woodland, and rolling hills and fields, not a whole lot of folk around. There are mostly farms surrounding. There is a small farm down the road, that has some sheep, a lot of different poultry, few cows, horses etc.

 

They had a lot of losses of birds, which we put down to a fox. There have also been loses right up and down the valley, probably running into a couple of hundred birds all told, from bantams, up to full grown geese, some of it, definatly the work of a fox.

 

Anyway, this one small farm has been hit badly, but then they locked all of the birds away, and next thing, they are still losing birds, only the runs are getting ripped into, mess split open, wood smashed in etc, lots of birds killed, and dissapeared.

 

The bloke seen some funny tracks and some funny looking shit, and decided to get an expert in, i think from some university or the government or something. Any way, the guys opinion was that it was a big cat, to be precise, a kind of cougar, mountain lion type.

 

So the first i heard of it, was when the farmer turned up on my doorstep, warning me to be careful in the woods, as they thought there was a cat about, he also went round the cuple of other farms in the area, warning them.

 

Obviously i was a little amused and surprised, as i didnt believe it, but the guy was convinced, and he doesnt really drink, or take drugs and is a pretty laid back farmer, rather than some city reject moved out here.

 

Anyway, they had a load of big traps put around etc, and despite seeing trackls around them and more shit, trapped nothing.

 

Didn't really think about it until last night, when the farmer was hammering on my door, really shaken up, proper freaked out.

 

He said, he had been out doing the animals, and had heard a lot of commotion coming from one of the chicken pens, he walked to the gateway to have a look what was going on, and there was a big, brown cat, stood, with front paws up on the mesh, looking in at the birds, he then watched it rip open the mesh with its claws, and all of the birds obviously spilt out. He said at this point he shouted at it, and it turned and just looked at him, then after a bit of a pause, swattd a chicken, grabbed it in it's mouth and walked across the field, and jumped the fence into the woods, he said he was probably about 50 meters from it, maybe more, and it had no fear of him etc.

 

Now, he was REALLY shaken up, and seemed very very genuine, and isnt someone who has ever had a tall tale, or wierd thing to say, just a normal, run of the mill farmer, who has been a farmer all his life, and is probably in his 50's, so too young to be losing it.

 

Now, i'm pretty much refusing to believe it, but can't think why he would make up a total lie (cant be a mistaken identity), then come and disturb his neighbours and lie to their faces, for no gain whatsoever, when he is a normal, sensible bloke, who knows the countryside.

 

It really has got me stumped!

 

I never understand why these folk who claim to see big cats don't set up a cctv at the pen which would confirm without doubt what the culprit was...probably be worth a bit of money too.