BIG CATS

[dogs-n-natives 1,182]

I still dont understand how these cats can move around so undetected. Every day I go about my daily work, and im constantly looking for signs of animals, being a pest controller and former keeper. Over the years I have become more adept at spotting the smallest of signs, especially those of predators, but although there was obviously a large cat on my ground, I couldnt find any droppings, tracks, kills or anything else. Its so frustrating!

[Guest manda]

You never see anything when your looking, ive noticed that lol

[Ballybricken 1]

Aye that clouded leopard lived for 9 month of bunnies, a few sheep and the odd deer if i remember rightly. And i wouldn't have thought that Lynx would find it too hard to adapt to living on our isle's quite contently being that they we're still roaming the place less then 600 years ago. However I personally still feel 97.5% of sightings are kellas cats. There is no doubt that there was Pumas,Lynx etc knocking about in the 70's and 's after the Dangerous Wild Animals act 1976 when many were released, however most if not all of these will now surely be dead by now ( not many remains have been found though.) I'm not dismissing the fact that they could have bred but at the same time I find it fairly doubtful. Now there is bound to be the odd escapee on the loose for a while time to time but most of these are recaptured or shot dead. Many without being reported no doubt , as too keep 'big game hunters' and the local chav patrol with there poorly bred staffies and malnurished bullx's out of the picture. After reading a fair bit into it these past few nights my reckoning is there are large cats roaming around the countryside but most of these are the kellas cat and other hybrids, swamp,leopard cat etc.

[Guest Ditch_Shitter]

"The Aldrich Spring Activated snare" I've never seen one so don't have a clue how big an animal it can cope with. It is approved for use in this country for use against "large,non-indiginous carnivores" .Is it just for escaped zoo and circus animals or does the Government know something we don't ?

 

 

 

The Aldrich Spring Activated Foot Snare was licensed , in uk, for the taking of " Large, Nonindigenous Carnivours ". The stuff at about 'escaped circus acts' is a laughable smoke screen, dreamed up by DEFRA to cover their embarressment at people like me ringing them up and wrong footing their people.

 

The man soley responsible for its licensing and entrusted by the govt. with its deployment was Quentin Rose. Quentin was asked, " But doesn't it hurt, when that noose lashes round their leg? ". To which he looked the querant in the eyes and thrust his own hand down onto the pan. Thus firing the snare onto his own wrist. " No. " He said. " It doesn't hurt at all. "

 

Quentin was the Men in Blacks Man in Black. When ever DEFRA had a flap on, they'd call Q. He'd come out and expertly assess the situation and do what ever needed to be done. He was an experienced handler of Big Cats and a highly expert Trapper - having learned much from the Canadian Indian tribe with whom he went to live and learn from.

 

Sadly, we lost him some few years ago now. I do communicate with his Father though. And it was through him that I came to be in posession, as a bequeathal, of Quentins own Aldrich Foot Snares. Including the actual snare itself with which he recaptured an escaped Lynx. (The government being the bare faced liars in all respects pertaining to these matters that they are; It has always been put out that " A Vet " took care of that Lynx. Better tell the public about tranquilliser dart guns than quiet men and strange traps).

 

Be extra special nice to me and I may find it in myself to go dig out Quentins personal Aldrich's and show ye all.

 

They came in three or four powers / sizes of spring, by the way. According to size and snare used, they are capable of taking house cat to Polar Bear. All perfectly unharmed, of course.

 

 

 

I still dont understand how these cats can move around so undetected. Although there was obviously a large cat on my ground, I couldnt find any droppings, tracks, kills or anything else. Its so frustrating!

 

 

 

As I mentioned somewhere above. Leopard seen in a city in India. Traps set and they caught a whole load of the bloody things. We're not dealing with Vulpes here. Even the undisputably being there Scottish Wildcat has Always been historically recorded as being the very devil to come up with. The things caught by Gamekeepers today and most likely diluted genetic stock, interbred with feral moggies and thus losing a good degree of their natural sneakyness.

 

 

 

my reckoning is there are large cats roaming around the countryside but most of these are the kellas cat and other hybrids, swamp,leopard cat etc.

 

 

 

The fault in that assertion is that the " Kellas Cat " is largely accepted, by science, to be a cross bred 'Domestic' / Wildcat. So, to get those nationwide we would need an available pool of Scottish Wildcats, nationwide, to help progenate the cross.

 

 

Anyway, must feed the barkers. Damndest thing is though; I've just come in from an afternoon out with the rifle. I was wandering back along the road up there and scanning the fields below. Suddenly, a fox - No! It must be a Pine 130 yards? It was definately solid black. But that must have been the sun ..... which was Behind me?!

 

Then, as I stood watching, just considering the lay of this patch of ground down there. The long, deep ditch to the lake running away from it; OUT he f*cking jumped! Black cat! Not a kitten by any stretch of the imagination. But JUST a Cat.

 

I must extend my enquiries. I took out a jet black feral just behind my cottage. Now we have a jet black down on the bog? I wonder if the b*stards are breeding out there?

 

Funny. I'm a Pest Controller and spend a Lot of time searching for sighns of activity around my area. I've never yet come across and sign of cats. Droppings, tracks, kills or anything. Yet I've seen two and killed one .....

[Ballybricken 1]

Very good point there DS .. going to take the dogs out and do some shopping which gives me time to ponder the fact that the wildcat isnt really ratching around the 'Wolds and such and come up with another theory lol.

[Guest Ditch_Shitter]

I never said there won't necessarily be Jungle Cats and such though, did I?

[dogs-n-natives 1,182]

I still dont understand how these cats can move around so undetected. Although there was obviously a large cat on my ground, I couldnt find any droppings, tracks, kills or anything else. Its so frustrating!

 

 

 

As I mentioned somewhere above. Leopard seen in a city in India. Traps set and they caught a whole load of the bloody things. We're not dealing with Vulpes here. Even the undisputably being there Scottish Wildcat has Always been historically recorded as being the very devil to come up with. The things caught by Gamekeepers today and most likely diluted genetic stock, interbred with feral moggies and thus losing a good degree of their natural sneakyness.

 

 

 

 

I worked in invernesshire for two years, where I found plenty of signs of wildcats and also saw one one the lamp. Down here I have to deal with numerous ferals each year, which I have no problem finding.

I dont think a cross would be anywhere near as big as the black one I saw.

What about scent attractants? Can you buy a scent that would attract in these cats? Pheromones for instance. But I suppose the exact breed would be needed to get the right one.

[Guest Ditch_Shitter]

Can you buy a scent that would attract in these cats? Pheromones for instance. But I suppose the exact breed would be needed to get the right one.

 

 

Now That's an excellent point! I Don't Know!

 

Simple fact is; Yeppers. Ye can most definately buy 'Scent Lure' for 'Cats'. Many American sites will offer ye Lynx / Bobcat lure. But would that shit entice a Tiger? I really have no idea.

 

I imagine it's largely made up of Lynx glands? Therefore it should certainly attract a Lynx. No? But, would Tiger scent attract a Lynx, or scare the living shit out of it? Honest and open question.

 

On that basis; Would a Lynx shy from a Cougar? Would a Cougar have any interest in a Lynx beyond a ready meal? Would an african Leopard have Any genetic response to a North American scent??? I've never even considered all this before. Thanks for bringing it out

 

 

Fact is; That top flight Canadian Trapper they fetched in was using Lynx Lure. He was undisputedly great at catching Lynxes. But now throw that against the above and see if ye can feel so certain he had a hope in hell of catching what ever might have been out there

 

Meaty!

[stoaty 171]

hi all

Ditchy a few good reads out there ones i have got hold of are Cat Country The Quest For The British Big Cat by Di Francis, Mystery Big Cats by Merrily Harpur both cracking reads and theres also the big cats in britain year books 2006 and 2007

all the best Stoaty

[dogs-n-natives 1,182]

Any luck with the scent lures Ditch? I have found companies in USA that do lures for bobcat and cougar, but like you say, would these work on whatevers out here??

[Guest manda]

You can but catnip spray at the pound shop its suppose to entise domestic cats, you never know. spend a quid and have a population of BIG cats in ya back garden lol

[Guest Ditch_Shitter]

hi all

Ditchy a few good reads out there ones i have got hold of are Cat Country The Quest For The British Big Cat by Di Francis, Mystery Big Cats by Merrily Harpur both cracking reads and theres also the big cats in britain year books 2006 and 2007

all the best Stoaty

 

 

Stoaty; I read the Di Francis book. I was dissapointed. When I heard from people who had met her? I realised why. I imagine her and Plummer could have made one hell of a team

 

Sadly, I've also shot my personal - Huge - holes in the majority of individuals, sites and sundry sources of " Expertise " out there. (Yes: I'm an absolute b*stard to satisfiy!)

 

Most enjoyable source of discussion I ever came across was a site formerly known as " Scottish Big Cats ". They'd had problems with 'The Head Case From Hull' - several here will know who I'm talking about, eh; S - and so changed their title. The head case, last I knew, had ran off with the original name and, again, last I heard, was swearing blind that squirrel tracks around a garden Bird Feeder were sure fire evidence of " Big Cats " in Scotland.

 

But the site I followed at least had leading members with Doctorates and other demonstrable signs of personal synaptic activity. Sign painted van ownership, paid memberships, years of keeping pet Bobcats, sheep or birds, book authorship, what ever; None of that interests me as much as a more detatched, open minded point of view.

 

My own personal approach is Always to face the initial hypothesis with the simple questions: Why suppose it Is a Cat? And; Are the other possibilities exhausted? That's when I start sitting up and listening. Having listened, I may quietly take what I'm hearing to impartial, Real experts world wide.

 

I've personally found that a polite, " Excuse me ....? " to someone with day to day, hands on experience of the subject matter is more rewarding than fuelling or attempting to debate with 'Screen Gazers' of either persuasion. Otherwise, ye'd might as well enter Any Forum and say: " I have a pain in my side. What is it? "

 

 

Any luck with the scent lures Ditch? I have found companies in USA that do lures for bobcat and cougar, but like you say, would these work on whatevers out here??

 

 

Any luck? Forgive me, mate. I wasn't looking. I was just making an objective suggestion there.

 

I have no compelling reason to believe we have Cats in Co. Leitrim. If I did, I've no reason to target them. This whole subject is really only of accademic interest to me.

 

 

Anyway; May I please take this oppertunity to remend everybody that this is Not my Thread. I am Not any kind of 'Expert' in these matters. My opinions are Not more valid than the next persons. Maybe I'm just more interested and take more time to read and reply on the subject? I don't want to dominate it. It's just a discussion that interests me

[J Darcy 5,871]

hi all

Ditchy a few good reads out there ones i have got hold of are Cat Country The Quest For The British Big Cat by Di Francis, Mystery Big Cats by Merrily Harpur both cracking reads and theres also the big cats in britain year books 2006 and 2007

all the best Stoaty

Di Francis...top read

[Simoman 110]

[quote name='Ditch_Shitter' date='Apr 16 2008, 09:48 PM' post='497183'

They'd had problems with 'The Head Case From Hull' - several here will know who I'm talking about, eh; S -

 

Aye Ditch I know who you mean

[dogs-n-natives 1,182]

quote]

 

 

Any luck? Forgive me, mate. I wasn't looking. I was just making an objective suggestion there.

 

I have no compelling reason to believe we have Cats in Co. Leitrim. If I did, I've no reason to target them. This whole subject is really only of accademic interest to me.

 

 

Anyway; May I please take this oppertunity to remend everybody that this is Not my Thread. I am Not any kind of 'Expert' in these matters. My opinions are Not more valid than the next persons. Maybe I'm just more interested and take more time to read and reply on the subject? I don't want to dominate it. It's just a discussion that interests me

No probs mate.......soz.

I know what you mean. Well thanks for your in- put anyway, as I to, no very little about the subject, but am keen to learn more.

 

Any body out there(USA, AFRICA perhaps) with experience using scent lures? Any advice, tips on use would be of interest.