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Big cats in Gloucestershire


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Did any of my fellow westcountry pigeonwatchers see the 'Points West' news at 1830 last night? The Gloucestershire wildlife liasion officer publically admitting that there were "at least two" big cats, believed to be pumas, living in an area of woodland near Stroud.

 

Now I know there has been lots of debate as to wether big cats are alive in the coutryside or not & my personal view is that there could be and there probably is. What I was shocked by is the fact that a serving police officer (in uniform) confirmed it on TV.

 

I've searched for a link on the BBC site but couldn't find one, can someone else confirm that the red wine didn't go straight to my head? ;)

 

cheers,

 

Ian

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Your topic really interested me 16 bore, since I live very close to Stroud.

 

Some of the dense wooded valleys around here could quite easily home a puma and I remember an occassion some years ago when they were being indescriminately released by owners after new regulations came into force.

 

As God is my Judge one late night just outside Cirencester on the Bathurst estate I and 2 others witnessed a large cat race across the road in pursuit of a munty. We were gobsmacked at the time but the sighting was also confirmed by another shooting friend.

 

Myself and another guy were out lamping a couple of years ago and my cocker who as an incredible nose was going absolutely crazy running around an old oak tree. he has a passion for squirrels ( ripping them up!) so we thought its was that but we were both amazed when my friends lamp picked out a pair of green eyes about 20 feet up and I recognised the beast as a North American Lynx.

 

I was on the phone to a mate at the Burford Wildlife Park the next day to see if they had an escapee but this was not the case.

 

I have heard of many reports in the area over the last few years and to be honest I dont think that they are all bogus. Some of the dense woodland around here could easily hide a cat. A friend of my fathers confronted a big cat only last year while out walking his dog and he is not the sort to tell a porky !

 

I used to go lamping with just the lr but one of us carries a 12 G now with 40g ssg....... just in case. ;)

 

FM

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I was interested for the same reasons as I'm the other side of Stroud to you, just below Coaley peak. I'm wondering what's next, Boar in the Forest of Dean and as far as Over (just outside Gloucester itself for anyone who doesn't know the area) Now the police confirming big cats.

 

And there was a Wolf on Dartmoor this morning..........................

 

Ian

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http://search.bbc.co.uk/cgi-bin/search/res...p;Search=Search

 

On that link there is a video with a lad, on his own hunting a big cat! He has no gun, just a night vision cam and some bait! What makes me laugh, is he reckon's it has stalked him and he is going out at night to look for it. What is he planning on doing when he finds it! and if the cat is none to happy and goes for him? Hardly got a 12g full of 36g carts...just a trusty lump of raw meat and night vision cam. I hope he doesn't find it I really do.

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Did any of my fellow westcountry pigeonwatchers see the 'Points West' news at 1830 last night? The Gloucestershire wildlife liasion officer publically admitting that there were "at least two" big cats, believed to be pumas, living in an area of woodland near Stroud.

 

Now I know there has been lots of debate as to wether big cats are alive in the coutryside or not & my personal view is that there could be and there probably is. What I was shocked by is the fact that a serving police officer (in uniform) confirmed it on TV.

 

I've searched for a link on the BBC site but couldn't find one, can someone else confirm that the red wine didn't go straight to my head? :/

 

cheers,

 

Ian

**** ;)

 

This is a topic that interests me greatly and your telling me I missed it on points west. :lol:

 

I think they are out there and I want (I think :D ) to see one. :lol: Preferably with 12 bore in hand and copious amounts of BB cartridges in the other just incase. :lol:

 

FM :)

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FM,

 

I'd love to see one as well, not sure I'd want to shoot one though, I've heard too many horror stories about what happens if you don't get it right first time !!!!! Until they start eating people or eating too much stock then I don't have a problem sharing the woods with them. I understand the danger comes for old or injured cats as they will find the old woman down the road and her 15 year old three legged poodle a lot easier to catch !!!!! ;):D

 

There is a local bloke called Frank Tunbridge who calls himself an "expert" on big cats and has collected loads of evidence but was discredited on a tv programme produced for the discovery channel I think, where they brought a Canadian fur trapper over to look for big cats in the UK. All the pictures that he was producing the fur trapper was just flicking through them saying "dog, dog, dog, dog"

 

NTTF, love to if there were any available !!!!! Shame that Tony B-liar got there first................... Suprised that, as far as I know, neither of the local fox hound packs have put anything up.

 

Got an offer of going out Fallow stalking the other week slightly further down the M5, not so sure about going now.........

 

Ian

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FM,

 

I'd love to see one as well, not sure I'd want to shoot one though, I've heard too many horror stories about what happens if you don't get it right first time !!!!! Until they start eating people or eating too much stock then I don't have a problem sharing the woods with them. I understand the danger comes for old or injured cats as they will find the old woman down the road and her 15 year old three legged poodle a lot easier to catch !!!!! ;):D

 

There is a local bloke called Frank Tunbridge who calls himself an "expert" on big cats and has collected loads of evidence but was discredited on a tv programme produced for the discovery channel I think, where they brought a Canadian fur trapper over to look for big cats in the UK. All the pictures that he was producing the fur trapper was just flicking through them saying "dog, dog, dog, dog"

 

NTTF, love to if there were any available !!!!! Shame that Tony B-liar got there first................... Suprised that, as far as I know, neither of the local fox hound packs have put anything up.

 

Got an offer of going out Fallow stalking the other week slightly further down the M5, not so sure about going now.........

 

Ian

 

I watched that discovery channel programme.

 

FM :lol:

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NTTF, love to if there were any available !!!!! Shame that Tony B-liar got there first................... Suprised that, as far as I know, neither of the local fox hound packs have put anything up.

 

Ian

 

Ian Your local pack will not tree a cat or allow the pack followers to see it. I have ran trap lines, hunted and fished in prime cat territory and only ever seen one cat sitting, and that was a lynx with 2 kittens.

 

Cats are very solitary animals and unless they have gotten into the habit of taking livestock or hunting pets you are very lucky to see one. When a hound pack heads out the hounds make noise, the horses make noise, the Huntsman makes noise, and the followers make noise. With all this noise the cat has moved out of the area long before anyone is near there, and they do this very quietly and usually with great stealth. And a Fox Hound is not trained to check on cat scent, they are trained to ignor everything but fox scent.

 

Cats will bay or tree when they are either tired or have ran out of room to run.

 

http://forums.pigeonwatch.co.uk/forums/ind...2&hl=hounds

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Myself and another guy were out lamping a couple of years ago and my cocker who as an incredible nose was going absolutely crazy running around an old oak tree. he has a passion for squirrels ( ripping them up!) so we thought its was that but we were both amazed when my friends lamp picked out a pair of green eyes about 20 feet up and I recognised the beast as a North American Lynx.

 

FM

 

 

I would love to meet one when I am out lamping with the .243, I would have one of the smartest fur rugs in Norfolk ;):D:lol:

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