Need help IDing strange critter in the lower Appalacian foothills

reply to post by LadyGreenEyes


also you cant rule out the possibility of an escaped exotic animal that someone was keeping as a pet that got loose and never returned. I believe this actually happens quite a bit. espescially in temperate areas where its easy for an escaped animal to survive in the wild unattended by its former "masters"

reply to post by TheRedneck


4.5 feet is pretty big. My first thought would be wolverine or badger but If they aren't in your neck of the woods I guess not. So I gather from the other posts it had deer like legs ?? That's really bizarre I can't say I even know anything that looks like that in North America that would kill critters and leave them out like that. I'd be really interested to see some tracks if you can get a picture. Cougars take their kills, badgers/wolverines do the same and nearly eat every part of wHat they kill most of the time unless its a territorial kill. Just like weasels and fishers they will kill a whole roost of chickens just because. Keep me up dated I've been checking back on my phone to see if you've gotten any leads.

Stay safe,

Jinx

Update:

Apparently there have been previous sightings of the same critter, all having been attributed to other types of animals. All are similar in size, color, build, and action, and have occurred along the same track. This is just the first time anyone has seriously considered what it might be.

My son has a friend who has a trail camera and who has agreed to let us use it for a little while. If it's a regular trail, a trail camera should get some video.

If we do, I will make it available.

TheRedneck

Originally posted by Latrodectus
reply to post by LadyGreenEyes

 

also you cant rule out the possibility of an escaped exotic animal that someone was keeping as a pet that got loose and never returned. I believe this actually happens quite a bit. espescially in temperate areas where its easy for an escaped animal to survive in the wild unattended by its former "masters"

Very possible! I would not rule out some previously unknown "to mainstream science" animal, either, or even some genetically engineered thing. I suspect the latter was responsible for the original chupacabra reports in Puerto Rico.

Originally posted by TheRedneck
Update:

Apparently there have been previous sightings of the same critter, all having been attributed to other types of animals. All are similar in size, color, build, and action, and have occurred along the same track. This is just the first time anyone has seriously considered what it might be.

My son has a friend who has a trail camera and who has agreed to let us use it for a little while. If it's a regular trail, a trail camera should get some video.

If we do, I will make it available.

TheRedneck

So, even with the black deer possibility, you aren't sure? If I read correctly, it's the way this thing simply stood and stared that makes you wonder?

If that's the case, what was the distance from her to the animal? Is it possible she was simply far enough away that a deer wouldn't be spooked? That, I could see. However, that said, the dogs would NOT be afraid of a deer, I wouldn't think. I would guess that deer are plentiful there, and not something that would spook even skittish dogs. Now, there is still the other matter, of the strange car, and the animals. The arrangement seems peculiar, but a big cat couldn't be totally ruled out, if one was behaving as house cats do. I don't know of they do that or not. I could see a house cat leaving a collection of dead things for someone. A big cat? That would be wild! I would not overlook the possibility, though. Large black cats are not uncommon sightings, all over the country. When F&G types don't acknowledge that cougars are in many places locals know they are, I could see them pretending something else wasn't there as well, say, black jaguars. There is NO reason they could not be. They are known to come on black, and that color would make them even harder to spot than the standard coloration, which blends in very well! When I lived in San Antonio, the Witte Museum had this room-sized walk-through diorama of local wildlife, with taxidermy animals concealed here and there, as they would be in the wild. The jaguar was VERY tough to spot, and most going through would have been prey, had it been a live cat willing to hunt people. That included myself. Black ones could easily account for the ABC reports from across North America. One would certainly spook even a tough dog, too! Rightly so! No dog is a match for even a cougar, much less something larger and stronger.

In any case, with a possible person lurking about, and a possible dangerous animal, please, all of you, be safe! Keep us posted.

reply to post by LadyGreenEyes

Not 100% sure, no.

Besides, there's no harm in borrowing a camera to take video of anything that walks by. We'll probably get plenty of shots of deer, a few of the local dogs, and maybe nothing else... but maybe something else. Only one way to be sure, and my family lives here.

I don't think it was a cat. She said it wasn't a cat and that it didn't move like a cat. But I'm not ruling anything out. She was a little distance away, but close enough to see it pretty well, as big as she said it was. Plenty close enough to spook a deer.

Camera should be here tomorrow night if the guy remembers to bring it.

TheRedneck

Originally posted by TheRedneck
reply to post by LadyGreenEyes

Not 100% sure, no.

Besides, there's no harm in borrowing a camera to take video of anything that walks by. We'll probably get plenty of shots of deer, a few of the local dogs, and maybe nothing else... but maybe something else. Only one way to be sure, and my family lives here.

I don't think it was a cat. She said it wasn't a cat and that it didn't move like a cat. But I'm not ruling anything out. She was a little distance away, but close enough to see it pretty well, as big as she said it was. Plenty close enough to spook a deer.

Camera should be here tomorrow night if the guy remembers to bring it.

TheRedneck

I completely agree! The deer pics alone would be nice to have. Some night, I want to take my video cam up to a lake around here, and see what I can catch that way. Just never seem to have the time or weather for it. Plus, if there is something dangerous, you want to know.

Well, it doesn't sound like a cat. Funny thing; I had a dream about your mystery critter. First, it looked like a bear, that was trying to eat another bear, but then I could tell it wasn't actually a bear, but something a little different. Not sure HOW it was different, but the ears were a little off, the snout, and even the fur. Creepy, though.

Hopefully you can get some shots. Again, stay safe, all of you!

Put a six pack of beer out there for bait for this animal. Where do you live again

reply to post by LadyGreenEyes

Well, the camera's not here yet... apparently the guy forgot to bring it, but he said he would try to remember to bring it tomorrow. I did go take a closer look at the area and there are a half-dozen perfect trees to get a shot of almost the entire hayfield.

Who knows, I might get some shots of the fox family that lives in that area too.


reply to post by rickymouse

You want me to waste beer? Are you kidding?

Look in my mini-profile... it's listed.

TheRedneck

reply to post by TheRedneck


OOO, foxes would be awesome! I could have screamed one night here - was driving a friend home and saw a gorgeous fox crossing the road. No video camera, of course, and he was WAY too fast for a pic, even if the light had been good. Never seem to have the cam ready when I want it most!

Good to know you have several locations; that way you can move it around a bit. Just watch for two-legged "animals". Catching them on camera could be quite interesting! Hopefully, the locked gate took care of that, though. Will check back next day or two and see if you got anything!

reply to post by LadyGreenEyes

My wife actually found the fox family... they come out to her, never close enough to touch, but plenty close enough to see. She has this weird way with animals... they seem to trust her.

Two legged animals are not a problem. I can deal with those easily enough.

TheRedneck

reply to post by TheRedneck


Good idea on the cam. They can solve mysteries.

On our hunting land we had a "mystery critter". From glimpses and sounds it seemed big, left huge canine type tracks, etc etc.

Finally got pics of it on the trail cams. Turned out it was a Great Dane that had gone wild.

reply to post by TheRedneck


Maybe the creature was bringing you fresh kills as a gift. Cats do that for their owners. Maybe its a sign its not out to hurt you. And its just paying respects to its neighbors. Weird story though. Maybe leave it a huge bowl of salad and fruit one morning or a bag of apples. See if it takes them.

reply to post by texasyeti

If it is bringing fresh kills as a gift, it would have be a carnivore... a carnivore wouldn't know what to do with a bowl of salad (especially in the middle of a hay field surrounded by berries, fruit, and nuts galore).

Someone earlier mentioned staking out a chicken... and I am considering that.

TheRedneck

Originally posted by TheRedneck
reply to post by texasyeti

If it is bringing fresh kills as a gift, it would have be a carnivore... a carnivore wouldn't know what to do with a bowl of salad (especially in the middle of a hay field surrounded by berries, fruit, and nuts galore).

Someone earlier mentioned staking out a chicken... and I am considering that.

TheRedneck

Our outside male cat likes when we have a campfire in the pit and cook food. If he hears the wife and I talking about cooking out over the fire he gets a chipmunk or two and puts it right where we walk to the fire pit. It took us a few years to figure out that this was an intentional act. We figured it out when he started bringing them on the porch and laying them near the gas grill when we were going to barbecue. It's funny how he understands what we are talking about, I think that animals are more aware of things than we think.

Are the days he leaves his offerings around the time you just had a BBQ?

reply to post by TheRedneck


I don't really have anything to add, but just wanted to say what an interesting thread. I hope your trail cameras work and I like the idea of baiting the animal which could help you figure out what your critter is.
Good luck!!!

reply to post by rickymouse

Good question, but no... this is the only time we have seen the dead critters like this, and that field is a good way from our house. The driveway alongside it is almost exactly 1/4 mile from ours.

Distances are greater out here.

TheRedneck

reply to post by TheRedneck


What is growing in the field? Are the dead animals all animals that eat what is planted in the field? Is this animal in competition for food with the animals for something that grows in the field? Omnivorous animals sometimes age the food but carnivores usually eat it fresh. If it is an Omnivour, than all three of the first questions could apply.

I'd vote Omnivorous animal, they will sometimes kill small animals. If the kill is big animals, I would say it should be shot because it is a safety threat.

reply to post by rickymouse

It's a hay field... it's grass. Just a lot of tall grass. A family member leases it from us to grow hay for his livestock and cuts it about 3-5 times a year. Right now it's about halfway between freshly-cut and ready to cut. There are essentially virgin woodlands close nearby on two sides; this path is apparently the cut-through between them, since the only people in the area is the guy who lives beside the field and he is gone most of the time.

The animals were rabbits and squirrels, the two most common small prey animals here. They were cleanly decapitated and arranged somewhat in a semicircle, with the heads lying a short distance from the bodies.

I don't think there would be any competition for food. We're in the country; food is everywhere, and I do mean everywhere. The deer and rabbits graze in that field as they do in other fields around here, and it's not enough to even affect the hay crop. Not to mention the woodlands on both sides, several fruit trees this side of the field that are essentially there for the animals (and me when I walk by), and the blackberries and muscadines and persimmons that grow wild around the edge of the field.

The only battle for food around here is when the food is another critter.

TheRedneck

reply to post by TheRedneck


Boy, some good Jam and wine materials there, maybe the animal is guarding your berries so they don't eat the plants. Look for a neighbor who is always drunk

reply to post by TheRedneck


Nice! Have done that with birds and raccoons before, with a little help from feeding. One place we camped, the coons ended up numbering a couple of dozen, like they sent out alerts. "Human sharing food here!" Foxes would be cool.

reply to post by texasyeti


The fruit isn't a bad idea. If this is a pure carnivore leaving stuff, it would remain untouched. If, however, it's something else, fruit would be eaten.

Redneck, if you do leave some, try and rig it so smaller game can't reach. BF have been said to go after fruit.