Wild cat

[Spade]

Had some lambs worried,initially blamed a dog, but one lamb had like claw marks on it’s hind leg and recently there has been a sighting of a big cat thought to be a puma with a tracker on In the area. How would you go about dealing with this?

 

[steveR]

A good man with a rifle and thermal sight.

Plenty of foxing and badger cull lads about with the expertise and skill.

 

[ollie989898]

Thermal gunsight and a .243 be the kiddie.

 

[Spade]

Maybe what it needs but it needs finding and whoever let it lose knows where it’s at and why was it let loose?

 

[ollie989898]

Maybe what it needs but it needs finding and whoever let it lose knows where it’s at and why was it let loose?

Looked like a dog worrying my sheep during the night, your honour?

 

[goodevans]

Perhaps the chap with night vision goggles in the Odd one thread was after it ,problem solved

 

[steveR]

Maybe what it needs but it needs finding and whoever let it lose knows where it’s at and why was it let loose?

Well, you can drop a DIY fur coat at their doorstep....

 

[Jackov Altraids]

Big Cats don't worry sheep. They just make 1 disappear.
A lamb wouldn't get away with just claw marks.

I'd bet a lot of money it wasn't a big cat.

 

[Spade]

Big Cats don't worry sheep. They just make 1 disappear.
A lamb wouldn't get away with just claw marks.

I'd bet a lot of money it wasn't a big cat.

 

[Spade]

Well do you think a dog could make thes marks ?

 

[Bald n Grumpy]

Never seen a big cat but reckon we've lost lambs to them over the last 20 years
Always think that a cat bites the back of the neck not the throat.
Have had lambs totally disappear other than their gut contents, others we've found a clean skin and backbone stripped clean. Cats not as messy as dogs or foxes.
Good luck shooting one as they say they cover 100's of miles as territory

 

[Werzle]

Big Cats don't worry sheep. They just make 1 disappear.
A lamb wouldn't get away with just claw marks.

I'd bet a lot of money it wasn't a big cat.

99.9% of the time people think there is a big cat about it turns out to be complete nonsense.

 

[Spade]

99.9% of the time people think there is a big cat about it turns out to be complete nonsense.

But there’s a 1 in a 1000 that there might be then

 

[steveR]

But there’s a 1 in a 1000 that there might be then

Whatever it is, it wants stopping...

 

[Jackov Altraids]

99.9% of the time people think there is a big cat about it turns out to be complete nonsense.

I haven't seen one but I've 100% seen their tracks and other evidence of their presence.

Well do you think a dog could make thes marks ?

Yes.

 

[Danllan]

99.9% of the time people think there is a big cat about it turns out to be complete nonsense.

Yes, but... I've spent enough time in Africa - farming and with game - to know cat tracks when I see them. And I've seen some pug marks in the UK that would fit with a mid-size leopard, and others that would fit for something the size of a caracal.

A leopard will weigh something like 40-50kgs+, so I've no idea what was making tracks to fit... but a caracal typically weighs a bit under 20kgs, so a European lynx could make similar tracks - and one of these being 'freed' doesn't seem implausible to me.

 

[Estate fencing.]

We have big cats round here, I've seen them many times and only last week early morning a herd of deer ran out in front of me on the road followed by a big cat. I have found dead lambs 4 fields from where they where with bit marks around the neck, found one store lamb up a tree and had a dead tup I dumped it on the yard and but the next morning all that was left where his spine and guts.

 

[MrNoo]

We have big cats round here, I've seen them many times and only last week early morning a herd of deer ran out in front of me on the road followed by a big cat. I have found dead lambs 4 fields from where they where with bit marks around the neck, found one store lamb up a tree and had a dead tup I dumped it on the yard and but the next morning all that was left where his spine and guts.

Yes, been sightings around here, my deer stalker and his mate saw one when they were out but was a long way out for them to have a go. Although I will add that I get out with the thermal scope a lot and have never seen one yet.

 

[matthew]

Well do you think a dog could make thes marks ?

Photo doesn;t show the whole sheep, but is that blood on the lower side of the neck too?

 

[neilo]

Yes, but... I've spent enough time in Africa - farming and with game - to know cat tracks when I see them. And I've seen some pug marks in the UK that would fit with a mid-size leopard, and others that would fit for something the size of a caracal.

A leopard will weigh something like 40-50kgs+, so I've no idea what was making tracks to fit... but a caracal typically weighs a bit under 20kgs, so a European lynx could make similar tracks - and one of these being 'freed' doesn't seem implausible to me.

There have certainly been Lynx released/escaped. There was a small 'zoo' 8 miles from us back 20-30 years ago, although calling it a zoo is a bit of an exaggeration, but they did have some lynx there. I know they lost quite a few over the years, none of which were reported of course. Place was shut down years ago now, but they won't be the only ones.