Panthers?

[Mackie889]

There are places in brooks that are dry .. We leased 100 acres for 1000 bucks , never saw a deer

We see some deer, but not many. Lots of tracks around the crop fields, but a few deer can make a lot of tracks. Trying to make it better ... plan to thin some timber, clearcut other areas and replant in pine, rotational prescribed fire, screens along crop fields to lessen road hunting, etc. it’s a fun project, but would like to see more deer for the effort. Thanks for the reply

 

[Blackston]

We see some deer, but not many. Lots of tracks around the crop fields, but a few deer can make a lot of tracks. Trying to make it better ... plan to thin some timber, clearcut other areas and replant in pine, rotational prescribed fire, screens along crop fields to lessen road hunting, etc. it’s a fun project, but would like to see more deer for the effort. Thanks for the reply

Sounds like You got a little acreage to work with have fun , Your sweat equity will pay off , can’t wait to see your brooks county giant

 

[Mackie889]

I hope we get the panther population under control!

I am not blaming panthers for the lower deer numbers in my area, so don’t know why you are trying to be funny. I said that a person that used to live at our house had both seen one and heard one another time. Was wondering if anybody had seen any in S. Georgia. I’m sure the low numbers have to do with coyote predation, road hunters, and maybe some neighbors that have brown and down attitudes? Who knows?

 

[Mackie889]

Sounds like You got a little acreage to work with have fun , Your sweat equity will pay off , can’t wait to see your brooks county giant

Own and lease about 240 acres total, so not huge by any means. I have several bucks on trail camera in the 115-130 range. Hope to see some bigger ones this year. Thanks for the encouragement. Take care!

 

[NCHillbilly]

Possible, but not likely. Any panther there would likely be passing through, not living there. And lots of folks think they hear panthers when they’re actually hearing something else.

 

[BamaGeorgialine]

Why start a thread about no deer and panthers?

Probably because he wanted to. But what do I know

 

[kmckinnie]

Possible, but not likely. Any panther there would likely be passing through, not living there. And lots of folks think they hear panthers when they’re actually hearing something else.

If a panther or panthers was here and pics was taken as many cameras out there. It make the news. Not saying one might stray by. It would get its pic taken sooner or later.

 

[kmckinnie]

Probably because he wanted to. But what do I know

Good answer. !!

 

[Studawg170]

Hi everyone. I purchased a farm property in Brooks County, North of Valdosta. I spoke w/ a lady at the feed store in town that says she used to live in the house that is on our land. She swears she heard on one occasion, and saw one on another occasion a panther on the property we own several years ago. The deer population seems very low for being row crop land. I was wondering if anyone has seen or gotten trail cam pictures of Florida panthers in South Ga? Is it possible that there are panthers around and that could be the reason for the low deer numbers? I’ve had a couple of game cams out and have yet to get a pic of one so far. Thanks for any replies

There was some pretty valid reports of a Florida Panther traveling through the Lowndes County area a few years ago....

But there is not a breeding population affecting whitetail deer population numbers

 

[kmckinnie]

From DNR.
The Georgia Department of Natural Resources’ Wildlife Resources Division (WRD) receives calls each year in reference to large cat sightings. Traditionally, there have been two recognized subspecies of cougar or mountain lion in the eastern United States. The eastern cougar is one of many common names (others being "panther," "catamount," "puma," and "painter") given to large cats that once lived throughout much of eastern North America. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has recently proposed that the eastern cougar be considered extinct in the wild. To date, no credible physical evidence (carcasses, trail camera pictures, photographs, film footage, etc.) has been found to substantiate the existence of a population of mountain lions in Georgia.

 

[bfriendly]

From DNR.
The Georgia Department of Natural Resources’ Wildlife Resources Division (WRD) receives calls each year in reference to large cat sightings. Traditionally, there have been two recognized subspecies of cougar or mountain lion in the eastern United States. The eastern cougar is one of many common names (others being "panther," "catamount," "puma," and "painter") given to large cats that once lived throughout much of eastern North America. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has recently proposed that the eastern cougar be considered extinct in the wild. To date, no credible physical evidence (carcasses, trail camera pictures, photographs, film footage, etc.) has been found to substantiate the existence of a population of mountain lions in Georgia.

Yeah, but what about the Southeastern cougar subspecies? Ain’t no way there ain’t no cougars here……I just lost my double negative count. Anyway, the ones in Florida that hang out with the Pythons, those are the ones that came up here.

 

[bfriendly]

Don’t know how many it takes to consider it a breeding population, but there are at least a few here and there………we got some other critters here too

 

[Nicodemus]

Don’t know how many it takes to consider it a breeding population, but there are at least a few here and there………we got some other critters here too

Those north of the Caloosahatchee River are mostly young toms searching for territory. There are starting to be a few females moving north of the river, and a few have even had cubs.

 

[SemperFiDawg]

We slap ate up with them in Laurens County. Can't walk out the back door without kicking a few out of the way.

 

[slow motion]

Those north of the Caloosahatchee River are mostly young toms searching for territory. There are starting to be a few females moving north of the river, and a few have even had cubs.

Sister saw one a few times in their back pasture. She's in Sarasota county about a mile from Myakka State Park. That would be a little north of there like you said. Long way from Ga but I suppose they would eventually have to expand their range as their numbers increase. Being protected and an apex predator. Probably not this far in my lifetime but with the continued protection I would think it inevitable.

 

[Mackie889]

Don’t know how many it takes to consider it a breeding population, but there are at least a few here and there………we got some other critters here too

What type of other critters? One local up the road told me he has killed 3 good-sized black coyotes.

 

[Lilly001]

Sister saw one a few times in their back pasture. She's in Sarasota county about a mile from Myakka State Park. That would be a little north of there like you said. Long way from Ga but I suppose they would eventually have to expand their range as their numbers increase. Being protected and an apex predator. Probably not this far in my lifetime but with the continued protection I would think it inevitable.

I’ve lived in the area you are speaking of for over 40 years. Over 30 of those years were as a Deputy patrolling the area north and east of the park.
There we’re sightings from what I considered credible witnesses and even the GFFC officers felt there was credibility.
But almost all sightings were of lone animals believed to be juvenile males.
Auto traffic seemed to be the big limiter on the species spread.
A basically undisturbed river corridor seemed to facilitate the spread.
Any interaction with traffic was often fatal to these “pioneer’ males.

 

[jdgator]

Juvenile male Florida panthers regularly head to north Florida seeking new territory. But since there are no female panthers in the area they do not stay long. The ladies will only seek new territory if groceries are scarce.

 

[NCHillbilly]

Don’t know how many it takes to consider it a breeding population, but there are at least a few here and there………we got some other critters here too

You have to have females to be a breeding population. Pretty much every confirmed panther in GA (only two that I'm aware of,) and surrounding states has been a juvenile wandering male. They will travel for hundreds of miles sometimes. No females ever confirmed outside of the known Florida populations.

 

[Nicodemus]

There were a couple of females that wandered up into South Georgia in 1993 when Florida did the release of 10 (I believe that`s right) in the Osceola National Forest to see if the habitat would support them. Couple of toms did too.