brown dog Posted July 1, 2012 Report Share Posted July 1, 2012 Been clearing a few things out. Found these pics (prints that I’ve scanned) taken by my mother around 10-15 years ago. This obviously caught her eye enough to take the series of pics. Reference the straw pile widths for scale and perspective. Keeping that reference; now with a roe deer and a black ‘thing’ that, judging by the straw and nettle patch dimensions is not very far from the roe. Certainly, to my eye, it isn’t ‘close to the camera’ whilst the roe is ‘far from the camera’: I don't know the order in which these were taken, but I'm guessing the roe 're-located'for whatever reason (note how its size remains roughly constant whether on the near of far side of the nettle patch, which gives me the calibration that the distances between these animal positions are not great) and then at some point noticed it was being stalked, and then scarpered Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1967spud Posted July 1, 2012 Report Share Posted July 1, 2012 that looks like a 12 foot header on that combine allowing if it is the straw is 4-5 feet wide id personally say it was a large domestic cat especially seeing third picture down , 2nd picture down it looks bigger but is stretching Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brown dog Posted July 1, 2012 Author Report Share Posted July 1, 2012 2nd picture down it looks bigger but is stretching yup, on the straw pile that you estimate to be 4.5ft wide My black lab looks about that size against a combine straw pile. Look how big it is 'in the stalk' and compare it with the size of the roe when it was standing in roughly the same place. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
triggersqueezer Posted July 1, 2012 Report Share Posted July 1, 2012 i don't think domestic cats stalk deer either.looks pretty big if you ask me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
c18rch Posted July 2, 2012 Report Share Posted July 2, 2012 I know a couple of experienced gamekeepers who claim to have seen big cats. If anyone can tell the difference between large domestic cats, black labs or genuine big cats they should be able to. Thats enough to convince me that they are present in the UK. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
happyhunter Posted July 2, 2012 Report Share Posted July 2, 2012 I know a couple of experienced gamekeepers who claim to have seen big cats. If anyone can tell the difference between large domestic cats, black labs or genuine big cats they should be able to. Thats enough to convince me that they are present in the UK. Totally agree, they are out there somewhere. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tackb Posted July 2, 2012 Report Share Posted July 2, 2012 I think they are about but i am baffled as to why no one has good footage of one somewhere or we've never seen one run over on the roads or one of the many trail cameras people have has shown one yet? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
c18rch Posted July 2, 2012 Report Share Posted July 2, 2012 I think they are about but i am baffled as to why no one has good footage of one somewhere or we've never seen one run over on the roads or one of the many trail cameras people have has shown one yet? Considering how many there are, when was the last time you saw a domestic cat run over? Trail cameras are still fairly new and even if someone did get a pic, would you show it to everyone and have people crawling all over your land wanting to see it? The gamekeepers I know certainly keep it quiet for this reason, but also because most people's reactions are "don't be daft, just a big domestic cat". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
forbie Posted July 2, 2012 Report Share Posted July 2, 2012 I once shot a feral cat that was feedong off young pheasants in a pen. Now I am 5' 11" and with my arm at roughly shoulder height holding the cat by the tail about half way up it's front feet were touching the ground. Heaviest cat I ever picked up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MJR Posted July 2, 2012 Report Share Posted July 2, 2012 Not wishing to derail BD's post but I thought i'd add a few pics I took while out Deer stalking. Don't ask me why I was out in heavy snow but hey I enjoyed the walk and would not have these pics otherwise. The pics aren't great as I took them on a phone. The gait between prints was about 4' and whatever made them was obviously walking. They dissapeared into heavy cover and I nor the guy with me fancied exploring... so what made them? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tackb Posted July 2, 2012 Report Share Posted July 2, 2012 Considering how many there are, when was the last time you saw a domestic cat run over? Trail cameras are still fairly new and even if someone did get a pic, would you show it to everyone and have people crawling all over your land wanting to see it? The gamekeepers I know certainly keep it quiet for this reason, but also because most people's reactions are "don't be daft, just a big domestic cat". true , they are very tricky to run over ! (joking) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oaken Posted July 2, 2012 Report Share Posted July 2, 2012 A few years ago I found some very similar prints in mud near Marden Cowbag in the Pewsey Vale. Yes its a real place! Only when in Kenya a few months later did i realise the similarity with leopard prints. I was very interested when our guide pointed them out. He then showed me lion prints which are just unbelievably huge. BD, that's not a big cat, its a very small deer....... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brown dog Posted July 2, 2012 Author Report Share Posted July 2, 2012 BD, that's not a big cat, its a very small deer....... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim78 Posted July 9, 2012 Report Share Posted July 9, 2012 We have them down here in the Devon area . The old owner of the wildlife park near us said he could hear wild cats calling to the one's inside his park when it was the mating season. 18 months ago my mum, gran and my daughter seen one as they were driving up our farm track as they had been out for the day. The track run's up through a mixed hard / soft wood for a mile and half from the main road and while turning in the top gate this "THING" ran across in front of them , My mum not wanting to alarm my daughter mentioned to my gran "was that what i thought it was" to the reply of my daughter saying that was a big cat nan ,when i asked what it looked like they said it was about 18" to 2 ft tall dark brown with a long tail like a monkey .A couple of days later two work men working near the farm was having dinner in there van when they seen it climbing a steep bank, even though it was limping said one of the blokes it moved extremely fast. After a week of driving and walking up the track with the 30.06 just in case, i did not see even a glimpse of it , lucky as i've always fancied a big cat rug in front of my log fire . Jim Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andybrock Posted July 9, 2012 Report Share Posted July 9, 2012 Big cats have been around for years here's one seen in the late 70's! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim78 Posted July 9, 2012 Report Share Posted July 9, 2012 Big cats have been around for years here's one seen in the late 70's! Niceone andy Jim Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
parkyboy Posted July 10, 2012 Report Share Posted July 10, 2012 A few months ago while setting up a ambush for charlie i set out 4 large rabbits tied togather with farmers bailer twine,they were tied togather by the back legs so they lay in a pile forcing charlie to tuck in there and then rather than running of with it.I came back the next day to check on progress expecting to see the rabbits having been got at etc.To my surprise the lot was gone with no evidence of them being eaten or got at, no fur, no flesh and no blood, also there was no sign of bailer twine lying in the grass.There must have been 10lbs plus of rabbit there which i believe would be too much for a fox to drag or carry off. I serched for a field in all directions but found nothing !!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nell Posted July 10, 2012 Report Share Posted July 10, 2012 A few months ago while setting up a ambush for charlie i set out 4 large rabbits tied togather with farmers bailer twine,they were tied togather by the back legs so they lay in a pile forcing charlie to tuck in there and then rather than running of with it.I came back the next day to check on progress expecting to see the rabbits having been got at etc.To my surprise the lot was gone with no evidence of them being eaten or got at, no fur, no flesh and no blood, also there was no sign of bailer twine lying in the grass.There must have been 10lbs plus of rabbit there which i believe would be too much for a fox to drag or carry off. I serched for a field in all directions but found nothing !!!!! Never be surprised what a fox can make off with.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
parkyboy Posted July 11, 2012 Report Share Posted July 11, 2012 Never be surprised what a fox can make off with.... Very true mate, but 99% of the time they will tuck in and scoff on the spot. There had been talk of a big cat in the area in recent times and the area is heavily wooded with plenty of food available in the form of rabbits, deer and pheasents.One never knows what may appear in the future !!!!!!Hugh. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Hancock Posted July 12, 2012 Report Share Posted July 12, 2012 Jim, I hope you have big cat on your ticket then or it'll be an expensive rug Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigdan too Posted July 12, 2012 Report Share Posted July 12, 2012 whilst stopped in a leafy lane near westerham in kent with my then girlfriend, having a cuddle, a largish cat walked across the lane just in front of the car. i saw it as clear as day. it wasnt much larger than a big domestic tom,but looked it up on the net when we got home and it was a jungle cat !! it was exactly the same as the photo on the screen. i think there may be several species out there. two large brown puma sized cats have been shot in sussex,by keepers,but not advertised as you could guarantee your house would be burnt down the next day by one of the legions of moronic antis at sussex uni. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim78 Posted July 13, 2012 Report Share Posted July 13, 2012 Jim, I hope you have big cat on your ticket then or it'll be an expensive rug Hi David , I would probably use the condition which is on my certificate which is - " For the protection of other animals and humans" and as my old man has had sheep going completely missing ie no carcass or signs of wool being strune everywhere like you would with dog attacks etc could use it??. But as you have mentioned this now I'll look into this with my FLD. Jim Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Hancock Posted July 14, 2012 Report Share Posted July 14, 2012 Jim, that's really interesting wording, not being funny. I just wish there was a common agreed standard wording for conditions / standards between forces. David. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
c18rch Posted July 16, 2012 Report Share Posted July 16, 2012 I believe it is standard wording. The difference being that some forces give it freely but other you have to ask for it. I've always had that condition on my ticket. I'm currently working on this: "For any legal purpose" Additional conditions are exactly that and should only be used where the issuing force has concerns about experience etc. My question is, with an open ticket already, why do I have additional conditions at all? Rich Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
M99 Posted July 19, 2012 Report Share Posted July 19, 2012 Whilst hawking in North Wales 3 seasons back, I came across a sheep carcass at least 25ft up a tree - My RT was tucking in to it! - pointed it out to the keeper, who dismissed it! - clearly it was not put up there by a crow! Mike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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