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Report
Received From: The GCBRO Online Report
Submission Form.
Report
Posted To GCBRO Web Site On: December
1, 2006
DATE:
August 2002
TIME:
Approx. 9:30 am
LOCATION:
Van Buren County, Tennessee, on Old State Hwy. 111
TERRAIN:
Hilly hardwoods with some pine and old strip pits
OBSERVED:
I was driving home from Dunlap, TN on this morning. I topped a hill and
saw something big and black sitting in the bottom in front of me on the
white line on the right side of the road. My first thought was "dog". It
was sitting up very straight, looking out into the woods. About that time,
it got up and I remember seeing little pieces of gravel fly out from under
it's feet as it sort of did a "burnout" while getting up. It was then that
it's tail straightened out behind it and looked to be longer than it's
body, which was as big as a large dog. It was definitely a big black cat,
about the size of a large walker or blue tick hound. It then leaped off
the side of the road into the woods. I floored my car down the hill, but
by the time I got to where it was, it had vanished. I was alone that morning,
so unfortunately, I have no other witnesses to this sighting.
Activities
of Witness: I had spent the
night with my cousin in Dunlap, Tn the night before and was driving home
the next morning. (sober and drug-free)
Description
of Creature: Large sleek (short
haired) jet black cat about the size of a large walker hound. Approximately
3.5 to 4 ft long without the tail; which was longer than it's body. Despite
what the TWRA says, I know that there are black panthers in this area and
I know that was exactly what I saw.
Other
Notes: I would just
like to add that there was a drought at the time of this sighting and there
is an old strip pit hole just off the road in the holler before the one
I saw the cat in. It is my belief that the cat had came to the water to
drink and had moved off and was searching for food when I topped the hill
and disturbed it. I started searching the net for info on black panthers
in Tennessee, and most reports say that there are no black panthers in
Tennessee or anywhere in the south; with the exception of Florida. I know
this to be untrue. I know what I saw and many others in this area have
saw them also.
Other
(Informational or Encounter History in the General Area) Notes:
Most of the people I have told this story to have either saw a panther
or mountain lion in this area, or know someone who has.
Additional
Notes and or Follow up Comments:
N/A
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