Does anybody seem to have issues with cougars or other predators?

[greybeard]

They give out cougar tags year round out here

Tags? We don't need no stinkin tags here.

Hunting Law
The species is classified as a nongame species, along with all "species of vertebrate and invertebrate wildlife indigenous to Texas that are not classified as game animals, game birds, game fish, fur-bearing animals, endangered species, alligators, marine penaeid shrimp, or oysters." Other nongame species are armadillos, bobcats, coyotes, flying squirrels, frogs, ground squirrels, porcupines, prairie dogs, rabbits, and turtles.

Laws pertaining to Texas' endangered species do not apply to mountain lions. The law specifically states that its provisions do not apply to coyotes, cougars, bobcats, prairie dogs, and red foxes.

Hunting of mountain lions is allowed in the State of Texas. Being classified as a nongame species does not mean that mountain lions may not be hunted but rather that Texas does not regulate mountain lion hunting. The state does not limit the areas in which mountain lions may be hunted, limit the numbers that may be killed, or set any season dates. Mountain lions of any sex and age may be killed in Texas, and hunters and ranchers are not required to report the killing of a mountain lion. Mountain lions may even be hunted at night because the state's night hunting law does not apply to nongame animals. The state does, however, require mountain lion hunters to posses a resident hunting license.

 

[Goat Whisperer]

Have you ever shot one, graybeard? I would love to have one on my wall

 

[greybeard]

Have you ever shot one, graybeard? I would love to have one on my wall

A long time ago, (16-17 years of age-I'm 65 now) when I hunted bobcats out in the rough hill country of west central Texas--the dogs would occasionally run a cougar, and you knew it right away--the tempo increased dramatically. When it happened, we'd sling rifles and take off on a dead run toward the dogs--i could do that back then, lucky to be able to move at a fast walk nowdays. Lost several good dogs because we couldn't get to them soon enough, but a couple times we were able to and killed the cougar. I never had the $$ to get one mounted back then, but we did skin them out. In more recent years, I had one pass by me within 20 yards on a dusty roadway here at the farm. I had an SKS locked and loaded, could easily have killed him, but at the last minute, decided not to. I watched him walk down the road and turn down to a little pond for water and then amble on down the road and back into the National Forest. They really are magnificent, tho deadly animals. (I have not hunted for sport, recreation or meat since late 1971, tho I have nothing against hunting or those who do it)
That tho, was the very last day I ever left the yard proper unarmed, even if I'm on a tractor.
It's rare that you actually see one unless thru binoculars anywhere, but I have seen their tracks here and of course their little piles of scrape. They sometimes make an awful racket when they mate too--and it's a lengthy process.

 

[Blue Sky]

What is a cougar scrape? Will they dismember a carcass (sheep about 50lbs live weight) and take it away?

 

[SkyWarrior]

I have mountain lions, grizzly bears, wolves, bobcats, coyotes, foxes, lynx, and bobcats. I have two guard llamas and an electrified pen with light on 24/7. And I have geese.

Back when I ran sled dogs in Colorado, we constantly had mountain lion problems. We had tops on our kennels to keep them out.

 

[Poka_Doodle]

I have mountain lions, grizzly bears, wolves, bobcats, coyotes, foxes, lynx, and bobcats. I have two guard llamas and an electrified pen with light on 24/7. And I have geese.

Back when I ran sled dogs in Colorado, we constantly had mountain lion problems. We had tops on our kennels to keep them out.

Wait, you used to run sled dogs? Were in Colorado?

 

[Latestarter]

Cougars are VERY stealthy and can be within "take down" range of you and you'd never even know it's there. Chances are the cat would know where you are long before you even knew one was in the area around you. Unless you routinely backtrack your trail, one could be following you and sizing you up and you'd never know it.

A full grown cougar can be over 200 pounds and can/will easily carry off a 50 pound sheep. They normally hunt and kill deer (100+pounds) and smaller animals. They tend to attack from concealment and from behind/above if possible. They aim to bite down and have their incisors cut the spinal cord at the base of the head. Instant death. They then tend to drag the carcass off into the nearest dense brush so they can eat undisturbed.

Perhaps Greybeard meant "scat"? (poop). I've only been lucky enough to see one. They ARE here in the foothills along the front range in Colorado and have been seen in towns, in people's back yards (looking for easy snacks like house dogs and cats). Not something you'd want to see looking in your back sliding glass door when going to let the dog out in the morning.

 

[greybeard]

What is a cougar scrape? Will they dismember a carcass (sheep about 50lbs live weight) and take it away?

Perhaps Greybeard meant "scat"? (poop).

No, not scat, tho a scrape sometimes has scat on or in it, but usually not.
We all know male canines 'mark' their territory in the way we all know so well--urination-- on trees, posts, vehicle tires or anything else in the area.
Felines in the wild, do it a little differently. They make little piles of debris--dirt, sticks, pine needles with their hind feet, piling up a mound and urinating on that mound. In my current area, it is almost always a little mound of pine needles, and if you sniff it, you can smell the urine. Out west Texas, it will be bits of rock and dirt, maybe mesquite leaves, whatever the lion can scrape together--hence the term 'scrape'. It's their way of saying-"I'm here" to the ladies and 'stay away' to the other males.
Looks like this, tho this one is a little larger than the ones I have seen around here:
http://www.naturetracking.com/mountain-lion-tracks/#images-1/19/Cougar-Sign-8.jpg

And this:

 

[Baymule]

If I'm not mistaken, Greybeard lives less than 50 miles from Houston, one of the largest cities in the country. And he has cougars prowling nearby. Makes you go hmmm....

 

[greybeard]

Cougars are VERY stealthy and can be within "take down" range of you and you'd never even know it's there. Chances are the cat would know where you are long before you even knew one was in the area around you. Unless you routinely backtrack your trail, one could be following you and sizing you up and you'd never know it.

A full grown cougar can be over 200 pounds and can/will easily carry off a 50 pound sheep. They normally hunt and kill deer (100+pounds) and smaller animals. They tend to attack from concealment and from behind/above if possible. They aim to bite down and have their incisors cut the spinal cord at the base of the head. Instant death. They then tend to drag the carcass off into the nearest dense brush so they can eat undisturbed.

Perhaps Greybeard meant "scat"? (poop). I've only been lucky enough to see one. They ARE here in the foothills along the front range in Colorado and have been seen in towns, in people's back yards (looking for easy snacks like house dogs and cats). Not something you'd want to see looking in your back sliding glass door when going to let the dog out in the morning.

Accurate description in all aspects. One sign of a cat kill is that they might eat part of the rumen, but won't eat the contents. Strictly carnivorous.