This happened a few years ago on opening morning of gun deer hunting in Wisconsin. We hunt in the Nicolet National Forest. As

[Dan DeBrew]

This happened a few years ago on opening morning of gun deer hunting in Wisconsin. We hunt in the Nicolet National Forest. As I approached my stand, thirty minutes before daylight, I encountered a 'screaming sound' similar to a long drawn out fire engine siren. As daylight brightened the woods I fired at and downed a six point buck. Walking towards the downed deer I crossed the tracks of a cat. The walking stride of this cat was three foot minimum and the fresh print in the snow was about the size of my hand. Do you think this was a bobcat or a mountain lion?

[JM]

Bobcats do not get that big...if print was truly the size of you hand it was a mountain lion. I've heard that bobcats scream like a "screaming woman" but I have never heard it.

[JM]

May I ask whoever did it why my comment was -1'd? I felt that I gave the correct answer.

[charlie elk]

cougar, they have been in our state a lot longer than WDNR admits.
later,
charlie

[charlie elk]

JM gave you +1 to eliminate the -1. I give nearly everyone posting +s even when I disagree figure this encourages participation.
later,
charlie

[huntfishtrap]

I agree with JM, the sound would indicate a bobcat, but I don't think there's any way a bobcat would leave tracks that size.
Also agree with charlie about the DNR's head-in-the-sand approach to mountain lions. Here in Iowa they are finally starting to admit that there might be cougars "at least passing through", but it took them 10-15 years of sightings and reports to even admit that much.

[www.dropjhook.com]

JM, you must understand that anti-hunters log into OL also, So keep up the good work. As for cat tracks, I once came across cat tracks that you wouldn't believe me if I told you how big they was. It was just getting dark & they was fresh in a foot of snow. They led right down into this steep thick long draw I had to drop out in. On both sides of the draw was nothing but cliffs & trees with thick 9 foot sage. It would be a lie if I said I wasn't scared, I was at his mercury & he let me pass . Next time take a photo of the print & get on the net or in a book match the prints.

[www.dropjhook.com]

mercy not mercury lol

[DSMbirddog]

I have heard bobcats wail and this could be it. I have never heard what noises a mountain lion actually makes in the wild. I kind of question a 3 foot walking stride even for a mtn lion. Perhaps these tracks were in soft fluffy snow. That could acccount for the size

[6phunter]

I tracked a deer once in snow being chased by a coyote and the pair jumped a rabbit. space of the rabbit tracks near 8ft, apart, coyote spread over 12 ft, and the deer past 18ft, it may be what you seen wasn't walking. the size of the print should deviate beteewn that of the bobcat or lion.