Around 1980, give or take a few years, on Highway 123 between 20th street and the Caney river in Bartlesville, had a cat cross the road in front of me. Probably in the 80 - 90 lb range. Looked pretty healthy and only took three steps/leaps to cross the road. Wasn't wasting anytime. Standard color, tawny tan. At this same time frame, I was heading through the Osage County woods to a camp out with the boy scout troop I was a sponser for. It was dark as I had to work late. You get that feeling you are being watched and the hair stands on the back of your neck and you are glad you are carrying a gun. Then that scream and the blood drains and you sure are happy to see the camp fire just ahead. I will never forget that sound. Would be happy to never hear it again under those circumstances. About 1995, a friend heard his donkey going nuts and looked out and a big cat was in a tree above it getting ready to have lunch. He scared it off and called the Oklahoma Wildlife Department. They sent a tracker out to see if they could tranq it for relocation. Saw lots of tracks from the Caney river basin south of Bartlesville to the south side of the city but never saw it again. This year, a friend brought me some plaster casts he had taken of some tracks on his place just south of Bartlesville and east of 75. They were about 6" or so with a good 1 1/2" claws. Pretty good size cat. This is all located in Washington county around the Bartlesville area. Now in the late 60's and early 70's up in Lincoln County Kansas, there were reports of a Black panther in the area. The only sightings of it described a large black cat with a hint of rosette patterns which would identify it as a Jaguar way north out of it's normal range.

Been an interesting read. Thanks for posting. They are a beautiful animal but not to be triffled with under any circumstances.