Call me insane, but I swear on the great oracles of ODT that I saw a black panther this morning while hunting.
It was a rather uneventful morning today besides a few neat snakes and turtles on the trails. I backed out of my spot and hit the main paved road, when this thing ran across the road about 50 yards ahead of me.
It was about 3 feet tall at the shoulder, somewhere between the size of a german shepherd and a yearling doe. Extremely muscular, huge head with pointed ears, and a long tail, about 16-20". Its coat was a very dark mottled black/brown with an extremely silky/satin sheen to it.
It was moving quick, not a full out sprint, but definitely a run. It ran exactly like a big cat out of a nature documentary would run, with that sort of pouncing leap with each step. Nothing at all like a dog, bear, pig, or deer.
Like every good cryptid story, no pictures or videos because I was driving and it happened in an instant. I know I know.
This was in southeast Georgia, south of Statesboro. I have always heard about the urban legend of black panthers in Georgia and Florida but never gave it much thought. I know the DNR has denied their existence in the past. I am now a full believer. Again, call me crazy, but I know what I got sonny.
It was a rather uneventful morning today besides a few neat snakes and turtles on the trails. I backed out of my spot and hit the main paved road, when this thing ran across the road about 50 yards ahead of me.
It was about 3 feet tall at the shoulder, somewhere between the size of a german shepherd and a yearling doe. Extremely muscular, huge head with pointed ears, and a long tail, about 16-20". Its coat was a very dark mottled black/brown with an extremely silky/satin sheen to it.
It was moving quick, not a full out sprint, but definitely a run. It ran exactly like a big cat out of a nature documentary would run, with that sort of pouncing leap with each step. Nothing at all like a dog, bear, pig, or deer.
Like every good cryptid story, no pictures or videos because I was driving and it happened in an instant. I know I know.
This was in southeast Georgia, south of Statesboro. I have always heard about the urban legend of black panthers in Georgia and Florida but never gave it much thought. I know the DNR has denied their existence in the past. I am now a full believer. Again, call me crazy, but I know what I got sonny.
