OK this is something most hunters don’t believe when I tell this story.
I live here in northeast PA. I wasn’t going to share this story, but recently on the animal planet I saw a show about it, so here it goes.
The year was 2008 , and I was sitting in a tree stand looking over a 200 acre field. I was just trying to figure out where the deer were coming out, so I could set a tree stand there.
On the far side of the field is the susquehanna river. There is a ditch that runs up into the field. I seen 2 does come into the field standing about 50 yards from this ditch. They were just munching on some grass and what not, when they both looked towards this ditch, ya know heads bobbin’ tails twitchin.
Then up out of this ditch I saw what looked like a big black panther!
Not a house cat, I mean I’ve seen house cats, skunks, wood chucks from this same lookout. I had to put binoculars on those to see them better.I could see this with my eyes.
So I put up my hunting binoculars , he had a long snout, a long tail and shiny almost oily black. He was crouched down just staring at those 2 does.
At that same moment they just took off through the harvested corn field. The cat stood up walked out about 15 yards from the ditch, and just watched the deer run across the field.
I watched him for about 30 seconds more. Then he slipped back into the ditch and I never seen it again.
My heart was beating out of my chest. I may as well seen bigfoot or a UFO.
The next day I went down there with a 22- ya know just in case. I looked all over for some tracks or poop, but it was pretty grassy where he was standing-oh well.
People always look at me like I’am crazy and say the same damn thing , it was probably a house cat.
Well I’am 46 years old and spent count-less days in the woods, seen lots of cool stuff, never have I seen anything like that. I mean I’ve seen bobcats, lynx and mountain lions.
He was about the size of a mountain lion. Maybe someone had it as a pet and let it go or it escaped.
I know people think I’am making it up- but why would I wanna’ make myself look like an idiot, I know I am a little crazy. But I know what I saw.
Has anyone else ever seen something out of place? Has anyone else seen a big black cat? Or heard of other people with similar story?
Please leave a post or comment!
Update 2016!
This story continues to get a huge amount of engagement and new comments from people that have seen a big black cat. It seems like there must be some hunters out there with trail cam photos of one of these cats. I am asking anyone with a photo of one of these big black cats to reach out to us here at deerhuntingguide.net so that we can post the photos. Here is the one photo that we have so far. You be the judge…
While it does look like a big black cat, the tail does not look long enough to be a puma or black panther in my opinion. What do you think? Scroll down to the bottom of all the comments and leave your opinion!
Here is a video of a big black cat sent to us by a reader. You be the judge…
Comments for Big Black Cat !!!!!!!
Jul 20, 2015
Black Panther Sighting (north country trail, Parker,PA)NEW by: Alex Ravas Tonight I saw something I thought I would never see in the backwoods of western PA. I’ve been hiking the north country trail in Pennsylvania for years now. Often hiking in the Allegheny National Forest. I’ve seen bears on hikes there before. Usually just running across the trail. Tonight at around 8:30 pm, my girlfriend and I were exciting the woods on the north country trail off of East Eldorado Rd in Parker, Pennsylvania (south of ANF) and saw what I believe to be a big black panther. There is a creek that runs through the valley of two mountain sides. We stopped on a bridge just about 300 hundred yards from the trail head and our car. I was on high alert for any black bear since this was an ideal time of the day for them to be moving around. But what I saw across the creek on the other side of the mountain was no black bear. It was moving so slow and cat like. Real shiny black coat and long body. Hands down, the most majestic thing I have ever witnessed in my life. I will admit, I was extremely frightened and waited for it to change direction before continuing down the trail. Its very possible it could have been stalking us. Once we were hunched down on the bridge it stopped and changed direction. I’m glad I noticed it, but wish I would have gotten a picture…but that’s the last thing I was thinking about. If anyone has heard of any sighting in this area or believe what I saw was actually a black panther, I’d love to hear your feedback. There is a popular swimming hole just a half mile down the creek from where I spotted this. Thanks for reading & stay safe!
Jul 19, 2015
black panther NEW by: Anonymous Today is 7/18/15 I live in Kirby waynesburg pa Greene county. This morning in my yard was what looked to me as a black panther. Everyone thinks I’m crazy Telling me it was a bear but I know what I saw. My dog ran and scared it across the road through very thick brush. I know what I saw. A bear doesn’t have a long tail.
Jul 18, 2015
Black catNEW by: Uniqieroofing.pres@gmail.com I live in Pittsburgh and I can swear I saw a big black looking like Panter today its 3 a.m. right now me and my family was sleeping and we heard a loud roar in the back of our house and we heard something growling and eating a deer we could not see because it was too dark and there was a lot of trees so I’m guessing it’s a panther not sure but I believe you I was googling spotting so black cats cause I thought I was spo but its definitely something I left my email if you want to talk about it
Jun 24, 2015
Big black cat by: Anonymous I saw a black panther at the top of our driveway this June, 2015, near Lake Pleasant, Erie County, Pa. The dog was barking. I went to check on him and saw the animal at the top of the yard.We photos of the cat’s footprints in the wet driveway with our dog’s footprints near by.
Jun 22, 2015
Big black cat by: Anonymous I live in Orang County NY. One day I’m looking out patio door, there is snow on ground (everything is white) I see huge black panther in our back yard. The tail alone is abou 5-7′. We have black bear here but never saw anything like it. It really stood out because everything surrounding it was white. About 2 days later our neighbor told my mom her husband saw the tail run past him behind his house. Needless to say he freaked. I know what I saw, I’m now scared to get the paper!
Jun 18, 2015
where did you see this big cat by: Anonymous List your location please..thanks
Jun 13, 2015
Scared shittless by: Amber Goss Tonight at about 10:00 pm my cousin and seen some thing cross the road by our houses and then heard a loud noise behind their pig pen. And it was some thing bigger then a house cat but smaller then a bear which we do have around where we live. I have been hearing loud huffing noises at night time and crows and turkey buzzards have been hanging around making noises all the time now. What he saw was a black cat and from 150 yards a way at night in the low light of our porch light could still make out the figure. He said it was bigger then a house cat but paid no mind at first until he was by his truck and heard the loud screeching noise like that of a bobcat which we also have around, but louder and not as high pitched. We were all scared to leave his house. I’m not letting my dog out tonight!
May 17, 2015
cat in pa early 80’s by: Anonymous My friend and I were driving the back road from loretto to the old farm inn near carrolltown pa when we stopped the car because we believed we saw a bear on the side of the road to the left. When we looked there it was gone. Suddenly I glanced in the rearview mirror and screamed. We turned around physically and standing on the road 3 ft behind my car was a black panther…its tail was 3 or 4 ft long and the cat shined blue black. It was enormous. It threw its head back and showed its teeth and then in one leap was up an aprox 12 ft bank. I grew up in the woods and I know what I saw. 3 months later that year there were reports around the philly area of sightings of a black panther and reportings of domestic animals being killed.
May 10, 2015
two black panthers by: preble county ohio A friend and I were coming back to Eaton Ohio from Camden Ohio through some cornfields and wooded sections when we both spotted two large black panthers playing with each other in the cornfield we pulled over and watched for approx. 5 minutes in amazement and no they were no housecats they were large and bouncy as to testify to their weight big as German shepherds but thicker and way more agile I will never forget these cats in the southeast Ohio woods
May 02, 2015
I sent it by: Anonymous I went to school in blairsvill pa an I live a maryland and I would drive home on the weekends on one of the drive home I was driving along an I saw what thought was a black bear run across an opening in the woods where power lines went up the mountain but second look I was like that’s a huge black cat the body about 3 to 4 feet long an a tail just as long midnight black and very stocky iv hunted all my life an maryland an have seen black bear 30 yards or less from me an iv never seen anything like that big black cat (Panther) ever so I called wildlife fish an game they said they get call every now an then about big black cats an that they know they are there an in West Virginia well that’s my Panther story
Apr 12, 2015
Central Illinois Large Black Cat by: Anonymous I took my dog out for a car ride this evening; decided to drive through the park. I pulled into a small parking lot close to one of the trails. As I was scanning the area for more deer or another wild turkey (had already seen some), out of the corner of my left eye, I saw movement. I glanced over in time to see a huge black cat walk behind some trees. I kept watching and it emerged from behind the trees and was standing in the tall grass about (best guesstimate) 100 yards from me – looking at me, then it calmly continued its walk through the woods and disappeared from my sight. Even though it was that far away from me, I could still see its bright eyes; I was in such shock and so scared it didn’t occur to me to grab my phone to try to get a picture. I wasn’t expecting to see such a large cat. No, it was not a dog, not a coyote, not a bobcat. Yes, I really saw it!
Apr 01, 2015
black panther near Newport pa by: Anonymous On March 30 2015 my daughter an I were driving north on route 34 near the intersection of bucks valley rd an a a very large black cat crossed the road in front of us it had a very shinny fur an a very long tail
Mar 30, 2015
Buffalo MN by: Anonymous I’m a normal kid in buffalo living with my family… Today my dad was driving to work on 14 territorial road or something like that and he saw something that was kinda like this… He was driving down the road and all of a sudden this big maybe 4 foot tall animal with a long tail and jet black coat came lunging out of the ditch, according to him it took the animal about 3-4 “lunges” to get from one road side ditch to the other… Keep in mind this is at 4:30 am, but this is my story
Mar 16, 2015
Finleyville, Washington cnty, PA by: Anonymous My 22 yr old daughter swears she saw one last week as she was driving on Venetia Road. It was bigger than an average dog, long body long legs & yellow eyes. Could it be a black mountain lion?? Or a black version of another bigger cat?
Feb 28, 2015
Big black cat in our field today Avondale PA by: Anonymous Had left food out for vixen thinking she had Cubs and was hungry. Today we were looking out of the window and saw what we thought was a large black dog eating the food.
Anyway it soon became clear it was a HUGE black cat with a very long tail. It stayed for five minutes and we got a couple of photos, not good, but good enough to verify what we saw. We took pictures of tracks which are hard to identify as there have been, deer and fox visiting. Took pictures of large poo which we think is the cats.
Feb 25, 2015
big black cat long tail by: G Kratzer Saw a huge black panther like cat out back of Kratzer Oil co. office….really long tail..we took pics of the paw tracks which are far apart enough to know it was not a house cat! Sunbury Pa
Feb 23, 2015
Schuylkill county by: Mumsey Today at 6pm I saw one run through my back woods, cross my creek then through the side field app 300 ft from my house. It is just as you described; large, black with a tail as long as its body and to the ground. 4 deer had just run through the woods minutes before with a very small deer and I think it may have been following them. The way it ran was similar to a weasel or otter; like a leap/jump. It kept moving so I didn’t have time to get the camera to take a picture.
Feb 18, 2015
Yes, I have seen a black “panther”! by: flfirecracker I saw a black panther on Longboat Key, Florida in the 1960’s. A wildlife “expert” told me that I was mistaken, that there was no such thing! Sorry, but he was wrong! This cat was the size of a large German Sheppard and my Grandmother said he lived there in the woods which abutted her place. Longboat Key certainly was wooded back then.
Feb 12, 2015
I saw something too!!! by: Anonymous OwI went out on my porch to smoke around 3 a m, about a month ago. We have a few stray cats in neighborhood. I stood on porch and watched it walk up street and didn’t think anything of it, until it walked directly across from my. I thought “wow, that’s a pretty big cat for being a house cat ” still thinking it was just a big stray house cat. I always hiss at them when I see one, just to watch it run. Well, it stopped dead in the driveway across street staring at me. Between one to two minutes past. I was going in house and it still sat there. I growled at it as I was walking toward house. I MOVED TOWARD DOOR QUICKER THAN I MOVED IN A LONG TIME AS IT STARTED TO WALK TOWARD ME!!!!! When I grabbed the door, it made a loud noise because I almost ripped it off the hinge. Now that scared the cat enough to make it turn around and start WALKING, T RUNNING LIKE CATS DO. I stood in doorway and watched it. That’s when I saw how long it’s tail was. It looked as if it’s tail was dragging on the ground behind it as it walked in the fresh snow. It looked like it picked its tail up twice to snake the snow of it. I have never seen a cat shake its tail like that nor have I ever saw a tail so long that it was proportioned compared to its body size. NEXT MORNING THERE WERE NO OTHER MARKS IN SNOW. I WALKED OVER TO SEE IT’S PRINTS AND WAS ASTONISHED AT WHAT I SAW. THE PRINTS WERE SO PERFECT. I could see how big each of the pads on its paws were and how deep they went through ice snow. I never expected those paw prints too look like that. THEY WERE HUGE!! BUT THERE WANT A DRAG MARK FROM TAIL LIKE I THOUGHT THERE WOULD BE. I AM IN SHAMOKIN PA
Feb 11, 2015
big black cat by: Anonymous I saw it yesterday in Lyons PA about 2 pm. It was in the woods near the road it was moving steadily north. My guess is 40-60 lbs or more
Jan 22, 2015
Huge Black Cat by: Anonymous We live approx. 20 miles N. of Bloomsburg, PA & several people in our area have seen a huge black ‘panther’ like cat.
Jan 19, 2015
Black Panther California PA Jan 19, 2015 by: Joe B About mid august of 2014 while heading to work one morning. A giant black cat, and when I say giant, roughly the size of my dog, a 75 lb german shepard, jumped out in front of my car. I hit this cat and stopped but the cat had run off. The plastic bumper of my car is now cracked from hitting this thing. I cant believe it ran off! My home is about a mile from where I hit this guy. So, last week, my girlfriend spotted what sounded to be the same or a similar black cat across the road from my house. She watched it for about half a minute before it snuck away. When I got home from work, she told me all about it. We think it was a panther. NOW, this evening, I came home from work and hop out of my car to hear what sounded like a lion attacking an animal in the woods on the hill above my garden. The animal cried and that was the end of him. I fired my pistol into the air in fear this cat may come at me beings I live in a wooded area, kinda desolate. I never heard an animal like this, best I can describe it as like a lion in a movie. If anyone else has seen cats in this area, I’d like to hear.
Joe
Jan 11, 2015
big black wildcat seen in Downingtown, PA by: Anonymous on Jan 10th I have seen a big black wildcat walking through the forest in Downingtown, PA. It looked like a black cougar / puma. It was the size of a large dog with long tail, but walked slowly like a cat. My dogs went crazy when spotting the big cat. Unfortunately I did not have my cell phone at hand to take a picture.
It clearly walked and behaved differently than a dog in this situation. In fact the big wildcat did not react at all, ignored the dogs and walked along slowly with showing no interest in the two dogs.
I know this sounds crazy, but wondering if anyone has had a similar sighting in the PA, Chester County area.
Jan 05, 2015
Rising Sun by: Anonymous Rising Sun. I would love to see the pics. Who is the friend on facebook
Jan 05, 2015
Rising sun md by: Anonymous About two weeks ago in rising sun behind mcdonalds my friend on Facebook has pictures
Jan 01, 2015
Butler County Ohio December 30, 2014 by: Anonymous On the early evening of Dec30, 2014, my 23 year old daughter (who is a teacher AND a hunter) saw a large black panther along the side of US 127 near Collinsville Ohio. This is north of Hamilton, west of Trenton and east of Oxford. She was very excited and called me immediately to tell me what she saw. It was dusk, not dark, and it was off the road in a field. It’s very interesting to see all these other sightings. I understand there have been many in the Hamilton County area as well. We used to live in rural western Butler County. We had many wild turkey, red fox and deer on our property. My nephew also encountered a Bobcat near Ross.
Dec 18, 2014
Big Black Cat Spotted by: Nikki This morning, Thursday December 18, 2014, around 7:30 a.m., I was sitting in my car in the Mariott Suites parking lot right off the Beau Street exit in Washington, PA, when I looked to the right, up on the hill and saw a HUGE BLACK CAT walking. I tried to get my boyfriend’s attention so he could see I wasn’t crazy, but by the time he looked up, the cat made its way around the corner. He kept asking if I was sure of what I saw, and I told him it was definitely a cat, not a house cat, but looked like a wildcat, the kind we don’t have around here, like jaguars, panthers, etc. When I drove out of the parking lot and up to the light, I looked for it again, but it was long gone. This is driving me crazy, I couldn’t get my phone out fast enough to get a picture or video of it for proof. I really want to find out what kind it was, and why it was there. I’m really glad I found a page where other people have seen similar sightings!
Dec 15, 2014
Rare black cougar!….final answer…! by: goldentrail I believe in my comment earlier on Nov 25/14 that I made…the more I think of it….I BELIEVE it was a RARE BLACK COUGAR without a doubt!….I was raised country and I have seen a lot of wild animals…There are WHITE moose, WHITE deer….so why not BLACK cougar!……..
Dec 15, 2014
Mckean county pa by: Anonymous Not a Fisher for me. The tail is the stickler. That was a long skinny tail if a large cat that I saw
Dec 15, 2014
Saw it too by: Anonymous I just saw the same kind of cat running across the road in Northern Westchester, NY. It had a prey in it’s mouth and was black, and as big or bigger than a mountain lion.
Dec 09, 2014
I ve seen fisher cats by: B. R. Yanney A fisher cat is actually simalar to a badger or weaseal. I,ve seen those in pictures – thats not what I saw. Fisher cats are bad-ass though they will attack and kill dogs, cats, chickens, baby goats etc.
Nov 25, 2014
Black cat or what? by: Goldentrail Well I live in Northern Alberta, Canada……and it was 2 yrs ago I was quadding with my grandson and I saw this big blackcat-like figure with a long long tail run across our trail…It looked like a black panthler…It had a cat-like face and ran like a cougar…What was it? I don’t know but I know my animals..It just disappeared right before my eyes! I was raised in the country..Remains a mystery!
Nov 20, 2014
Fisher Cat by: Anonymous Just contacted a game guy and he stated that it was a Fisher. Look it up on net. That’s what I saw
Nov 20, 2014
Big Black Cat Sighting by: Dude Ok, so what he the heck is it. I saw one twice this year in the same area. Once just before dawn, early archery season. It crossed a corner of an open area and slowly and low to the ground, entered the woods. It was approx 30 yd from me. I was in a blind. The second time I saw it, I was in a tree climber and the farmer was cutting his corn. This big black cat come out of the brush and entered the corn field while the farmer was cutting the corn with a combine This took place in Hempfield Twp, Westmoreland County.
Nov 16, 2014
Black Panther sighted by: Anonymous I saw one too, about 10 years ago outside of Williamsburg. Some people said I was crazy, but one man agreed I wasn’t and swore they were purposefully released out there to take down the deer population. A Black Panther, and no, it wasn’t a housecat…maybe a housecat on steroids!
Nov 15, 2014
sighting by: Anonymous It was the early 1980’s, i was pretty young but, my family and I were driving in Johnstown Pa. across the river from the Point Statium when we saw a giant black cat jump off of a 12 ft wall to the side of the road where there was a lot of traffic. I know there had to be a lot of witnesses but we never heard anything about it. When i tell the story no one believes me but I know what i saw. I’m only a little crazy.
Nov 11, 2014
Black panthers in Berks County by: Jeff Snyder Tony, this is Jeff. I saw those panthers too!!!!!! I was at the property adjacent to the quarry, 75 yards away from the panthers, in my dump truck. I couldn’t believe what I was seeing. I got a good long look at them. I am so thrilled that you saw them too, because everyone else thinks I’ve lost my mind. Please call me if you still have my #.
Nov 11, 2014
Robeson Township, Berks County by: Tony 11/11/14 TODAY A PAIR OF LARGE BLACK CATS WERE AWAKENED WHILE SLEEPING BY THE SOUND OF A DUMP TRUCK REAR DOOR BANGING. THEY BOTH STOOD STILL FOR FEW SECONDS AND JUST WATCHED, THEN JUST SLOWLY WALKED THE OTHER WAY INTO THE HILLY WOODED AREA OF A NEARBY QUARRY. HAVE SEEN AND HAD CLOSE ENCOUNTERS WITH PLENTY OF COYOTES IN THE AREA, BUT FIRST FOR THE BIG BLACK CATS. FOR SURE IN NORTHEAST PA!
Nov 11, 2014
Big Cat by: Anonymous In the summer of 94 I saw what I believe to be the same species of cat that is described on this page. I saw him about a mile from my parents house in Berks County, Pennsylvania. For 20 years I have been telling people this story and they all think I am nuts. I was with 2 of my friends and I had just got my drivers license. I picked my friends up and took them for a ride, and I stopped in the middle of the road because something was walking across the road.At first we all thought it was a dog, but as it got closer we could see that it was definitely a large cat and not a domestic one. I’m just glad other people have seen this type of cat, because I was seriously starting to think that I was seeing thing that day.
Nov 10, 2014
Black Panther in Lackawanna County by: Anonymous I live in the Roaring Brook TWP PA. I was walking my vary large dog today 11-10-2014. I noticed him acting funny! I stopped to see what he was up to and looking to the side of the woods I notice this VERY Large Cat sitting about 20 yards away looking at us. without a question it was a large BLACK cat. My dog start running in the direction of the cat and the Panther start running! I could not believe my eyes! the Cat was larger then my dog with a very long tail. I went to my computer just to look up the fact that PA has Panthers living hear. I live in the country and have been hunting for years and never in my life did I think I would run into something like this…
Nov 02, 2014
Large Black Cat Sighted… by: Tommy Gun 2 days ago I was out in Koppel, PA looking for a deer I shot with my bow. A large cougar sized black cat darted across the corner of an open field and into the brush. It was of pretty decent size with a long tail. I went and got the .22 as I looked for my deer. I did not see the cat again.
Oct 23, 2014
I seen one too by: Anonymous To day a seen one when my name was giving my aunt her mail and the one I seen had a red collor on its neck my nana dose not belive me but I know what I seen
Oct 18, 2014
seen the same thing by: Anonymous I live in westchester county, ny. I was looking out from back yard for deer when I spotted a 2 foot long plus long tail black cat. I got closer and waited to spot it again. Long, black and cat like. This was Oct. 16 2014 in the late afternoon.
Oct 16, 2014
what the heck was that? by: Anonymous I just saw it last night while driving .I said to myself no one will believe me but,the other driver that slowed down for it too has to be at least a little curious
Oct 14, 2014
Big Black Cat by: Anonymous Northern Minnesota, today was out grouse hunting driving slow in dense cover. Saw a large black cat about 30 yards in front of the car. Very shiny coat with a very long tail. We have lots of bobcats, lynx, wolves, coyotes and the such here and i’ve never seen anything like this. My guess it was over 6 feet long with the tail and approximately 100lbs.What the heck are these things?
Sep 28, 2014
Hunting/black panther by: Craig bowes I watched my dad one year going hunting and I looked up the hill he was walking up. And there was a big black cat standing up on top of the hill. I know it was something big because I was like 600-1000 yards away and it was still huge. Then a couple years later we were headed down the renovo lockhaven road and saw a black cat run In front of the car and step over the guard rails. Not jump but just step over it.
Sep 28, 2014
Black cat in forest county pa . by: Andy Probably ten years ago now my dad told us he saw a big black cat that he swears was a panther while hunting in the mountains . We have been going hunting / camping here all my life and I believe he saw a panther . he wasnt to shocked about it just couldn’t figure how or what it was doing here in pa .
Sep 17, 2014
2 Big black cats by: Chip F Sept 14th, Sunday evening around 5:30pm
While traveling east on 68 between Flintstone and Sideling Hill, I saw 2 very large black cats dart across the road. I guessed they were black panthers but don’t see how it could have been. They were black with long tails like a cougar size, but BLACK.
I did not see things, these were two large black cougar sized cats. Nothing else.
Aug 10, 2014
Saw one tonight! by: Anonymous We stopped at the marathon station exit four on 68 in western md tonight. Saw a beautiful dark cat walk across the field. At first we thought it was a plywood cutout propped in the field. But then he walked forward and laid down for twenty seconds. He then got up and walked into the brush. He was dark, four feet long. More long than tall. Had a thick tail the curled up on the end. His tail was about the length of his body. We watched him for a full 45-50 seconds. I couldn’t break myself away from the moment to grab my camera. It was breath taking! Wow!
Aug 04, 2014
Big Black Cat by: Cali I had seen a big black cat up in northern PA when I was a little girl. My family owned a small cabin up in the woods and I was there with my parents, my two little sisters, and my grandma. We were staying at our cabin in the early 2000s for a week in the summer and my grandma wanted to take my sister Brittany and I in her ford explorer to a store down the road. My parents were in my dad’s truck with my other sister Ashleigh, following behind us. Suddenly grandma stopped the car and we all watched a large black cat crossing the street slowly, staring at us with these big eyes. It had a long tail and shiny black fur. It had disappeared before my dad’s truck came up to see us and when grandma told my dad what we had seen, my dad said we had probably seen a bear. I know what a bear looks like since I collected teddy bears for years and I knew what I had seen wasn’t a bear.
Jul 27, 2014
ohio panthers by: Anonymous This is a story from my grandparents when I was little and happened about 1920 in Meigs County Ohio. When My grandfather was courting my grandmother they had gone to some sort of evening service at the church. As everyone was leaving, the young couple trailed behind a bit walking down the one lane country road with their lantern. Suddenly from the dark woods came a huge black cat. As told, when the nose reached the trees on the right side the long tail was just coming out of the trees on left side. It was a few feet in front of my grandfolks and between them and the others leaving that night. The cat walked slowly They got a good look and held real still till it was gone, then yelled like mad and got the others to come back to them. The men searched with their lanterns and found the biggest cat prints anyone of them had ever seen. No one doubted it was real but several of the men went back the next day with guns and found nothing. It is nice to know the black panthers of Ohio are still running wild. I’m glad I found all of your stories and am glad to get the chance to share mine. Thank you
Jul 25, 2014
Big black cat by: Ron I just returned from a 4 day back packing trip
in north central PA. I hiked some remote secondary trails and ravines near Slate Run, PA. As a solo trekker, I often encounter wildlife because I’m pretty quite as I walk. Over the years I’ve seen most of the larger mammals that live in the Pennsylvania woodlands.On this hike I saw something quite unusual that I
couldn’t identify on the spot nor find afterward on an online search when I got home.I entered an open space from thick woods and spotted a large, black, (dog-sized) cat prowling and hunting amoung the rocks. It was oblivous to me, so I just stood there and watched it hunt and
move. It was cat-like in it’s movements but smaller than a puma. I thought to myself hmmm…super big
ferral cat? Bobcat with very dark fur? Something in the weasel family?Anyway, I got a really good look at this 50lb-ish
feline—but I don’t know what it was.
Jul 25, 2014
BIG BLACK SOMETHING ! by: ROD H. We live in Clinton county between Avis and Woolrich. We were driving down RTE.150 towards Lock Haven and all of a sudden this big black thing with a long black tail ran across the road right in front of us. It was around 7:20 pm so it was still light out. My wife said what in the world was that thing. I have been hunting and camping in the PA. woods since I was a little kid and I’m now 51 years old. I told her I don’t know I’ve seen about everything in the woods but I never saw anything like this before. I will never forget this big black animal. It only took it like 2 seconds to cross 2 lanes of road and disappear into the woods. We have a bunch of pets and young kids that live by us. It was only like a quarter of a mile from our house to where we saw it.
Jun 29, 2014
I HAVE 3 PICS OF BIG BLACK CAT by: Anonymous We were just camping from June 26 – 29 at a campground in South West PA very close to the WV and Ohio borders. It was early morning like 7:30ish am on Friday June 27th. My boyfriend had gone to work and not many other campers had arrived for the weekend and so I went walking down by one of the ponds with camera and binoculars in hand. As I was headed there I come upon 2 large deer that had came across a small wooden bridge between the two large ponds, to the side I was on and saw me and ran up over the hill. I was not prepared and did not get a pic of them. I proceeded down by the water and got some nice shots of some large carp, geese, and a baby fawn that crossed the same bridge as the large ones. Well I was getting ready to walk back to my campsite and I could hear something large coming out of the bushes behind me off the hill where the large deer had ran earlier. I stopped got camera in focus, prepared this time to capture the large deer.Well to my surprise this animal was huge and jet black, at first I was thinking bear. My heart was racing but I managed to click 3 pics of it and later when I went over to where it went in the woods, was again in total terror, the shortest grass went above my knee and in my pic was only half way up its leg. It was very very large. Everyone is determined I am crazy, but i am not and am so happy I had camera ready to get pics.
Jun 28, 2014
Big Black Cat indiana pa by: zack k I very much so believe you saw a black panther. I’ve heard that insurance companies are somehow legally releasing fishers and black panthers. fishers because they eat bones and all. also fishers climb down trees which kills off the porcupines. the panthers are supposed to kill off our deer population? but I’ve heard of 5 different sightings in or around shelocta pa. All 5 people dont even know each other. I’ve also heard that pgc are trying to get it hush hush. well when your a hunter and you got to worry about predators like a damn panther in pa?. all I can say is be safe and always carry! 🙂
Jun 25, 2014
Big Black Cat by: Linda Carey Sandy, we are wondering where you were camping in East Stroudsburg, PA
Jun 23, 2014
Big Black Cat by: Dan Carey My husband saw a big black cat on 6/20/14 on Snow Hill Rd just pass Camp William Penn is that near you?
Jun 23, 2014
Big black cat! by: Sandy I saw a big black cat in the clearing by my campsite in East Stroudsburg on Sunday morning , 6/22/14. My 2 beagles were outside barking about 9 am. I looked out and in the clearing standing in the sunlight, was a black panther, only about 50 feet from me. Almost as large as a mountain lion, but all black with a real long tail. It stood there for about a minute and then turned and slowly walked behind some brush and turned and walked up the hill and into the woods. I could not believe what I was looking at. I have been staying in the woods in the Pocono mountains since 1968 and have never seen a panther. I have seen a mountain lion many years ago and several bobcats. This was a big black panther! Anyone else seen this cat?
Jun 01, 2014
Thought it was Bobcat by: B.R Lewisberry,PA
I take my dog out every morning through the woods as we have trails back behind are house. I stopped for a minute to just relax and looked across the creek and saw Yes!! A Big black cat! (It was about 4x the size of regular house cat ((If you google saw a black bobcat)) thats basicly exactly what it looked like)) I only saw it for about 3 seconds and I was honestly spooked and started questioning my self, I clearly did see it though, it walked right through this little opening brush saw its full size and body and then I lost it. I then tried to look for it more without noise then i started making noise but it must of been very well hidden. I’ve been trying to shrug it off all morning thinking?? what in the world was that!!! Then I Googled and saw your post and all replies. Wow! This is kinda freaky I mean me and dog out in the woods daily through the trails ughh.I told my dad and he well, already thinks I’m nuts basically looked at me like yea right haha. Mom then begin to tell me that my cousins wife saw a bear the other week in there back yard that’s in Roanoke Va. though. Anyways thanks for sharing I feel little more at ease now after seeing your post and the others I just hope we stay safe and they don’t attack us 😀 errr…
May 20, 2014
Big Black cat in Salina, Kansas by: Anonymous We live in the country in Salina, Kansas and one morning looked out the window and sitting out by a pile of old tree limbs sits this big black cat. First I thought it was our black dog, (which is part black lab)then looked again and this was bigger then our dog. Ran for the bonaculars to get a closer look and just as i looked, it got up and started behind the trees so didn’t get a good look at the head, but definitely saw the very long tail and shiny gloss black hair. This was last year, haven’t seen it since. But we have three hunter dogs and many times they bark into the tree area near our house and will Not go into that area. Our most agressive hunter has even stood on the deck shaking and looking into the trees. We have also font some hairy scant with chunks of animal hooves in it.Got that same feeling, couldnt beleive what I was seeing.
May 19, 2014
BIG BLACK CAT (Panther, Jaguar, Leopard by: Anonymous Once Upon A Time 30+ yrs ago in Montgomery County, PA
My younger sister and I about 10 and 7 yrs of age at that time…were picking pretty wildflowers in our NEIGHBORS field
literally two doors down from our house!
Low and behold…We thought we were seeing things 2 Beautiful yet fierce black velvet cats… BS more like Leopards!
They showed up quietly out of seemingly nowhere!
Looking back we still say Remember when …
Thank God we knew enough to stay still otherwise we would probably not be alive to tell of our safari experience in our own side yard!!!!!!!!
Looking back it feels as thought we were in the jungle book!!!!
May 10, 2014
Big black cat by: chuck I also seen this panther about tow weeks ago , was sitting on the back porch around 7 am drinking my coffee when my Great Dane started growling looking aback in the field, thinking it was a deer as we have many, I started watching the small cleared area and was I surprised to see this big black panther run from one side of the wooded area through the clearing to the other side and yes by the time my mind reacted to what I was seeing I got a great view of the back end and the long tail , he disappeared as quickly as he showed up and have seen no sign of it since/It was defiantly not a regular house cat as it was nearly as big as my dog…was not going to mention this to anyone but now I have seen that they have been spotted and also am now thinking on the other side of the field and woods is where they were putttin the pipeline through last year…so they could have followed the pipeline from Penn. seems that is where they have been spotted the most I live right outside of the city of Hamilton,Ohio
May 10, 2014
Big black cat by: chuck I also seen this panther about tow weeks ago , was sitting on the back porch around 7 am drinking my coffee when my Great Dane started growling looking aback in the field, thinking it was a deer as we have many, I started watching the small cleared area and was I surprised to see this big black panther run from one side of the wooded area through the clearing to the other side and yes by the time my mind reacted to what I was seeing I got a great view of the back end and the long tail , he disappeared as quickly as he showed up and have seen no sign of it since/It was defiantly not a regular house cat as it was nearly as big as my dog…was not going to mention this to anyone but now I have seen that they have been spotted and also am now thinking on the other side of the field and woods is where they were putttin the pipeline through last year…so they could have followed the pipeline from Penn. seems that is where they have been spotted the most
May 04, 2014
Big Black Cat Fulton County by: Anonymous Saw a large black cat this morning walking from our clearing in the back into the woods. The birds and squirrels had coincidentally cleared away from the feeder just score.
May 03, 2014
Shocked and amazed by: Kane pa My wife, my stepson and I went turkey hunting this morning. I stayed back in the vehicle. A couple of hors went by and my wife and her son came back to the car to get warmed up. They decided that they would walk down the road to see if they saw anything. I swear as soon I watched their heads disappear over the hill I saw something black mosy up out of the woods where they just came from, at first i was like its a bear and then it came more and I said o shit that’s not a near it a black panther. It stood about 10 feet away right in front of my car. I was so shocked I started to cry because it was so beautiful.
Apr 27, 2014
big black cat by: michael I saw it last night around 1020 in fivepointville! No lie
Apr 23, 2014
I’ve seen this cat a few times. by: Marty I saw it the first time sometime in February. I should have reached for the camera instead of the binoculars. I saw it again on 4/21 & 4/22 and managed to get some good photos. It appears to be as big as my golden retriever.
Apr 17, 2014
Big Black Cat by: Anonymous Eaton PAI saw a giant black cat. He wasn’t scared of me in any way just looked at me and kept walking. There was no mistaking is he was about 100 feet from me. It was the sure of a mountain loin but jet black!
Apr 14, 2014
Wampus Cat by: Andy I live near Waynesburg in Greene County, PA. Though, I have not been fortunate enough to see it, my neighbor (2013) and my timber cutter (2007) have seen it on my farm. At my brother’s farm by the border with WV, they call it the Wampus Cat. Google Black Panther sightings and look at the trail cams and cell phone videos. Looks like a remnant population of black Jaguars. There is evidence that Jaguars ranged as far north as Ohio during the last ice age and grew to 420lbs. (larger than S. America.) Featured on Mountain Monsters, 2013Of Course this cat does not exist to science. The name Wampus Cat comes from an American Indian legend. Like all cats this cat likes to watch.REALLY REALLY COOL! It survives and now thrives in spite of us
Apr 12, 2014
i had a similar experience by: Anonymous This was about four years ago, My aunt was away on her honey moon in Alaska. I was house sitting for her in Corrie Pennsylvania, and as I was doing dishes I was looking out the window into the back yard where there was a trail going back with fences on both sides, the wooden one on the left was about 5 feet, and the horse fence about the same height) when I noticed a big black animal walking down the path towards the house it stops midway turn to the left and leaps up and over the fence. Do to the distance about 200 yards or so I didn’t get a great look at it, besides its tail it was thick and had a rounded end to it like a house cat, I ran to the phone and called my grandfather who is an active hunter and asked him. He said their was no such thing. He told me it was probably a coyote, or a bear but there was no way either of the two could have jumped gracefully like I witnessed, so I explained the story and he laughed and from then on I’ve only told a few people. But I know exactly what I saw there is no way I making stuff up in my mind!
Apr 07, 2014
Big Black Cat I seen one ALSO!!!! by: Charlotte I am SO glad to see this, a few weeks ago in March I seen a huge black cat out of the kitchen window walking across our field! We live in Shelby County. When I read this I was nodding in agreement to everything this hunter said! I felt like I had seen Bigfoot also, I was shaking. I called the local animal control but nothing came of it, they came out and that was about it. My husband and I walked back there but it’s grassy so no prints. The fence line is a bit muddy but we didn’t see anything except a bunch of deer droppings. Our daughter who was 12 at the time told her dad last year that she seen a large black cat with a big nose and shiny eyes cut across at the back of our yard! We both dismissed it as she was mistaken…kinda like what has happened to me now, but now I KNOW better! I sure wish someone would trap one of these things just so we won’t feel like nut cases! Haha Thanks again, I hope this may help track where they are showing up.
Mar 24, 2014
Big Black Cat McKean County by: Lori I’m still not sure what I saw. I’m having a difficult time convincing myself it was a black panther because that sounds insane. I had told my son there was a turkey in the field across the street. This was yesterday 3.23.14. He told me it wasn’t a turkey because it was alone. So he watched intently then exclaimed “It’s a bear mom!” So we ran out to check it out…and then it pounced towards a bird. Hmmm, I thought, never saw a bear pounce. It was just a black blob crouched down and did resemble a bear cub. But then when it pounced, it turned sideways and the long tail came up and flicked. I took off for binoculars to get a closer look and it went into the woods before I got back. It was much larger than any house cat I have seen. I’m trying to convince myself it was a black lab because that’s what I think size wise it equated to. But I can’t get that tail out of my mind. That was no tail of a dog. I wish I could put that experience in rewind and then slow motion forward.
Mar 14, 2014
Big black Cat by: dinamyt Driving to work this afternoon saw a big totally black animal cross the road in front of me. I first thought it was a dog, but as a dog breeder, I realized that it was not because the tail was the same the whole length and too long for any dog. It was also larger than any all black dog such as a lab, so I think it was a huge black cat!
Mar 07, 2014
hit one by: Anonymous I live towards boswell pennsylvania and tonight a huge black cat hit the side of my car. I said it looked like a panther and turrned around. Was no where to be seen. My 7 year old son and 73 year old mother witnessed it. Never thought they were aroind here until i came home and googled it. Going to look off the road tomorrow.
Mar 06, 2014
Saw a jet black panther by: Pam near Barkeyville, PA March 6, 2014 at 7:30am saw a jet black panther cross the road and walk thru a tree line between two fields. Lived here
Over twenty years and never saw anything like this before!
Feb 22, 2014
Big Black Cat by: Deb I have 2 pictures taken with a trail cam of a BIG black cat / panther on 12/11/13 at a cabin in South Central PA. I have been googling trying to figure out what it is and keep seeing that no such animal exists in PA.
Feb 09, 2014
Big Black Cat Susquehanna by: Anonymous In Jackson pa 2 miles from susquehanna pa There’s Panther hill and the gas and oil people were doing work while One guy saw something what looked a black house cat but 5 x bigger.
Feb 06, 2014
Panther sighting by: Anonymous I live in ohio 30m west of Columbus and have seen a black panther four times now on the property. Today being the latest he sees us and crouches and heads for the woods. I’m thinking he is staying near the house but we do not fear it as it hasn’t caused problems. It is gorgeous and is afraid of us so we are leaving it be. About ten yrs prior my daughter and I ran across a mountain lion in the woods and it was huge as well. The three of us just stopped in shock then it ran off. Beautiful creature as well.
Jan 31, 2014
Big, Black Cat in E. Stroudsburg, PA by: Anonymous I live in East Stroudsburg, PA and about 2-3 days ago as I was passing by the glass do
