Tag Archives: june

On June 26,2009 I drove over to Hot Springs via Hwy7, on the way back around 5:45 pm I was driving down a stretch of road 12 miles north of Jessieville and a huge animal crossed the road in front of me. I was about 300 yds from it and at first I thought it appeared to be a bear but as I came closer it was was way to long and slender to be a bear. I am 5’8″ and it stood almost to my waist high. It was black in color and not brown. There was also a SUV behind me and they saw the same thing. So if it wasn’t a bear then what could it be? I have read several articles that says black panthers don’t exist in North America.
I’ve already got several responses… It was not a dog nor a house cat and yes at first site was bout .1 to .15 tenths of a mile from me but I got a lot closer before it had crossed the road and that’s when I realized it was not a bear… I know for a fact it was a Panther but why does everyone say there is none in Arkansas. I’m not an idiot to the outdoors. Just wanted input…my grandfather was an old wise man and had seen one many yrs ago in Johnson county, Clarksville to be exact.
Oops looked at calendar wrong, was June 19th… to error is human.
FYI :The Mountain Lion is known by several other names: cougar, puma, catamount, and panther.

On June 26,2009 I drove over to Hot Springs via Hwy7, on the way back around 5:45 pm I was driving down a stretch of road 12 miles north of Jessieville and a huge animal crossed the road in front of me. I was about 300 yds from it and at first I thought it appeared to be a bear but as I came closer it was was way to long and slender to be a bear. I am 5’8″ and it stood almost to my waist high. It was black in color and not brown. There was also a SUV behind me and they saw the same thing. So if it wasn’t a bear then what could it be? I have read several articles that says black panthers don’t exist in North America.
I’ve already got several responses… It was not a dog nor a house cat and yes at first site was bout .1 to .15 tenths of a mile from me but I got a lot closer before it had crossed the road and that’s when I realized it was not a bear… I know for a fact it was a Panther but why does everyone say there is none in Arkansas. I’m not an idiot to the outdoors. Just wanted input…my grandfather was an old wise man and had seen one many yrs ago in Johnson county, Clarksville to be exact.
Oops looked at calendar wrong, was June 19th… to error is human.
FYI :The Mountain Lion is known by several other names: cougar, puma, catamount, and panther.