Has anybody seen a Jaguar in AZ?

[winterhk]

Hi Everybody,

I'm new to the site. I've been searching about Jaguars in Arizona, but haven't found much. I live in Prescott and have hiked extensively since moving here and have seen some wonderful wildlife.

Last March, I saw a large cat run across the road along Oak Creek, North of Uptowne Sedona. I assumed it was a black mountain lion. Recently at the Heritage Park Zoo, the cat caretaker told me it was, without a doubt, a Jaguar and that they are much more populous than is estimated. He said there are two or three known in the Sups and have photographed numerous times close to the border.

Interestingly, I backpacked for two weeks tin the Sups in January and felt like I was being tracked the whole time. He had little doubt I was being followed by a mountain lion or Jaguar, as he has tracked them there. He reckoned it was a Jag because they will usually follow humans, however rarely are seen or come too close.

He also told me that in the thirties, the last Jaguar in Prescott was shot right in town and there is supposedly 40,000 acres currently closed for Jag breeding on Southern AZ. Does anyone else have any experience with these majestic big cats?

I'd really love to hear more stories or info from anyone who knows about any of this.

Thanks,
Brian Jackson

[azbackpackr]

Here is a photo of the jaguar, and news article about the news conference with the hunting guide who had treed it.
http://azstarnet.com/news/local/guide-d ... c0e41.html

The paper took a sideswipe at the hunter, which I thought was kind of rude. The hunting guide is not breaking any laws. Mountain lions are not endangered, and you can legally hunt them with dogs. In fact, that is the only way you are likely to be successful at a mountain lion hunt. You have to have a license and tag just like any other hunt. What is more, they are good to eat, and taste way better than elk or deer, in my opinion. And the guide, in order to take people out hunting, has to have a guide license, insurance, a food handler's license, a business license, expensive vehicles and horse trailers, well-trained dogs, saddle mules or horses, etc. etc. He doesn't get rich off this business. He does it as a sideline, and doesn't get much for it, compared to elk guides, who ask from $5K to $10K. Not only that, there is a considerable amount of skill involved in the endeavor. So, there are not many people who can do what this guide does. You and I are not going to run out tomorrow and become licensed guides to hunt mountain lions.

Notice also that the guide immediately left his daughter and friend to go call G&F to find out what to do, as soon as he saw it. He probably had to go where his cell phone had coverage. He also did what he could to get his dogs tied up. Sounds like the jaguar got the better of the dogs. Why the newspaper would pick on the guy is beyond me, except that is what kind of paper it is. It's liberal without being broad-minded.

[big_load]

I was in Bisbee when I read about this one. I thought it was odd that nobody was talking about it in the coffee shop, but there didn't seem to be many people who might be interested in that sort of thing.

[azdesertfather]

Pilot thinks he saw a jaguar in the Santa Ritas

A U.S. Homeland Security helicopter pilot spotted a large cat he thought was a jaguar last June in the Santa Rita Mountains, the Border Patrol said Wednesday.

The pilot, flying solo, described the cat as dark copper orange with black spots and a long, black-tipped tail. He didn't photograph or videotape it, the Border Patrol said.

"The cat was seen only briefly" - for 5 seconds or less - "as it...
http://azstarnet.com/news/local/article ... 04553.html

[PaleoRob]

While my wife is not a Jaguar researcher, she (and her lab) are featured in this clip from KGUN:
http://www.kgun9.com/news/local/134872033.html
She's the blonde with the glasses!

[PaleoRob]

And hot on that news, there's been a confirmed ocelot sighting in Cochise County!
http://azgfd.net/artman/publish/NewsMed ... unty.shtml

[outdoor_lover]

Sweet!!! http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid= ... e=1&ref=nf

[rwstorm]

No, but I wouldn't be surprised if they have seen me.

[big_load]

Sweet!!! http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid= ... e=1&ref=nf

Excellent!

[base871]

I was hunting up near Pica Camp last month and ran into some lion hunters who have been filling a lot of tags that way this year.

[red_dog]

Another photo of our Jag in the Santa Ritas

http://azstarnet.com/news/local/better- ... 6d989.html