Horses attacked north of Pontypool...

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Originally Posted by gbk

NOW the big question is -ARE THERE COUGARS IN ONTARIO?

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if there are any, you won't be alive to tell the tale, just your bones.

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Originally Posted by Snowwalker

Yes those claw marks are from a bear not a cat. Cat claws hook and slice, a cat's paws are flat against the animal because the claws are the weapon not the paws, The claws on a bear is secondary and the force of the blow delivered by the paw is the primary weapon. The claws will have a scooping action.

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Bears do have 5 claws , Cougars have only 4!

Any bear claw marks we have seen around camp always showed 5 claw marks, as on the cabin door.
The pics of the horses back only show 4 claw marks , ?????

Hard to tell from the pics but it appears whatever it was was on top of the horse. Cats do have a fifth digit dewclaw that also comes into play. If the first pic is the right hip and the second pic is the left flank it's conceivable that if it was a cat it was on top of the horse, front claws gripping the back right side and back claws ripping the left flank trying to hang on. Would imagine it wasn't on for long, horse likely not impressed.

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Originally Posted by jaycee

Bears do have 5 claws , Cougars have only 4!

Any bear claw marks we have seen around camp always showed 5 claw marks, as on the cabin door.
The pics of the horses back only show 4 claw marks , ?????

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Or five with the skin between two craws marks removed making it look like four four claw marks.

Cat claws are used to hold the prey, and leave lines. Think about any time you have seen a house cat scratch someone, there are defined lines in the skin.

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Originally Posted by be2man

Hard to tell from the pics but it appears whatever it was was on top of the horse. Cats do have a fifth digit dewclaw that also comes into play. If the first pic is the right hip and the second pic is the left flank it's conceivable that if it was a cat it was on top of the horse, front claws gripping the back right side and back claws ripping the left flank trying to hang on. Would imagine it wasn't on for long, horse likely not impressed.

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Yes they do have a 5th claw "dew claw " which is higher up on the inside of the front feet, which is used mainly in climbing /holding on.
It is hard to tell from the pics, what animal it was .

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikiped...ugar_track.jpg
Front paw print of a cougar. An adult paw print is approximately 10 cm (3.9 in) long.^[40]

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikiped...ncolor_paw.jpg
Rear paw of a cougar

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Originally Posted by Snowwalker

Or five with the skin between two craws marks removed making it look like four four claw marks.

Cat claws are used to hold the prey, and leave lines. Think about any time you have seen a house cat scratch someone, there are defined lines in the skin.

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Been scratched by cats numerous times , yes definite lines in the skin, and only 4 of them .

This site, shows images of cougar scratches on both horses and humans, scroll down.
http://www.google.ca/search?q=cougar...s+/+claw+marks

Couldn't find any good ones of bear claw marks on humans or horse, [tattoos] don't count.

MNRF's offical statement is that it is a bear attack and locals have seen a black bear roaming around.

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?f...&theater&ifg=1

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Originally Posted by Dythbringer

MNRF's offical statement is that it is a bear attack and locals have seen a black bear roaming around.

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?f...&theater&ifg=1

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Did you read at the bottom of the post that they want to get a donkey?

I can't see a bear that will repeatedly go after 450 to 700Kg horses being run off by a 150 to 350 Kg Donkey. They are just going to get a lot of donkeys killed.

Maybe a 65 to 80kg human with bow or shotgun would be a better idea. But you know "Horse People". "Sorry we don't want anyone hunting here incase they mistake the horses for a bear."

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Originally Posted by Snowwalker

Did you read at the bottom of the post that they want to get a donkey?

I can't see a bear that will repeatedly go after 450 to 700Kg horses being run off by a 150 to 350 Kg Donkey. They are just going to get a lot of donkeys killed.

Maybe a 65 to 80kg human with bow or shotgun would be a better idea. But you know "Horse People". "Sorry we don't want anyone hunting here incase they mistake the horses for a bear."

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Donkeys are a very inquisitive animal and very aware of their surroundings, they get very noisy when something strange gets into their neighborhood.
Their are quite a few sheep farms around that keep a donkey a [ jenny ] just for that purpose [alarm ] , lets the owners know that something/someone strange is around, Often you will also see a donkey out with a herd of horses , for that reason.
There are 3 donkeys within a mile of us, 3 different farms , we can hear their braying from our place , usually it's caused by coyotes close by or on the farm at night.