Column: Talk of wild panther makes for summer's unusual story

OK, folks. I'm going to come right out and say it. I'm a believer.

Yep, I'm one of those folks who believe there is some kind of big cat tearing around the rural areas of Shawnee Township.

Panther? Cougar? I don't know.

Of course I should fess up early that I don't even claim to have any proof or scientific evidence there is one. It's just a hunch based on the observation that many of the people who say they have seen the big feline are folks I would classify in the "normal human being" category. They're not crackpots who down a 12-pack of Pabst Blue Ribbon or stoke on a funny pipe and then see Bigfoot.

I spent Friday morning talking with a couple of officers from the Ohio Division of Wildlife who continue to have their doubts. They've looked at photographs and video and say it's inconclusive.

(By the way, an advertisement here: If you have any video or photos of what you believe to be the big cat, give me a call. The Lima News would love to post them on limaohio.com for all to check out.)

The wildlife officers said it's not unusual throughout the state for people to report sightings of animals that aren't normally found in these parts. Most of those sightings prove to be false, hence their skepticism about the Shawnee wildcats.

Take for instance the telephone call Allen County wildlife officer Craig Barr received after The Lima News first reported about the big cat sightings Tuesday on limaohio.com.

"A guy called the next morning after the newspaper story and said he saw a panther at the corner of Woodlawn and Market streets near downtown Lima," Barr said. "He was serious. He said he saw a panther around 2:45 a.m. and prefaced his call by saying he hadn't been drinking and he doesn't do drugs."

There have also been follow-up reports of a big cat seen chasing deer, including one person who said he saw the big cat jump up and bite the ear off a deer it chased.

Nonetheless, the wildlife officers haven't totally ruled out the possibility of a cougar or panther roaming the Shawnee Township area. They know there are plenty of knuckleheads out there who think it's cute to have exotic pets, only to let them go in woods once they get too big.

And Barr also pointed out there's been a history of reports of a big cat the past year and a half. He said the Division of Wildlife received reports in January or February of 2007 about a big cat near Wapakoneta and Breese roads, and another sighting during the 2007 deer-gun season of a big cat near state Route 309 between Delphos and Elida.

Neither was substantiated.

The scary thing is late last week there was talk about a group of Shawnee landowners going out Saturday night to hunt the big cat. One person even claimed to have shot a panther in the tail earlier in the week. All of this conjures up images of someone shooting the neighbor's black Labrador by mistake, or worse yet, one of the hunters shooting his fellow man.

We don't need those kinds of headlines.

The wildlife officers said there are no state laws against shooting big cats because panthers and cougars aren't indigenous to Ohio. In fact, they also said the division doesn't really have any jurisdiction to look for panthers or cougars unless the local police department or sheriff asks them to investigate. (Hmm: Wonder if our Sheriff Dan Beck is willing to ask for help or share jurisdiction on this one?)

Anyway, so there you have it. The unusual story of the summer: Big cats in Allen County.

Stay tuned. And cross your fingers no one gets shot.

ROSES AND THORNS: A few this week.

Rose: To the Bluffton boys track team for winning the state title in Division III and to the dozen-plus state championships by area athletes. They included state records set by Heath Nickles, of Columbus Grove (pole vault: 16 feet, 1.5 inches); John Guagenti, of Bluffton (400-meter: 47.46 seconds) and the Bluffton 800-relay team of Zach Guagenti, Rico Pena, Jesse Herr and John Guagenti with a time of 1:28.47.

Rose: To U.S. Navy Capt. Randy Crites, a 1980 Shawnee High School graduate. He teaches submarine command courses and will take command of his second nuclear submarine later this year.

Rose: To former Ottawa-Glandorf track coach Sam Gomer, who has been selected to officiate the pole vault at the 2008 Olympic Track and Field trials at the University of Oregon. He coached the Titans from 1969-79, winning a state title in 1972.

Rose: The 14th year for the Lima citywide pride cleanup netted nearly 70 tons of trash, 749 tires and 55 cubic yards of brush. The event was held four weekends during May.

Thorn: When police officers went to inform a Lima woman they recovered her 1992 minivan in Kentucky, she had no idea it was stolen. She explained that she thought it had been repossessed since she hadn't made a payment on it in two months.

Thorn: At the same time Eastown Road is closed for roadwork, part of the summer will also see Cable Road shut down for repairs, making for some congested alternate traffic routes to and from Elida Road.

PARTING SHOT: The sooner you get behind the more time you have to catch up.

You can comment on this story at www.limaohio.com.