One thing I've learned about having discussions like this. It's always easy to see who gets upset that facts and data don't agree with the fairytales they believe. They always make comments like you

Who exactly is the designated keeper and authenticator of all things Mountain Lions? I wonder if that person can track a muddy dog across a freshly mopped kitchen floor, or spent more than a day here or there on a large ranch?

Fact: There are Mountain Lions in Texas
Data: Where is the data of people that have seen a Mountain Lion and didn't report it?
Fairytale: Someone that thinks that have facts and data and doesn't live in the real world.

Nope not even close on that wide ranging statement.
Saw one, didn't report it and I know for a fact it was mt lion, spouse saw it too. We hunt them up here, have to watch out and not trap one, and just see sign all over. Found tracks and saw the actual cat. Not everyone carries a camera all over or even had one back before cell phone cams.
Bobcats and mt lions are not even close in size unless it is a very young mt lion.

Question for you Dubee, how many have you actually seen in the wild? Any at all?
We've hunted them up here, both of us. I have seen 3 in the wild while not hunting them, shot one 2 years back in the hay meadows after seeing tracks all over.
We've dealt with the , yeah sure you know what you're talking about folks from G&F. When they find out spouse was a biologist for a while stories change and they say on ok you probably know what you're talking about then. TPW is not the be all end all for sighting confirmations.

I grew up in east Texas until recently owned a couple places out there, family has owned places out there since 1920 Hunted there as a kid, know bunch of guys that hunt and own ranches there. I have never heard from a credible source, nor personally seen any evidence of a mountain lion. I just don't buy it. Now move west there have been a few, very few show up as far east as glen rose area. I think those are unicorns basically, I hunt north of Abilene now around some really large ranches that are pretty hairy. While I assume that there have been a few come thru I have never seen one, heard one, seen evidence of one. I will defer expertise of that area to 9094 and Stompy. When they say they are in that area I'll believe it.

I saw a bobcat in our backyard last spring, should I have reported that too? Also a fox and coyotes regularly show up in the green belt next to our house, do those need to be reported too?

I saw a bobcat in our backyard last spring, should I have reported that too? Also a fox and coyotes regularly show up in the green belt next to our house, do those need to be reported too?

I grew up in east Texas until recently owned a couple places out there, family has owned places out there since 1920 Hunted there as a kid, know bunch of guys that hunt and own ranches there. I have never heard from a credible source, nor personally seen any evidence of a mountain lion. I just don't buy it. Now move west there have been a few, very few show up as far east as glen rose area. I think those are unicorns basically, I hunt north of Abilene now around some really large ranches that are pretty hairy. While I assume that there have been a few come thru I have never seen one, heard one, seen evidence of one. I will defer expertise of that area to 9094 and Stompy. When they say they are in that area I'll believe it.

I grew up in east Texas until recently owned a couple places out there, family has owned places out there since 1920 Hunted there as a kid, know bunch of guys that hunt and own ranches there. I have never heard from a credible source, nor personally seen any evidence of a mountain lion. I just don't buy it. Now move west there have been a few, very few show up as far east as glen rose area. I think those are unicorns basically, I hunt north of Abilene now around some really large ranches that are pretty hairy. While I assume that there have been a few come thru I have never seen one, heard one, seen evidence of one. I will defer expertise of that area to 9094 and Stompy. When they say they are in that area I'll believe it.

I guess you didn’t sense my sarcasm.

You are suppose to report every sighting and track to TPWD. That way they can investigate and tell you that you didn’t see a mountain lion. Cmon man!

We had sightings on our 2 tracts outside of Kilgore. Both our tracts had a creek running through them, so there was ample water source. Every member of my family can confirm sightings. We never messed with them and let them be.

What about deer or deer stands?