Ridgetop
Herd Master
Big cats have a large territory and travel for miles hunting through their territory. As the game realizes they are present the prey anmals leave so the cougar has to relocate too. There are definitely cougar in eastern Texas. My friend Erick (the Anaolian breeder) lives in the Leander hill country and his dogs killed a huge cougar several years go. It took 5 Anatolians to do it and all f them received injuries. We are always being told that there are no cougars in the area when we try to report seeing them to the wildlife officials. Cougar can live anywhere there is food. Food can be anything from deer, natural game, cattle, sheep, goats, dogs, cats, garbage, and even people. Black panthers are just a melanistic version of cougars or jaguars. They are rare, but just becuse they haven't been seen as frequently doesn't mean one is not present.
One or two LGDs won't be able to take down a big cat. On the other hand, they can make so much noise that it will eventually leave the area since all their barking alerts will let th game know that the cat is there.
In California we had at least 10+ come through our neighborhood at different times in 30 years. The dogs would bark like mad all night long for about 1-2 weeks, then be silent for 4-5 weeks, then another round of all night barking. After a couple of sessins, the cat got the idea that hunting in our area was not producing food. Of course, we had our sheep locked up at night. A frend cutting brush for the fire season in our field saw a cougar creeping up on him (pre-Anatolian LDGs after our last Pyr died). It got to about 30' away before he saw it and revved up the weed whacker to scare it off. Another time the dogs chased one into the yard about 15' from our older son who was home alone. They are protected in CA and have lost all fear of man.
Absolutely do NOT go out to the pastures without a gun. Big cats are not usually afraid of people and it looks like your property has been identified by this cat as the neighborhood fast food place for lamb. The goats are not safe either. Big cats will hunt up close to homes and buildings.
If you have hunting friends who want to hunt this cat, let them at it!
One or two LGDs won't be able to take down a big cat. On the other hand, they can make so much noise that it will eventually leave the area since all their barking alerts will let th game know that the cat is there.
In California we had at least 10+ come through our neighborhood at different times in 30 years. The dogs would bark like mad all night long for about 1-2 weeks, then be silent for 4-5 weeks, then another round of all night barking. After a couple of sessins, the cat got the idea that hunting in our area was not producing food. Of course, we had our sheep locked up at night. A frend cutting brush for the fire season in our field saw a cougar creeping up on him (pre-Anatolian LDGs after our last Pyr died). It got to about 30' away before he saw it and revved up the weed whacker to scare it off. Another time the dogs chased one into the yard about 15' from our older son who was home alone. They are protected in CA and have lost all fear of man.
Absolutely do NOT go out to the pastures without a gun. Big cats are not usually afraid of people and it looks like your property has been identified by this cat as the neighborhood fast food place for lamb. The goats are not safe either. Big cats will hunt up close to homes and buildings.
If you have hunting friends who want to hunt this cat, let them at it!
Kind of backwards. But we will be careful about it. 
