Possible Panther Sighting in Clark County

NEW CARLISLE, (WDTN) - Just a week after exotic animals terrorized the Zanesville community, there are sightings of what may be a black panther roaming in Clark County.

Jeff Brown describes what he says is just one imprint left by a very large black cat. "Right here's the claws. One, two three, and right here's the pad one, two, three, four." Jeff spotted the black cat in the tree of his neighbors property on North Dayton Lakeview Road in New Carlisle. "I mean it was four, four and a half, five feet long." Jeff says his friend fired a shot into the air, then another and that sent the cat running. After further investigation, the two found white droppings in Matt's driveway, which are typical of black panthers.

The two decided to hang up some venison, the size of a basketball to lure back the cat, and it worked. "He was about three rows over in a corn field where the corn's laying down. That's where Matt and I both saw him when we hung that meat up." said Jeff. The large cat got away again, but apparently came back to feast later. By late afternoon the same day all that was left from the meat, was a big bone, still hanging from the tree. "So with the paw prints and that meat gone and the solid white droppings in his driveway. It's out here, and it came back." said Brown.

The Clark County Sheriff's Office says anyone who comes across the large black cat should not try to confront it. instead call authorities.