sighting

Wayne is an angler in Essex. He describes 3 close encounters with big cats at fishing lakes. On one occasion he met with a leopard warning him off just meters away on a lakeside path. The nearby muntjac deer might owe its life to Wayne’s presence, as he stumbled upon the scene between the cat and the deer. He got close enough to see the big cat’s markings… 

Words of the week:   leopard popcorn smell   

5 March 2024

Janet is based in a remote corner of Argyll. She was unaware of the area’s long history of big cat reports until events kicked off close to her house in 2023. She explains the warning calls and the sightings she experienced locally and coincidentally when visiting Aberdeenshire. 

Janet is a professional photographer and explains how she is adapting her range of camera kit in preparation for big cats, especially in darkness and low light.  

 Word of the week:   guttural

 9 February 2024

Katie and Danie explain the alien sightings at a mall in Miami on New Years day 2024.

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Transition music from Power Music Factory. Intro and Outro music by Wicked Mysterious.

We hear from Paul, an investigator near John O’Groats in north-east Scotland.  He re-tells several big cat sighting reports from recent years, and he explains his use of trail cams, night vision cameras, and lures.    

Last summer he followed up a local black leopard report, then found himself in a dense woodland with a growling cat just a few feet away. The scary incident took a twist later that night… 

Words of the week:   nape bite

17 January 2024

Adam’s Grandfather’s once had a big cat sighting in Sherwood Forest and now, decades later, Adam has just experienced a large black cat in the same area - we hear the details in this episode.

Adam also discusses several big cat encounters he’s heard of from friends and contacts in Nottinghamshire and Shropshire, as well as some perfect footage of a puma he was shown. As an ecologist he meets people in remote parts of the English midlands who are in prime positions to witness wildlife. He also considers the niche available for big cats in the British landscape, and he explains how a lifetime of observing wildlife can bring the odd surprise. 

More notes for the episode at:  bigcatconversations.com/refs-links/

Words of the week:   niche   &   vigil

27 December 2023

We hear Sue’s experience after 10 years’ worth of big cat sightings and incidents around her stables in Essex.

Her daughter and sons have had close sightings, and in one of Sue’s encounters she was next to a black panther in the stable yard at dusk.

Sue describes some severe impacts on two of the horses after close confrontations with a big cat, and she explains the ongoing extra costs she is faced with in feed and vets’ bills, managing the stables alongside the varying visits of big cats. 

Words of the week:   foxlights  predator deterrent

11 December 2023

Charles reflects on his two encounters with a black panther or leopard, 21 years apart, both while caravanning and trekking in Cumbria. 

For the first incident Charles was in touching distance of the big cat as he entered his caravan awning and discovered it there – Charles recounts the moments he found himself closed in with a panther beside him… 

 Word of the week:   catstycam

 19 November 2022

So you're heading into race week, let's get prepared for the swim portion of your next triathlon as part of our 5 part podcast blitz! Coach Chris Newport offers tips on gear, swim strategy, sighting, drafting and more. We cover the importance of lubrication in key areas. Plus, we get real about swimming abilities, emphasizing the importance of positivity and breathing techniques.

Plus, get some Ironman North Carolina specific tips for what to sight, how to get out of the water efficiently and where to remove your wetsuit.

As for anti-chafing, we've partnered with 2Toms, who has an incredible product (try Sport Shield, both as a roll on for larger areas or the towelettes for convenience).  Join our Team for 25% off! We like to apply it with a nitrile glove, since it's silicone based, so that your hands don't get too slick. 

We catch up with Cumbrian investigator Sharon Larkin at the end of the Westmorland Show where Rick and Sharon were meeting witnesses and visitors to the big cat stand.

Sharon explains how she follows up reports on her Facebook page, Big Cats in Cumbria. She describes several of her own encounters with large black cats and she justifies why she believes these are leopards, including the one she photographed near Gretna in 2014 as it spooked cows and consumed a rabbit.  

South West investigator Paul Ramsden visited the show and also chipped in, comparing Cumbria’s big cat landscape with his home base in Gloucestershire. He and Sharon recount their highlights from people’s reports at the big cat stand at the show. 

We are also joined by Ian, Sharon’s husband. He describes his own big cat sighting and he and Sharon reflect on the family’s experience living with the subject and owning two cats bred from servals… 

More show notes, photos and messages are on this link…  bigcatconversations.com/refs-links/ 

Words of the week:   savannah cats

30 September 2023

Ghosts vs Poltergeists vs Demons. Do You Know The Differences? What are the differences? Do they occur? We discuss the differences, how people seem to be confused about them, and what ethnic, cultural, and religious forces may have shaped our beliefs, maybe yours too. Did you know that one of the most famous movies about Poltergeists, named Poltergeist, was loosely based on a real incident?

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For our centenary show we met with 25 contacts in a Herefordshire pub, to talk big cats, sample the local cider, and eat celebration panther cakes. 

We heard sighting reports from Worcestershire, Herefordshire and Dorset – two of which were genuinely ‘close’ encounters.  David, one of the witnesses, also described the perfect footage he’d been shown of a black leopard in Herefordshire.

Mark Graves led a discussion on tracking and ‘where next?’ for investigating big cats, and we heard different views on how best to use a sum of £5,000 for getting more evidence. 

When we discussed big cats in our culture, Fleur reminded us of Roman finds in Britain in which the Greek god of wine and dance Dionysus is accompanied by a panther… 

Look out for Youtube extracts of this episode 100 to be linked on the Big Cat Conversations website and YT Channel in late August 2023.  

Word of the week:   spoor

19 August 2023

Taniya Bethke and Swanny Evans from the Council to Advance Hunting and Shooting Sports join DU’s Mike Brasher and Mark Horobetz in an entertaining discussion of the integral role of hunters and gun owners in conservation. Learn about the R3 initiative (Recruitment, Retention, and Reactivation) and the significance of the Pittman-Robertson Act to wildlife management. The group also explores the effectiveness of new hunter recruitment programs and societal attitudes toward hunting.

www.ducks.org/DUPodcast

Phebe has been following-up big cat reports in different places for 30 years.  She’s been trusted with local information on big cat incidents, and has witnessed a lynx in Hertfordshire and two black leopards together in SW Wales.

We hear of her own cat encounters and some memorable information she’s received from friends and contacts experiencing big cats. We also discuss whether the reported cats may be staying close to the sources of their first releases, or if other suitable areas are becoming a sink for them.   

Words of the week:   exotic animals  

29 July 2023

Gareth is a reporter for local papers in Derbyshire and joins us as another journalist guest on the podcast, following Tristan in episode 94. 

Gareth has had a long-term interest in big cat encounters and has glimpsed one himself. He explains how big cat stories get high hit rates in the media, so local newspapers welcome news of people’s sightings.  

Gareth describes some key big cat events in Derbyshire, including the release of lynx at the former Riber Castle zoo, the long-running Carsington Beast reports, and a farmer finding his dogs confronting a lynx.  

Gareth also reflects on the time he received a hoax report and photo, and Rick refers to some recent big cat cases in Derbyshire and a TV show episode due in Summer 2023 which features Derbyshire big cat cases. 

See our Refs and Links page at  https://bigcatconversations.com/refs-links/  for details of the May 2023 YouGuv survey on people’s belief in big cats living wild in Britain. 

Words of the week:   media algorithm

7 July 2023

In the first half we hear from Jayne – she caught sight of a black panther with several of her jogging friends one morning this year in Somerset. Other friends had previously told her of their alleged reports at the Glastonbury festival area. 

In the second half, Mark Graves returns after episode 95. He reflects on a recent day spent with big cat investigators in Gloucestershire, and he explains how he survived a crocodile attack during his time in South Africa.      

Words of the week:   aposematic colouration

17 June 2023

George is a retired gamekeeper in Herefordshire. He recounts his sighting of a local black panther, and many years before, a puma in a forest near Bodmin in Cornwall. 

George also discusses his regrets at shooting an adult black panther as well as what appeared to be a young one, in recent years in Herefordshire – local farmers were experiencing sheep kills at the time. George explains why both the shot cats matched the description of a leopard.

George considers that from his experience, farmers and keepers may tolerate big cats if they avoid sheep predation.     

Word of the week:   DNA

26 May 2023

Former South African farmer & wilderness guide Mark Graves briefs us on living with leopards in South Africa, where he has guided Kruger National Park visitors and trained trackers on leopards and the Big 5. 

Mark takes us through some of his close observations of leopards and he explains the moments when he once had to face and retreat from an advancing lioness. Now based in Britain, Mark discusses the large cats reportedly living here, and considers how we can live alongside them. 

 Word of the week:   anthropomorphism 

5 May 2023

Tristan is senior reporter at the Bristol Post newspaper where big cat stories are rare. In contrast, he routinely heard of people’s big cat incidents in his former role with the Western Daily Press.  

We hear highlights of the big cat accounts he reported on, and learn how he realised big cat sightings were a genuine  part of the rural scene. Then one day, a large stealthy black animal arrived in his own local fields…   

 Word of the week:   clickbait

14 April 2023

SCARED TO DEATH IS EXPLICIT IN EVERY WAY. PLEASE TAKE CARE WHILE LISTENING. 

Dan's first of two stories is based on around something we haven't really explored  before. Astral projection. If you could train your mind to actually be able to take your consciousness OUT of your body… leave it behind as a sort of empty vessel - could something else enter in its place? After that, off to Hawaii for a little bite-sized bit of horror. Some paranormal encounters alleged to have taken place at the Honolulu Police Department’s training academy. Lot of horror on those little islands it seems. Then Lynze poses a great question about the paranormal and psilocybin. Can you bring back something from a trip? Lastly, a piece of jewelry seems to be the source of some kind of attachment. 

New Merch:   We heard some of you wanted Hawaiian button up shirts so... we got em!  The first tee is a fun cryptid pattern featuring cute critters from Logan's mind. Looks like there's clam shaped spiders,  bats, vampires, two headed snakes and more! Comes on a really cool Hawaiian style button up collared shirt with a left breast pocket. We also have a really cool Western style cowboy button up, featuring classy flower skulls.  These are hand cut and sewn so please allow a couple extra weeks delivery on these. Head on over to badmagicmerch.com and check these killer button ups out!

Bad Magic Productions Monthly Patreon Donation: Amount TBD as we are recording this April Episode in mid March. This months’ charity is Big Table. Big Table exists to see the lives of those working in the restaurant and hospitality industry transformed by building community and caring for those in crisis, transition, or falling through the cracks. In short, Big Table exists to serve hope to everyone in the industry. In short, this charity is there for our friends working in the service industry when a life altering event occurs and they have to choose between working or not paying bills. As someone who worked in this industry and still has many friends and family working in it too, I really love their mission. To find out more about how to support Big Table or start a new chapter in your city, please visit big-table.com.

Standup:If you want to see a very different side of Dan than you see here and possibly see Lynze in the crowd, his Burn It All Down standup tour is in full swing! Go to dancummins.tv for ticket links to shows in  Cleveland, Columbus, Phoenix, Bloomington and Madison!

Thank you for continuing to send in your stories, Creeps and Peepers!**

Please keep doing so. Send them to mystory@scaredtodeathpodcast.com
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Scared to Death
c/o Timesuck Podcast
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Video/Audio by Bad Magic Productions
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Additional music production by Zach Cohen
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Opening Sumerian protection spell (adapted):
"Whether thou art a ghost that hath come from the earth, or a phantom of night that hath no home… or one that lieth dead in the desert… or a ghost unburied… or a demon or a ghoul… Whatever thou be until thou art removed… thou shalt find here no water to drink… Thou shalt not stretch forth thy hand to our own… Into our house enter thou not. Through our fence, breakthrough thou not… we are protected though we may be frightened.  Our life you may not steal, though we may feel SCARED TO DEATH."

Steve our guest has spent half a lifetime investigating big cat reports in southern England – he takes us through key events in Oxfordshire in recent years, including the search for a puma body, the secrets of the Charlbury panther, and a big cat caught in a cage trap which then went missing. 

We learn about his time volunteering at a big cat sanctuary in Colorado, and hear how he links with his local police contacts. His own sightings include watching a black panther emerge with a friend, who just minutes earlier had mocked Steve’s interest in the topic.  

 Word of the week:   misidentification

25 March 2023