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Panther Sign: Drag Marks
When a panther makes a kill it drags its meal to a secluded location, usually under some brushy vegetation, where it can eat in peace. Panthers grab their prey item by the neck or head and then straddle the body while walking forward. A drag on open ground will be noticeable as a disturbed area a couple of feet wide, depending on the size of the animal dragged, with panther tracks on either side of the “drag” zone. Drag marks through brush may be obvious or subtle depending on the vegetation. Grasses and twigs will be bent down or broken and lying in the direction of travel. Often pieces of hair from the carcass will get stuck on any protruding obstructions such as rocks, logs, or branches.