Kelly,
I have two stories about panthers in WNC that might interest you.
I worked as a part-time interpreter at the Zebulon B. Vance home-place (NC State Historic site) on Reems Creek RD in Weaverville of Buncombe County. One of the full-time employees, Sudie Wheeler, who lived next to the property, told of a mountain lion that she saw walking between the two (2) properties toward Reems Creek. She described the tan color, the long tail, and the size of the cat. This would have been in the early 1970’s.
The  second story is from one of my sixth grade students; I was a teacher at Pisgah E.S. (Pisgah Highway in Candler of Buncombe County) from  1974-1985. One of my sixth grade students, Kurt Burnette, told me about hearing a “Painter” screaming one night near his home on Black Oak Cove RD. When I told him that  panthers were on the extinct list in WNC, he described the scream as a woman screaming as loud as she could scream. Several other students also reported hearing a similar scream from a panther. This story would have been in 1977 or 78.
Richard Philipsen


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