NATCHEZ — In the wilds of Briel Avenue two local women got quite a shock when they spotted an unlikely critter lurking in the weeds.

Sharon Browning said at first she thought the animal was a goat; it wasn’t.

Browning said she and her passenger, Agatha Weeks, believe they saw a cougar.

Browning’s encounter happened approximately two weeks ago in the field next to the church on Briel Avenue.

“It was just slinking along,” she said. “I tooted the horn at it.”

Browning said the big cat showed no reaction to the car’s horn.

She estimated the animal to be between 100-150 pounds and was golden tan in color with black markings on its face.

“People need to be aware,” she said. “Those things can be dangerous.”

And this wasn’t Browning’s first big cat sighting.

Originally from north central Texas, Browning said she has seen cougars on more than one occasion.

“There we call them mountain lions,” she said.

After seeing the animal Browning said she called George Vines, who owns Southern Carriage Tours, and keeps his horses and mules at a stable on Briel.

Vines said he has no doubt Browning correctly identified the animal she saw.

“I believe her,” he said.

And while Browning called Vines to warn him to be on the lookout for the animal Vines said he’s not overly concerned about his stock.

“I feel like my horses would stomp him to death,” he said. “And I know it won’t fool with the mule.”

Vines said after hearing Browning’s news he then warned surveyors working in the area to watch for the animal.

And while Browning is sure of what she saw some are not so sure.

Mississippi Department of Wildlife and Fisheries exotic species program leader Richard Rummel said the odds of Browning seeing a wild cougar in this area are almost zero.

Rummel said there has not been a confirmed citing of a cougar in Mississippi in over 100 years.

“There is no remnant population in the area,” he said.

Rummel said if Browning did see a cougar it was likely one that had escaped from captivity.