I've heard hundreds of stories about black panthers, but I am still waiting for someone to shoot, trap, run it over or kill one in some fashion. So far I think history is leaning towards them being a myth since there has never been a recorded killing of a black panther in the history of the U.S. Coyotes, black labs and bobcats can look bigger and darker than they are at night and labs and some coyotes are already black. There has been several confirmed mountain lions here in Missouri the last few years so it is possible some have wondered into Kentucky also.. IF there was any number of them hound hunters would tree them. Lots of bobcats have been killed by coon hunters whose dogs treed them. An old hunting friend of mine had his coyote hounds tree a bear near here about 20 years ago but no mountain lions or black panthers.