The landscape west of the Pecos River is much more arid than the brushy or jungle habitats we are used to seeing ocelots live in today. Still, the cats found places to survive in the Big Bend Country–most likely around riparian areas. The first ocelot story comes from Fort Stockton, which seems anything but riparian today. However, at the time Comanche Springs must have been flowing all the way to the Pecos. The second ocelot mentioned was killed in the eastern portion of Big Bend National Park just north of the Rio Grande.
Fort Stockton Pioneer – September 21,1917, p. 3
Alpine Skyline – September 27, 1950, p. 2
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