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Mighty Hiker
Social climber
Vancouver, B.C.
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Jan 26, 2007 - 01:27pm PT
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"The Beast in the Garden" provides some interesting perspectives on cougars and cougar attacks. There are one or two each year in B.C., usually on children or smaller people. Though a full-size friend was once stalked by a cougar in Squamish's Little Smoke Bluffs.
Cougars tend to attack from behind and above - they jump on the back of the deer (or human), and bite its neck. Maximizing the chance of a fast, low risk kill. Hard to defend against that.
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feelio Babar
Trad climber
Sneaking up behind you...
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Jan 26, 2007 - 01:33pm PT
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I saw a huge one in the Kolob once...while walking the base of wall routes. From it's reaction I must have startled it ( though it scared the living sh#t out of me even more) as it took off through the brush, stopped long enough in a clearing to see it, and it me...and then took off. Amazing animal...HUGE. Would have no problem taking out a human. Seen a bobcat at night once on a wildland fire here in Utah also....cool animals for sure.
Cool thing is, there are more out there than people think...even in busy places like the Wasatch.
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Bruce Morris
Social climber
Belmont, California
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Jan 26, 2007 - 01:34pm PT
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Seen lions 3 times in Huddart Park in Woodside, California and twice in Edgewood County Park in Redwood City. Lots of fat Western Black-tailed deer in both locations. Heard from a Ranger 'off-the-record' that there are about 12 reported lion sightings in Huddart Park each year. They're certainly out there close to major population centers. If they were really inclined to attack hikers, we'd read a lot more newspaper stories like this one. Sounds like sometimes, on a random basis, they do make mistakes about choice of prey.
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TGT
Social climber
So Cal
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Jan 26, 2007 - 01:47pm PT
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An old timer that used to work for me had this as one of his best huntin stories from the 30's.
There were two of them hunting opposite sides of a narrow canyon for deer. His buddy was being stalked and he just watched for awhile thinking it would move on. The lion got ahead of him and on top of a large rock in front of him and went into a pounce posture.
He got a shot off rapidly not thinking he had much chance of hiting it but the need to scare it off was obvious. He got lucky and the lion droped a few yards in front of his friend who proceeded to fill his pants.
I've never seen one, just tracks where I know I've been followed.
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SammyLee
Trad climber
Memphis
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Jan 26, 2007 - 02:27pm PT
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Super rare sighting when I saw one in South Florida near Lake Okeechoobee on the West Palm side. It was starting to cross the road when I asked my then girlfriend, "What in the hell is THAT?!" I initially thought it was a huge dog but the tail was all wrong for a dog. It sensed the car and in one leap was across and gone. I used to solo hike/camp within a few miles of that place three or four times a year. Never saw one then.
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johnboy
Trad climber
Can't get here from there
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Jan 26, 2007 - 02:33pm PT
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Wow, great story with a great outcome, except for the 2 cats.
Big cats are so thick in the hills anymore that for the last 2 years they've had a season on them.
My wife and me put on between 600 to 800 miles thru the hills each year and we've only seen a big cat once. It was fleeing quickly for cover. We see fresh track everytime were out and no doubt were being watched most of the time. Thankfuly we walk with 2 large dogs. If you've ever heard a cat screaming out at nite, you'll never forget it, stands the hair on the back of your neck up, and makes the dogs run under our legs.
Humans aren't much of a mark for cats, they prefer something with a little more meat on their bones, much like a shark. But some get desperate, some get defensive and some are curious. With more and more forced proximity between cats and humans, these episodes will increase.
An old saying around here; if your hiking and spot a cat, its to late, they could of already had your a$$.
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Trusty Rusty
Social climber
Tahoe area
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Jan 26, 2007 - 03:22pm PT
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The story provokes a grisley image. I've seen two in Ca. (Ventana area) and both times I got the crystal clear message of "hunter killer". Encounters & sign seem to be increasing in Nevada & Placer Co. "loosing their fear of humans" is an issue, but on the other hand. . .in AK. there's two basic variations of Griz. Browns on the coastal side (used to humans) and Grizzly in the interior (not used to humans) having spent 9 years in an isolated part of interior, it was common that of the two kinds, interior bears are more dangerous cause they often have never seen us. Either way, the thought of close encounters with kitty "shivers me timbers"! Glad the story ended on a happy note.
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dufas
Trad climber
CA/NV
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Jan 26, 2007 - 04:01pm PT
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mountain lions look at humans the same way humans look at a guy who just sh#t his pants.
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DavisGunkie
Trad climber
Davis, CA
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Jan 26, 2007 - 04:56pm PT
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Dingus,
My wife and I were hiking in Cold Canyon once and we ran into a group of people who had just realeased a mtn. lion that was rehabilitated, so they must have a population around here. it was cool sight to see
on a side note
Can you recomend some hikes near cache creek/blue ridge, i have been meaning to get out there
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mack
Trad climber
vermont
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Jan 26, 2007 - 05:38pm PT
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I heard a story a few years ago that in India in areas that have tigers, the people wear a mask of a face on the back of their heads when they are out in tiger country. Supposedly the cats only attack from behind and the face on the back of their head is a deterrent.
I certainly don't have any experience with big cats but my domestic cat always gets me from behind when she's mad.
Mack
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Jaybro
Social climber
The West
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Jan 26, 2007 - 10:00pm PT
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I've had the same experience as TradisGood twice, now. Once was a mtn Lion at the wildlife place outside of Tucson (sonoran museum?) who definitely would have my daughter for dinner had there been no barrier. And another time at the San Diego Zoo with a Kommodo Dragon
this guy charged the glass, bonked his nose and licked his lips
Ksolem, I've heard the greater Shaver lake area has the highest concentration of Mtn. Lions in California. Twice I've seen them when descending from Patterson Bluff / Balch camp flake, in the dusk / evening. And I've only climbed there probably a dozen days altogether.
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quietpartner
Trad climber
Moantannah
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Jan 27, 2007 - 02:24am PT
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One evening at dusk I was riding my dirtbike quietly (yes, it IS possible, dammit, you enviro extremists!) along a logging road in Idaho when I came around a bend and there were two cats ambling along, probably hunting for deer below. Their eyes caught the glare of the bike's headlight and reflected the glow as brightly as road reflectors. The smaller of the two quickly jumped aside, but the buck cat stood casually as though saying, "That yooman it settin' out in the open....bet I could take 'im." With hair standing on the back of my neck, I poured on the coal, heading straight for him since I was too chicken to stop and pet them. He slowly and incredibly gracefully flowed aside with no fear, only a few feet away, to keep from getting run over.
What beautiful animals!
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Nefarius
Big Wall climber
Fresno, CA
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Jan 27, 2007 - 02:52am PT
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Jaybro -- I've heard the same thing, a few times from rangers. Courtright/Wishon, which is right above Shaver is supposed to be filled with them. I've seen a a number of them there, while climbing/camping, so that says something.
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ec
climber
ca
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Jan 27, 2007 - 04:01am PT
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On the way up Hwy 180 to Sequoia-Kings I saw this beautiful mountain lion sauntering across the road around 2am. It just looked at me with a 'whatevah' kind of look without missing a step or speeding up and disappeared into the night. A year or so later, I saw the same critter in the same spot around the same time.
While camped up at this remote spot on the very southern part of the Sierra called Lamont Pinnacles, I awoke to find fresh mountain lion tracks around my sleeping bag and everyone else's as well. Then it occurred to most of us that in our slumber during the night we recalled hearing some weird cries/growls...however never really waking-up to check it out. Maybe that was best.
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NoRushNoMore
climber
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Jan 27, 2007 - 04:48am PT
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Cali is filled with them. Saw two of them while mountain biking in Santa Monica Mountains a while back, biger one did not even bother to move when we were approaching.
Saw another one in Purisma Creek Park of the Skyline some 5-6 year ago. And yet another one not that long ago in the Edgewood park (lots of stupid deers in that park, bastards run towards your when you rase your hand as if you to feed them).
In each case felt the intense stare but never felt threatened. Sad they killed them
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Bruce Morris
Social climber
Belmont, California
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Jan 27, 2007 - 03:10pm PT
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NoRushNoMore: Wonder when you saw that kitty in Edgewood County Park in Redwood City? Think they sneak in there under the overpass on US 280 from the area around Crystal Springs Lakes. Saw one slinking low down the Serpentine Trail on the way (evidently) to the field by the picnic area where the deer come to feed at night. Another time, one was in a tree right next to the running trail. Didn't seem to be stalking me, just spying on the deer trails.
The deer are real dumb in Edgewood because they're "commuters"; that is, when fodder runs out in the Park in summer they "commute" into the surrounding 'burbs to feed in the gardens or are feed by the naive and well-meaning suburbanites. Sort of feral-urban hybrids.
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Apocalypsenow
Trad climber
Cali
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Jan 27, 2007 - 03:37pm PT
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I am with "Colbert." Fear bears.
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crusher
climber
Santa Monica, CA
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Jan 27, 2007 - 04:25pm PT
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About 8 years ago I went for a mountain bike ride up in the Santa Monicas - Westridge for those of you who know it - it was Summer so daylight savings time. I had ridden up the fire road to the top where the Nike tower is, and was on my way back down. There were a few people out, but it was getting later (not really dark yet) and I was riding alone. I was tired having been out late the night before, so the uphill slog to the tower had kinda worn me out. The way back is mostly downhill but for maybe two uphill sections.
I was coming down and almost at the longer of the two last uphills when I saw what I assumed was a dog on the fire road in front of me, trotting down the same way I was going. No person, just this "dog". As I got closer I realized it was a cat. Started to freak a little and said to myself "oh it's just a bobcat, don't worry". Then I realized that this was no bobcat as it had a nice, long tail and was bigger.
Off it went down the side of the hill and into the brushy canyon. I went past the place where it had gone down and tried to get as much speed as I could since I had the dang uphill part in front of me! I think that's the fastest I ever rode up that hill, my heart was pounding out of my chest. I was sure it was coming after me but didn't dare turn around to look!
Haven't seen one up there since but I don't doubt they're there.
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426
Sport climber
Buzzard Point, TN
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Jan 27, 2007 - 04:41pm PT
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Always got a paranoid feeling up in the Rubys night hiking but never saw any "eyez".
Did see eyez being stalked while night hiking up to Gilbert eons ago. Couple hours of "cat and mouse" in the dark. Got all axed up with my own "claws" and wrapped up "protect yer neck" style. Eyez shutting only to be seen moments later higher up in the cliff bands was dicey. Had the early model "Duo" and inadvertently spotted kitty while checking terrain with the hi beam...
I'd add to the above quote, "(or) if you spot 'em...they could be sneaking up on you..."
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chollapete
Trad climber
tucson, az
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Jan 28, 2007 - 12:19pm PT
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I've seen a mountain lion once, driving in the country 15 miles southwest of Leavenworth, Kansas. A Sunday morning in May, 2005, about 11:45, a cloudy day with occasional sprinkles. Was driving to town in the Ford Ranger, a winding, two-lane asphalt road. Coming up a slight rise, I noticed what looked like a kitty-cat slinking across the road, crouched low. As I approached, doing about 50, the cat kept getting bigger and bigger, until a felt a twinge of visceral fear in my gut--that was no housecat!
As it crossed my lane, I had a clear view--the length of the cat was nearly equal to the width of the traffic lane, or so it seemed, and it had a long tail held out straight back with a black fluff at the tip. It immediately disappeared into the bush at the roadside.
I later ID'd on the internet. Until then, I hadn't really believed my mother's story of having seen one sunning itself on a big, round haybale the year before as she was driving to work. That was about 10 miles from where I saw mine.
There are occasional reports in the media of homeowners seeing big cats in the Kansas City & Leavenworth area, which the authorities always pooh-pooh. Of course, they couldn't deny the one that a woman hit and killed driving to work one morning, which the Fish & Game autopsy showed was a wild cat. People say that they are migrating down the Missouri River valley from the Rockies due to expanding populations (of people or cats?) in the mountain states.
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