more New England mountain lion rumors

We were just out in CA last week, hiking the Muir Woods and beautiful redwoods (just a short day hike). The sign we noticed, on the way out, had some warnings about what one should do if one encounters a mountain lion. Very practical: Pick up small kids and pets; face the animal and back away, do not run away; throw rocks or sticks towards, but not at the animal. The sign left out important tips, like say your prayers, and hope for other people on the trial with dogs and guns.

It is interesting to reflect on ourselves as prey, not predators. And reports of big cats give new excitement for solo hiking. I am hoping for the present that abundant deer provide ample hunting for these nice kitties. I do not doubt that they are out there. And that if a big cat should spy me, I do hope it is thinking about a leaner dinner than I might provide.

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Originally Posted by whitelief

The sign left out important tips, like say your prayers, and hope for other people on the trial with dogs

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Yeah--the dog is likely to antagonize the lion and lead it back to its owner rather than you...

Doug

I thoguht of the dogs remembering a story about two women being stalked by a patient mountian lion, I believe in California (didn't pop up again on google). The lion split when some fellow on a horse with a few dogs happened down the trail.

While searching for that story I did come across a nice compilation of cougar attack stories. Link here. Very exciting stuff.

Will they be using cougars to keep signs off Owls Head soon? I wonder.

PS: Found the story I was looking for: Students Stalked by Mtn Lion

I climbed Cuyamaca Peak (about 7,000 ft) a few years ago in southern California. On my way down, there was a nice teak bench by the side of the trail with a plaque attached to the back of it in remembrance of a woman. I sat there for a while and had a nice rest. When I got home, I found out that the reason the bench was there was because the woman who was being remembered was attacked and killed by a mountain lion only a couple of years earlier on that very spot.

Moral: Don't sit on teak benches in mountain lion country.

http://www.nbc30.com/news/13918824/detail.html

:D :eek: :rolleyes:

Followed Google track to this firsthand account, reported in a decidedly improbable forum:

Mountain lion

The narrator sounds like she knows the characteristics of some wild animals, but her unfamiliarity with their actual weights gives me pause. Rest of description sounds spot on, except there's no mention of the characteristic long tail. Hmmm.

http://www.provincetownbanner.com/ar...date/11/1/2007

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Originally Posted by Sleeping Giant

I climbed Cuyamaca Peak (about 7,000 ft) a few years ago in southern California. On my way down, there was a nice teak bench by the side of the trail with a plaque attached to the back of it in remembrance of a woman.

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I climbed it a couple years ago. The bench and most of the forest around it for several miles had been incinerated, leaving only stubs where it had been anchored. So I put away the only weapon I had, a hiking pole, and figured if there was nothing for prey to eat, the prey and kitties had likely moved elsewhere. Still, I felt a bit weird hiking there alone.

Weatherman

http://www.wpxi.com/news/14540017/detail.html

http://bangornews.com/news/t/penquis...838&zoneid=184

http://www.tribune-democrat.com/outd...020002611.html

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/c...,4931096.story

http://chicagoist.com/2008/02/22/cougars_on_the.php

http://www.courant.com/news/local/fv...,5581072.story

the comments on the story are pretty funny as well :rolleyes: ;) :eek: :) guess it does take all kinds to make a world! :D

http://www.bayjournal.com/article.cfm?article=3314

Poor little fellar met his maker at the hands of the local police. Seemed like an odd story, maybe a loose pet?

Police Shoot Cougar in Chicago