Cougar Encounters

[Dummy]

I've had several Cougar run-ins while out and about some close enough to touch. One in particular. I took a female friend that wanted to video deer out one evening to a lease that was sure to present plenty of opportunity. I put a small brush blind in front of us looking out on a wheat field behind was a deep dry creek bed. Wind was in our favor it wasn't long b4 deer came filtering in. Sitting shoulder to shoulder on 5 gal. buckets I'd about had enough when all of a sudden several of the deer snapped their heads up and stared directly where we were sitting. The following turn of events played out over the next minute. So I say wonder what spooked'em. The wind didn't change. I 'm deaf as a post, use ear plugs, butI I can hear the Sony camera making a cacophony of sounds like a crackling groan like it was in a vice at the same time I hear her say hushed 'is that your stomach growling' I don't know at what poitnt in time she actually saw the cat but the death grip on the camera was a sign she knew some thing was up. I turn my head to respond and see a huge lion sitting close enough I can reach behind her and poke'em. Facing the field and a foot or two behind her intently watching the deer leave. As the last one jumps into the brush he turns to look me straight in the eye and I could swear he said 'no use hanging around here' turned and in a single bound hit the creek bed bottom 30ft. below and was gone. I've been trailed many times day and night but never felt threated. Was armed but didn't feel compelled to shoot. Tell me your story

 

[mirglip]

I had a Lion chase my dog, who ran in my direction. We saw each other at the same moment. Lion stood there fly fishing nervously with it's tail for a few seconds. I realized I had a revolver in my back pocket. As soon as I cleared denim the lion flew away in great long bounds.

 

[Watertender]

About 40 years ago I had a very close encounter with a Cougar at a local watering hole that was quite interesting..... Ohhhhh! You mean a 4 legged Cougar... Not 2 legged! Never mind...

 

[Mobuck]

During one Montana elk hunt I was trailed multiple times while packing out elk quarters. The next trip I'd see cougar tracks on top of mine and a cold chill would run down my back. The guys who had unfilled elk tags would precede me to the kill site with rifles at the ready but all they ever saw was tracks (really FRESH tracks BTW) but no kitty. The cat carried off the head and bullet blasted neck of the elk but didn't touch the meat that was surrounded with our dirty laundry.
I retired in 2009 and did considerable bow hunting that fall here in MO. Returning to a field dressed deer carcass after a below freezing night, I found the carcass gnawed on and covered with loose sticks and leaves. Now I can't say what critter did this but it was within 1/2 mile of my house. I do know there are or have been some pretty big bobcats hanging around but not sure they do this sort of thing.

 

[Jeepnik]

As a matter kid I had two encounters. One on horseback the other while fishing a small river. Back then lions were pretty scarce on the ground.

With the end of hunting and trapping they are almost like fleas on a stray dog. And like those fleas that eat the dog the lions now eat people and pets.

I've had literally dozens of encounters in the last few decades. I've always been armed but haven't felt the need to shoot, yet.

Now on a few occasions I could have justified shooting. But frankly the thought of the paperwork stayed my hand.

 

[Dummy]

I'd park and walk to a bow stand along the first cut of a plowed field. Deep sand it was quiet I headed back after sunup to grab a bite and their were prints on top of mine. He picked me up 20yds from the truck and followed to within 10 yds of the tree, I 'd taken a shot at a big bobcat and missed by a hair right b4 I headed back. . Bobcats loved that field, big litter box.

Biologist say the Cougars size is increasing at a rapid rate. The feral hog is the culprit once again. They're more numerous and nutritious than Poodles.

 

[Bigbore5]

Grew up ranching cattle in central Florida. Panthers were a constant thing. Especially around calving time. Always packed two things my dad thought I might need. A . 357 and a folding shovel behind the saddle.

 

[dwasifar]

About 40 years ago I had a very close encounter with a Cougar at a local watering hole that was quite interesting..... Ohhhhh! You mean a 4 legged Cougar... Not 2 legged! Never mind...

Those can become 4-legged for a while if you play your cards right.

 

[Watertender]

Those can become 4-legged for a while if you play your cards right.

Yup! And take you to the rodeo too!!!

 

[dcsundog]

The most interesting encounter happened in my front yard . While out watering the grass one morning my wife spotted a mountain lion laying under one of our pondarosas. He was no more than twenty yards away just watching us. About the time we spotted him, he got up and slowly walked down the draw and into a stand of trees. A couple of days before, one of my neighbors two labradors got in a fight with one. My guess it was the same one making his rounds thru our property.

 

[Sam Summey]

I came across a cougar in the Cactus Lounge in Augusta GA in 1970. She told me how well I danced drunk, I knew this was BS because I can't even dance sober!

 

[Watertender]

I came across a cougar in the Cactus Lounge in Agusta GA in 1970. She told me how well I danced drunk, I knew this was BS because I can't even dance sober!

Libations make the feet work well. You were probably boogalooing like a wild man. That cougar just wanted to make sure you had a warm place to cool down...

 

[freakindawgen]

Saw a vid from Florida the other day where deer were watching a bear when a Florida Panther came onto the backyard. Bear took off deer split up cat chased one but got intercepted by the other deer and escaped.

 

[BearBiologist]

I've had several encounters with cougars, both as a biologist and as a hunter. Non were ever a threat but it's usually the cougar you DON'T see that will get you. Several times I've been followed by cougars (and once by a jaguar) out of curiosity. Cougars are light-boned and not particularly hard to kill according to a friend of my dad's who ran Walker hounds.

 

[John in WYO]

A .500 Linebaugh 400 Grain LBT 30.0 H-110 turned this one off like a light switch.

 

[gramps]

A .500 Linebaugh 400 Grain LBT 30.0 H-110 turned this one off like a light switch.

That is a big one!!! Good job!
gramps

 

[KRuger]

I've seen only one cougar clearly while out deer hunting. Have "thought' I saw two others. What was that?? One in daylight crossing a road while I drove. One in the dark in my horsepen; out at the very edge of flashlight beam.
My mother however practically grew up with them. Her father had an outfitter/guide service in lower British Columbia. She was often with her father in the hills when a client would harvest a buck. Grandad would ask her to take the buck down to the home place in the afternoon. She often got home in the dark and stayed overnight at the home place.
Many times, as she returned the next morning to the hunting camp; she would see cougar tracks following her tracks all the way to the barn.
In some old family photos in this area, my family and others; it is not unusual to see 12-15 cougar carcasses hanging on the barn wall. The impressive thing is to realize those cats were all killed in the same winter. No refridgeration.
Last summer the WA DFW were looking for a collared female close to my home. She'd been collared in BC and likely killed or atleast fed on a BC neighbors calf. The collar signal mad the officials think she was denned up to have kittens. I'm not sure what they wanted to do if they found the den. Perhaps "tag" the kittens. I did not see them after they completed the task.
My mother hated them; I've always been fascinated by them. But then again we definitely had a different intro to them.
KRuger

 

[Paul B]

I've seen them a few times on my mountain and desert hikes, usually quite a ways off and definitely headed somewhere. Only one a concern and I had to kill that one. I was out scouting for deer sign and for a chance to take a coyote to see how the hides were shaping up. I had a .44 mag. on my hip and a rifle chambered to the .243. As I worked my way up this canyon I kept getting the feeling I was being watched. Turned out it was a cougar and after several tries at driving it off had it close enough to be a threat. So, I shot it. Reported it to the local game warden. Seems a week earlier there was a similar incident with a bow hunter. Both cats were young females. Both had totally empty stomachs other than water. Testing proved that both cats were from the same litter. No idea on the why or how of that deal other than to this day I still believe that cat had planned on having me as dinner.
Paul B.

 

[Don Lovel]

Apparently they have spread far and wide.
Several years ago one was killed by a car at the interchange for I29 & I35 in north Kansas City metro. Wildlife said it was a wild cougar based on woodchuck and deer in it's stomach

 

[Daryll (Macbullet)]

Be careful out there...