Mountain lions

[Tobra]

Just wear a halloween mask on the back of your head so it does not think you have your back to it.

[9dreizig]

Originally Posted by Tobra

Just wear a halloween mask on the back of your head so it does not think you have your back to it.

That's actually good advice. I've seen people sew eyes to the back of their hats..

I have mountain lions, bobcats, coyotes and bears where I live.. The rabbits and wild horses are the most frequent victims. I do hear them close at night they have blood curdling screams.. I usually hike with my 9mm however

[Tobra]

Ostensibly works on tigers too

[9dreizig]

Originally Posted by Tobra

Ostensibly works on tigers too

correct and brings up the old saying that the only reason you're not eaten by your pet house cat is they simply aren't big enough

[Cajundaddy]

Originally Posted by Tobra

Just wear a halloween mask on the back of your head so it does not think you have your back to it.

I read where this was actually tested with Bengal tigers in India and found to be highly effective. I would have hated to be in the control group (no mask).

[stealthn]

In the 100's of times I have been in the mountains, I've never seen one (although they may have seen me). Bears on the other hand seen too many to be comfortable, even one grizzly that made me get out of there fast.

This sounds like a wife question...

[RWebb]

mtn. lions are more of a threat to dogs & children than adult humans

but a young one, or an old, sick one may get desperate and attack an adult

popns. are high due to an "excess" of deer - don't feed deer or attract them to your yard; deer proliferate when wet forests are clearcut (e.g. PNW) and also in burned over areas; deer proliferate when there is a wolf deficiency...

[pwd72s]

Hat a scary incident in a nearby town...school bus drive screamed at a 3rd grader to "get back in the bus"..and got the kid in just in the nick of time. Cougar had decided that the brush near the school bus shelter was a good place to wait for prey. Yes, a cougar is perfectly capable of taking a small child.

[908/930]

Many of them around here and very few reported problems with people, I worry more about peoples dogs then the big cats. Always hike with someone slower then you.

[sc_rufctr]

Originally Posted by Cajundaddy

I read where this was actually tested with Bengal tigers in India and found to be highly effective. I would have hated to be in the control group (no mask).

Awful gig... lol

[flatbutt]

Some of the animals from this old park may still be in the woods out here.

https://weirdnj.com/stories/abandoned/jungle-habitat/

[ramonesfreak]

Saw this documentary last year on Smithsonian channel. Very interesting.

https://www.theverge.com/2018/3/14/17122182/mountain-lion-me-smithsonian-channel-casey-anderson-mama-mo-vision-hawk-montana

[wayner]

[Tobra]

Originally Posted by 9dreizig

correct and brings up the old saying that the only reason you're not eaten by your pet house cat is they simply aren't big enough

Or you are not a sound enough sleeper. Read somewhere that if you die at home, your cat will start to work eating you right away. Dog has to be starving before they start to eat you.

[rusnak]

The eyes on that tiger are glowing like little flashlights. Scary as hell.

How much of a threat are mountain lions? Serious enough to avoid them. Don't be complacent about running into them. Multiple cautionary strategies are the best practice. We had a cabin at 7,000 feet. Bears and mountain lions were always a potential threat, mostly right at sunset or at sunrise. After dark, you just don't go out alone but if you have to, make lots of noise and carry an air horn and flashlight. You might get lucky with a pistol, but trying to actually hit a bear running at you from zero dead thirty, while running away from it might not pan out so good.

[p911dad]

[fanaudical]

I've been in mountain lion territory many times. Have never seen one. Have seen the tracks. Have seen very fresh tracks on the trail I was just on when there weren't tracks there a few minutes before...

[aigel]

Generally I would not change any of my behavior. Only exception would be to keep kids close when outdoors which isn't a bad idea overall. Especially in CA.

The problem in CA is that they haven't been hunted in decades and they are at max capacity. This means they compete for space and cats are pushed into towns and cities. They hammer the deer herd and when they run out of deer they may get creative. Usually it is only someone's pet goat - usually.

I'd rather have fewer cougars in the woods. There isn't anything gained by having them around at max capacity. Only risk and making people uneasy. Contrary to common belief, cougars are not an endangered species, they are listed as "LC" least concern, just like any average animal out there like a tree squirrel.

G

[Sooner or later]

Originally Posted by aigel

Generally I would not change any of my behavior. Only exception would be to keep kids close when outdoors which isn't a bad idea overall. Especially in CA.

The problem in CA is that they haven't been hunted in decades and they are at max capacity. This means they compete for space and cats are pushed into towns and cities. They hammer the deer herd and when they run out of deer they may get creative. Usually it is only someone's pet goat - usually.

I'd rather have fewer cougars in the woods. There isn't anything gained by having them around at max capacity. Only risk and making people uneasy. Contrary to common belief, cougars are not an endangered species, they are listed as "LC" least concern, just like any average animal out there like a tree squirrel.

G

The number per mile doesn't really increase much. Each male has a territory of 50 sq miles or more and other males stay clear of anothers marked territory. Not much overlap on male territory. Females have smaller ranges and can overlap more.

Young lions leave their birth range and find an area not already occupied by another. They can travel hundreds of miles to find a territory of their own.

We have Colorado lions travel into sw and eastern Okla looking for a place of their own.

[Jeff Higgins]

Originally Posted by aap1966

Genuine question for those who live in areas with mountain lions...how much of a threat are they? How does knowing mountain lions are in the area change how you live your life (if at all)?

Thanks all.

I've spent my entire life hiking and back packing in our Cascade and Olympic mountain ranges, some of the very best mountain lion country on earth. They have never concerned me in the least.

I have had several very close encounters with them - close enough to where if they had wanted to, they could have made things very interesting for the both of us. Nothing like standing face to face with one, less than ten yards away, a couple of days in on an extended back packing trip. It's pretty, um, "invigorating".

We used to hunt them back when it was still legal to do so with dogs. While we treed quite a few of them over the years, we never really could bring ourselves to kill one. Shot a few black bear that way, though.

So, no, they are never a concern, even in areas rife with them. They pretty much leave us alone.