Cougar stalks runner for six minutes.

[Helen of Annoy 41,034]

1 hour ago, Raptor Witness said:

UM isn’t really suitable for hunting stories.

I’ve been lost in the wilderness twice, where you couldn’t even get an A.M. radio signal, and all it took was a prayer to the Lord of the Earth to reveal the way. When Mother Earth has your back, even the Sasquatch will assist you. The birds of prey will bring you food. Those are the kinds of stories that UM might be interested in hearing, but this crowd can’t fathom the mechanism, much less the power behind it.

I got really lost once and then I noticed the lichen on some rocks looks differently. I followed the different lichen, believing it must be that this is a path, only overgrown, but it probably was used once so that would explain different lichen etc... so I got to an actual path following my lichen. I revisited the "overgrown path" later, this time knowing exactly where I am and no, there was no any different lichen. 

I would love to know how was it possible for my eyes to get the information that objectively wasn't there. (People who were with me couldn't see any difference but I was absolutely convinced I see it and they were crazy enough to believe me.)

 

Back to the strict topic: I've heard stories of brown bears eating cows before they killed them, but not directly from the people whom I trust. 

Brown bears in my part of the world are not really aggressive, they only attack if it's a mother with cubs and you accidentally (or suicidally) stand between them, or if you reach for their food. Last year a guy went picking mushrooms and got slapped by a bear who considered these mushrooms to be his only. Another one was deeply focused on mushrooms and only noticed the bear when they nearly touched each other with their heads. Once he realized he's looking at the bear he calmly stopped looking at the bear and pretended he's still focused on mushrooms, only slowly backing away. It worked. 

I used to hike a lot, I still hike a little, but I never had the privilege to see a bear or wolves, only their pawprints in the snow. Maybe it's better that way, because I once nearly had a heart-attack when I startled a roe deer and he bolted right next to me. But the tracks I really don't like to see are wild boar tracks, because they're really pigs, not at all shy like other wild life. I never really expect to actually see a bear, but I do expect to be chased up the tree by a boar. It didn't happen so far, but with my luck, it will happen one day. 

[simplybill 5,175]

10 minutes ago, Helen of Annoy said:

Another one was deeply focused on mushrooms and only noticed the bear when they nearly touched each other with their heads. Once he realized he's looking at the bear he calmly stopped looking at the bear and pretended he's still focused on mushrooms, only slowly backing away. It worked. 

Oh wow, I love this. 

[simplybill 5,175]

After watching the videos and reading the stories here, my one and only cougar encounter is very anticlimactic.

About 30 years ago, I was staying at a Holiday Inn in Ohio, just off a highway exit in a mostly forest-and-farmland area. Behind the hotel was a meadow about 20 acres in size (8 hectares). I was looking out the window admiring the view when I saw a large cat crouched down in the tall grass in a stalking position, intently focused on something hidden from sight in the grass. 

I compared the height of the cat to the height of the grass, and could see it was much larger than a housecat. It fit the description of a cougar - tawny color, long tail, unique head shape. I watched it for about 25-30 minutes as I was getting my luggage packed up to leave. 

The Eastern Cougar native to that part of the country has been declared extinct, so I’ve been told I probably saw a bobcat or a large housecat, but I’ve owned housecats, and bobcats have a very short tail, so I’m still convinced that I saw a cougar.
 

[Helen of Annoy 41,034]

6 minutes ago, simplybill said:

After watching the videos and reading the stories here, my one and only cougar encounter is very anticlimactic.

About 30 years ago, I was staying at a Holiday Inn in Ohio, just off a highway exit in a mostly forest-and-farmland area. Behind the hotel was a meadow about 20 acres in size (8 hectares). I was looking out the window admiring the view when I saw a large cat crouched down in the tall grass in a stalking position, intently focused on something hidden from sight in the grass. 

I compared the height of the cat to the height of the grass, and could see it was much larger than a housecat. It fit the description of a cougar - tawny color, long tail, unique head shape. I watched it for about 25-30 minutes as I was getting my luggage packed up to leave. 

The Eastern Cougar native to that part of the country has been declared extinct, so I’ve been told I probably saw a bobcat or a large housecat, but I’ve owned housecats, and bobcats have a very short tail, so I’m still convinced that I saw a cougar.
 

It sounds to me that you saw previously extinct animal looking around ready to reclaim the area. 

Which is objectively more exciting than being mauled by an animal commonly present in the area    

[acute 66,212]

My only frightening 'close encounter' with a Cougar was at a birthday party, when I was in my early 20's.

She stuck her tongue down my throat, and didn't seem to notice that her husband was sitting nearby, looking very angry.

[Helen of Annoy 41,034]

1 hour ago, acute said:

My only frightening 'close encounter' with a Cougar was at a birthday party, when I was in my early 20's.

She stuck her tongue down my throat, and didn't seem to notice that her husband was sitting nearby, looking very angry.

So, you backed down, slowly, avoiding eye contact, or you started shouting, waving hands and throwing objects at them? 

 

 

I know foxes can't be compared to actual cougars and bears, but my village has regular foxes stealing dog and cat food. They don't normally attack or enter houses, but I shoo them away just so they don't become too bald. They're usually not too impressed with being shouted at, but the moment I reach for the broom they run away. You can actually tell which one is "ours", half-domesticated, you have to wave a broom at them, and which ones are really wild, they disappear as soon as they see you saw them.   

[toast 16,885]

Bored hipster idiot went wildlife to test the cam of his new iPhone Xs. Apple refused device warranty claim of heirs in compliance to general terms and conditions of business.

[Raptor Witness 2,367]

5 hours ago, Helen of Annoy said:

I got really lost once and then I noticed the lichen on some rocks looks differently. I followed the different lichen, believing it must be that this is a path, only overgrown, but it probably was used once so that would explain different lichen etc... so I got to an actual path following my lichen. I revisited the "overgrown path" later, this time knowing exactly where I am and no, there was no any different lichen .....

I have used lichens before, I know what you’re talking about. They can be tricky when the light changes. One minute you’ve got a trail and the next minute you have nothing. 

Sometimes you just have to sit down and wait for the light to clear your head a little.

[Mr Guitar 333]

Had a large male bobcat do that to me one day a few years ago when I was surveying a new state park in SW Florida. I happened to turn around and he was about 20yds behind me, sitting in the middle of the trail watching me. We had a staring contest for several minutes before he ambled off into the woods never to be seen again. Not sure if I could have gotten the .357 out in time to stop him if he attacked...glad I didn't have to find out. Most of my worries were rattlesnakes (relatively few) and cotton mouths (meanest, nastiest things on the planet!!!!)

[simplybill 5,175]

Hahaha - that didn’t take long!

https://kutv.com/news/local/after-video-of-mountain-lion-stalking-hiker-parody-video-of-utah-cougar-lands-big

[simplybill 5,175]

8 hours ago, Helen of Annoy said:

I know foxes can't be compared to actual cougars and bears, but my village has regular foxes stealing dog and cat food. They don't normally attack or enter houses, but I shoo them away just so they don't become too bald. They're usually not too impressed with being shouted at, but the moment I reach for the broom they run away. You can actually tell which one is "ours", half-domesticated, you have to wave a broom at them, and which ones are really wild, they disappear as soon as they see you saw them.   

There’s a hollow tree in my yard that’s been a home for raccoons for years. I put my leftover food in a bowl and set it outside, then around 2:00 AM I can hear the raccoons fighting over dinner. Tonight they’ll be dining on gravy-and-bread. 

I buy 50-lb (22.7 kg.) salt blocks for the deer. It’s funny: the deer don’t lick the block, they lick the dirt around the block. Over the years, they’ve dug a hole that’s a foot deep and four feet across.

The nice thing about having wild pets is that you never have to clean up after them. 
 

[simplybill 5,175]

3 hours ago, Mr Guitar said:

Most of my worries were rattlesnakes (relatively few) and cotton mouths (meanest, nastiest things on the planet!!!!)

I had a snake experience a few days ago. I found a four-foot Fox snake coiled up on top of my water heater in the basement. I was able to safely move him outdoors, but of course now I’m more mindful about my surroundings knowing that my house has become a snake den.

[simplybill 5,175]

I admit it: ‘Stalking’ wasn’t the appropriate word for my title.

Scroll down in this article for more cougar stories:

https://www.backpacker.com/news-and-events/no-that-mountain-lion-wasnt-stalking-a-runner