Don't Poo Poo the Cougar

[peripatew]

What is the minimum round that you would consider using against a cougar if it had to come to that?

 

[gm47]

I have seen 3 cougars over the years. One was about 200 yards away and was the size of the one in the photo. He really gave me a great perspective or how big they get.

Geoff

 

[Ramm9]

So what is the best way to deal with a cougar?

Just remember it's like dealing with bears. You do not have to outrun the cat or bear, just outrun whomever you are with.

There are a few reports every year of sightings around the city I live in. The Eastern Cougar is supposed to be extirpated in this part of the world, but I'm not so sure............Doc

Last year there was a big discussion in hunting camp about the cats in Wisconsin and that the DNR steadfastly denied their existence. This is after multiple sightings and sign all over the state. Since the Chicago cat DNA matched blood from a cat spotted in Wisconsin I expect the DNR has adjusted it's position.

 

[Ron Athay]

The local Sportsman's Warehouse has a hunter's picture of a Cougar that was weighed at 220 lbs. In the picture the hunter has his arms around the cougars chest. The cougar is clearly bigger than the hunter. Cougars are not as hard to kill with a gun as a Jaguar or Leopard. AT a school near Mt. Adams they shot and killed one near a play ground that was stalking the kids. They used a .22 rifle (all they had). We have had three killed by firearms (non-hunting incidents) where I and my grandkids hike. I carry a .357 with max 125 hp. The three were killed with .357 (2) and one with a 30.06. The guy with the SAK that killed a cougar was lucky. I would not want to take one on with any knife. The local game department has a film of a cougar jumping on the back of a full grown elk and breaking its neck by pulling its head sideways.

 

[RescueRiley]

I firmly believe that cougars are alot more widespread than people believe...When I was growing up in upstate NY a girl in my class was thrown from her horse when a cougar darted across the path in front of them (supposedly). I'm pretty sure where ever there is an area large enough for them to hide in with enough food to eat...than they are there...That's just the way nature works....I was ocean kayking in maine about 3 years ago By a seal colony I was told by a local that there where no sharks in the area but the half eaten seal I found bobbing in the water seemed to say differently..Any whoo I think that as long as there is an abundace of wild game to eat in a given area humans are pretty low on the menu ..if they where people would be getting eaten right and left...sure people get attacked but if you consider the amount of people out there and the amount of cougars (unless you live in vancouver, Sorry pit dog) the numbers are pretty low...THat being said..if I could legally carry a pistol while out I would..but untill I move I'm stuck with bear spray...

 

[HighDesertWalker]

So what is the best way to deal with a cougar?

Here's some tips I found on the net:

Don't attract animals to your yard A neighbour that leaves a pet outside endangers everyone in the community. A cougar attracted by a dog may end up injuring someone. If you have a neighbour that is not considering the safety of the cougars and the community, try talking to them. If you don't feel comfortable, then why not leave them a note. emergency preparedness first aid

· Keep an eye on your children. Don't let your children play unattended in the back yard, especially when cougars are known to be in the area. You also want to keep your children away from dense bush which the cougar may use for cover.

safety tips

· Make lots of noise. Just like bears, cougars will often retreat if given the opportunity. Walking in large groups, and making noise will give the cougar the chance to retreat and reduce the likelihood of a sudden encounter. safety tips emergency preparedness first aid

· Be cautious at dusk and dawn. Contrary to popular belief, most predators are most active at dusk and dawn. This is a time to be especially cautious. safety tips emergency

· Keep your pets indoors. While you may have left your pet in the backyard in the past, it's now time to start bringing it indoors. Cougars can easily kill the largest dog and leaving your pet out may prompt an attack. Also, be sure to keep your dog on a leash. Pets running free may provoke a cougar, and then lead it to you.

· Make sure you don't leave food or garbage outside. The strong smell of food or garbage may attract a cougar into your back yard. Feed your pets indoors and keep your garbage securely stored.

safety tips
If you see a cougar...

· Remember, cougars are very different than bears. Cougars do not bluff charge. and playing dead is never recommended in a cougar attack.

· Don't Run. Cougars are a powerful predator. Running may trigger an attack.

· Face the Cougar and retreat slowly. Keep direct eye contact with the cougar while you slowly retreat towards safety. safety tips

· Look larger than life. Raise your arms above your head to make yourself look larger than normal. This may help to intimidate the cougar. You may also want to throw rocks and yell at it. Aggression will often scare it off.

· Pick up your small children. Cougars will often select smaller prey, such as children or pets. Pick your children up to discourage the attack.

· Report the sighting.

 

[DOC-CANADA]

Last year there was a big discussion in hunting camp about the cats in Wisconsin and that the DNR steadfastly denied their existence. This is after multiple sightings and sign all over the state. Since the Chicago cat DNA matched blood from a cat spotted in Wisconsin I expect the DNR has adjusted it's position.

The same things happen here. A month or two back, there was a report in the paper and on tv and radio, about a cougar killed on the highway. The report originated from the police. A couple of days later they said it wasn't a cougar, it was a coyote! How can a police officer not tell the difference between a coyote and a cougar? Also, why did it take 2 days for the story to be dismissed as false?

Whenever there's a report about a cougar, it is always dismissed as somebody's exotic pet, mistaken identity, etc. And one of these sightings, apparently was made by a licensed trapper who I think would be able to identify it!

A guy was attacked by a cougar near Cornwall Ontario. This appeared in the newspaper: "Michael Sanders, a wildlife biologist in Montana, and Dr. E. Lee Fitzhugh, Wildlife Enhancement Specialist, Dept. of Wildlife, Fish, and Conservation Biology at the University of CA at Davis, analyzed the position of the teeth from photos of the bite and determined that the bite matched that of a cougar. This is the first confirmed cougar attack in the East since 1751. Sources (Ontario bite; The Ottawa Citizen; August 15, 2001; by Matthew Sekeres)".

A couple of months back, the front cover of Canadian Geographic blazed the news that conclusive evidence was found of a cougar in southern Ontario.

There's just too many sightings to not have some basis in fact. And for their own reasons, it seems, authorities are covering it up.

Now I'll go and remove the tinfoil from my hat

Doc

 

[Tasselhoff]

I have personally seen one outside of Tampa, and was just told last week by a park ranger in Gulf Shores, Alabama, that there have been several sightings there.

 

[Brian Jones]

When I read this thread title, I keep hearing these words sung to the tune of "Don't Fear the Reaper" by Blue Oyster Cult....

 

[ajcz]

dont try and poo on cougar allen or try to steal his babies either

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http://youtube.com/watch?v=h7MuFDVEUro

 

[Kismet]

That Wisconsin cougar sighting was determined to be valid. Local residents were advised to be alert, and NOT to shoot it it. They discovered through DNA that it was a South Dakota cat, not some South American pet-release. Determined to be about a two year old male, conjectured to be looking for mate and breeding territory. It was kept under scrutiny over the Winter.

When the cougar showed up in Chicago, I wondered, but the area the cat would have had to traverse covered some of the busiest interstate highways and the most developed of the Chicago out-lying areas. As stated, it was seen IN the city, a residential neighborhood, miles in from O'Hare.

Damned if it wasn't the same cat. Poor thing...I can only imagine nine Chicago cops letting loose with 9mms at the terrified animal in an alleyway.
Some great TV coverage of the cat padding out from a yard at right angles to a cop, about 60 feet behind him as the cop walked to the camera lens.

The survival stealth necessary to make the trip down to Chicago from rural Wisconsin, not to mention the cross-country trip from South Dakota, is astonishing.

Not unlike humans, that drive to breed can kill you.





Kis
enjoy every sandwich

 

[Ramm9]

Not to reflect unfairly on the Chicago Police but a newspaper interview reported the neighbors air conditioning unit was also shot dead...

Check out this site about Cougar sightings...
http://www.uwsp.edu/wildlife/carnivore/Mountain Lion Maps_files/Mountain Lion Maps_copy(1).htm

 

[theonew]

I don't poo poo any wildlife. When my dog was a puppy, less than 20 lbs, there were some really large birds (no definite idea of what they were, but my guess is osprey) circling above us and tracking our movements. I was worried they were going to try to snatch him. On another hike he almost got trampled by a rabid deer. Like RescueRiley said if I could legally carry a pistol :grumpy:, I'd have one at all times.

 

[Esav Benyamin]

(no definite idea of what they were, but my guess is osprey)

Osprey would more likely to be going after fish.

* ****** **** ****** *

We shouldn't be surprised at the spread of the coyote and the cougar. Where there's prey, there's predators, and we know how overpopulated deer are in many areas.

 

[ilbruche]

What is the minimum round that you would consider using against a cougar if it had to come to that?

How about a 454 Casull?

My old roomate saw one on the bluff behind our house last summer.

 

[Guyon]

Lots of folks fear the Cougar. Just look on the faces of these guys in the background.

 

[jim preston]

Hmm. If I recall correctly, the cougar is the most widespread American cat. Doesn't it range down into South and Central america too?
I'm pretty sure there are cougar in North Carolina, over in the Blue Ridge moutains. Wouldn't want to run in to one.
From what I understand, most cats lack stamina, and can't fight for a long time. They make up for this though by either pack hunting, like lions, or by being stealthy, and killing you while your back is turned.
This is one of the reasons that the Asiatic lion is all but extinct, except in one wildlife preserve. Lions aren't nearly as stealthy as cougars, tigers, or leopards.
Aren't hyenas also felids?

 

[jim preston]

Oh, and I too thought you were referring to Cougar Allen, and expected to see you banned.

 

[shaker]

last spring near peterbrough ontario,,my girlfriend and I saw a cougar while geocaching..i spotted it across a small river (60 meters) it was walking facing us,,so at first i thought it was a large fox,,or coyote,,,pointed it out to the gf,,and then it turned sideways to us,,,no mistaking the tail on a cougar ,,drooped down almost to the ground,,then curled up at the end..
we later crossed the river to try and find a track,,where the cougar was there was a dead fish at waters edge ,,,but we could not find a track,,,getting back to the road we ran into two ladies walking,,when we asked them if there had been and animal sightings ,,they said a cougar had been seen in area
dont care what anyone says,,,,that tail has me convinced it was a cougar
gf whos very big into the outdoors agrees

 

[Esav Benyamin]

Not exactly.

Hyaena

Although hyenas bear some physical resemblance to canids, they make up a separate biological family that is most closely related to Herpestidae (the family of mongooses and meerkats), thereby falling within the Feliformia. All species have a distinctly bear-like gait due to their front legs being longer than their back legs.