Aimlessly wandering about the woods

**Eric James** · 30-Sep-2006, 20:18

I was tent bound in Yosemite in the early 90s when a cougar had been seen in the Valley - the park service had posted warning fliers EVERYWHERE! Around the same time a young woman, out for a run, was killed in Northern California by a cougar. As I drifted off to sleep one night I heard this blood-curdling cry that went on and on; only after it stopped did I realize what had made that hellish noise!!! A thin sheet of rip-stop nylon would provide little resistance to a critter that makes such a scream. Fortunately, I hadn't showered for days and most cougars know that there is little meat on the scrawny bones of a climbing bum.

John, your Yukon cougar has not been sighted in the area - good thing too 'cause I'd make for slightly better eatin' these days. We have lynx in SC AK and a few winters back I had the privilege to engage one in a 20-second stare down at sunset - I just had a Contax T3 with, so I didn't bother. I wouldn't be surprised if MTN lions travel to this neck of the woods in coming decades. Sitka blacktailed deer [SIC] from SE AK have been sighted near Anchorage in past years.

We've got bears though; lots of bears, just down the street:

http://www.adn.com/front/story/8067062p-7958666c.html

I couldn’t find pictures on the Anchorage Daily News site but they are worth surfing for. Google: “Kincaid Bear Electrocuted”, and ask yourself if you want to duck under the dark cloth

Cheers

**Jeffrey Sipress** · 1-Oct-2006, 08:59

So, you think that 'environmental mucky mucks' are the ones that know why a freshly paved road is closed? Can you be more specific with that description? I may know a few!

So, you bailed on the image-making opportunity? Too bad. The best time to make a photo is when one presents itself to you. You schnooze, you loose.

Maybe some tree-hugging mucky muck came by right after you left and made a wonderful image of that scene......

**Andrew O'Neill** · 1-Oct-2006, 09:14

Out in BC, we have every scarey beast you could think of...I've seen bears but they just look at you and carry on their merry way. Cougar encounters are so extremely rare, that I don't even worry about it.
The biggest scare I had was when I was photographing a Jakeobite (probably spelt wrong...sorry my Scottish brothers!) barracks ruin a few years back. I felt something breathing down my neck whilst under the focusing hood...I slowly pulled my head out, turned around and there in all his fine glory was a fine specimin of a Scottish Moo checking me out...from exactly one metre away! He snorted and went on his way. So did I.
It's interesting how our imaginations can get the better of us. Wind blowing bushes can suddenly become a scarey animal moving around and watching us in our minds...
The wind blowing through the cracks at an old wooden First Nation's church is eery...A bunch of us were photographing there yesterday...but that's ghosts...not scarey beasts with big teeth.

**brian reed** · 1-Oct-2006, 09:51

I was in Glacier National Park photographing Avalanche Creek and 3 hikers walked by on the trail and suddenly stopped looking into the woods. I looked over and they were motioning and pointing into the woods. As I walked over to see what the excitement was they said there was a mountain lion under the tree, and sure enough the mountain lion was just sitting there hanging out and didn't seem to concerned.
The lion was probably 200 to 300 feet from where I was and I don't know if I was on the menu ,but I kept photographing and I never saw it again. I worry more about bears than mountain lions, attacks are so rare they seem to go after someone jogging or riding bikes. In other words someone moving fast.
After I got home and about a month later, I read that a woman riding a bike about in that area was attacked by a mountain lion.

Take care BR
www.brianreedphotography.com

**Brian K** · 1-Oct-2006, 12:30

I've run into enough Bears and other large animals and will not go hiking alone without a can of Bear Spray in my hand. It's in unfortunate that in order to get the photos I want I have to break the two cardinal rules of hiking, first don't hike alone and second don't hike during sunrise or sunset. If you are intent on doing either or both you need more than a tripod for protection. A can of bear spray is small and highly effective and do not bury it in your case but either carry it in hand or where you can get to it without any effort or delay.

**John Kasaian** · 1-Oct-2006, 13:44

No doubt New Mexican bears who are fond of chilis, are resistant to pepper spray

**erie patsellis** · 1-Oct-2006, 17:10

For New Mexican bears, shouldn't you just act like a person of authority, pull out a badge and shout repeatdly "Immigration Agent!!!!" that should clear the area of any New Mexican anythings...... or did you mean New Mexican (the state) Bears?

erie

**Michael Daily** · 3-Oct-2006, 17:32

In 1997 in Rocky Mtn Nat Pk, mountain lions were eating people. I saw several warnings with details of recent mishaps while hiking photographing there. Never saw one, but we were travelling in pairs. I think I am too clumsy and make too much noise for them...
Michael

**Jim Rice** · 3-Oct-2006, 19:02

Several years ago (I SWEAR this is a true story) I was driving westbound to work on US 90 just east of Ocean Springs, MS. I was just about to pass this older Ford Ranger when an about four foot alligator is suddenly attached to the diver's arm outside his window. I always assumed it had been in the bed of the truck (pet? dinner?). He was pulling off the road really quickly. It was one of those "did I really see that?" moments.
Seriously, when the predator is prehistoric it adds an element of "EWWWWW". I think I'd trade for something furry.