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Thread: Cougars

  1. #41
    Land-Scapegrace Heroique's Avatar
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    Re: Cougars

    Quote Originally Posted by Alan Klein View Post
    Do you call Park Headquarters during or after the sighting?
    I would love for someone to call Park Headquarters and ask this! Their answer might be priceless. Any volunteers? But in all seriousness, I think they’d say, “As soon as it’s safe to do so.” For the quicker they get the information, the more successful would be any action they might have to take.

  2. #42
    Vaughn's Avatar
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    Re: Cougars

    Quote Originally Posted by Corran View Post
    I...It's not easy to think rationally in crazy unusual circumstances I would think! Give the guy a break...
    I should. It is an automatic reflex these days to pull out the phone/camera before engaging the brain, so I'll give him that.

    A trail thru our local redwoods that I use to take my three 3 years olds on hikes had a couger attack on it several years ago. The lion had an older man's head in its mouth and the wife ended up trying to stab the lion's eyes with a ballpoint pen. The man survived, but had a heck of a time with infections.

    There are few rocks along the trails in the redwoods. Two young lions were found and killed.

    The Park just wants the information to keep a record of any sightings.
    "Landscapes exist in the material world yet soar in the realms of the spirit..." Tsung Ping, 5th Century China

  3. #43
    Alan Klein's Avatar
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    Re: Cougars

    Quote Originally Posted by Heroique View Post
    I would love for someone to call Park Headquarters and ask this! Their answer might be priceless. Any volunteers? But in all seriousness, I think they’d say, “As soon as it’s safe to do so.” For the quicker they get the information, the more successful would be any action they might have to take.
    'Hello, is this the Ranger Station? Can I talk to Smokey? ...Well, Smokey, I've sighted a cougar or it might be a mountain lion, not sure. I was reading your instructions. My situation doesn't seem to be covered."

    "Well, Sir, just what is your situation?"

    "Well, it's chewing on my left arm, right now. So I can't raise it above my head to look bigger. What should I do?"

    "Oh," says Smokey. "In that case, just let him have it. You got another."

  4. #44
    Land-Scapegrace Heroique's Avatar
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    Re: Cougars

    Here’ a very difficult question I’ve often tried to imagine an answer for, but none of them fully satisfies me.

    Let’s say you’re on a quiet trail, you’ve taken all the precautions – but suddenly, there’s a cougar hugging you from behind, teeth searching for neck, claws scratching your chest, and naturally, you begin falling to the ground…

    Seems you might have a few seconds, a very precious few, to do something which might prove effective and save your life.

    What is your next best step? Sure, fight back, but specifically, what does that mean doing in the next 3 or 5 seconds?

    (I'm mostly interested in serious answers, but funny answers are allowed.)

  5. #45
    Vaughn's Avatar
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    Re: Cougars

    One will have to fall back on one's inner beastie and fight back anyway one can -- I'd go for the eyes and push my thumbs in as far as they would go. That is about the most one can do to hurt a lion without weapons. It worked for the old couple. We'll be equal weight, with a chance I'll have a few pounds more, so I have a chance of rolling with the beast -- perhaps downhill to encourage separation.

    And while I am dreaming, I'll pick up the cat and toss it down the hill.

    I think I ran across the couple that were attacked a few years later on the trail -- they had more stuff on their belts than a police officer. Bear spray, knife, first aid, etc. I'll give them a lot of credit for being out there again.
    "Landscapes exist in the material world yet soar in the realms of the spirit..." Tsung Ping, 5th Century China

  6. #46
    Old School Wayne
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    Re: Cougars

    Quote Originally Posted by Alan Klein View Post
    What are you suppose to do? I would have thrown those big rocks at it.
    First of all, don't approach the damn kitty. Second of all, and most importantly, stand your ground and don't back away. Those 2 alone probably would have ended the encounter with 99.999% certainty. Third of all, stop taking videos. I only watched the first 60 seconds, I couldn't bear 5 more minutes of whatever stupidity happened (unnecessarily) after that...

  7. #47
    Mark Sawyer's Avatar
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    Re: Cougars

    I think we can all agree, the most important thing is to take out your cell phone and make a youtube video with breathless narration...
    "I love my Verito lens, but I always have to sharpen everything in Photoshop..."

  8. #48
    Drew Wiley
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    Re: Cougars

    Will they set up a hotline for marmot sightings next?

  9. #49

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    Re: Cougars

    LOL!
    There's an old story about a hiker reporting to a Ranger that she saw a rattlesnake on a trail and that her guide book said that rattlesnakes aren't found above 9,000'
    The Ranger informed the hiker that that particular rattlesnake obviously hadn't read the book.
    "I would feel more optimistic about a bright future for man if he spent less time proving that he can outwit Nature and more time tasting her sweetness and respecting her seniority"---EB White

  10. #50
    Vaughn's Avatar
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    Re: Cougars

    Quote Originally Posted by Mark Sawyer View Post
    I think we can all agree, the most important thing is to take out your cell phone and make a youtube video with breathless narration...
    Right there at #1 on the list of important things to do. (satire)

    That is why I think he is an idiot and deserves a ticket for disturbing wildlife. Instead of doing what is required by law in many parks (staying away or moving away from wild animals immediately) he saw the cubs, took out his phone, turned it on to video, approached the cubs closer -- and managed to keep the video going 'surprising' smoothly during the lion's defensive movements.
    "Landscapes exist in the material world yet soar in the realms of the spirit..." Tsung Ping, 5th Century China

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