[Ski]

[Dave Workman]

[RumiDude]

[Ski]

^ valid points. ^ as long as we're speculating here, don't forget to include the mountain biker who was attacked by a black bear while riding in the Banner State Forest near Port Orchard a few years ago - thought to have been caused simply by his moving quickly and startling the bear. maybe it's not a good idea to be moving quickly on trails in areas populated by cougars and bears.

[cambajamba]

Good reminder that the wilderness is not something you can form a two-sided personal relationship with. You can buy a bike, and you can buy a permit, but you can't buy not getting mauled by cold and indifferent nature.

[Malachai Constant]

I have noticed that when riding deer seem to run along side or just in front of you. When hiking deer scatter off to the side generally uphill. I have had deer run along with me for over a mile. Perhaps they think you are a deer also, if so cougars may also treat you like they treat deer

[BdCast]

[thunderhead]

Ya, i think theres a big difference between deer interpretation of steps and wheels. They will let you get much closer on bikes. Then again, maybe its just your speed is faster so you tend to get closer before they decide?

[Damian]

I've also noticed when riding or driving that deer will run ahead or off to the side, but in front in either case. My theory has been that they are mentally programmed to run away (meaning, stay in front) of whatever is chasing them. Not realizing that neither cars nor bikes will turn and chase them into the woods, they take the easiest path which is to stay on the trail/road. And since the energy expended by a running animal increases non linearly with speed, staying just ahead of the threat optimizes the likelihood of successfully outrunning the hungry chaser. Hikers have less of a velocity vector so the deer don't interpret the heading of the threat as rigorously. So, while also sensing the significant relative mobility disadvantage of the hiker, they simply bounce up the nearest hill. Notation: this has been my theory based on years of evidence, but may be total BS.

[pcg]

[cambajamba]

Personally I've always thought that if faced with a similar situation, I'd be backing away slowly pretty much all the way back down the trail, at which point I'd slowly back away in my vehicle, all the way down the highway till I'm home, then I'd back slowly through my front door and lock it twice just to be sure.

[DigitalJanitor]

FWIW my most intense cat encounter was with one at night while I was running a 3 dog team on a cart north of Thorp on the IHT. I only knew it was up there because of some big eye shine, which I first assumed was an elk and then when it was kinda paralleling us up on the bluff above more like a predator I automatically figured was a big loose dog... which is a common problem for sled dog teams so I went into the usual mode: stop, start yelling, shoo it off so it doesn't come down and cheap shot the team from behind. It was only after I had the headlamp sweeping around and I'd been yelling for a moment that suddenly a distinctly triangular-eared head outline became clear through the brush. That was an 'oh crap' moment for sure... the hounds were all GSPs so if they got wind of it they'd gladly wade into a brawl, and while I know they'd defend me right to the death the idea of getting an obviously full grown cat wound up in a gangline with three dogs did NOT sound appealing. Fortunately I'd rehearsed the moment multiple times in my head already, so I went on auto pilot... started picking up rocks, swearing like a sailor in my loudest deepest voice, and stayed close to the dogs (who never did scent it due to completely dead air but were definitely all watching the hill). The point of all this is... what I did worked. But the reaction to leave was MUCH slower and more reluctant than I would have liked. The cat at first kept circling around behind sage/bitter brush like it was annoyed and confused as I hucked rocks at it, and only finally started slowly stalking off. I got eye shine in my headlamp every time it looked back, and I held my ground and yelled every time until it was well gone. I turned the hounds around for the truck, looking back behind us frequently and shaking like I'd downed 2 pots of coffee, but we did it. *********** All that said, I'll take the chance of tangling with another cougar. Human males are by far the most dangerous predator that roams the planet and I've done a fair amount of route planning in hopes of avoiding the worst of 'em... this roughly approximates the 'how drunk can they be and still get there' category. BUT DO THINK THROUGH AHEAD OF TIME what you'll when encountering cats, bears, etc. Having that cemented in was a HUGE advantage IMO, because even while my conscious brain was still trying to get a grip on what was happening the rest of me went straight into action, and that's exactly what I needed at that moment.

[Dave Workman]

[Ski]

Well... that's all fine and well if you're packin' heat, but not everybody is doing that. Personally I prefer cookpot and rock - makes a LOT of noise and I don't have to worry about reloading.

[AR]

Yes, and we got the ol' mace, hot pepper spray, and a bear gun thinger that's like a one shot m-80 launcher. I can see shoving that into the cougar, it bouncing of it and me, then a smoking crater near a cat and human asking "What the hell?"