cougar

A bit ago David (Grandson #1) was hiking a trail not far from his home in Northern California.

The trail was one he had hiked many times before. He knew it well. Then, he looked up and there was a real live Cougar staring at him. Maybe 5 feet away.

There was cell coverage so he called his wife and she looked up a number for the Fish and Game. The FG guys stayed on the phone. For an hour the big cat circled. It was way after dark when David blew his whistle and flashed his light in hope of  scaring the critter. The cat circled closer.

At that moment the F&G chopper came over the ridge and the cougar finally fled.

Next day the F&G guys went out to see what was going on. The cat stalked them too. Unfortunately that was a bad decision for the cat, and for "public safety", he/she was "put down."

I lived for 3 summers in the wilds of Montana, I have gone camping countless times and I have never even seen a Cougar.

It seems that as we invade more and more of the wild spaces (not so much hikers as roads and homes) these critters are losing their fear of mankind. That is not good for either.