Cougar Attack in Utah | Mountain Lion Stalks MAN For 6 Minutes!

[Wildcat1750]

Yikes!!!

[PaleIO]

Just as you instinctively stepped in to protect your nephew, Momma
cougar simply did the same for her cubs. I don't think anyone would
argue that she didn't have as much right to be there as the jogger did.

By her actions, she's communicating to that human to get the heck
away from her kids. I think the guy handled it quite well..he didn't
turn his back to her, and he kept her engaged while creating distance
between them.

There was no need for that cougar to die, as she charged instead of
attacked. Had she been killed, now there's two more orphaned cougar
cubs that will have to be raised by a rehab place, and their chances
of being reintroduced to the wild aren't that great.

If someone's going to jog, camp, fish, prospect, etc. in country that
is known to harbor dangerous large predators, then they should take
the time to educate themselves on the behavior of those predators.

It makes the difference between being terrified of an animal, or keeping
most of your cool and ending the conflict before anyone has to die.

Easier said than done. Not sure anyone would have time to assess the intentions of a charging lion. I don't have much of a soft spot for mt. Lions lost to many valuable livestock over the years. The biggest problem with encounters like this is overpopulation. They learn to not have a fear of humans and become very dangerous. California is a fine example of this...

[DeepseekerADS]

Sanctuary is wonderful when humans are your worst danger.

It was just last year a big black bear destroyed my back storm door and ripped a bunch of siding off the back of the house. So I'm hiding up the holler from humans, and got them critters behind me wanting in my house. I'd posted about it on here in a different thread. I'd learned a little bit about living here. All my years in Detroit had me fearing humans more than anything else. I'm not a hunter / critter killer!

Though it seems kinda like they want to eat me!



This is the bear damage to the back of my house - there's no glass left in the storm door and parts of the door are bent.

[Peyton Manning]

Deep, I’m not certain but that insulbrick could contain asbestos. Next time run that bear off before he eats any of it and gets cancer.

[CoinHunterAZ]

Not long ago here in Flagstaff we had a cougar snatch a small dog being walked on a leash. Arizona Game and Fish tracked it with dogs and killed it. We are in extreme drought here right now, and lots of animals are getting pretty brazen in order to just survive. Imagine being at leash length away from that happening! Yes, I carry a gun on my woods walks!

[Louie D]

Maybe the kitty just wanted to be petted?

[Louie D]

Me and a girl cousin were once confronted by a pack of dogs in an alley in Detroit, not a good situation.
They started to spread out to surround us, I ID'ed the leader by his demeanor and actions, and the pack seeming to take its cues from him.
I didn't have time to be scared, I told my cousin I'll try to distract them to me and for her to make a run for a nearby bar and get help, which was our destination.

I knew to show fear would invite attack, I happened to have an army jacket on and took it off and starting waving it towards the leader, who backed off a bit. I slapped the jacket on the ground in front of him a few times and he finally locked his jaws on it, the rest of the pack was closing in while my cousin tried to edge away.

With a firm grip on my jacket I lifted it up and he exposed his throat, bad move - I kicked him in the throat as hard as I could, had steel toed boots on too. He yelped in fear and pain and ran away, the rest of the pack followed so out of danger, we continued to the bar and had a few drinks.
Started to get a little shaky after it happened, I knew I wouldn't have much of a chance against that many street dogs unless I did something bold, am very glad that it worked.
Hunters even in packs tend to seek easy victims, I guess after I punked out the leader they had me pegged as a bad ass to be left alone.

That is one of the things I feared most when I worked in The D, idiots letting their pit bulls and other nasty mutts run free.

[DizzyDigger]

Easier said than done. Not sure anyone would have time to assess the intentions of a charging lion. I don't have much of a soft spot for mt. Lions lost to many valuable livestock over the years. The biggest problem with encounters like this is overpopulation. They learn to not have a fear of humans and become very dangerous. California is a fine example of this...

Having worked with big cats in the past (Tigers, cheetahs, lions, etc), my
initial reaction is not one of fear, allowing me to make that assessment.
But then again, that's me, and not those who've never had had contact
with a bigger cat.

Just to clarify, if the critter is clearly threatening your life, then it's time to
shoot first. Unfortunately, the vast majority of people today are raised
in cities and suburbs, and other than what they see on Animal Planet
they're pretty much clueless as to the natural behavior of critters.

Had that cat been a bear, it's doubtful the encounter would have ended
without somebody shedding blood. If a bear is charging, and gets within
roughly 40 yards I'm going to be shooting! Bears ain't cats.

In 1972, and against the advice of wildlife experts, California folded
to public pressure and placed a moratorium on cougar hunting, and that
is when the population began to grow at unmanageable levels. Now,
nearly 50 years later, the population is higher than ever. The only
lions removed now are by landowner or depredation permits.

Many states would benefit from having a "pursuit only" hound
season, as that would allow the cats to be pushed back into the
hills and away from population centers.

[pepperj]

In the years of living/travelling/working in and around the mountains and bush I've seen a big cat twice. Sort of a badge of honour I can actually say I saw them, something so many a person will never do.
Now I expect that I was seen a whole lot of times, and there's was no problem and I'll stay with that thinking even today.
Oh there's been a many of times when I stop and had the feeling of being watched-which is alright-cause I'm on somebody else's turf-no matter who's.
That goes for bears as well, I respect their turf, even though they now trek on my turf, eat my field grass in the spring, have walked by the house.
But they don't stick around, they don't want to be hanging around looking for trouble.
Many see a creature of the wilds-first thought is kill it-before it kills me. Other go out of their way to have one mounted-just to say they are a great something...
Yet so many just feel uncomfortable in the treed landscapes while feeling right at home in the inner jungles of society-where they go day trip to the zoo.

[jeff of pa]

I'm not a hunter. Though I Do have great respect for All hunters, at the moment I Don't remember killing anything on purpose,
other then mice and bugs

oh and I did Volunteer To Chop the Head of Ducks When We Raised them & I was a Kid. almost forgot that.

and accidentally with my car. birds, a deer, squirrels. and maybe etc.

ain't saying I didn't want to kill a few dogs, but in reality not my thing.

in the case of that cougar, instinctively in protection mode or not I Would have went like this, from the second after I seen it Lunge
the first time on. if someone ended its life.

I don't like or Trust any animal that Instinctively , Or is trained to Attack Human Beings and that includes police dogs.
would I kill 'em ? only in self defense if I got Lucky.

With the Exception of What I Can Comfortably Eat, I'm not an animal Person.
Thank unchained barking/growling Dogs for that

[pepperj]

I really don't blame the dog-as it's like a child-it only mirrored the owner/adult-that is the refection that one should be looking at-not the dog/child.