Caution In the Foothills

[Hoser John]

This pic,and a few others from different locales, show that big cats are running around Georgetown out of Auburn, and all over the place as protected species multiply like crazy. Watch your rear as they always hit from behind and quiet as a mouse...John

 

[Hard Prospector]

This pic,and a few others from different locales, show that big cats are running around Georgetown out of Auburn, and all over the place as protected species multiply like crazy. Watch your rear as they always hit from behind and quiet as a mouse...John

I never hit the trail or diggs w/out the Ruger on my belt and always assumed one loaded cylinder was enough, guess its time to pack some speed loaders too

 

[DizzyDigger]

Cougars do not hunt in packs, and what you see in
John's pic is most definitely a mother and 3 yearling
cubs.

Cougars, by their nature, are solitary critters and tolerate
another adult lion only for mating purposes.

It's no secret that I'm a lover of cats...especially big ones,
BUT, if you are being attacked, or your livestock/pet is
being attacked, you have every right to protect yourself
and your property. There's a point where you draw the
line...and then shoot the SOB. At that point don't shoot
to scare or just wound...shoot it until it's dead.

Situation is only going to get worse until Calif. re-institutes
a "pursuit only" season again for cougars, which will keep
them pushed back into the hills. They also need to release
or sell about 200 permits to kill one.

Sadly, with the preservationist mindset of the state that
will never happen until they are forced into it by the citizens.

People are needlessly going to die as a result of their elitist
attitudes.

 

[Lanny in AB]

Cougars do not hunt in packs, and what you see in
John's pic is most definitely a mother and 3 yearling
cubs.

Cougars, by their nature, are solitary critters and tolerate
another adult lion only for mating purposes.

It's no secret that I'm a lover of cats...especially big ones,
BUT, if you are being attacked, or your livestock/pet is
being attacked, you have every right to protect yourself
and your property. There's a point where you draw the
line...and then shoot the SOB. At that point don't shoot
to scare or just wound...shoot it until it's dead.

Situation is only going to get worse until Calif. re-institutes
a "pursuit only" season again for cougars, which will keep
them pushed back into the hills. They also need to release
or sell about 200 permits to kill one.

Sadly, with the preservationist mindset of the state that
will never happen until they are forced into it by the citizens.

People are needlessly going to die as a result of their elitist
attitudes.

Another option is to let hunters with packs of specially trained hounds (Blueticks and Redbones work well; I've seen them in action numerous times) consistently "run" the cats out of any areas where they're an immediate concern.

I remember detecting for nuggets in an open-pit placer operation when a cougar hound (Bluetick) with an antenna pack got lost briefly from the pack. He spent about 15 minutes with me until his handler got in range again and called him back (electronically).

Mountain lions much prefer areas of peace and quiet to being run by dogs . . .

Like any animal, felines respond to unwanted pressure and can be conditioned.

All the best,

Lanny

 

[DizzyDigger]

Another option is to let hunters with packs of specially trained hounds (Blueticks and
Redbones work well; I've seen them in action numerous times) consistently "run" the cats out of any areas where they're
an immediate concern.
Lanny

My apologies Lanny, as I should have called it a "hound pursuit only" season,
as what you describe is exactly what I intended to.

With -0- legal hunting to maintain a population, the only way
to keep bears and cougars out of peoples way is to continually
push them back into the hills. Only way to do that is with
a trained pack of hounds led by folks young enough to keep
up with them over hill and dale. Tree the critter, then chain the dogs
back, jump the cat or bear out of the tree, and then chase
'em some more...they get the message.

The downside of it is that these cats need space to call
their own, and trying to shove them all into one area means
each one has to constantly fight for their piece of it. This is
not the way to manage an overpopulation of large
predators!

The individuals who make these policies think they're doing
"good", when in reality they are no more than spineless cowards
who would rather cause the animals to suffer from overpopulation
than to properly manage the population.

Preservation vs. Conservation strikes again.

Sooner or later, one of the people who get mauled or attacked
should sue the sheite out of the State of Calif. for mismanagement
of the resource, and by doing so putting the lives of people at risk.

 

[russau]

S. S. and Shut up!

 

[DizzyDigger]

S. S. and Shut up!

Normally, I would agree, but in this case making it publicly
known that you [or your pet, etc.] were attacked by the cat,
and the cat was killed only to defend yourselves.

BUT, you had also better have some solid proof of the attack.
Shooting a big cat (or bear) just because it was in your vicinity
will not be an acceptable reason, but if the critter charges and
you have to kill it in self defense, well, that's different.

I would use every trick/tactic I know in order to avoid an attack,
but if one did happen (and I was in Calif.) my first call would be
to Calif. Fish & Wildlife to advise them of the situation. Immediately
after hanging up with them I'd be calling every news source
and media outlet I could get ahold of. Making the public aware
of the carnage these apex predators can cause will change
minds. Even full-blown bunny huggers don't want their kids
digesting in a cougars gut.

The only way this situation is ever going to change is if the
general public is made aware of the overpopulation of the
cats and bears. You get enough mothers worried about their
kids playing in the yard, and you won't be able to shut
them up until the current law is repealed and a hunting season
is set up to reduce the population.

 

[Lanny in AB]

My apologies Lanny, as I should have called it a "hound pursuit only" season,
as what you describe is exactly what I intended to.

With -0- legal hunting to maintain a population, the only way
to keep bears and cougars out of peoples way is to continually
push them back into the hills. Only way to do that is with
a trained pack of hounds led by folks young enough to keep
up with them over hill and dale. Tree the critter, then chain the dogs
back, jump the cat or bear out of the tree, and then chase
'em some more...they get the message.

The downside of it is that these cats need space to call
their own, and trying to shove them all into one area means
each one has to constantly fight for their piece of it. This is
not the way to manage an overpopulation of large
predators!

The individuals who make these policies think they're doing
"good", when in reality they are no more than spineless cowards
who would rather cause the animals to suffer from overpopulation
than to properly manage the population.

Preservation vs. Conservation strikes again.

Sooner or later, one of the people who get mauled or attacked
should sue the sheite out of the State of Calif. for mismanagement
of the resource, and by doing so putting the lives of people at risk.

Thanks for the clarification, and if there are so many that they can't be driven from residential areas or areas of high human concentrations to places where they have sufficient range, then there's a serious problem indeed as tragedy of one sort or the other is inevitable.

All the best,

Lanny

 

[Goldwasher]

Yep, several sightings right in town in Georgetown. One at the nature center right behind the pre -k and kindergarten rooms. Been dealing with one on/ around our claim since December. Young one curios and new to the area. http://www.treasurenet.com/forums/gold-prospecting/450306-bazookapple-express-skunk-lion.html. Its still hungry. The deer is spread out now and the skunk carcass gone. looks like it may have been scavengers though. This cat has been going into yards and been on several trail cams. Gonna be careful as always....stay out of the woods and canyons no way. Be careful out there guys and if your gonna be in an area often make noise and pee everywhere you can.

 

[rodoconnor]

For once the political hacks in Kalifornia are not to blame for the absurd mismanagement of the Mt. lion situation. It was the Initiative prop 117 passed by the people themselves.

 

[gold tramp]

Have a good dog with you youll never fear an animal attack of any kind, this is where the title mans best friend came from, a dog will gladly lay down its life for its master.
i always go with my dog she hasnt let me down yet, she also has a back pack to help carry supplies even if it is only first aid kit or an ore bag.

Any way my point is most times an wild animal will run like heck from a dog chances are you wont even know what they were chasing after.
GT.........................

 

[Reed Lukens]

For once the political hacks in Kalifornia are not to blame for the absurd mismanagement of the Mt. lion situation. It was the Initiative prop 117 passed by the people themselves.

The people ? No... The Sheeple? Yes, Everyone that I know voted No but the problem with California is that southern cal with all of their sheeple, own the polls. So us northerners don't ever win because we have space but not the people to back up the vote. The millions in Central and Southern Cal get manipulated into voting the way they are told by their boob-tubes. How many of them have ever seen a mountain lion or even ever been out of their city? Probably none of the ones that voted for 117. I've seen 14 lions in the wild myself, one was a black panther that is supposedly extinct here in Cali. I've also seen the so called extinct lynx down in Gold Run, Cali. As far as bears go, 13 different bears in the same day is the most that I have seen and that was after the Star Fire. Most people don't see 13 bears in their lifetime, let alone 13 different bears all in one day.

Grizzly Bears or Mountain Lions? I would rather not run into the mountain lion because when they used to catch and fight them against grizzly's, the mountain lion usually killed the Grizzly by jumping up on its back and breaking its neck. At least I can hear a griz first usually, I have been just a few feet from a mountain lion and it ran when it saw me, while a momma lion and 3 cubs stood their ground and I hit the road. But bears on the other hand can be quite friendly, though you can't trust them. So when it comes to bears or lions, I will always choose bears because they aren't always ready to eat you.

So something keeps pushing me in the middle of the night, rolling me off of my foam pad, I push back and it moves over a little still cuddled up against me. Finally I look over because I figured that it was one of my friends trying to keep warm back in my boy scout days, but no. I had a bear curled up and keeping warm next to me on the outside of my sleeping bag. Even as a child I had plenty of run in's with bears to not bother worrying about them, so I stayed nice and warm and went back to sleep. When I woke up he was gone but the guys all thought I was dead and told me about the bear being next to me, but none of them knew that he had actually slept next to me for an hour or so

 

[rodoconnor]

Oh I agree with you Reed !! The manipulation , hype and lies that went on in that BS campaign were disgusting. Sad fact is that the Assembly cannot pass a law to overturn 117. It has to be through another initiative form the sheeple.

 

[BurntBear]

Only a few cats here...but you must learn to dance amongst the abundance of Copperheads....but I have something for them too and it's waterproof.

 

[Aufish]

I was refering to us not being a threat to them - "those predators not preyed upon as healthy adults in the wild", not the Grizzly. Although I see your point, lol!

Well apparently there is a global virus spreading to all big cat species rapidly that originated from the dog genome, aka the "zombie-cat virus" or "canine distemper" which alters the cat's personality so that they lose their sense of threat judgment and will happily make its way into towns / cities. This isn't a big problem for us (someone will have a gun..merica) but in say India where many live in rural areas with the big cats, they have to be on their toes or the cats will kill them, their pets, their kids as they have NO fear of people whatsoever (not natural) even if they did have a gun the people don't want to kill their big cats they just want them to stop coming into human's space so carefree.

So do your part, don't let your dog become cat food...

 

[63bkpkr]

This is where "game management" comes in, not "fish & wildlife". Unchecked major predators will kill any easy target and humans are easy targets, especially children, and it is only a matter of time before a cat takes down a human right in town making a tragedy out of the stupidity of not managing the big predators and the herds they follow..............63bkpkr

 

[Hoser John]

Reed, Remember when you brought them fellers up to buy that dredge in Lakehead at Garys house? Right in front of the garage he was working and less than 25' away(hop,skip or a jump) was a huge male marking his territory a few months back in broad daylight. Gary knew something was up when his rat cats came running like their tails were on fire and hid there. Biggest he's ever seen there in 35+ years. They are definately getting bolder, hungrier really as the forests die off... John

 

[Asmbandits]

Heading up to Georgetown tomorrow, will have a sidearm on me for sure as I have a few spots to check out that are out in the sticks for metal detecting and my gb2 sounds like a dying animal, not a good combination..

 

[Hard Prospector]

What happens in the diggins stays in the diggins.............

 

[Asmbandits]

Concealed carry permit freshly renewed last month, I dont always carry only when feel it may be necessary. Im sure as hell not wearing headphones while detecting this trip but then the darn gb2 is squealing like a dying calf... Ive had a bear spook me once while detecting and I suspect it was the detector noise that made him curious as it sure didnt scare him away. That time I was un armed and scarred as hell but once he saw that it was me and not another animal he bolted, he was only about 20 ft down stream when it happened.

 

[CHUDs]

I believe the main problem to be that few people hunt the deer around here. There are so many that when summer gets really dry and all the deer move towards people's gardens for food and water, they bring the lions with them. The Puma Project documented 2 female lions jointly raising a cub this past year as well. First time anyone has seen that I believe. People don't realize how many there really are. If there are deer, there are lions. I love the big cats but I'm wary as hell and the father of a 4 year old. It won't be too long until he is running around in the woods. Time to get another dog. The age for him and a pup is perfect. Constant companion for an active boy!