Cougar Sighting

[Splintercat]

Cool! I'm envious, too -- especially that you grabbed such a sweet pic, too! NICE!!!

The closest I've come was running into a frightened hiker coming down the Mazama Trail a couple years ago -- he'd encountered a cougar with a fresh deer kill just off the trail, and it had flattened its ears, assumed sort of an attack posture and growled at him. He froze, then backed away until he couldn't see it, then started hiking VERY QUICKLY back to the trailhead. When I saw him, he looked like he'd seen a ghost. I had just pulled into the trailhead, and was the only other car... so... thought long and hard, and decided to pick a different trail that day..!

But yeah... I really want to see and PHOTOGRAPH one... someday... from across a deep, narrow gorge... after the cougar has had a very large meal...

-Tom

[Grannyhiker]

Quite a picture! Beautiful cat!

I've seen only one cougar (outside of zoos). That was way back when I was 15. All I saw was a flash of beige and a long tail rapidly disappearing into the woods. I'd love to see one again, although not, of course, at close range!

You do want to restrain yourself from moving too rapidly out of the area. To a cougar, if it runs, it's dinner!

I count on my dog Hysson to let me know if one is approaching from the rear. So far, it hasn't happened!

[-Q-]

HOLY COW
HOLY COW
AWESOME!!!!


What an experience, and what a great picture!!

Nicely done not getting eaten

[Excursionista]

Awesome! Like everyone else, I want to see a cougar so bad. Great job on the photo - I showed it around at the bookstore today and all the hiker/science folks were totally stoked. It might be a point-and-click, but you got great definition and focus.

I solo hiked Hamilton Mountain the day before your encounter, and the only other people on the trail or in the parking lot were a group of three and a couple. It's a bit weird to think that cougar could have been ranging around and I didn't know... I saw a doe on Little Hamilton and I usually think seeing deer is a blessing, but your hike was truly blessed. What a great experience!

[ttaosh]

Yesterday (06/06/2012) was my first time hiking Hardy Ridge. The wildflowers were very nice and and the views better than Hamilton Mountain. Also, I got to see a cougar!

Nice PHOTO! i have spent 30 years trying to capture one (in a photo). I have seen one cross hwy six right by the Kings trail head and 3 cross the the main road to MSH climbbers biviowac. I jsut did a hike up at hardy ridge two weeks ago ad saw the cougar warning on the board thanks for the report.

have to keep looking i guess.


Troy

[romann]

Lucky to see a cougar, and to capture it so well! I still hope to see my first cat in the light of the day. There's plenty of their sign everywhere, but they do well at avoiding us hikers. That cat at Hardy Ridge must've seen lots of hikers over the years, without being spotted.

[mayhem]

Ideally I'd get attacked a little bit and survive with an awesome scar or something.

Like so !

[Eric Peterson]

[Crusak]

^^^^


Awesome scar idea, +1 for theradpotato!

[mayhem]

^^^^


Awesome scar idea, +1 for theradpotato!

I think this guy attacked 6 people in total & all survived with scars to prove it, just like Rad expressed