How would you handle this cougar encounter?

[Planetcat]

I posted this on the archery forum, so if you frequent it, sorry for being redundant.

My buddies go pig hunting last weekend on a private land near the coast. One of them (not the sharpest of the bunch), hears some pigs fighting. Keep in mind, this is an archery only hunt. He stalks towards the noise, and at about 25 yards, realizes that its a mountain lion with a small pig in its mouth trying to asphyxiate it. The lion doesnt see him, so he yells at it to drop the pig. The startled lion drops the pig, which staggers away, and stares at my buddy in attack stance. My buddy knocks an arrow, and starts to back away. The pig starts to take off, so the lion bolts after the pig. My buddy changes his shorts afterwards. He was by himself in thick woods, and probably wouldnt have been found until the next day. Im not sure what i would have done. I dont think i wouldve yelled at the cat. Maybe shot it, shot the pig, or just quietly backed out and let the cat eat its dinner. Have at it.

 

[Bubblehide]

I have had a cougar stalk me due to a flared up injury. I could not lift my feet off the ground, and I could only make maybe 3 steeps at a time. So I looked like I was on the menu. This was at night. I had a headlamp on, the low setting. For some reason I turned it on the high setting, about 200 lumins, and I spotted the cat off to my left side, behind me, stalking up on me. At first the cat continued to stalk me. I turned toward it, it raised it's head above the brush, then back down and continued the stalk. At this point, the cat was at most a leap and a half away. I mustered everything I had, loudly growled from the pain, as I moved toward the cat. That was the last I saw it. It took me a few more hours to make the truck.

My point here is that predators highly desire the advantage of surprise. They know that without a surprise attack, or an attack from the rear, they highly increase their odds of injury. Which in the wild means death, eventually. So in short, unless an encounter with a predator is life or death (theirs or their youngsters, including starvation), and they are not cornered, the odds are strong that they will back off, provided a strong show of force, and no signs of backing down.

 

[Brnsvllyjohn]

I do not think I would bother a lion while it was making a kill unless it was something it should not be killing. If it was a pet or livestock then things would be different. I guess I would just move on and try to find my own game animal. NO I do not like lions particularly but no reason to interfere. Give me the right to hunt them and I would buy the tags.

 

[eoats]

who ever got there first me thinks.

"... or just quietly backed out and let the cat eat its dinner"

 

[OPAH]

Due to the Lion at least he knew there were more pigs in the area, but like wise due to the lion the pigs that were in the area most likely were long gone. so with the Law against you, illegal to kill a cougar and harassment of the Cougar and the piglet, the loss of my license for two or more years and possible Jail time, I thing I would have found a ridge and hoped I could find the rest of the Piggy's family.

 

[flytrue]

I'd leave the cat alone, and maybe get to watch some wildness in action.

 

[mezcan]

What are you talking about Mr. Warden, I didn't see any cougar…

... The shovel, oh that's for burying my poop in the woods!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Bankrunner]

I do not think I would bother a lion while it was making a kill unless it was something it should not be killing. If it was a pet or livestock then things would be different. I guess I would just move on and try to find my own game animal. NO I do not like lions particularly but no reason to interfere. Give me the right to hunt them and I would buy the tags.

/\ This is where I would be as well.
The guy has a nice story to tell, bet the adrenalin was flowing strong.

 

[slowpoke]

Hey Planetcat was this at Hedgpeth? If so I'm heading out there this weekend and just wanted a heads up if there was an active cat running around

 

[signguy]

Being that I don't break the law I would have watched the cat eat the pig. Unless I am in danger that cat walks away with its dinner. What an incredible encounter...
Now if this had happened in AZ- that cat would be hanging in the man cave.

 

[Planetcat]

Hey Planetcat was this at Hedgpeth? If so I'm heading out there this weekend and just wanted a heads up if there was an active cat running around

Yes Sir. I'll be there too. Staying at the white house. Stop by for a drink if you have time. The cat was near the low road on the way up to the ridge near where the river crossing is on the way to tea kettle. Definitely an area we never hunt or expect there to be cats in.

 

[Wild1]

You're not kidding about your friend not being the sharpest in the bunch! What would possess him to interrupt a lion during a kill....?! Once I saw the cat, I'd of retreated to a save distance and watched the show thru my binos. Your friend almost got the coveted Darwin Award.

 

[Planetcat]

You're not kidding about your friend not being the sharpest in the bunch! What would possess him to interrupt a lion during a kill....?! Once I saw the cat, I'd of retreated to a save distance and watched the show thru my binos. Your friend almost got the coveted Darwin Award.

Seriously. I would have backed out quietly. Even if it was legal, i dont think i would have had the stones to shoot that full grown cat with my bow, by myself at dusk, on the ground 25 yards away.

 

[Deleted member 33033]

I saw a cougar with a young pig once. I tried to tell him she would eat him alive. Oh the ole days at McCormick & Schmick's.[h=2][/h]

 

[KTKT70]

Lol....

 

[slowpoke]

Planetcat I will be driving a wht crew cab f150 or red ranger. I have not seen any cat sign down there so thanks for the heads up. I'm pretty sure you can carry a side arm on the archery hunts there as long as it isn't a fish and wildlife archery season.