Cats and Bears

[boyd050]

very interesting year this year, I've had numerous bear encounters, none dangerous, but I had a very big cougar stalking me while bow hunting, I was part way up a tree surveying a new stand locale when I noticed him slinking in the bush, he snuck to 32 yards from me and watched me for 1 full hour as I made my way up the tree in a self climbing stand, he laid there and just wouldn't leave for the full hour, finally he sauntered away, man was he big, the one day I didn't have my camera, tried to take some pics with my cell phone but they didn't turn out very good. too bad, then the next day at camp, we had another one come to the edge of camp just before dark, smaller one, we chased him out, seems he was watching us, our dogs alerted us, makes me think maybe we have a high population of cats here in the kootenays, never seen them like this before. a camp down the way saw 2 together, all of these in less than a week.. anyone else seeing the cats???

[dukester]

Just wondering if this was a wolf or bear would you all just scare it away.. yozers. Man alive is a cougars life worth more then yours.??? I'd be tossing lead .. they are looking for food and its probably you or your buddy..

[boyd050]

you know I thought about that, should I have sent some lead his way, part of me thought I should but the other part said, he's not legal for me to shoot, so I didn't but what if he and the other ones we saw hurt someone because they are becoming fearless? interesting ..... the ole shoot shovel and shutup?? what's your opinions?? remember, these ones weren't actively chasing me, just ..... sneaking in watching me...

[houndogger]

If it wanted to eat you he probably would have before you knew it.:redface:

[Barracuda]

if the cat was a threat then you wouldnt have seen it comeing :biggrin:

if you dont have a tag you dont get to shoot unless it is giving you whisker burns, its that simple.

we had a cat follow us along a ridge and watch because it is curious. if you hunt in snow you will figure out that there are a fair number of cats and if you look close you will notice that some of the tracks will overlapp yours.

They are curious creatures

[TIKA 300]

if the cat was a threat then you wouldnt have seen it comeing :biggrin:

if you dont have a tag you dont get to shoot unless it is giving you whisker burns, its that simple.

we had a cat follow us along a ridge and watch because it is curious. if you hunt in snow you will figure out that there are a fair number of cats and if you look close you will notice that some of the tracks will overlapp yours.

They are curious creatures

Know this one all to well from 1st hand experience :eek:

[H Wally]

if the cat was a threat then you wouldnt have seen it comeing :biggrin:

if you dont have a tag you dont get to shoot unless it is giving you whisker burns, its that simple.

we had a cat follow us along a ridge and watch because it is curious. if you hunt in snow you will figure out that there are a fair number of cats and if you look close you will notice that some of the tracks will overlapp yours.

They are curious creatures


Very true - I like how some people are amazed that "the cougars always come out in the winter".

Nope, it's just easier to tell when they're around in the winter. They still wait under the cedar next to the outhouse in the summer, you just don't see them then...:-o

[BlacktailStalker]

I'm sure the cat has never seen a man climbing a tree before, I guarantee he was just that, curious.
I've seen a cougar in broad daylight 2 consecutive years in the koots now.
You've got a better chance of being hit by a car than you do being attacked by a cat.

[Laurence_Erickson]

I was in the east koots last week and saw two cats at ten am one morning .I put the sneak on a small she cat and was inside fifty yards before she left.

[finish]

I think that that one was too relaxed and tame Boyd! Next time don't send him my way LOL, that was a HELL of an experience, I think LEad was in order for that one!!

[gwillim]

I had a fair size cat prowl up behind me while I was working this Spring, not too far from Nelson. I was alerted by some squirrels going ballistic in a nearby tree, so I scanned the hillside and was somewhat surprised to see a cougar peeking out from behind a cedar about 20m away! I was feeling pretty lucky to see a cougar that close, and I had to remind myself that this could develop into a "serious"situation. I grabbed a big stick and waved it around a bit, made some noise, but the cat wasn't budging. After about 10 minutes I thought I better leave before the cat got any big ideas.

In order to avoid problems, I put off that project until late this summer, and have been back in the same area for the last few weeks with no sign of the cougar. I definitely pay close attention to the squirrels now.

As mentioned before, I think if that cat had the intention of grabbing me it would have had every opportunity to do so.