Video

The cat follows the guy filming for about 6 minutes. A few mock charges, but no real charge. But I guess he needed to change his undies after this

Good mama but thin. She was thinking “leave” then thinking maybe stay for supper...

Did you all notice a 3rd mountain lion pretty far down the road near the start?

I will bet he thinks twice about videoing wild creatures in the future.

Pretty small female with I would guess her first set of young and just like some human mothers a little over protective!

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Originally posted by larryshores:
Did you all notice a 3rd mountain lion pretty far down the road near the start?

I will bet he thinks twice about videoing wild creatures in the future.

There were cubs.

Yes one can see them right at the start of the video.

She is lucky the person wasn't arm other wise she most likely would have been taking a dirt nap.

That's right up the canyon from where I grew up in Utah. I've been up there many times. The Orem/Provo area is a lot different in the type and make up of people that live there now, than when I lived there. There's a ton of people that have moved in from out of State and that now hike, jog and walk the hills constantly without any sort of protection-most of them are not hunters and don't know the first thing about predators except what they see on T.V. The fish cops need to capture and relocate her and her cubs, or some unfortunate child, young adult or woman is going to meet her on the trail and get unzipped.

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The fish cops need to capture and relocate her and her cubs, or some unfortunate child, young adult or woman is going to meet her on the trail and get unzipped

Just killing her would be simpler less expensive.

I watched a lot of it and kept noticing all the perfect sized rocks for chucking at that cat...I think it may have changed it’s mind earlier, and if not...bang.

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Just killing her would be simpler less expensive.

True, and that's what a lot of us would do if we were in that situation. But, with kittens and a significant population of non-hunters in Utah Valley, it would be more likely that they would choose to capture her and the kittens and relocate them, base upon public sentiment.

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base upon public sentiment.

Based on public sentiment.

Some would want the runner beaten and the lion hugged.

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Originally posted by matt salm:
I watched a lot of it and kept noticing all the perfect sized rocks for chucking at that cat...I think it may have changed it’s mind earlier, and if not...bang.

Why shoot her? She clearly didn't intend to kill, or even hurt, him. A rock would have done it, as it did in the end, he seems to grab one. Or bear spray.
If PH's in Africa would shoot every charging elephant, or lion, they would shoot a hell lot more elephants and lions.

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Why shoot her? She clearly didn't intend to kill, or even hurt, him. A rock would have done it, as it did in the end, he seems to grab one. Or bear spray.
.

You only know that after the fact.

It is easy to say it was a false chare after it is done

Spray is a poor substitute for a firearm.

As many of you know, there have been a number of cougar(mountain lion) attacks in the western states, particularly in California and Colorado over the last few years. Some adults have died from the attacks. She and her cubs are in a canyon close to a major population area in Utah, and two major universities. Something will need to be done one way or the other with that cat and her cubs.

I'm amazed at how far she escorted the guy away from her cubs and occasionally looking back as if she should check on them. She looked small, maybe a female that got bred before becoming mature.

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Originally posted by BushPeter:

quote:

Originally posted by matt salm:
I watched a lot of it and kept noticing all the perfect sized rocks for chucking at that cat...I think it may have changed it’s mind earlier, and if not...bang.

Why shoot her? She clearly didn't intend to kill, or even hurt, him. A rock would have done it, as it did in the end, he seems to grab one. Or bear spray.
If PH's in Africa would shoot every charging elephant, or lion, they would shoot a hell lot more elephants and lions.

That was my point, I would have used a pile of those fist sized rocks and most likely chased her off with them...if that didn’t work I would have no qualms going with a more permanent solution. I did in fact have a close encounter with a much larger mnt lion 15 years ago while packing out a bowkilled elk at night. I had a FA 475 Linebaugh on my hip and a headlamp. I had the sights on the cougar from 15 yards or so and did in fact NOT shoot. Just backed away and made a large detour back to camp. Don’t regret not shooting that one at all but it didn’t act anywhere near as aggressive as the one in the video. If you can tell all those charges were going to be mock charges while they were happening, more power to you. I may have experienced a little panic on some of those but would like to think I would have fired over her head or in the dirt to one side or the other in an attempt to chase her off without killing her.

My friend sent this video to me and asked if I knew where it was. It's not far from where I lived in Utah when I was a kid. We used to spend a lot of time exploring in the Provo Canyon.
I sent the video to my brother and he had been there the previous week. He said he did see a dead dear carcass not far off the trail that he and my niece were hiking on. I imagine it may have been taken down by Momma cougar. Like me, my brother doesn't go into the hills unarmed. Had he been the one discovered it i'm sure the cubs would've been orphaned had Momma acted the way she did.

Shooting everything isn't always the right answer.

Lately there's been some bears in and around Dillingham and regularly on facebook someone says they need to be shot.
Why?
None of the bear encounters I've heard about have been anything aggressive and the attraction has usually been some kind of bear bait left out or even just casual passing by.
That fellow was in mt lion country just like I'm in bear country. They and we are just around and unless we want our entire planet to resemble new york city and Chicago where the local wildlife is park ducks and suburban coyotes we otta let em be a little.

The reason to live in Alaska is for the moose, salmon and bears. The reason to live in Utah is for the deer, elk and mt lions.

Maybe that trail would be a little safer if they paved it. Two lane asphalt with curb, gutter and sidewalk on both sides!

I'll admit that if I were there and on my own, I doubt I'd of done any recording and just backed out of there. If I'd of had my daughter with me I'd of just shot the cat. I'd certainly feel very bad.

If I had a gun I wouldn't have shot her either. I might have put a shot near her instead or thrown a rock. Obviously it would have worked and everybody left the scene alive.

Like Scott said if you want the outdoors totally safe stay in the city, it's where you belong.

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I might have put a shot near her instead or thrown a rock

Warning shots have a fairly high percentage of success. When it comes to dealing with animals.

As long as one doesn't need that round later.

I too am a natural born rock thrower but bending down to get one in the first couple hundred yards mama was escorting him out might not have worked so well...

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Originally posted by Cougarz:
If I had a gun I wouldn't have shot her either. I might have put a shot near her instead or thrown a rock. Obviously it would have worked and everybody left the scene alive.

Like Scott said if you want the outdoors totally safe stay in the city, it's where you belong.

Someone said the other day,
"There was a really big bear right on my front porch!"

Instead of that being neat and cool, a rare opportunity to see a big bear that close, the replies were shoot it, etc. Apparently the bear did nothing and I'd guess the bear was on the porch because it was lured there. Poor form I think.

These bears and mt lions aren't going away, even during the past years of traps, poison and bountys we couldn't exterminate them. It takes massive subdivisions and eight lane freeways to do that.

Americans came west and north to get away from metro super Urbia. I like living near cats and bears.

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These bears and mt lions aren't going away, even during the past years of traps, poison and bountys we couldn't exterminate them. It takes massive subdivisions and eight lane freeways to do that.

We exterminated them from large portions of the country.

Only with the passage of laws protecting them we allowed them to be saved.

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Originally posted by p dog shooter:

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These bears and mt lions aren't going away, even during the past years of traps, poison and bountys we couldn't exterminate them. It takes massive subdivisions and eight lane freeways to do that.

We exterminated them from large portions of the country.

Only with the passage of laws protecting them we allowed them to be saved.

Thank God you stayed back east.

Large predator's are only around because we allow them to be.

In the east, south, west, north or middle.

The facts are if not given protection they would soon be shot off.

If that wasn't so why did we have to pass laws in every state and at the federal protecting them and or allowing limited harvest.

I respect mountain lions. I like it when I see their tracks and we share the same area. I don't want to shoot one (although I believe controlled hunting keeps them honest). That said, I'd be backing up and if that behavior continues putting a warning shot across the bow. If it amps up from there then it's boiler room and repeat as necessary until the threat is eliminated.

A long time ago I decided I was not going to take a mauling from man or beast.