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A capable stalk-and-ambush predator, the cougar pursues a wide variety of prey. Primary food sources include ungulates  such as deer, elk, moose, and bighorn sheep, as well as domestic cattle, horses and sheep, particularly in the northern part of its range. It will also hunt species as small as insects and rodents. This cat prefers habitats with dense underbrush and rocky areas for stalking, but it can also live in open areas. The cougar is territorial and persists at low population densities. Individual territory sizes depend on terrain, vegetation, and abundance of prey. While it is a large predator, it is not always the dominant species in its range, as when it competes for prey with other predators such as the jaguar, grey wolf, American Black Bear, and the grizzly bear. It is a reclusive cat and usually avoids people. Attacks on humans remain rare, despite a recent increase in frequency.

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Hendostan said:
with bears, the most dangerous thing you can do is surprise one, or come between cubs and a mama. to avoid those situations, just be careful going around blind turns in the trail if you're hiking in bear country, and carry bear spray just in case.

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Hendostan said:
for an aggressive moose... i don't know, i think you're fucked. climb a tree or get away somehow, i don't think playing dead will help and neither will fighting it. i know a lot of people out here in montana that are more afraid of moose than grizzlies... statistically, its justified.

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PDU said:
For black bears - i know to make lots of noise and act big. In the event of a mauling, fight back.

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I've heard that this works against cougars, too.

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PDU said:

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Hendostan said:
for an aggressive moose... i don't know, i think you're fucked. climb a tree or get away somehow, i don't think playing dead will help and neither will fighting it. i know a lot of people out here in montana that are more afraid of moose than grizzlies... statistically, its justified.

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When i was a kid i was in a mtn. bike race, and a kid got chased by a moose and he climbed a tree.

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Shroomism said:


cougars on the prowl!

I think their natural habitat is dive bars though.

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zombi said:
the cougar does not cause your fear. your thoughts about the cougar are the source of the fear. realize this and embrace it. only then will you be able to let go of the fear.

bears and snakes on the other hand are pretty damn scary.

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Spaced_Cowboy said:
Grizzlys can't climb trees

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Spaced_Cowboy said:
By the way, i've heard of grizzlys taking like 4 or 5 shots from high powerd rifles and still coming at you without even slowing down, those fuckers are INTENSE. They have like 4-6inch claws on them and a no neck head, basically its like getting run over by a 1000pound truck that then stops on top of yo u and proceds to tear you to shreds.

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thedudenj said:
lol some times its hard to sleep in the woods alone when theres a 35+ year old woman that wants to fuck you

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I thought that type of cougar when I first looked at the thread title haha.

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RogerRabbit said:
If you want to avoid a cougar encounter in the woods, take a large dog or two to scare it away and/or alert you to the cat.  The dog will pick up the scent in most cases, wind permitting.  My dogs grew up in cougar country, and the old dog they learned from taught them to stop and sniff the air every few minutes.
RR

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^^Best advice^^ My lady never used to camp until we met.  I take my Pit and my Catahoula when we go camping.  The second time she went camping with me,  my catahoula that is 55lbs soaking wet treed a 150lb Florida panther.  After that she has never been scared again! In fact now she walks around naked like she owns the woods, here's a shot at Peace river with my black pit Raven.

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dummy said:
luckily there aren't too many tigers in california

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danlennon3 said:
With my experience with bears is to keep a batch of 'special' brownies on hand and place it about 100 yards from your camp... The bear will go for that first. So NOW when the bear comes to your camp,there is no threat.

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I'm not sure I'd want a bear with the muchies near me.

Again guys, take a dog.  When a large dog and a human are together, it freaks out predators to the point they leave you alone.
RR

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dummy said:
are the only thing stopping me from sleeping in the woods by myself.
how are you folks not scared shitless of waking up to a large cat munching on your upper thigh??

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I remember seeing that show awhile back, The Alaskan Experiment that had 4 groups of people living in different shelters for a few months from late summer till mid winter.  One of the groups was living in essentially a giant tent with brown bears roaming around it, and meanwhile they've got like 100 lbs of salmon plus whatever food they managed to hunt stored in it.  Would have had me on edge till it was hibernation time.

Something like this:


With a canvas wrapped around it.  Would have been like plastic wrap to a bear.

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RogerRabbit said:
Again guys, take a dog.  When a large dog and a human are together, it freaks out predators to the point they leave you alone.
RR

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i like to think this is the case, but i've heard stories of wolves getting pretty territorial when a dog is around, or the dog getting chased by a bear and bringing it right towards the owner. but i think generally, it creates more noises/smells and thus reduces your chance of getting fucked with.

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RogerRabbit said:

Again guys, take a dog.  When a large dog and a human are together, it freaks out predators to the point they leave you alone.
RR

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Thought this was appropriate for this thread:

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danlennon3 said:
but in Nam... didn't the soldiers wear their goggles backwards so they wouldn't get ambushed by large cats?

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Slavich said:
Fear is a product of imagination. Control your mind to unlock your potential.

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PDU said:

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Slavich said:
Fear is a product of imagination. Control your mind to unlock your potential.

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Amen.

I apply this principle to many aspects of my life, yet am unable to control it in others.

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Thats how life works.  As we grow we learn to overcome our fears, or at least control them.  It makes us stronger every time we can conquer one.  And there may be some fears we will never overcome or that are even healthy to have, but how we deal with them defines who we are.

BTW, cougars scare me.  Horny 40-something women that is, not the big cats.

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c0sm0nautt said:
Of course, the game department did not let him keep it. It will be mounted and put on display at the Anchorage airport (to remind tourists of the risks involved when in the wild).

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iluvfungi said:
When I was in bear county, one of the first thoughts I had was a massive appreciation for the animal. Almost a spiritual experience at that. I had felt that I'd connected with the bears, accepted / respected them for what they were and that was the end of that.

I'd image that people that swim with sharks that kill or similar animals must do the same thing. How did that bear guy live with bears for 13 years successfully? $5 said he made a spiritual connection to the animal and respected them.

Also I'm pretty sure those animals are pretty receptive to you. If you are aggressive and seek to hunt them, they might return hunt you. I find in life if I am projecting a thought, such as fear of X, other people catch on to that fear pretty quick. From what I've experienced, animals aren't nearly as stupid as you make them out to be. In fact, I'm pretty sure open communication happens between the animals and yourself.

It is a bold step to take, to completely trust an animal and give it full respect; vs being terrified or fearful of it and letting your fear manifest into reality.

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