[pct-l] Cougars

[CHUCK CHELIN]

Good morning,

It seems every year there surfaces concern and discussion about cougars.  My
experiences with cougars is severely limited because in spite of the fact
that I’ve been hiking the mountain west since the Eisenhower administration
I’ve never seen a cougar in the wild, on the hoof – so to speak.

I’ve seen lots of tracks, but tracks aren’t very threatening, and I’ve
never seen where the tracks end.  One morning on the PCT just north of
Chinook Pass, near Sourdough Gap, I stopped to get some Peanut M&Ms out of
my pack when another NoBo hiker passed me.  After chatting for a while he
continued.  Within 5 minutes I had my treat in hand and I also continued.  I
was looking at the other hiker’s tracks in the fine trail dust, and within
¼ mile I was surprised to see 7” diameter cougar tracks covering his.  I
hurried on hoping to sight the cat but it either heard me, or just had its
curiosity satisfied because the tracks left the trail.  Mid-day I overtook
the other hiker and asked if he had seen the cat, but he hadn’t.

I’ve encountered freshly-killed deer that were partially eaten and covered.
I’ve heard cougars scream in the night – chilling, but harmless.

Once in far NE Oregon I crawled into a high-up cave and found an empty bed
that had lots of hair that looked like it came from a yellow Lab dog, but
again no cat.

Another time in C. Oregon near Stormy Lake below Irish Mountain, I was
hiking along in the middle of the day when I instantly felt that prickly
feeling of impending danger.  Seeing nothing ahead or toward the sides I
spun around, fully expecting to see an incoming tawny ball of teeth and
claws.  Nothing – not even crickets.  I have no idea why I got that danger
warning, but I’m absolutely certain that over the years I’ve been watched
innumerable times, and probably followed – I won’t say stalked, just
followed.

Numerous times on trails around Mt. Hood where I train I’ve seen cougar
territory-markings on the trail tread consisting of two, foot-long scuff
marks.  Supposedly they also scent-spray the same place but I’ve never
smelled any.  Once I encountered the same markings on the PCT in N.
California near Grizzly Peak which can be seen here
http://www.trailjournals.com/photos.cfm?id=425760

http://www.trailjournals.com/photos.cfm?id=425761

Cougars are carnivorous sight-hunters and don’t really rely upon their
noses.  It’s very unlikely they would have any interest in anything in your
food stash, and wouldn’t approach even if you hiked dragging a pork chop on
a string.

People love to relate stories about cougar sightings, and those people are
either incredibly lucky or incredibly imaginative – I leave it to you to
decide.  Sensational media loves to cover such stories, but considering the
number of hours that people spend in cougar habitat every year, and the
dearth of reports, it’s clear to me that the chance of a experiencing a
difficulty – or even making a sighting – is vanishingly small.

On the bottom of this site
http://www.trailjournals.com/entry.cfm?id=167914  are comments about
cougars by a prominent and experienced outdoorsman.

Steel-Eye

-Hiking the Pct since before it was the PCT – 1965

http://www.trailjournals.com/steel-eye
http://www.trailjournals.com/SteelEye09/