[pct-l] Cougars

[Sir Mixalot]

That's the part I've been curious about all these past few years.  I didn't
have any meat products in my food bag.  Just diary and plant products.  I
suppose cats like milk, but it's still strange.  Even so, the bottom of my
Ursack was covered in clear slightly yellow mucus or slobber with a few
bubbles in it.  The bag was dry when I put it on the boulder, and the rest
of the bag was dry.  I've never put liquids in my food bag either, so it
couldn't have come from within.  In any case, I saw the cougar standing
above my food bag and looking at me.  Maybe it was there for me.  I sure
hope not because then I REALLY wouldn't like the reason it returned several
times that night.  I prefer to think the cat was there for my food, and
that's why I no longer sleep anywhere near my food.  If a cat or any animal
wants to check out my food all night, I'd rather sleep soundly not knowing
anything about that.

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.


On Thu, Mar 21, 2013 at 6:25 AM, CHUCK CHELIN <steeleye at wildblue.net> wrote:

> 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/
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