[pct-l] felis concolur - cougar

[matt at mattmaxon.com (matt maxon)]

very cool!
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "alec" <amr10009@yahoo.com>
To: <pct-l@mailman.backcountry.net>
Sent: Tuesday, January 24, 2006 10:07 AM
Subject: [pct-l] felis concolur - cougar


thought i'd share one of the most amazing experiences i've ever had:

  on june 10, 2000 (talk about an experience making an impression!), i was
hiking in
  los padres national forest.  decided to make camp high on a ridge.
  the "power spot" that we all dream of.  360 degree, 40 mile views.
  dropped my pack.  gathered some dry manzanita wood for a fire.
  spread out my sleeping pad and took a 15 minute snooze.
  woke up and meditated for another 20 minutes or so.
  it was now 7:45 pm.  sun kissing the tips of the mountains over ojai.
  everything glowing orange.
  i stood up and walked 15 feet to the top of the ridge.
  took a deep breath, spread my arms apart, exhaled
  and then noticed a HUGE cougar standing in FULL VIEW no more than
  20 feet in front of me!!!!  nanoseconds felt like hours as my synapses
  processed what i was seeing.  then EVERY hair on my body stood up.
  i've never experience anything like that shot of adrenalin.  it took days
to come down.
  literally.  our eyes were locked.  the setting sun shining on his tawny
coat.
  OMG his eyes!!!!!!  i didn't detect anything menacing about this animal,
but,
  at that point instinct took over and i became a bigger animal.  i grabbed
my knife,
  started growling, and basically readied myself to fight a mountain lion.
the cat didn't react.  just kept staring at me.  a few more seconds went by
and he slowly walked over the ridge and disappeared.

  in a bizarre, mystical way, i've often regretted my actions.  definately a
"burning bush" type of experience.  one that i probably wouldn't choose to
repeat, but also one of the defining moments of my life.

  p.s.  afterwards i did ALOT of research about the felis conculor i.e.
puma, cougar, mnt. lion.  in addition to the other info that has been
mentioned here, they are also known to be extremely curious animals.  known
to track and observe without malicious intent.  the reason that bikers and
runners are often the targets of attack is because they closely resemble the
lions primary prey... fleeing deer.  children resemble smaller prey.



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