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Re: [pct-l] cougars

Birgitte writes:
>    Most encounters with animals (or people, for that matter) are not
>life-threatening; occasionally wildlife approach humans quite close out
>of mere curiosity; not exhibiting "prey behaviors" is all that is
>required in such situations.

        It's important to know that for cougars, the preferred method of
attacking prey is to get the jump from behind and clamp down on the neck of
their prey......and cougars aren't known for taking on critters bigger than
them.  Backpackers wearing packs, being big and bulky-looking, have no
apparent 'neck' to clamp onto from behind........has anyone on this list
heard of a hiker wearing a_full-sized_backpack being accosted by a mountain
lion?  I'd be interested to hear if that's ever happened_while_the hiker was
hiking with the pack on.....  Recent cougar attacks in California have
typically been children, dogs, and petite joggers out alone:  easy, lone
targets to drop onto from above......
        Living and hiking in the southwestern US /SoCal, I feel fairly
confident that I've been unknowingly watched from above, unmenaced,
probably more times than I'd want to know.....
Kevin Corcoran
Palmdale CA 

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