Scary Cougar Encounter In Utah Filmed...Shoot or No Shoot?

[RVTECH]

Remember this guy.
He felt the same way as you.

Entirely different scenario - and there are no Grizzlies near Portland - or in OR for that matter.

Treadwell willfully placed himself in the proximity of the bears AND at a time when natural food was somewhat low due to environmental conditions at the time.

He was not acting 'normally' such as involved with a some form of outdoor sport and the attack being just 'circumstance'.

He had been warned many times his encounters would most likely turn deadly - and ultimately did.

 

[EPS]

Most of the time black bears and cougars will avoid people.
But there is always the one that is sick hungry or protecting there Cub's.
That's the one that you have to be ready for.

 

[FourTeeFive]

You can't predict nature, or what it will do. We have cougars around here. They're not a problem to anyone. But all it takes is stumbling across a cougar or bear mom with its offspring, or especially a sick one, to change all of that. Cougars can and do attack people, especially when they're sick and malnourished. I carry all the time anyway, but tend to pack something a bit larger when hiking or camping.

 

[JohnnyMac]

Remember this guy.
He felt the same way as you.

He Devoted His Life To Grizzly Bears — Until They Ate Him And His Girlfriend

Timothy Treadwell spent his life living with the bears, and forming close relationships with them. He never imagined they would one day turn on him.

allthatsinteresting.com

While living in Alaska, I worked mountain top radio sites. This site (Cape Gull) is just a couple ridges over from where Treadwell and his lady friend were turned into bear poop. This guy came by for a visit over the course of a couple days. It was all fun and games until the bastard stole our gas....

 

[awshoot]

On the question of why he didn't pick up a rock sooner -- wouldn't it have been risky to make himself look small? You're going to halve your height picking up a rock. As for kicking some, that probably would have been a good idea a lot earlier.

 

[osprey]

Like many things in life it would have been a calculated risk picking up a rock. Only would have taken a fraction of a second to squat down all the while keeping an eye on the cat.

 

[FourTeeFive]

Like many things in life it would have been a calculated risk picking up a rock. Only would have taken a fraction of a second to squat down all the while keeping an eye on the cat.

And at least have something in your hand should the cat actually attack.

 

[FourTeeFive]

In other news with cats, this is one badass little kitty.

 

[Certaindeaf]

While living in Alaska, I worked mountain top radio sites. This site (Cape Gull) is just a couple ridges over from where Treadwell and his lady friend were turned into bear poop. This guy came by for a visit over the course of a couple days. It was all fun and games until the bastard stole our gas....

Wow, that's nuts. I always wondered about eskimo lore to spritz tent walls with diesel to repel polar bears..

 

[EPS]

So back in 1984 and 85
I lived with my uncle in Cook City Montana.
He had a lodge there and we had black bears come up in the back of the lodge at night and dig in the dumpster.
We would watch them all the time.
Never had a problem.
He had a few dogs the dogs would chase them away when we let them out.
The guy down the road had a bear get in his truck and get his groceries one night.
He came back from shopping went in the house then came back out to unload the groceries and there was a bear in the truck eating his stuff.
LOL

 

[The Heretic]

In all the time I have spent in the woods, including areas where there commonly are brown bears (Alaska, Idaho, Montana, etc.), I have never seen a bear in the wild, neither brown nor black. Never seen a cougar in the wild (although I did spend a few minutes in a cage with a pet cougar).

Closest I have ever come was a lynx I saw in WA state.

 

[RVTECH]

Seems Like I have seen everything BUT a cougar in the Oregon woods!

I am sure they have seen me however!

 

[The Heretic]

Seems Like I have seen everything BUT a cougar in the Oregon woods!

I am sure they have seen me however!

Everybody else sees the cougars and bears around here (I really need to put those trail cams outside), but I never do. I see coyotes and rabbits, the occasional porcupine (including a really big one) and lots of deer, but not cougar or bears.

 

[HA556]

I gots nuttin!

 

[sobo]

I've seen it all...

 

[galvweld]

In Alaska bears crossed the highway, frequented the riversides during salmon season and went through yard on their way somewhere. They were visible while out hunting as well. Really changes one's perspective when you contemplate you are not at the top of the food chain. Armed heavily while sleeping in a nylon tent just didn't ease the mind. Have heard them pop their jaws when we shared the same geography, associated with a whoof.

Modern use of battery operated electric fence around camp sure would help me to rest easy.

Hunted with success in Idaho and took a couple nice bears. Saw cougars a couple times in the Wyoming Big Horns. In Oregon saw a big cat a night on HWY 22 while driving with wife. Near Springfield early one morning saw another. Again with with in vehicle. Was up Upper Camp Creek and one crossed the trail. Yup. Again wife was along. Cougars are stealthy but have had a bear come within 10 paces and we weren't aware at the approach. Wife and I were sitting in ground blind over a bait station. That bear just walked away, ever so quiet.

 

[Helocat]

I would not have blamed anybody for shooting that cat. Encounter went on way too long. If it had been me I would have fired a barking shot into the gravel 5' in front of cat. If that didn't work I would have shot the cat. It is only a bluff charge until it's not.

If a slow human is dangerous with a knife at 21'.....

I think it's safe to say with a cougar at less distance by the time you realize it's too late a large chunk of your face is already on its way to the cat's colon.

 

[washagonian]

Remember the cougar that attacked two mountain bikers in Washington State back in May of 2018? Mauled one and killed the other.

 

[Xaevian]

Lucky he didn't stumble or trip while making his documentary about the exercise benefits of hiking backwards.



Wonder what kind of shoes he was wearing. Oh, pumas...lol.

 

[Flopsweat]

I laughed my azz off !!

Growling, hissing, calling it 'dude', saying 'please' ??

And the backing up while the cat followed clearly put the cat in the 'lead' with the guy clearly showing fear. I'll bet a couple of those rocks thrown with an aggressive step forward would have sent it running!

I'll take a wild guess and and say the guy had no gun, or if so it wasn't very accessible.

The only pic that should have been taken was the one of him 'posing' - with the dead cat - if it ultimately came to that.

I'll bet that cat was just a synapse away from deciding to pounce.

Bear, bear! <-- This is a link. Click it.