Mountain lions near Leadville

Legs Magillicutty wrote: That's exactly what it did. We didn't see it until it was coming at us. What's your point exactly? Were you there?

I'm trying to get some clarity on the word "stalking" which implies it's hunting you, as opposed to the cat just approaching you.

My point is that if a cat is actually stalking you, it (generally) won't let you see it until the point of attack. And that if it attacks, it will most likely be from behind you, and very fast.

So no, I wasn't there. But from your description, it let you see it and wasn't charging you at full speed from behind. So was it stalking or just observing you?

climbing friend,

"Fight back," the laughing it is out loud!

You will not be fighting back.

the mountain lion it is in the bushes.

silently stalking.

It perform deadly lunging attack 40-foot horizontal leap.

you would not be doing fighting back.

make leadville great again.

build a wall, and make the mountain lions pay for it. leadville it is not correct with the mountain lion. I alone can fix it. I will put them in many headlocks and shake them until they reconsider their innapropriate behavior. they are so naughty ugly mountain lions scaring the beautiful peoples!

John Byrnes wrote: Are you using a motion-senser-triggered camera/video to monitor an area where the cat is known to hang out? Oh, and notice the story of when the photographer was asleep and the cat didn't eat him ;-) vimeo.com/offthepavement

I am. I look for scat and prints or game trails if there is no sign. If I see something fresh, I leave it there. It's an infrared, motion sensor still camera. I've been very lucky to get lots of bears, coyotes, skunk, fox, deer, elk, bunny...just no lion. The Bobcat (A.K.A. Scottcat, Shawncat, Billcat) hung around for most of the summer. Last night I poked around and found some massive lion poo so I moved my camera. Its a crap shoot. Its been super fun.

Re stalking, I can't prove that the cat actually stalked us but I think it did. I believe it waited to make its presence known by ambushing us when I made a big mistake. I was a little tipsy and decided to lay down on my pack to catch some snowflakes in my mouth and remove my skins. I think the cat seeing me on the ground was like a dinner bell. It came charging out of the trees at us, while I was still on the ground trying to get up on my feet. My partner was waiving his skis and it didn't back off until both of us were waving and yelling. Then it darted into the trees again and made a second pass back at us. It moved so fast.

Longest ski out ever.

Dirt Squirrel wrote: I really just tried to warn people about the presence of these animals and what I did that worked (correct actions).

It's a good reminder to travel with a partner or at least be prepared/aware. Might be worth carrying bear spray if hiking alone and/or making an alpine start or evening hike.

I know some, especially older, hikers who carry sticks or golf club shafts even while walking near town. Attacks on dogs are also semi-common now and I believe that they are under-reported.

Mark Ra wrote:Beast in the Garden is a good read on the topic of mountain lions in CO. amazon.com/Beast-Garden-Pre…

x2. educate yourself

John Byrnes wrote: Yes, but they don't say how juvenile. Maybe 30lbs, or maybe German Shepard sized at more like 50lbs. In the CNN report they say that there's been 20 fatal attacks since 1890, 14 of which were children. So you, as an adult, might have a better chance of being hit by a meteorite. This kind of paranoia is exactly what inexperienced divers/snorkelers say about barracuda. Barracuda follow you around, sometimes for 20 minutes, sometimes within 10 feet. Oooo, they're stalking you. Notice the title of this video Giant Barracuda CHARGING group of Divers. youtube.com/watch?v=aeUSBJm… What nonsense. I've had some amazing encounters with barracuda. When they truly want to move fast, it's like they just appear/disappear. So if they really wanted to eat you, they could. Just like a cougar. So "why" would a cougar follow you around? Hard to say, could be territorial (especially males) or protecting a recent kill or mere curiosity. But what is really clear is that if they let you see them, they are not interested in eating you.

Dipshit, get in the sea at night with a barracuda or shark. Most animals in the woods don't have headlamps, so when you see the reflection of eyes because you have a light, it obviously can't control that. So, as far as following me and using the bushes for cover at night... I dunno call it what ever you like. Maybe it was curious. Maybe it was stalking. I agree, we should build a wall and make the Cougars pay for it.

Legs Magillicutty wrote:Me too Helen. Ever since my encounter I've been trying to capture a mountain lion on my trail camera. So far no lion but I did manage to capture this beautiful bobcat up in Deer Creek Canyon. Enjoy!

Almost the same shot was on our local news just a few weeks ago. Bobcat in the middle of town, sauntering along our greenbelt.

I have seen a bobcat, but just once. The fun one was a badger charging through the neighborhood. Again, totally in the city. Oh, and a beaver waddling across a busy street, only beaver I've seen. That one was following an irrigation canal. And the cow elk running up our street. Dunno what she was thinking!

Have fun with the camera!

Dirt Squirrel wrote: Dipshit, get in the sea at night with a barracuda or shark.

Excuse me? Do you have a point here? Thousands of divers go night-diving every year. It's the highlight of their week and the boats' are always full. Do you think the barracudas and sharks leave when the divers jump in the water?

Dirt Squirrel wrote:Most animals in the woods don't have headlamps, so when you see the reflection of eyes because you have a light, it obviously can't control that. So, as far as following me and using the bushes for cover at night... I dunno call it what ever you like. Maybe it was curious. Maybe it was stalking.

Given the frequency of attacks on adults, the cougar was just checking you out, and laughing at you.

Legs Magillicutty wrote: I am. I look for scat and prints or game trails if there is no sign. If I see something fresh, I leave it there. It's an infrared, motion sensor still camera. I've been very lucky to get lots of bears, coyotes, skunk, fox, deer, elk, bunny...just no lion. The Bobcat (A.K.A. Scottcat, Shawncat, Billcat) hung around for most of the summer. Last night I poked around and found some massive lion poo so I moved my camera. Its a crap shoot. Its been super fun.

Cool. If you get something good, post it.

Legs Magillicutty wrote:Re stalking, I can't prove that the cat actually stalked us but I think it did. I believe it waited to make its presence known by ambushing us when I made a big mistake. I was a little tipsy and decided to lay down on my pack to catch some snowflakes in my mouth and remove my skins. I think the cat seeing me on the ground was like a dinner bell. It came charging out of the trees at us, while I was still on the ground trying to get up on my feet. My partner was waiving his skis and it didn't back off until both of us were waving and yelling. Then it darted into the trees again and made a second pass back at us.

Interesting. Visibly charging is often territorial behavior. Or it could have made a kill nearby (cats eat off a carcass for many days). For those, or other unknown reasons, it may have wanted to drive you away.

It's very unlikely it was stalking/hunting you. All the data show that cats rarely (essentially never) will attack two adults.

Legs Magillicutty wrote:It moved so fast. Longest ski out ever.

Spring snow? I can't imagine it could keep up with you for very long in deep soft snow, and there would be little prey up there in that case.

Billcoe wrote:...did the wildlife experts advise you to change your name? Maybe if you became "Big Mama Grizzly" or "Large Angry Wolf" ...

I know what a bear is, but I'm not sure what the guys up on Colfax would call a "wolf". :D

John Byrnes wrote: Cool. If you get something good, post it. Interesting. Visibly charging is often territorial behavior. Or it could have made a kill nearby (cats eat off a carcass for many days). For those, or other unknown reasons, it may have wanted to drive you away. It's very unlikely it was stalking/hunting you. All the data show that cats rarely (essentially never) will attack two adults. Spring snow? I can't imagine it could keep up with you for very long in deep soft snow, and there would be little prey up there in that case.

It was dead of winter and I still disagree with you.

John Byrnes wrote: Cool. If you get something good, post it. Interesting. Visibly charging is often territorial behavior. Or it could have made a kill nearby (cats eat off a carcass for many days). For those, or other unknown reasons, it may have wanted to drive you away. It's very unlikely it was stalking/hunting you. All the data show that cats rarely (essentially never) will attack two adults. Spring snow? I can't imagine it could keep up with you for very long in deep soft snow, and there would be little prey up there in that case.

That was the first thing I thought of. Almost sounds like that cat wanted Legs out of that area emphatically!

I had a long, lean blond on the roof at 2:00am..NOT my wife ! A rather large kitty chased a small deer up and of the roof, then pounced on it..we woke to see it being carried away in mouth, pretty casual.

We live next to a large ranch that has a huge number of deer and elk, but have never seen a kill actually ON the house !

climbing friend long strand,

do not having relations with the wildlife you be!

Never ! and never interrupt a meal

Dirt Squirrel wrote:Hey, This is a warning to those out that way, especially if you go out to Mt Massive. Yesterday evening I had an encounter with a fairly good sized cougar on the way down from Mt massive. I had to throw rocks at it and it was following me for a good 20-30 minutes at dusk. I called forest service and the sherrifs office. Just be careful out there, I guess they are becoming pretty brazen and really testing the boundaries in that neck of the woods. Be extra careful if you are going solo, as I was. Stay woke.

For some odd reason this situation brought up this

youtu.be/-JPL-rEuc9o

I got one! Its smallish but still... This one was photographed in Deer Creek Canyon last week. I hope it comes back during the day. I'm really geeking out right now.

Wow! Geek away! :-D Helen

Very cool!

Vanilla Drilla From Manilawrote: Hey, This is a warning to those out that way, especially if you go out to Mt Massive. Yesterday evening I had an encounter with a fairly good sized cougar on the way down from Mt massive. I had to throw rocks at it and it was following me for a good 20-30 minutes at dusk. I called forest service and the sherrifs office. Just be careful out there, I guess they are becoming pretty brazen and really testing the boundaries in that neck of the woods. Be extra careful if you are going solo, as I was. Stay woke.