Woman killed by cougar near Mt. Hood

[Flyoverland Captive]

Careful out there, folks...

https://www.ktvz.com/news/officials-...hood/793566032

[Flyoverland Captive]

I’m surprised this is the first recorded incident. Scary shit.

[KQ]

So there was a body left? I know cats stash their kills for snacking on later but generally they eat quite a bit at first (based on cougar killed mule deer I've come across).

[Flyoverland Captive]

The news story is vague, but apparently the body had markings consistent with a cougar attack, and dna samples were taken to try to pin down the attacker. No clue how much damage the body sustained.

[jackstraw]

Uffda. My ODF wildlife specialist friend has been saying that this was gonna start happening.

Lack of prey, habitat?

[char_]

Yeah, we should kill all of the cougars because the first person in the history bof the state was killed by one. Talk about knee jerk.

[SkiCougar]

people keep building in the cougar's neighborhoods and scaring off it's food sources, it's going to keep happening.

[SumJongGuy]

How about instead of pushing for the laws to allow everyone to go in to THE COUGER'S HABITAT with dogs and guns we instead just leave that nature and people alone to cull itself in that wild habitat? Enter at your own risk, but you don't get to enter with a tactical advantage to the local wildlife. OK, maybe allow non lethal cougar spray ;-)

[4matic]

I'm ok with sporting dogs chasing Lions to take pictures or tagging to keep them out of popular trail areas.

[char_]

Knee jerk? Wtf are you talking about? Did anyone say we should kill all the lions? Or even say we should kill a single lion?

Oh, it's coming. The cougar hunting lobby will be all over pushing for dog hunting again.

[Cono Este]

I'm ok with sporting dogs chasing Lions to take pictures or tagging to keep them out of popular trail areas.

Fuck that. After spending a yr in Georgia and finding puppy’s lost on the side of the road with radio collars on, or hearing how Jethro runs around with his prized pit bull in his arms (to save its energy) I think it’s fucked up.

With the exception of waterfowl.

[AK47bp]

Going into the wilderness has its risks, always has. Much less risk than getting in your car multiple times a day but we're numb to that.


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[BCMtnHound]

Grandfather and uncle had cougar hounds when I was young. Not pets, they were kennelled unless being trained or hunting. Expensive endeavour, a very aerobic style of hunting as you have to keep up with the hounds or they will more than likely get killed once the cat tires of the chase and turns on its tormentors. Very few active cat hunters these days, the regional COS has an officer with hounds for dealing with problem cats, most often around Kamloops. Usually in the fall when the young are kicked out, or in the spring after a difficult winter for young or old cats. Demographics and land use has changed. More urban interface, whereas previously it was small farms amongst larger farms and/or wilderness. People would shoot any predator that came close to protect livestock, but today most are far more tolerant or accepting of living next to apex predators (whether they fully comprehend the risks and consequences or not). Not good or bad IMO, just different times needing a tailored response. I’ve come across big kitties a few times, without issue. Have friends and coworkers that have been attacked by cats and all survived but the experience shook every one of them to their soul.
FWIW, around here unleashed dogs can only hunt cats, small game, or black bear. All other hunting with hounds must be done with a leash.

Condolences to the family and friends of the deceased individual.

[dunfree]

It’s legal to hunt with dogs or traps whenever livestock are taken.

that's not hunting, that's depredation.blurring the boundary between depredation & sport hunting is kinda bullshit

[SumJongGuy]

Grandfather and uncle had cougar hounds when I was young. Not pets, they were kennelled unless being trained or hunting. Expensive endeavour, a very aerobic style of hunting as you have to keep up with the hounds or they will more than likely get killed once the cat tires of the chase and turns on its tormentors. Very few active cat hunters these days, the regional COS has an officer with hounds for dealing with problem cats, most often around Kamloops. Usually in the fall when the young are kicked out, or in the spring after a difficult winter for young or old cats. Demographics and land use has changed. More urban interface, whereas previously it was small farms amongst larger farms and/or wilderness. People would shoot any predator that came close to protect livestock, but today most are far more tolerant or accepting of living next to apex predators (whether they fully comprehend the risks and consequences or not). Not good or bad IMO, just different times needing a tailored response. I’ve come across big kitties a few times, without issue. Have friends and coworkers that have been attacked by cats and all survived but the experience shook every one of them to their soul.
FWIW, around here unleashed dogs can only hunt cats, small game, or black bear. All other hunting with hounds must be done with a leash.

Condolences to the family and friends of the deceased individual.

Reminds me of that dude on Mountain Men with the dogs. His hounds are always leaving him behind, looking like he's about to drop dead trying to catch up to them worried that the big cat or bear or whatever is killing them before he can get there with the gun.

[TNKen]

One of these days, we will realize that unarmed, we are pretty feeble at defending ourselves. We are not the apex predator.

[redacted user]

people keep building in the cougar's neighborhoods and scaring off it's food sources, it's going to keep happening.

^^I don't trust this guy

One of these days, we will realize that unarmed, we are pretty feeble at defending ourselves. We are not the apex predator.

wannabe rambo doesn't realize how cats hunt. Face it hombre, you're not an apex predator. Finite

[BCMtnHound]

Reminds me of that dude on Mountain Men with the dogs. His hounds are always leaving him behind, looking like he's about to drop dead trying to catch up to them worried that the big cat or bear or whatever is killing them before he can get there with the gun.

Interestingly, it is safer to hunt resident healthy cats than cats stuck in an urban environment, or are sick/injured. The health cat in its territory knows where the escape routes are. The ones lost in suburbs, or are sick/injured don’t often have that knowledge or ability, and the hounds corner them where they are forced to defend themselves on the ground. Even a sick/old cat is far more formidable than the couple of hounds that are running it. COS lost their hound a couple years ago to an injured cat that couldn’t climb (leg wrapped in barbed wire) that was stuck in the suburbs.

[Dantheman]

wannabe rambo doesn't realize how cats hunt. Face it hombre, you're not an apex predator. Finite

According to Wiki the ratio of attacks:fatalities is about 4.5:1 historically (88 attacks, 20 deaths), and the majority fatalities were unaccompanied children. So, adults are generally effective at fighting them off. Per Wiki, fatal cougar attacks also occur much less frequently than fatal snake bites, fatal lightning strikes, or fatal bee stings.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Animal_attack#Cougars
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_o..._North_America

Frankly, ornery moose scare me more than cougars.

[SumJongGuy]

According to Wiki the ratio of attacks:fatalities is about 4.5:1 historically (88 attacks, 20 deaths), and the majority fatalities were unaccompanied children. So, adults are generally effective at fighting them off. Per Wiki, fatal cougar attacks also occur much less frequently than fatal snake bites, fatal lightning strikes, or fatal bee stings.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Animal_attack#Cougars
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_o..._North_America

Frankly, ornery moose scare me more than cougars.

I'd bet that a number of the humans who survived the big cat attack had help from other humans. Not everyone runs away while their buddy is getting attacked, some come charging in yelling, screaming, swinging, maybe even shooting.

Anyone have any data on whether or not pepper spray,. bear spray is effective against these critters?

[GeezerSteve]

Anyone have any data on whether or not pepper spray,. bear spray is effective against these critters?

I'm not aware of studies, although there are anecdotal reports of successful use of bear spray on cougars. Why wouldn't it work? Cats have very sensitive noses and have a history of fleeing if the ostensible prey fights back. A few years ago a woman on Tiger Mountain trails (near Seattle) successfully defended a cougar attack by kicking the cat then hitting it on the head with a stick. Per her report, the cougar look confused and slinked away. I have encouraged my wife to carry bear spray on solo hikes and trail runs.

Yeah, human victims tend to be small, e.g., children or Barbara S, the 90 lb. woman ultrarunner stalked and killed while jogging trails in NoCal, but there are exceptions, e.g., the mountain biker recently killed near North Bend WA.

[TAFKALVS]

I think the tricky thing about cougars is that they tend to stalk and jump on you from behind because they want to eat you. Whereas violent bear encounters tend to be more territory/off-spring related and happen from the bear "standing it's ground" and you walking in to the wrong situation. Most bears don't want to eat a human.

Not arguing against bear spray or a firearm (or both.) But I'd say solo hiking or running especially dawn or dusk might not be wise in cougar country. And if you do choose to carry spray/firearm your partner should carry one/both also. And if either of you choose to carry either, you need to spend time training with it.

[SumJongGuy]

Highly unlikely that you’d even see the cat before it’s on top of you.

That's why I suggested that many of the attack survivors probably had a partner to help fight off the cat.

[Dantheman]

I'm not aware of studies, although there are anecdotal reports of successful use of bear spray on cougars. Why wouldn't it work? Cats have very sensitive noses and have a history of fleeing if the ostensible prey fights back.

Yeah, it's a decidedly non-specific weapon. Assuming you can reach it, aim it and deploy it during an ambush attack. If you get pounced on kicking, elbowing and jamming fingers into nostrils or eyes seems to be the most effective defense. The cougar wants to eat you, but it wants to stay uninjured more.

[dunfree]

But I'd say solo hiking or running especially dawn or dusk might not be wise in cougar country.

done it hundreds of times. have seen cougars. a terribly, terribly, overrated risk. you are more likely to be hurt by your self defense pistol. as stated above the cougars attacking are generally weaker/smaller*/injured.

*edit to add I believe some of the recent attacks are juveniles pushed out of the area. there's at least one study to suggest attacks increase because of hunting pressure on cats:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5057462/
though such results are counter intuitive to people.