Mountain Lion

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nyker
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Re: Mountain Lion

Post by nyker »

espressoself wrote: Mon Dec 21, 2020 10:17 am Here is one from the north side of Poudre Canyon, we have a trail cam set up there. This is the only one we've ever caught, though neighbors in the area have captured at least a dozen on Ring cameras.original.png

We have found bunches of deer carcasses, some which could probably be explained by hunters, but many with their racks left intact. Definitely keeps you watching over your shoulder while hiking around up there.
Cool. That would be eery if that was a view outside my tent... :?
Alpineair
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Re: Mountain Lion

Post by Alpineair »

nyker wrote: Tue Dec 22, 2020 4:28 pm
Alpineair wrote: Mon Dec 21, 2020 9:42 am Here you go Rob.
DSC_4038.jpg
Seen near Walker Ranch, western Boulder Co..
alpineair, is that a trail cam , or are you that close?? :shock:
That's from about 25' I believe.
70-200 mm lens, I've never caught one on my trail cam.
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jfroweiiimd
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Re: Mountain Lion

Post by jfroweiiimd »

Left Castle Creek Road at 0230 to hike up Montezuma Basin under the supermoon last week Thursday night.
Parked at campsites and after crossing the stream walking on the road in mostly pitch black dark, my headlight unmistakenly found two golden forward facing eyes off in the brush about 50ft off the road.
I picked up two rocks and started banging them together and loudly saying "go away cat", and slowly backed off the way I came until around a corner.
I really didn't want to abandon the hike, so I waited about 15 minutes, still making noise.
Big decision time here, go back to truck about a quarter mile away, or cross through area again?
I decided to proceed, and again there it was in same spot.
I kept making noise and kept my spot light focused into its face, and cautiously advanced at about a 90 degree angle to the field, and kept walking slowly now beyond the animal now putting it between me and my truck.
It never moved, and I figured it could have covered the distance in about 3-4 seconds if it wanted too.
The remainder of the road before the Pearl Pass junction crosses in some dense forest and alternating meadows and avy paths.
I constantly in a rather paranoid fashion kept turning around to "watch my back" for the next hour, still banging the rocks together.
When I got around to the entrance to the basin I figured I was in the clear and dropped the rocks and put my head down and marched on up.
Maybe a stupid decision, but the animal never budged, and perhaps my light and noise was enough of a deterrent.
I had passed a large buck and a moose on the road up there and plenty of natural prey in the area, so maybe it was just not interested.
I'm from VA and never had really considered this type of encounter on my hikes in CO, only bears.
I don't carry spray or any type of large knife, etc. I figure it's probably useless for this type of encounter anyway.
Never been on a trail at that time of the night, but have started many hikes around 0400 so what's the difference?
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Cide
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Re: Mountain Lion

Post by Cide »

Sleepily missed a turn coming from Cap Creek TH to the main Hwy. Ended up on Snowmass Creek Road and got routed onto "Wildcat Way." Big boy was laying in the road and I spooked him up. Road was gated so I turned around but didn't see him again. ~48hrs ago. First lion sighting in "the wild" and it's on a street called "Wildcat" lol.
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Re: Mountain Lion

Post by BillMiddlebrook »

Are you sure it wasn't a hoofed animal? Deer, elk? Their big, shiny eyes are often assumed to be a predator. A deer would many times just stay put, as if it thinks you can't see it.
jfroweiiimd wrote: Mon Aug 15, 2022 11:13 am Left Castle Creek Road at 0230 to hike up Montezuma Basin under the supermoon last week Thursday night.
Parked at campsites and after crossing the stream walking on the road in mostly pitch black dark, my headlight unmistakenly found two golden forward facing eyes off in the brush about 50ft off the road.
I picked up two rocks and started banging them together and loudly saying "go away cat", and slowly backed off the way I came until around a corner.
I really didn't want to abandon the hike, so I waited about 15 minutes, still making noise.
Big decision time here, go back to truck about a quarter mile away, or cross through area again?
I decided to proceed, and again there it was in same spot.
I kept making noise and kept my spot light focused into its face, and cautiously advanced at about a 90 degree angle to the field, and kept walking slowly now beyond the animal now putting it between me and my truck.
It never moved, and I figured it could have covered the distance in about 3-4 seconds if it wanted too.
The remainder of the road before the Pearl Pass junction crosses in some dense forest and alternating meadows and avy paths.
I constantly in a rather paranoid fashion kept turning around to "watch my back" for the next hour, still banging the rocks together.
When I got around to the entrance to the basin I figured I was in the clear and dropped the rocks and put my head down and marched on up.
Maybe a stupid decision, but the animal never budged, and perhaps my light and noise was enough of a deterrent.
I had passed a large buck and a moose on the road up there and plenty of natural prey in the area, so maybe it was just not interested.
I'm from VA and never had really considered this type of encounter on my hikes in CO, only bears.
I don't carry spray or any type of large knife, etc. I figure it's probably useless for this type of encounter anyway.
Never been on a trail at that time of the night, but have started many hikes around 0400 so what's the difference?
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JohnnyLeadville
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Re: Mountain Lion

Post by JohnnyLeadville »

I would rather see a mountain lion than a black bear.
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montanahiker
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Re: Mountain Lion

Post by montanahiker »

JohnnyLeadville wrote: Fri Aug 19, 2022 5:43 am I would rather see a mountain lion than a black bear.
I've seen my share of black bears. I'll take them over a mountain lion any day, even a mother with cubs.
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derekpetrie
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Re: Mountain Lion

Post by derekpetrie »

JohnnyLeadville wrote: Fri Aug 19, 2022 5:43 am I would rather see a mountain lion than a black bear.
I’d rather see a mountain lion or black bear than a mother moose with its calves all else equal. Lion attacks are very rare, black bear a bit more common, moose charge all the damn time.

Had a lion stalk alongside me about 30 yards off the trail headed up Yale last summer. Had a good 5 min stare down and that was that. Chased away bear no issues. Moose encounters a McCullough gulch and below American Basin have given me most concern. They are stupid, territorial and temperamental.
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WVMountaineer
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Re: Mountain Lion

Post by WVMountaineer »

derekpetrie wrote: Fri Aug 19, 2022 9:56 am
JohnnyLeadville wrote: Fri Aug 19, 2022 5:43 am I would rather see a mountain lion than a black bear.
I’d rather see a mountain lion or black bear than a mother moose with its calves all else equal. Lion attacks are very rare, black bear a bit more common, moose charge all the damn time.
I had a spooky encounter on San Luis about 5 years ago. Summited Uncompahgre earlier in the day then drove to San Luis and had good weather so I decided to hike San Luis standard route same day starting around 2 pm. TH to Summit was no problem, never saw a person out there, and had a nice peaceful hike. Descending from the summit to the large willow field above treeline, I saw a momma moose and 2 calves meandering around the edge of the willows near the stream. A very bad picture below. Assuming they saw me as I descended closer the moose family retreated into the willows. The willows in that area are pretty tall and it felt like I was walking through them for a very long time expecting to get bulldozed by the momma. Pretty nerve wracking but no encounter thankfully.
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seano
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Re: Mountain Lion

Post by seano »

montanahiker wrote: Fri Aug 19, 2022 9:28 am
JohnnyLeadville wrote: Fri Aug 19, 2022 5:43 am I would rather see a mountain lion than a black bear.
I've seen my share of black bears. I'll take them over a mountain lion any day, even a mother with cubs.
I’ve run into mother black bears with cubs several times, and it’s not a big deal. They want to be left alone at least as much as you do, and if you give them that chance, they’re smart enough to take it.
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Re: Mountain Lion

Post by timisimaginary »

JohnnyLeadville wrote: Fri Aug 19, 2022 5:43 am I would rather see a mountain lion than a black bear.
It’s the mountain lion you DON’T see that you need to worry about.
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Re: Mountain Lion

Post by Scott P »

JohnnyLeadville wrote: Fri Aug 19, 2022 5:43 am I would rather see a mountain lion than a black bear.
I like to see both. Such majestic creatures. Attacks are extremely rare.

Sheep dogs on the other hand, I hate seeing them and find them intimidating. .
I'm old, slow and fat. Unfortunately, those are my good qualities.
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