So, mountain lion in my neighborhood, any tips?

[Cetawin]

I too live in mountain lion territory. We havea feamel that walks through our yard and suns herself in the early morning sun on the rocks above the house. utahmethodist posted some excellent advice.

One thing I cannot stress enough...if you see one DO NOT RUN. Tha triggers every chase and kill instinct they have. Keep eye contact and back away slowly.

Lions are shy for the most part and do not wish to be in contact with humans. They are nocturnal hunters and will start prowling at dusk and return to den around dawn.

If you remember that they are hunters of opportunity and ber that in mind when you are outside, you can easily avoid them.

 

[NoelTate]

Kudos to UtahMethodist and those who offered non-lethal alternatives for protecting yourself, pets, and children from a wild animal! So many people just automatically say shoot it *sigh* It'd be a sad world if we could not find a way to live in harmony with wild animals, including predators. It's their world, too, and we should be willing to make the effort to share it with them. I think a large dog is a great idea, but I'd probably just worry about the cougar getting it! lol I'd most definitely try to keep noise around me and my home and would not go anywhere without a big, thick stick or two! It'd be a really good idea if schools in your area passed the information from UtahMethodist along to their students. Schools built near animal habitats should educate kids about the animals that live in the area and how to keep themselves from becoming prey (in addition to what parents teach them, of course).

 

[Miltonchix]

Quote:
You may be willing to share your backyard with a cougar. But I guarantee the cougar would have other plans. No one should advocate wildly blasting away at any cat they happen to see. But there HAS TO BE a sane policy for managing populations of DANGEROUS predators. Its easy for someone who hasn't had deal with attacks on livestock or pets to armchair quarterback.

 

[chicamama]

Thanks everyone. GREAT tips and a lot of things that never occurred to me. Glad to know not to run away because that would be my first reaction (run screaming blindly into a tree or something and knock myself unconscious). I'm at an inbetween with my dogs.

one too old and one too young. My Queensland Heeler died last year and was the best protector of em' all.

I'm making note of all your tips and, whle moving is not an option, *if* I see a mtn lion with a clown nose............I'm outta here!

 

[Miltonchix]

Quote:
You don't really want that poor pathetic scrawny looking puppy do you?

I'll be nice and take that poor thing off your hands so you don't have to suffer with it.

Shepherds are the BEST!!
That really is on fine looking pup you got there!

 

[chicamama]

You've got a fine eye for the breed Milton. That scrawny little thing set me back.........awe, I don't even want to say. I can't *afford* to lose her to a mtn lion

She is a peach though. Five months.
If you're interested, below is her breeder.

http://web.mac.com/teamnummerein/Wilhendorf/Welcome.html

 

[Kentucky]

Miltonchix:

There are two things that are very effective on close encounters with large predators; 1.native Indian rattlesnake rattle necklace if you don't want to shoot, 2.Ruger blackhawk .44 Mag if you decide to shoot.

When I hunted in cougar or bear areas I always carried both, for what its worth the buzz of a rattlesnake is instinctively familiar and will detour most all animals, however the .44 Mag will always work.

Kentucky