# ARE COUGARS INCREASING?



## #1DEER 1-I (Sep 10, 2007)

I SEEM TO HAVE BEEN SEEING MORE COUGARS LATELY AND HEARING OF MORE TO DOWN HERE IN THE SOUTHERN REGION, I HAVE SEEN ONE IN MY LIFE IN THE WILD UNTIL JUST A COUPLE WEEKS AGO BOW HUNTING. I SEEN TWO ON TWO DIFFERENT OCCASIONS ARE THERE STARTING TO BE A LOT MORE JUST HAVEN'T HAD MANY CLOSE ENCOUNTERS WITH THEM AND IT GETS YOUR ADRENALIN RUSHING.


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## dkhntrdstn (Sep 7, 2007)

I think your seeing more is because of the drought we are having. the same thing with the bears. there coming down lower for food and water. but that just me thinking that.


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## weatherby25 (Sep 10, 2007)

I would love to see one. Would love to see a bear also.


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## catman (Sep 19, 2007)

They are sure not on the increase up north. Its hard to find any lion to run let alone a good tom. I hear alot of stories of people finding 10-15 diffrent tracks every time they go out. I tell them to buy a tag and call me if they find a track. Needless to say, I haven't had to respond to many calls, and the ones I did respond to wer subadult lions or females.


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## KattTraxx (Sep 10, 2007)

Here in Central Utah..it is an easy answer..NO..

Compared to years past there are less lions and a LOT less mature toms on the mountain.

KattKrapp


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## Al Hansen (Sep 7, 2007)

There is a sign three doors up on the hiking trail that goes down behind my house. "BEWARE MOUNTAIN LION IN THE AREA". (can't bring myself to type the C word). :lol:


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## JAT83 (Sep 9, 2007)

drought and habitat loss are going to be 2 of the main factors for seeing more cougars.


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## chuckmiester (Sep 9, 2007)

i saw two this year while up at pine valley mountain. i heard they have a huge increase their because the lack of deer so they are coming more into the open and water for food. thats just what i heard though dont exactly know if its true or not, but i have seen some this year and ive never seen them before. :?


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## Bears Butt (Sep 12, 2007)

Saw one on the muzz hunt two weeks ago. I've always said if you are seeing them during daylight hours, there are a BUNCH of them around! This was in the Northern Utah area.


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## FROGGER (Oct 1, 2007)

I have yet to see one, i hear stories about them but have never seen one....


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## JAT83 (Sep 9, 2007)

FROGGER said:


> I have yet to see one, i hear stories about them but have never seen one....


Same here! My wife and her Grandpa used to see some when they would take the mules out. I think she said she saw one up Hobble Creek and one up Payson Canyon.
As for me, I am still hoping to see one...not to shoot, but to videotape or take a picture!


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## FROGGER (Oct 1, 2007)

Same, multiple people i know have seen one, some in their garages in Lehi but i never have. I have spoken to a Fish and Game official who told a story of a Cougar they had been tracking with a collar who had crossed the valley " unseen " as it was not reported but i dont know if he was exaggerating. I would sure love to see one though... Here is the closest i have come... Critter cams rock....


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## JAT83 (Sep 9, 2007)

That's a cool picture! Where was that taken at? That is kinda creepy though!


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## Rabbit_slayer16 (Oct 18, 2007)

I also seen one on the ML hunt. me and my dad woke up a little late so we were driving to our spot in some light... :? saw a couple deer.. stopped.. the deer looked at us and took off.. about 5 seconds later a lion popped up from about 10 yards from where they were and ran into some trees. Wish we could have seen it get one. that would have been SWEET!


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## The Naturalist (Oct 13, 2007)

Last summer (2006) my daughter traveling through Weber canyon @ about 1:00 a.m. hit a large Tom Lion with her car. She said it was so strange - the Lion came up from the river bottom and perched itself on top of the cement barricade, kind of like you might see a house cat perched on top of a fence post out in a field somewhere, then just darted in front of her. It totaled her small car, she was shaken up, but otherwise uninjured. The investigating officer couldn't find the Lion.
To make a very long story short....my son-in-laws and I were able to track the lion down, reported it to the DWR, and I was able to keep the skull for use in my science class.
It is difficult to keep track of the total numbers of Lions -they are such a solitary, secretive, animal. As we encroach on the winter ranges of animals, and with other factors such as the drought, we will probably see more of them, not necessarily because their numbers are going up, but because they have less space to be in.


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## Bears Butt (Sep 12, 2007)

I heard that a young hunter killed a cat that attacked him up near Randolph during this years elk hunt a few weeks ago. Seems the hunter was sneaking up the trail, when out of nowhere this lion appeared in a crouched position just 15 feet away. The hunter instinctively shot and then ran like he** down the trail back to his dad waiting in the truck. All out of breath and scared like crazy. After a bit the two of them went back up the trail and found the dead cat and just a few feet off the trail a small deer the cat had killed and was eating.
It was reported to the DWR, but I don't know anything more about it.
This was in the same general area where we saw a cat during this years ML hunt....maybe the same cat.?.


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## Kevin D (Sep 15, 2007)

Just a general observation, but why is it cougars generally stalk and attack only armed people?? Lions peacefully coexist throughout the year with the campers, fishermen, cross country skiers, hikers etc, but every year when big game seasons start, you hear about several instances where cougars start stalking and attacking humans and have to be killed in self defense. 

I dunno, I guess it's just one of those mysteries of lion behavior........ :?


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## truemule (Sep 12, 2007)

KevinD,

It could be that the hunters get off the trails that all the campers and hikers stay on. This exposes them to more territiory and more potential to see all animals. Its not just armed hunters either, there was a story recently that a cat attacked and older couple while hiking and she beat the cat with a large branch to get it off of her husband. I beleive it was in California.


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## The Naturalist (Oct 13, 2007)

Makes you wonder how many times you've been watched, but not deemed a worthy meal?


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## Trooper (Oct 18, 2007)

> Just a general observation, but why is it cougars generally stalk and attack only armed people?


Oh man Kevin D! That's funny! And then people try and justify it, that's even funnier!


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## chuckmiester (Sep 9, 2007)

i was unarmed when one stalked me. my gun was back at camp. i carry a handgun for protection.


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## truemule (Sep 12, 2007)

Why is it that only armed troopers get shot at? Just a general observation.


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## chuckmiester (Sep 9, 2007)

because most troopers are armed. or you just dont see/hear about the ones the military edits out. however i would have to say it is probably because most troopers are trained to be armed.


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## catman (Sep 19, 2007)

Kev,
I hear these same stories out here how lions are crouching...just waiting to spring... makes me feel dang lucky to be alive and you ? :wink: :wink:


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## Kevin D (Sep 15, 2007)

To be honest, I can't claim credit for the quote that cougars only attack armed people......I heard it from a DWR enforcement officer investigating yet another illegal lion kill during the deer hunt a few years back. I still think it's funny.

I dunno, but I suspect I may be one of the very few on this board to actually witness firsthand a cougar attack on a human being. A number of years ago my hunting partner and I had a female cougar bayed up on a ledge. We had the old dogs tied back and I was leading some pups around the top of the ledge so they could see the lion. My partner was standing at the bottom of the ledge when we peeked over. I guess our sudden appearance above her unnerved the lion and she bailed right on top of my buddy. She tackled him, rode him to the ground, then stood on top of him for a second or two before she took off. I was laughing so hard I never even cut a dog loose to come to his aide.

When we got back down to the trucks my buddy took his coat and shirt off where he did have a couple of scratches. I told him that was a mighty big squeal coming out of him for such a little wound! :mrgreen: 

Going back to what Catman and the Naturalist said, one of my favorite lion hunting canyons overlooks a youth camp. The ledges where the lions hang out gives them a birdseye view of the goings on in the camp......yet there's never been a problem that I'm aware of. I still think the old veteran fishcop was onto something when he said lions generally only attack those with guns.


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## truemule (Sep 12, 2007)

KevinD,
After reading your last post I think your original question should have been. Why do so many cougars get killed illegally by hunters if there has been no attack? To that I say "Dunno "******** I guess." 

I have never persoanlly witnessed a cougar attack on a human. Hope I never do. I have however looked into the brush at a cat less than 50 yards away crouched under a bush staring right through me. I 'll admit it was unerving to say the least. It did not attack and I don't think it was going to unless I did something to provoke it. We both went our seperate ways. But back to original question, I think it is just the number of people on the hill during hunts a that increases the chance of seeing them and therefore the "*******" factor and making a story bigger than it is comes into play.

After all that I sure feel better with the 686 strapped to my side while scouting or hunting. Probably more of security blanket type thing than anything. If I were ever attacked I doubt I would even have the time to react before the beast was on top me. They are sneaky little buggers.


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## catman (Sep 19, 2007)

Truemule,
Your very right if a lion wanted to eat you......you wouldn't have time to shoot


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## COOPERD (Sep 16, 2007)

Yeah, I read some where they eat deer, I think it is a DWR conspiracy. The small number of them here in Utah only eat bunnies, everyone knows that.


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## JAT83 (Sep 9, 2007)

COOPERD said:


> Yeah, I read some where they eat deer, I think it is a DWR conspiracy. The small number of them here in Utah only eat bunnies, everyone knows that.


 :lol: :lol: :lol:


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