Re: first timer

Is there an area in the park where cougar sightings are more common? Also if anyone has seen or photographed one please share . Thanks, Indystone

You will be very very lucky to see one.

I saw prints at Alder Creek Falls once, in the trail. They are probably all over the park but are real good at not being seen.

I've never seen one in the park.

Sightings are beyond rare.

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Old Dude

I've seen more prints at lower elevations... there are a lot of them out there. They probably are more numerous where there are lots of deer. Used to have friends who hunted with dogs all around the foothills, they treed lions all the time, only shot one when they were on contract with a rancher to take out a nuisance stock animal eating lion.

I think lions have been on the upswing in numbers. They are just so elusive you never see them - and if you do, it's time to go into defense mode, it probably means the cat thinks you are lunch.

We found half a fawn near the trail to Mono Pass a couple weeks ago. I don't know that bears are fast enough to get a fawn.

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AlmostThere
They are just so elusive you never see them - and if you do, it's time to go into defense mode, it probably means the cat thinks you are lunch.

No, if the cat thinks you are lunch, you will get hit from behind.

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eeek

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AlmostThere
They are just so elusive you never see them - and if you do, it's time to go into defense mode, it probably means the cat thinks you are lunch.

No, if the cat thinks you are lunch, you will get hit from behind.

They tend to be most active during the twilight periods, both morning and evening.

[I live in a canyon and the S hillside goes up at a 40° angle behind my house. The trees and brush are fairly heavy and there is a faint wild animal trail located about 30-40 vertical ft. up. Several years ago, shortly after 4 AM, I walked out to pick up the newspaper from my driveway and caught a glimpse of this REALLY UGLY large dog ambling along the trail. When he stopped to look at me, it was in a clear line-of-sight area. Consequently, I managed to get a good look at him and it became obvious why he was such an ugly-looking "dog."]



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/17/2010 07:44PM by szalkowski.

The only time I saw one I also thought it was an ugly dog at first.

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eeek

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AlmostThere
They are just so elusive you never see them - and if you do, it's time to go into defense mode, it probably means the cat thinks you are lunch.

No, if the cat thinks you are lunch, you will get hit from behind.

I've read accounts of about-to-pounce lions coming from all angles... from behind is just the most popular direction. "I looked up, and it was on a rock, getting ready..."

It helps not to be kneeling, bending or otherwise looking smaller than you are - bicyclists fixing something get hit in LA.

I don't worry about lions tho. I worry about plenty of other things that are more likely to "get" me. Like ticks. (ick)

You're far more likely to see than a Mountain Lion.

In the wilderness have only ever seen footy prints and a single larger cat, the bobcat.

This avatar is about the only one you will see.

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tomdisco
This avatar is about the only one you will see.

Or this one:

The revised subject heading above was the actual subtitle of the following article when it appeared in print in the OP-ED section of the L.A. Times on Sunday, 29 August, 2010:
http://www.latimes.com/news/opinion/commentary/la-oe-oney-pavement-20100829,0,4625617.story

The printed article was also accompanied by a set of stylised wildcat tracks running vertically up its length.