RikWriter
Well-known member
I've never seen one and have resigned myself that I probably never will.
Poll: Have you seen a wild puma?
- Thread starter MrFotoFool
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Haven’t seen one yet, but always hopeful and always looking.
Maggiegirl
Member
I saw my first Mtn. Lion when I was around 12 yrs. I led a scout troop on a night hike to Diamond Lake above Boulder, CO. The next day I hiked to upper Diamond and fished. I was above timber line and had a couple of Rainbows. I kept seeing something moving in the large boulders above the lake. Finally I put down my Rod and just looked at the Boulders where I had seen movement. At last I saw the Mtn. Lion slowly coming down toward the lake. I took my Rainbows and left.
Fast forward seventy years while I wished I could see another Mtn. Lion. I live in Prescott AZ in a non platted neighbor. A friend about a quarter mile away said he heard, at night, what he thought was a Deer being killed. The next day I found the Deer where it had been stashed. I then staked out the area and waited. Soon a large number of Ravens began circling and making a lot of noise. I knew something was afoot. Soon the Lion appeared for the kill. I was hiding behind a large granite boulder just a few feet from the kill. I heard the Lion approach and waited a minute of two. I looked around the boulder with camera ready and there he/she was. We stared at each other and I clicked the camera. The Lion stayed near the kill and I slowly backed away.
Below is one of many images I took in a short time. We are looking at each other at this point:
The white area in the right hand corner is the Granite boulder that I was hiding behind. Notice the blood on the right leg.
The second image was taken above the Cat while hit looked at me.
I did not really worry about our encounter until I got home and thought about it :-0.
Fast forward seventy years while I wished I could see another Mtn. Lion. I live in Prescott AZ in a non platted neighbor. A friend about a quarter mile away said he heard, at night, what he thought was a Deer being killed. The next day I found the Deer where it had been stashed. I then staked out the area and waited. Soon a large number of Ravens began circling and making a lot of noise. I knew something was afoot. Soon the Lion appeared for the kill. I was hiding behind a large granite boulder just a few feet from the kill. I heard the Lion approach and waited a minute of two. I looked around the boulder with camera ready and there he/she was. We stared at each other and I clicked the camera. The Lion stayed near the kill and I slowly backed away.
Below is one of many images I took in a short time. We are looking at each other at this point:
You can only see EXIF info for this image if you are logged in.
The white area in the right hand corner is the Granite boulder that I was hiding behind. Notice the blood on the right leg.
The second image was taken above the Cat while hit looked at me.
You can only see EXIF info for this image if you are logged in.
I did not really worry about our encounter until I got home and thought about it :-0.
Wow! Probably very smart to back away....
Amazing images
Amazing images
peachfront
Active member
It's become a running gag at this time of my life that I have never seen a mountain lion. And I do realize they're all over expletive deleted Los Angeles and barely a wild animal at all in some places but... it's a jinx animal for me. I did consider taking one of the tours to see it in South America, can't remember if my buddy told me about a tour in Chile or Argentina but, at the end of the day, I invest my traveling time in finding birds...Whether you call it puma, or cougar, or mountain lion, (or in Florida panther), please use poll to indicate if you have seen and/or photographed one in the wild. If you choose to comment below, please list year and location. There are regular tours to see them in Chile, but this photographer had a chance sighting recently in USA (Oregon):
'It's a Cougar!': Photographer Can't Belive His Luck Capturing a Mountain Lion
It's so very rare to spot one, let alone get a great photo.petapixel.com
Doug Herr
Well-known member
One thing this sign is telling the inexperienced is that Mountain Lions are solitary hunters and can't risk an injury; an injured Mountain Lion is unable to hunt and the risk of starvation is much higher. Food that fights back increases the odds of an injury so unless the cat is desperate it will look for another meal, one it can surprise and take down without a fight. Likewise a group of people is riskier for the cat.
eaj101
Well-known member
What a great opportunity! AND great shots!
ps there seems to be a sense in some of the responses that Mountain Lions are a threat to humans. Some (not here) people have cited a supposed increased threat as grounds for control efforts or reducing the population. I definitely wouldn't let a four year old go wandering unaccompanied in Mountain Lion country, but adults essentially have noting to fear. (look at the numbers)
Doug Herr
Well-known member
The greatest risk is a smaller person (i.e., a small woman) on a solo training run in Mountain Lion territory. My granddaughter is on her school's cross country team and I've advised her to never go on a solo run because of the risk of 2-legged and 4-legged predators.
Agreed for the most part. However, I wouldn't want to chance getting between a mountain lion and its fresh kill.
It's not as simple as that. Cats that are sick, injured or cornered are unpredictable. We have had two here in Big Sur that have gone on killing sprees and had to be put down. Cougars come through our property on a regular basis and we seldom see anything but footprints and deer carcasses. They are individuals not statistics.
Eagles over Big Sur by western writer Jack Curtis details his encounter with a rogue cat and idiot neighbors.
Cougars are an important part of our ecosystem. They are the only control on the deer population as very few hunt here anymore. I've not heard a hunting gun shot on this mountain in the last 20 years.
Guess we got lucky when we were in Patagonia last year. Our private guide spotted three Puma on the move when we were on our way to another part of the park.
It was a family trip so only had D850 and 70-300.
It was a family trip so only had D850 and 70-300.
You can only see EXIF info for this image if you are logged in.
You can only see EXIF info for this image if you are logged in.
Clough91
Member
Here in Manitoba, 20 years ago never heard of a cat. Now they are starting to regain a lot of lost territory and hear about a few a year on trail camera and usually see tracks. I know of An individual that has video of one marking territory every two months. It’s more if you have been seen by a lion, then if you have seen one. It’s almost a guarantee that you have if you live in lion territory. I’m pretty sure I’ve seen one, but won’t ever know if it really was or not in that situation.
Interesting. They seem to be expanding their range in the U.S. too. I grew up in NW Missouri, north of K.C. We didn’t have any in that area then. I don’t live there anymore, but I see lots of news reports of mountain lions in that area in the last 5 years, in both Missouri and Kansas.
Clough91
Member
If you like to read the book path of the puma by Jim Williams is a good read on the topic. I might have to re read it again soon.
@Maggiegirl Fantastic sighting. I am envious! It is clearly a young cat, I would guess no more than two years old.
Maggiegirl
Member
HI, That was my thought as well. Additionally I do not believe it wanted to leave the Kill. BTW that night numerous Coyotes could be heard howling from our house. I knew they were finishing off what was left of the Deer kill. I went up there the next morning and virtually nothing was left. Take Care and Stay Safe, Dale