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Post by hikerjer on Feb 21, 2016 18:09:49 GMT -8
Today was sort of special. Since we're having ridiculously mild weather, I decided to a take a hike to an area I've always been interested in but have never actually made it to. Weatherman Draw (Valley of the Chiefs) is in the Beartooth foothills on BLM land along a 20 mile dirt road in rugged breaks country with scattered pine and juniper scrub. I went there because the area is known for it's prehistoric native pictographs. After about a mile and half hike, I came to the area of the pictographs and after studying them, had lunch on a rocky sandstone ledge. I had my dog with me and after about 20 minutes she started to growl and whine in a very uncharacteristic manner. When I looked across the draw, I saw a mountain lion laying down and calmly watching us. When I got up for a better view, she/he immediately got up and ambled off. My view only lasted a few seconds although I'm sure she had been watching us for some time. Kind of a neat deal. I'm sure a lot of lions have seen me in the past while I was hiking, but this is the first one I've actually seen.
Sorry I have no photo documentation, but I really didn't have time.
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Post by trinity on Feb 21, 2016 18:12:31 GMT -8
Wow, congratulations! A sighting of a lifetime!
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Post by swimswithtrout on Feb 21, 2016 18:48:43 GMT -8
Yes , big congrats !! There was a two-three year span when I would see them "regularly" back in the mid-'80's but I haven't seen one since.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Feb 21, 2016 19:33:28 GMT -8
I've had far more close calls — evident from fresh tracks — than I have had sightings. But I relish the sightings and remember them vividly years later. There's hardly a doubt that the mountain lions are most often aware of us before we are aware of them — if we are so lucky.
Congratulations. I have to admit that I'm somewhat envious.
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rebeccad
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Post by rebeccad on Feb 21, 2016 21:15:27 GMT -8
Totally cool. I've seen (and been stared down by) bobcats, but never a lion.
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tomas
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Post by tomas on Feb 22, 2016 5:59:11 GMT -8
I've never seen a wild cat of any sort. I'm wickedly jealous.
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Post by Lamebeaver on Feb 22, 2016 6:36:56 GMT -8
Cool Beans. I've never seen one, though, like you, I'm sure they've seen me.
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johnnyray
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Post by johnnyray on Feb 22, 2016 15:37:51 GMT -8
I have never seen a large cat, I have seen bears, never seen a wolf either.
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Post by snowman626 on Feb 22, 2016 20:40:33 GMT -8
Wow, that's awesome! I've seen evidence of one tracking me before (and that was very frightening) but never seen one in the wild. There is nothing quite like a great animal sighting. Congrats, very happy for you!
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daveb
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Post by daveb on Feb 23, 2016 15:16:47 GMT -8
I've seen plenty of bob cats and coyotes in the wild but yet to see a big cat.
Does your dog usually bark at stuff?
When I was about 13 my step dad had a mechanic come out to look at piece of his equipment. The mechanic that came out had a "pet" tiger of all things. Both our german shepherds approached the truck barking until the tiger raised his head and looked at them. Both dogs shut up, walked away from the truck and laid low until the guy and his cat were gone. Big cats still hold a instinctual fear in most all other animals...including me.
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Woodsie
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Post by Woodsie on Feb 23, 2016 16:36:25 GMT -8
How cool!!! I *think* I saw one a long time ago (1979) crossing I-5 on Siskiyou Pass in Oregon. It was late at night and dark. I saw what I thought was a deer run across the highway in front of me, except it had a long tail. It happened so fast I didn't have time to get a really good look at it.
A few months ago I saw a mountain lion near the Cave of the Winds entrance (CO), but it was dead on the side of the road. A sheriff was there, so I didn't stop to check it out.
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Post by Coolkat on Feb 23, 2016 16:41:49 GMT -8
I'm somewhat jealous. I keep hoping to see one. All my non-backpacking friends tell me I'm crazy for wanting to see a mountain lion in the wild and I think they are crazy for not wanting to see one. People have so many fears when it comes to the outdoors. About the only thing that worries me are ticks! yuck!
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bcpete
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Post by bcpete on Feb 23, 2016 18:08:38 GMT -8
That so very cool ... congratulations!
The mountain lion is the one 'A' list animal my wife and I have yet to encounter ... but we sure want to before our hiking days are over. Oddly enough, we've come across 3 wolverines in the past 10 years but nothing in the cat family.
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Post by hikerjer on Feb 23, 2016 18:59:08 GMT -8
we've come across 3 wolverines That's the one large mammal, other than marine ones, that I yet to see. I know they are out there but they are pretty dang tough to come across. Even more so than lions. BC, you're privileged to have see one but I'm sure you know that. |
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GaliWalker
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Post by GaliWalker on Feb 24, 2016 6:35:57 GMT -8
Oddly enough, we've come across 3 wolverines in the past 10 years but nothing in the cat family. I saw a wolverine once, in Washington state. I initially thought it was a large marmot, but rapidly reevaluated when it snarled at me! As far as mountain lions go, the closest 'encounter' I've had was seeing some kitty tracks in the snow (not sure if it was a mountain lion though), once again in Washington. I was around 8mi into my hike, the past two on snow, and not another soul around. When I saw the tracks I almost turned around right there. I ended up continuing for a further 2mi, but sang loudly (and tunelessly) the entire way. |
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