downriver
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Post by downriver on Feb 20, 2024 23:57:45 GMT -8
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Travis
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Post by Travis on Feb 21, 2024 3:25:06 GMT -8
It appears that mountain-lion safety guidelines need to be revised for mountain bikers and trail runners. What does “Do not run” mean when someone is pedaling a bike or always running?
I have read a half-dozen articles about this incident over the last couple days. The stories differ. One says the cat had been stalking the riders for some time, another claims it all happened upon the spur of the moment. One says the incident happened on a “wilderness trail,” another says it was on a “suburban road.” One says the cat was severely malnourished. Another says repeatedly that it was a “good-sized” cat. One says the bike-riders “did everything right,” another implies “not really.”
And some of the articles ritually link to a set of safety guidelines that remind us all “Do not run.” But what does that mean? Does it mean “Do not run from predators” or “Do not run at all in mountain-lion territory”? And what is the difference between running away or pedaling away?
To the mountain-lion or other predator, the appearance is of prey that is fleeing. And the instinct is to give chase.
The 60-year-old woman who was injured doesn’t need my sympathy. The companions who “heroically” pinned down the mountain lion don’t need my applause. And as far as I’m concerned, none of the articles I have read deserve much credit at all.
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Post by Sleeping Bag Man! on Feb 21, 2024 4:41:50 GMT -8
It appears that mountain-lion safety guidelines need to be revised for mountain bikers and trail runners. What does “Do not run” mean when someone is pedaling a bike or always running? I have read a half-dozen articles about this incident over the last couple days. The stories differ. One says the cat had been stalking the riders for some time, another claims it all happened upon the spur of the moment. One says the incident happened on a “wilderness trail,” another says it was on a “suburban road.” One says the cat was severely malnourished. Another says repeatedly that it was a “good-sized” cat. One says the bike-riders “did everything right,” another implies “not really.” And some of the articles ritually link to a set of safety guidelines that remind us all “Do not run.” But what does that mean? Does it mean “Do not run from predators” or “Do not run at all in mountain-lion territory”? And what is the difference between running away or pedaling away? To the mountain-lion or other predator, the appearance is of prey that is fleeing. And the instinct is to give chase. The 60-year-old woman who was injured doesn’t need my sympathy. The companions who “heroically” pinned down the mountain lion don’t need my applause. And as far as I’m concerned, none of the articles I have read deserve much credit at all. Sheesh, way to miss the point. The point is: SCARY!! SCARY SCARY SCARY SCARY SCARY!!! WILDERNESS HAS BIG SCARY MONSTERS! CUT IT ALL DOWN AND BUILD SAFE HAPPY CONDOS AND GOLF COURSES! |
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ErnieW
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Post by ErnieW on Mar 21, 2024 5:04:12 GMT -8
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Travis
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Post by Travis on Mar 21, 2024 8:09:25 GMT -8
Same song, second verse.
Even after a month, and despite the time and trouble, it is easier to kill a mountain lion than to explain to the "most intelligent species on earth" that hungry predators may see fleeing animals as prey. |
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walkswithblackflies
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Post by walkswithblackflies on Mar 21, 2024 15:28:59 GMT -8
Even after a month, and despite the time and trouble, it is easier to kill a mountain lion than to explain to the " most intelligent species on earth" that hungry predators may see fleeing animals as prey. From Ernie's article, it sounds like they rode up on the cougar rather than the cougar pursuing them. |
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Travis
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Post by Travis on Mar 21, 2024 17:54:10 GMT -8
Even after a month, and despite the time and trouble, it is easier to kill a mountain lion than to explain to the " most intelligent species on earth" that hungry predators may see fleeing animals as prey. From Ernie's article, it sounds like they rode up on the cougar rather than the cougar pursuing them. According to the article, one of the group yelled "Cougar, cougar!" But none of the articles say if the group stopped riding at that point or if they had too much momentum to immediately stop.
Regardless, what the mountain lion saw first was a group of animals moving quickly along the trail or road. And despite the warning, one of the women had already gotten ahead of the cat. That is enough to spur the cat's chase instinct.
That goes back to my first comment of the thread. It appears that mountain-lion safety guidelines need to be revised for mountain bikers. What does “Do not run” mean when someone is pedaling a bike?
Bikes in the back country or front country can move at a high rate of speed. This is not the first incident of a mountain-lion attack in those circumstances. So I think game and fish departments need to start addressing the problem instead of simply reciting guidelines written for hikers but not mountain bikers or trail runners.
And it would be nice to see someone write an article for once that shows some awareness of the real problem. The problem is not always renegade cats.
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balzaccom
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Post by balzaccom on Mar 22, 2024 5:51:21 GMT -8
So I think game and fish departments need to start addressing the problem instead of simply reciting guidelines written for hikers but not mountain bikers or trail runners. By doing what, exactly? |
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Travis
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Post by Travis on Mar 22, 2024 6:38:08 GMT -8
So I think game and fish departments need to start addressing the problem instead of simply reciting guidelines written for hikers but not mountain bikers or trail runners. By doing what, exactly? By acknowledging the fact that biking in mountain-lion country has the inherent risk of precipitating an attack.
In Washington state there have been only two fatal mountain-lion attacks. The last one began in the same way as this incident with fast moving mountain bikers. At that time at least one "expert" (i.e. Jeff Corwin, Defenders of Wildlife, etc.) acknowledged that it was the rapid movement of the bikes that spurred the initial attack ( link). Some trailheads and numerous websites in Western states publish guidelines for mountain lion safety. That precaution needs to be added to the guidelines for bikers.
What we have instead is a bunch of people, writers and so-called experts, seemingly feigning ignorance of the problem. Necropsies of the cat determine that it was not famished, was not suffering debilitating injuries, was not rabid, and so on. So people throw up their hands as if the whole thing is a mystery.
How is it a mystery when people are ignoring the obvious?
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Post by Sleeping Bag Man! on Mar 22, 2024 7:07:33 GMT -8
Having been “attacked” by a great many domestic feline ambush predators in my time, I would recommend that mountain bikers carry the following items:
- A laser pointer
- Some catnip
- A cardboard box
First deploy the laser pointer, to distract the initial attack.
Then pour the catnip on the ground in a concentrated area. CRITICAL: while the mountain lion is rolling in the catnip, DO NOT ATTEMPT BELLY RUBS. This will be harder to resist than you think.
Finally unfold & assemble your cardboard box. Once the mountain lion enters, you have plenty of time to escape, bind your wounds; and post the video on YouTube.
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Post by marmotstew on Mar 22, 2024 7:51:09 GMT -8
I think you should unfold and assemble the box first?
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Post by Sleeping Bag Man! on Mar 22, 2024 8:07:54 GMT -8
I think you should unfold and assemble the box first? This kind of amateur speculation will get people killed. Without distraction via laser pointer or catnip, kitty will take great interest in the process of unfolding & assembling the cardboard box. All cats, domestic and wild, inherently know what manmade objects are intended for their use/play. |
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Post by marmotstew on Mar 22, 2024 8:20:21 GMT -8
What if the box was made out of catnip? Like in the movie Up In Smoke, Cheech and Chong drive a van made out of “fiberweed” from Mexico to LA. Kinda like that?
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Post by Sleeping Bag Man! on Mar 22, 2024 8:32:16 GMT -8
What if the box was made out of catnip? Like in the movie Up In Smoke, Cheech and Chong drive a van made out of “fiberweed” from Mexico to LA. Kinda like that? This should only be attempted if there is a nearby group of nuns to hand the catnip-box to…as Cheech & Chong did in the movie, to throw off Sergeant Stedenko. |
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Image Credit / Coolkat
