Being the stalked hunter

[Tsalagi84]

Thank you Brad!

[Doyle]

Doyle Might Be Mentally Impaired

I might just resemble that remark.

However, I disagree with Brad on this point. I'm well aware of how animals get to associate humans with food. However, it is a huge stretch to go from scavenging and grabbing weak pets to attacking human prey. And I certainly disagree that this animal is stalking you. You are simply sharing the same territory with it. Yes, it has probably learned that living there means easy meals. That doesn't mean it wants to eat you.

[Ruger480]

I've heard that lions attack people who venture too close to their kill.

If that lion kills a hog and stashes it in the area, I'm thinking it would cause problems for people.

I say kill it.

[Bella]

From what I understand you will never see or hear a mountain lion before it attacks you.

[hartcreek]

The OP did not post that this cat has taken pets and drug part of the gut pile to the house area in the first post. In any case dropping this cat will not solve the problem. You need to deal with the problem with your neighbor because the current bounty of food on the property has brought this cat in. You shoot this cat and do nothing about the feed situation it will be just a matter of time before another one moves in.

You neigbor wants to bait hogs...go online and get him online and watch videos of how to do it correctly with the proper fencing and dropdown gates so that the animals can be removed. It aint hard to do and can be done correctly in a few days. With the hogs gone another cat will not be back.

[reloader28]

Doyle, you sound like you are one of those wolf lovers that have flat destroyed our hunting out here. And why we have no hunting season on grizzly bears, even though we are completely infested with them with several attacks a year.

Tsagali84, if this cat is sticking around like that, you need to get rid of it. Its only a short matter of time before its decided to try humans. It has lost its fear of people. You will have to make up your mind whether or not to mention it to the authorities. They usually dont see things with their common sense. Only that they get to write another ticket.

By the way, a 320gr RF cast bullet pushed fast from a 45 rifle does an excellent job thru the front shoulders at 7 yards.
You might try some poison meat.

[Doyle]

Doyle, you sound like you are one of those that loves the wolves that have flat destroyed our hunting out here. And why we have no hunting season on grizzly bears, even though we are completely infested with them with several attacks a year.

Not at all. I'm just one who believes in the reality that the danger of attack by Mt. Lion is so remote that it doesn't warrant any effort to take out one animal whos territory overlaps a human's. As to hunting wolves and grizzley, I have no problem with that as a means to balance the population. And I am certainly not in favor of reintroduction of wolves into an area that cannot effectively support them without harming another valuable population.

[TimSr]

Based on the lack of details onn which you arrive at your conclusions, and general attitide towrds those who question them, I'm not at all convinced the lion is a threat, and that the fears are not based more on TV movies than lion experience.

I will speculate a little myself since you seem to get upset when questioned on specifics and details on which you base your dramatic conclusions.

How do you know it "got at least 3 cats"? Did you see it snatch them up? You do know lots of things happen to free roaming cats in rural areas that don't even have lions, right?

You left deer entrails 500 ft from the house, and you are surprised that wild animals got into it? You know that is like puttomng out food for them, right? Do you really know that it was the lion that got into it? Not that it matters, because when you put food out for animals, they tend to come and eat it.

I am skeptical that it is stalking you. Based on what? A sighting at night with a flashlight? Watching you is natural for any wild animal that is wary of humans. If it was actually "stalking" you, what prevented it from being successful? Lion attacks are extremely rare on adult humans, but if he was really stalking you, he would probably have been succesful. I've been watched by a lion, and it gives you a creepy feeling, but it does not mean you are in danger. If he truly intends to attack, he is a far more skilled at catching predator you than you are at evading him.

I'm glad you saw fit to discuss it with the right officials. I can't imagine them telling you to shoot it, but then maybe they figured you were blowing off hot air, and the cat would never ever become enough of a "menace" to give you the opportunity. You'll proabbly continue to see occasional tracks, but sightings will probably be limited to glimpse every now and then, so I'm not overly concerned about you successfully poaching it.

I could be all wrong, but the impression you gave a lot of people is that you are looking for an excuse to poach a lion based on irrational fears. I truly hope the lion is not dangerous, but I'm not very convinced that it is.

[Barnacle Brad]

If killing a lion seems foolish, why not send your children or grandchildren down to play...?

Like other large predators, he is a killer by nature. It is what he is wired to do. Just because it has not happened yet, does not mean it will not happen at all. I guess you guys have not heard of parks that prohibit the feeding of wildlife? Hmmm...

It's pretty funny, one argument says "couger numbers are low - find an alternative to putting the animal down" versus "don't bother to kill it - another will fill the vaccuum"...

How about "err on the side of caution"? Again, risk your family if that makes you feel good, but I value my face and those of my family. Are you guys on other forums advocating leniency for home intruders? Offer your own face to be gnawed off and hey, if it does not happen, good for you. But when it does, perhaps you will rethink the situation...but probably not...

[Barnacle Brad]

Quote:
Originally posted by [b]Barnacle Brad[/b[

S.s.s.

S.S.S. = S.F.Bs.

No cowards here..

Buck, you should say what you mean and mean what you say. I presume everyone knows what the three s's means, but if you don't it is "Shoot. Shovel. Shutup".

While I would never advocate breaking game laws, I would do what is neccesary to protect my people and livestock. That is just my way. If some mamby pamby mamas boys see it different, I will not judge...

[g.willikers]

Just leave the door open at night, and some raw meat and a nice soft bed near the fireplace.
In no time that cat will become the family pet.

[TimSr]

While I would never advocate breaking game laws, I would do what is neccesary to protect my people and livestock.

I think everyone would agree with that. While I support lawful hunting of species that exists in huntable numbers, I do not support erradication of any native species based on discomfort, based on unrealistic, irrational, fear and ignorance, which would seem to be what you are condoning.

[Barnacle Brad]

I think everyone would agree with that. While I support lawful hunting of species that exists in huntable numbers, I do not support erradication of any native species based on discomfort, based on unrealistic, irrational, fear and ignorance, which would seem to be what you are condoning.

Please...

If you are suggesting I am ignorant Sir, I would have you go look in the mirror. Your statement may hold water with part of the audience, but prudent folks know what's up.

[bucksnort13]

I dont know if this would help you in Texas but if you knew of someone or could get a hold of someone who has treeing dogs you might be able to run it up a tree and shoot it from there or at least you might scare it off the property. Otherwise I would try baiting it in some fashion and then shooting it ecspecially if the DNR said to shoot it. I am not from Texas so I do not know the terrain I know that occasionally here in Wisconsin us coon hunters will put one up a tree. I have a daughter myself so like you I would try to do my best to shoot it or get it off the property.

[TimSr]

If you are suggesting I am ignorant Sir, I would have you go look in the mirror.

Reread the post. If you still think that is what I said, I will explain it to you.

[Geezerbiker]

I think you already have some good suggestions. Buy the cheapest old goat you can find and set up a blind so you will have a good shot at whatever comes for it.

I don't know about your area but here in Oregon we have some stupid laws about hunting big cats and as a result they are way over populated.

If I saw a cougar in my yard, it had better leave before I could get a rifle out. I don't care as much about the fall out as I do the safety of my family...

Tony

[buck460XVR]

Originally posted by Barnacle Brad

No cowards here..

Buck, you should say what you mean and mean what you say. I presume everyone knows what the three s's means, but if you don't it is "Shoot. Shovel. Shutup".

While I would never advocate breaking game laws, I would do what is neccesary to protect my people and livestock. That is just my way. If some mamby pamby mamas boys see it different, I will not judge...

I did say what I mean....and I know all to well what the poacher's motto(S.S.S.) means.

I take it you don't know what S.F.Bs, means tho, eh?


You claim you do not advocate breaking game laws but suggest SSS? If you really know what SSS means than you know it means break the law and cover your tracks. The law says you can do what is needed to protect your family, your livestock and your pets. No need to cover any tracks. As for Mamby Pamby mamma's boys, they are generally folks that are ignorant about the threat to humans from native predators and just want them dead. It isn't really about the threat of attack, but the fear of not getting a deer next time out because those predators are better hunters than they. Less predators....more deer for me! As for as judging them, poachers are poachers, they are criminals and make all legitimate hunters/gun owners look bad, regardless of how they try and justify their actions.

The OP came here with a question and did not like the answers he got. Now he is resorting to calling other folks names, like a third grader. He has been here for two days and has a whole seven posts to his credit, yet he insults others who have been giving good information here for years. Not only does he lack any knowledge of cougars and the threat they present, but rebukes the knowledge of those that do.

If cougars are fair game in Texas, then there needs to be no S.S.S. If the cougar really does show aggression toward humans or domestic livestock it also can be legally shot....again no S.S.S. is needed. Just like there really is no need for you, or the OP to call others names.

[Bpcurious]

This is too funny.

Cougars must be meaner/more scary in Texas. Here in Oregon we have lots of them, including several in my area, and I've never given it a second thought.

They will occasionally snag a pet, and I startled one once while it was stalking a deer in a thick fog, all I really saw was a blur and a long tail

I'm a mile from the local k-thru-12 and they captured two wayward cougar kittens/cubs at a park half a mile from it. No outcry to kill the big cats and save the children yet

What the OP has described is fairly NORMAL cougar behavior, if it was abnormal or threatening behavior it would be a different story. Your normal/average mountain lion, statistically and in practice, is pretty harmless to humans, even children. Of course you will do as you please, but in my mind you are overreacting somewhat.

[Dirty_Harry]

Like other large predators, he is a killer by nature. It is what he is wired to do. Just because it has not happened yet, does not mean it will not happen at all. I guess you guys have not heard of parks that prohibit the feeding of wildlife? Hmmm...

How about "err on the side of caution"? Again, risk your family if that makes you feel good, but I value my face and those of my family. Are you guys on other forums advocating leniency for home intruders? Offer your own face to be gnawed off and hey, if it does not happen, good for you. But when it does, perhaps you will rethink the situation...but probably not...

Your logic is flawed. By your logic because something kills its food, we should exterminate it. Should I be killing every Bobcat/Black Bear I see too? A Lion will kill what he needs to survive. If there is bountiful game in the area (like the OP stated) he will probably never ever be a threat.

The OP has already rubbed me wrong. He has taken to insulting other members that just had a few questions for him. I see nothing in any of his posts that show this Lion to be a threat. Not saying it isnt, but it doesnt sound like it.

If you were looking for us to bless your poaching of a Lion you came to the wrong place.

[Doyle]

Finally, some voices of reason who also recognize that all big animals in the wild aren't "out to eat you".

Cougars and bears and zombies - Oh, my!

[Paul B.]

"From what I understand you will never see or hear a mountain lion before it attacks you."

That's not true. I can cite two instances where a lion was spotted while stalking a human being. The year was 1978 up in the vicinity of Winnemucca Nevada. Bow season was open and a bowhunter had to take out a young female mountin lion that was definitely stalking him. On autopsy, it was found that the cat's stomach was totally empty and had apparently not eaten for some time.
I was involved in the second instance which occurred maybe two weeks after the bowhunter incident. I was scouting in preperation for the upcoming rifle season and had my .243 along in hopes of taking a coyote to judge the quality of the fur. I had weird feeling of being followed and when looing aroud saw the cat about 25 to 30 yards away. I yelled and it took off. Wasn't much longer and the feeling came back. The cat was much closer and crouched as if to spring. I shot it. I reported it to the Game Warden and when they looked the scene over decided it was a good shoot. They took it in and did an autopsy. Again a totally empty stomach. Deer were rather scarce in that area in that time period and had been for a couple of years. Lots of coyotes though which may have been a big part of the problem.
Mountain lions are a major predator. The fact that they usually do not mess with man probably has more to do with the abundance of game than anything else. Before I rashed my knee making hiking too difficult and painful I used to hike quite a bit in the local Catalina Mountains. Not only are there Mountain Lions there but Black bears as well. I am armed with a large bore hangun but have never been bothered by either lion or bear. since moving here 35 years ago. Yet there are several yearly reports of hiker having problems with bears or lions apparently giving them the once over or getting too close for comfort.
My thoughts are if the OP feels that cat is a problem and the Game Warden has given his OK, why should anyone here feels he should leave it alone? If those holier than thou types don't like it? Too bad, so sad.
Paul B.

[hartcreek]

The problem here is with the OP and others that know little about cats. The OP and his neighbor have caused this situation by poor stewardship of their property. Both have baited this cat into the area one by baiting hogs and the other by leaving the gutpile.

Undoubtably this cat will have to be put down BUT it is not the cats fault.

I had a cat in our cabin tract. I let the neighbors know that something was drawing in a cat. Someone quit doing something stupid and I started walking around more at dusk so the cat left. Cat problem ended.

[psalm7]

Admittedly I would have already shot the cat , not out of wanting to kill it but I could not rest if I thought anything threatened my Family and I did nothing .
I got the s.s.s but it took some time for me to figure out s.f.bs .
One way to solve this that would be win-win would be getting some good dogs as no varmit big or small can stand good agressive dogs . They would keep it out of your imeadiate area .

[Buzzcook]

Re-read my original posting. Then, shut your F____ing mouth.

Just so you know, even using the underscore, is a violation of the TOS. or at least as I understand them.

Are Texas cougars as small as Texas deer? I'm asking seriously because many people automatically picture mountain lions as #250 monsters, but even here in the PNW one over #100 is rare.

http://bigcatrescue.org/idaho-man-ki...mountain-lion/

Cats are neophobes as are most animals. That means they tend to keep to the same diet and avoid contact with strange things.
At the same time they are stereotypically curious. They will follow strangers in their range. However just as in the OP they will run off with very little encouragement.
Top predators kill top predators when they can. house cats and pet dogs count as top predators to your neighborhood cougar.

I wasn't able to find a cougar season on the Texas Parks and Wildlife site. There was this PDF on cougars http://www.tpwd.texas.gov/publicatio...w7000_0274.pdf

I have camped in cougar country for many years and besides tracks and scat have never encountered a cougar. The only person I've met who was attacked by a cougar, drove the cat off by punching it in the nose.

I don't want to minimize the OP's fears, but from what he's said so far I'd recommend following the measures outlined in the T P&W pdf on living with cougars, rather than eliminating the cat.

[Bella]

Theodore Roosevelt didn't think highly of cougars. He said that if they are spooked, even a modest dog can tree one. On the other, the jaguars of South America were very different. They would attempt to fight off dogs and often were successful.