Not my story, Was on the news this A.M. Cougar attacked elk hunter opening morning of the elk hunt. The man was hunting with his son on Saturday morning near Kamas UT. He saw the cat just before it jumped he did manage to take a quick shot before impact but missed in what I assume was panic. He was knocked to ground and only sustained a puncture wound to his leg and scratches to his chest before the cat retreated. DWR is attempting to locate cat with hounds to dispatch it.

The guy was pretty lucky in my book.

Wow

He was big time lucky.

WOW !! Lucky man.

Been there.. done it... it's really scary! bw

Remember that happened to a Barry several years back. He didn’t miss. Both are very luck.

I helped a friend who trapped and relocated cats years ago. Until you have actually tried to handle one you can’t imagine how weak we are in comparison. He is a very lucky man for sure.

Have had Cougar tracks in my own, it's a real wake up call to shift from hunter to hunted, and then back to hunter.

Yep, been there too!

Very lucky guy!

Sure hope he gave some thanks for having a good day after what could have been a real bad one. Great he'll be 'round and have some campfire stories to tell.

One walked right my treestand about a month ago in the morning when I was hunting hogs. It made absolutely no noise. Quite a sight to say the least.

I saw one in Wv.

This is a local guy who doesn't hunt. He gets some great footage.

https://www.youtube.com/user/humpermonkey/videos

My incident happened in '92. Paul Schafer and I got into some elk that morning. Paul was leaving for another trip that next day so I went back in the evening alone because I knew the elk were there. I was working into them in the early evening. I was cow-talking as I advanced. My biggest mistake in my opinion was I was in full camo and had a face mask on. I'm sure the cat didn't recognize me as an upright human and likely took me for a cow elk as soon as we made eye-contact. My bad. After that I never put a face mask on while elk hunting until I got in view of the elk. Lesson learned. bw

One of those Wensel boys posted information on using gland scent with ropes or broken twigs to get a scrape line started. I did that and it worked, but there is just something about seeing two big kitty prints in the middle of one of those scrapes that makes the hair on my neck stand up. Worse yet, when i told an area compound hunter about the big kitty tracks, he digs out his iPhone to show me what came past his camera, which was just up the hill from my flood plain scrape line. This is not suppose to happen in Iowa, but it seems every year that there are sightings. I was told by law enforcement of a breeding pair near the three corners region of South Dakota, Iowa and Minnesota with cubs. I thought cougars only attacked California joggers with dacron jogging clothes.

Im glad we don't have them in Ohio

If it's a true attack how does one have time for a quick bowshot?

I wonder if he was calling elk. We have stories of many local hunters having encounters with cougars. A lot of the time they are calling elk.

Two cougars outside the caretakers house at the club last Thursday.

Shot outdoors with my bow but watchful.

David McLendon x2. Made a big circle on a Montana mt., came back to my tracks and a large cat had taken up my tracks. I followed for a half mile retracing my steps looking back constantly. Never saw him.

Regarding 4nolz question, in my case I heard a branch snap. It was a substantial break/snap. I assumed it was a satellite bull coming in silent so I nocked an arrow and stood still. When he first stepped out he looked away from me. Then when he turned his head and we made eye contact I yelled at him. One loud "HEY". I assumed he would run away but instead he lowered himself to the ground and started the eyes locked into mine, direct, flat-backed charge, starting slow with increased speed. After thinking about it I assume he thought me yelling "HEY" might have been a cow elk bark. I shot just as he was leaving the ground going mid-air. It happened really fast and is kind of a blur because I kind of went into instinctive self-defense mode. I really lucked out on the shot as the arrow went in at the sternal notch and buried to the nock lengthwise. I was shooting a 72 lb. Schafer bow at the time. Scary stuff. bw

Lucky Man. Been there, But. something just ain't right> Lots and Lots of Lions out here in Utah,\ Though....

wow I had never heard that story,I have no lion experience other than shooting a dog treed one.I assumed a stand up shout would be enough.

When we get them in NW Iowa, lots of people see them, either on trail cameras, the damn things are everywhere, or from roads, the damn things are everywhere. Northwest Iowa is a busy place. Years back the the big one on the north side of Rock Valley turned into a bit of a old stubborn knucklehead, the game warden, John Sells, had to shoot it. Thankfully, the others have been less localized and more reclusive.

Barry,

72 lbs bow?!?! Wow!

OK some (a lot of!)adrenaline may have been at work here, but 72 lbs is a lot of pull!

Was that your usual draw weight at that time? Did you hold at anchor or just touch and release?

WMM

WM: A couple things you have to realize. I shot those heavy weight bows back in the late 1960s to mid 1990s when I was a lot younger and stronger. Nowadays with modern bowyer techniques, etc. a mid 50 lb. bow is probably as efficient and flat shooting as a high 60 lber or maybe low 70 lber was way back then. All my hunting bows were over 70 lbs. although my heaviest was only 77 lbs. I mostly hunted with 71 and 72 lbers because I could shoot them well, I liked the flat trajectory and I liked to poke an arrow all the way through and out the other side for better blood trails. Comparatively, I only shoot 61 lbs. these days. Everyone says I should drop down but I'm still fine with it even in my older years and multiple injuries. I don't hold for too long but I don't snap shoot either and I've never shot sights. But that's just me. bw

“After thinking about it I assume he thought me yelling "HEY" might have been a cow elk bark. ”

Speaking just for myself... with that kind of pucker-factor involved, I can see how my voice might enter a higher register under the circumstances...

I read a good book that Nolz sent my way, and I’m now of the opinion that any cougar is a potential threat to humans, and that any cat that acts like it’s trying to decide whether you’re Food or not has already crossed over the line. Seems like they’ll keep testing until they either have a bad experience with a human or it goes the other way.

I’m not saying we should go back to predator eradication, but EDUCATION would be helpful. ‘Cuz if they don’t understand that we are Not Food, they’re going to figure it out for themselves, same way as they do with skunks, porcupines, or anything else that won’t run away..

Glad you got through that in one piece, Barry!

I never heard that story, Barry. No wonder you moved from Montana to one of those flat land corn states!

Just saw my bud's full mount of the one he shot in ID a couple of years ago. Unless you're standing next to one, you have no idea how big they actually are. It ain't no house cat. I don't care how big you might be, getting taken down by a large cat would be super easy. We would be no match for 150+ lbs of pure muscle and very sharp teeth.

I read the story... "attacked" is hardly the word I would use after reading the account. If that cat had wanted him... he could have taken him.

Years ago we got snowed into camp way back in Wyoming's Bighorn mountains, for 3 days. Tent camping with 8 guys...4 of us in one, and 2 each in two others.

We had one elk and one mulie boned out and hanging in game bags.

That storm broke after midnight on day three, and the day dawned clear, still, and bitter cold. Upon rising, we found lion tracks encircling our camp...he walked within a couple feet where our heads layed in that 4 man tent. That really gets and holds one's attention! Lol.

Apparently, he could smell that meat but never entered past any of us to go for it.

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