OT: Is this a mountain lion

[joosttx]

I went up there with my son midmorning to search for tracks. I could not find any. There was plenty of tire tracks which may of covered the paw prints.. Anyway, I discovered what the cat was eating when I saw him, King Snake.

[RFC]

Great post! Thanks!

I had to look at this picture several times before offering an opinion.

Here in Scottsdale bordering the horse ranches I see Bobcats and Coyotes on a regular basis, along with the occasional Javelina. The Bobcats and Coyotes present no danger. They're after bunnies, not human babies. The coyotes are ghosts. You see them, look away, and they're gone. The Javelinas are to be treated with caution, but generally go on their way. I like wildlife that has adapted to suburban neighborhoods, even though the raccoons decimated my fish pond.

Looking at the picture, I began by thinking big male Bobcat. But the more I look, I think it is a young mountain lion. The fact that it is a juvenile and inexperienced is probably why you had a chance to see it.

Adult mountain lions are invisible Ninja killers. The general hiking rule is that if you see a mountain lion, it means it's stalking you and you better think quick about a defense. But with that, actual attacks are rare.

[joosttx]

Originally Posted by RFC

Great post! Thanks!

I had to look at this picture several times before offering an opinion.

Here in Scottsdale bordering the horse ranches I see Bobcats and Coyotes on a regular basis, along with the occasional Javelina. The Bobcats and Coyotes present no danger. They're after bunnies, not human babies. The coyotes are ghosts. You see them, look away, and they're gone. The Javelinas are to be treated with caution, but generally go on their way. I like wildlife that has adapted to suburban neighborhoods, even though the raccoons decimated my fish pond.

Looking at the picture, I began by thinking big male Bobcat. But the more I look, I think it is a young mountain lion. The fact that it is a juvenile and inexperienced is probably why you had a chance to see it.

Adult mountain lions are invisible Ninja killers. The general hiking rule is that if you see a mountain lion, it means it's stalking you and you better think quick about a defense. But with that, actual attacks are rare.

Good points. Just some more background. The Forest Rangers think its a 2 year mountain lion (not sure if they know one is in the area or not). I honestly dont think it was stalking me. When I rounded the corner and first saw it, it was eating that snake. Then it trotted up the hill and stopped. When I began riding towards it after taking pictures I disappeared into the bush below. I think I startled it while it was eating breakfast.

Coyotes and bobcats do not concern me. I ride with them all the time especially coyotes. I usually see about 4 or 5 bobcats each year. Sadly one I just saw was dead hit by a car. Anyway, mountain lions do bother me.

[RFC]

Originally Posted by joosttx

Good points. Just some more background. The Forest Rangers think its a 2 year mountain lion (not sure if they know one is in the area or not). I honestly dont think it was stalking me. When I rounded the corner and first saw it, it was eating that snake. Then it trotted up the hill and stopped. When I began riding towards it after taking pictures I disappeared into the bush below. I think I startled it while it was eating breakfast.

Coyotes and bobcats do not concern me. I ride with them all the time especially coyotes. I usually see about 4 or 5 bobcats each year. Sadly one I just saw was dead hit by a car. Anyway, mountain lions do bother me.

I think you've nailed it.

[deechee]

Funny how my sis just sent me this Seth Meyers clip (big cat story related

[Duende]

Originally Posted by RFC

I think you've nailed it.

Exactly

[djg21]

Originally Posted by Bruce K

Fisher cat in the woods behind our house. Stupid a@@ neighbor leaves food out for it!

Vicious little things. At night when they “scream” it sounds like a woman is being murdered and you need to call 911.

Makes me nervous for our dog sometimes.

BK

Fisher Cats have become relatively common in my area. You never see them, but you don’t leave small pets out unattended.

They are not cats, as in felines; they are members of the weasel family.

[William]

Originally Posted by djg21

Fisher Cats have become relatively common in my area. You never see them, but you don’t leave small pets out unattended.

They are not cats, as in felines; they are members of the weasel family.

Like I mentioned earlier, one of these Bad Boys showed up on our property. He came up from the pond before he spotted us. Stopped about fifty feet from us and stared at us for three to four seconds before he turned around and went back toward the pond. He was a big boy for a Fisher Cat








William

[Bob Ross]

Has anyone suggested "escaped jaguar" yet?

[dddd]

I've never come across a weasel or badger type of animal, but here in the sierra there are black bears, coyotes, foxes (and cats that I never see).

In the bay area and in SoCal, I used to see mtn lions quite regularly, also the occasional exotic cat escapee in the hills near Page Mill while riding mountain or road bikes.

The mtn lions never bothered me, they crossed my path many times day or night and some of them were big.

I once spooked a bobcat out onto a fire road descent in front of me, I paced it from behind for a while, then it went almost literally straight up a sheared-rock hillside to the outside of a left turn in just a few jumps. No doubt that thing had the power to take down a deer, but these cats normally do not see cyclists or humans as food.

[Tony]

Once I was attacked by a pig between Big Basin and Portola state park. I was on the hollow tree trail, a single track on the side of a mountain. This pig was on the trail blocking our path. It was taking its nose and scooping debris into the air like some type of warning. At the time I thought it was
a male with several little females, found out later by reporting this incident to the park ranger that it was a female and her litter. Anyways, I
asked my wife to move way back as I was going to scary this pig. I ran towards the pig with my hands up yelling. I maybe only took a half a dozen steps before I realized this pig was now coming towards me, FAST! There really is no way to convey to you how fast this animal closed the gap between us. I had no choice but to jump, grab a limb on a tree that was to my immediate right. As my body swung the pig followed and lost its footing and fell somewhat down the hill. While clinging onto this limb I watched the pig charge up the hill, it was throwing out a roster tail of debris! It started throwing debris into the air with its nose than slamming its mouth against the tree trunk, grinding on it. I could feel this grinding on the limb that I was hanging onto. I truly believe if I lost my grip and fell there would not be any DNA left of me! This was a large vicious animal! At the time I had NO idea pigs were so aggressive and powerful. She finally went away,
up the hill with her babies.

[Devotion]

Yes its a Mountain Lion and yes I would pedaled as fast as I could in the opposite direction…without pulling out my cel phone first!

[joosttx]

Originally Posted by Tony

Once I was attacked by a pig between Big Basin and Portola state park. I was on the hollow tree trail, a single track on the side of a mountain. This pig was on the trail blocking our path. It was taking its nose and scooping debris into the air like some type of warning. At the time I thought it was
a male with several little females, found out later by reporting this incident to the park ranger that it was a female and her litter. Anyways, I
asked my wife to move way back as I was going to scary this pig. I ran towards the pig with my hands up yelling. I maybe only took a half a dozen steps before I realized this pig was now coming towards me, FAST! There really is no way to convey to you how fast this animal closed the gap between us. I had no choice but to jump, grab a limb on a tree that was to my immediate right. As my body swung the pig followed and lost its footing and fell somewhat down the hill. While clinging onto this limb I watched the pig charge up the hill, it was throwing out a roster tail of debris! It started throwing debris into the air with its nose than slamming its mouth against the tree trunk, grinding on it. I could feel this grinding on the limb that I was hanging onto. I truly believe if I lost my grip and fell there would not be any DNA left of me! This was a large vicious animal! At the time I had NO idea pigs were so aggressive and powerful. She finally went away,
up the hill with her babies.

My greatgrand dad had a pig charge him once when he was deer hunting with my uncle. They were both drinking a lot of beer and naturally my GGD needed to pee. So he gets out of the stand and fishes his weenier out and starts to pee when a pig pops out of the brush and charges at him. Imagine being 90 years old, drunk in the woods, holding you pecker with a wild pig charging you. Luckily, my uncle had been watching the pig before it charge and was able to shoot it in the head before it attacked my GGD. Funny thing, the shot to the head didnt kill the pig, it just stunned him. While the pig was getting its bearings back my uncle shot it in the heart and killed it. Pigs are bad MF'ers.

[Tony]

Originally Posted by joosttx

My greatgrand dad had a pig charge him once when he was deer hunting with my uncle. They were both drinking a lot of beer and naturally my GGD needed to pee. So he gets out of the stand and fishes his weenier out and starts to pee when a pig pops out of the brush and charges at him. Imagine being 90 years old, drunk in the woods, holding you pecker with a wild pig charging you. Luckily, my uncle had been watching the pig before it charge and was able to shoot it in the head before it attacked my GGD. Funny thing, the shot to the head didnt kill the pig, it just stunned him. While the pig was getting its bearings back my uncle shot it in the heart and killed it. Pigs are bad MF'ers.

Yes, shocking how aggressive, FAST and powerful they can be. I was told by the ranger in Portola the only way to stop a pig like the one I described was a high caliber shot to the head.

[joosttx]

Originally Posted by Tony

Yes, shocking how aggressive, FAST and powerful they can be. I was told by the ranger in Portola the only way to stop a pig like the one I described was a high caliber shot to the head.

That is incorrect believe it or not. Pigs, at least the ones in Texas, have an incredibly thick skull or part of the skull that can withstand high caliber gunshots. Case i. Point the story about my GGD. But others have told me the same thing.