Reflections on life and death

[Harald]

Besides riding motorcycles, I'm also an avid hunter. There's the allure of going back to our roots as hunter/gatherers and being personally involved in acquiring healthy, hormone and antibiotic free sustenance for the table. It's much easier to just go to the grocery store for steaks, but I'd rather supplement that method with a method that involves physical exertion on the mountains and fields of our beautiful country.

So I left my FJR in the garage south of Seattle and headed to north central Washington state to hunt for deer with my Muzzleloading rifle. Although I own more modern weapons, it's that going back to our roots thing that compels me to use a rifle that requires you to measure and pour black powder into the end of the barrel and then ram a bullet after it. Place a musket cap on the other end and I'm ready to harvest a Buck. Mind you that it takes at least a minute to reload, so no rapid fire possible.

Sneaking downhill through the timber in North central WA looking for deer, I heard a stick snap behind me. Turning around, I see a mountain lion about 10 yards uphill behind me ready to pounce.

I guess I wasn't the only hunter in the woods that day because this cat was stalking me. :shock: A quick shot from my muzzleloader coincided with it launching itself toward me. I dodged to the side and prepared to do battle with my muzzleloader that was now as useful as a club or a dull spear. It landed where I had been standing and I expected it to pivot and come for me. Thank God my shot was true and it only took one step after landing before tipping over dead.

In the mountains, something has to die so another animal can live. I just never expected that I would be the potential meal. As it turned out, I now have some yummy steaks in the freezer and a future large taxidermy bill when my full mount is competed in a year or so.

A hunt to remember for a lifetime.

The Cougar did leave it's mark on me physically (as well as mentally). Not wanting to ruin the hide by dragging it out of the woods like I would do with a deer if it was reasonably close to a road (especially downhill - I LOVE downhill drags

), I chose to carry it out of the woods which left blood on my neck. In the future, I'll carry it to the road before gutting it.

 

[SmashVol]

Wow, guess you did see a puddy tat! Beautiful cat and should make a great mount. Never had that to eat, wondered how it would taste. Glad you are ok and good shot!

 

[FJRay]

Glad you had time for the shot to save your ass. There have been reports of cats in my neighborhood and I have seen tracks close to the house but haven't actually seen a cat. I live right next to national forest land so it's to be expected. Enjoy the munchies.

 

[Redfish Hunter]

Since hunting and killing can be such a divisive subject I usually avoid it on any internet forum. I saw the pic of the cougar before I got started reading and I almost just closed the page. I am now glad that I continued reading.

I have never had any desire to hunt any of the predator animals, I have always confined my pursuits to things that would not eat me. What I see of modern cougar hunting involves dogs and shooting the animal as it sits trapped in a tree. Not my thing. Not at all.

Your story is a good one, my compliments on making a clean shot while under pressure. You are fortunate to have heard the stick snapping, those cats don't usually make the mistake of giving away their presence.

I would really like to know how it tastes. In my mind it would be a dishonor to the cat to not eat it, the meat should not be wasted.

 

[03silverbullet]

OUTSTANDING! Glad you are the one who lived.

 

[dcarver]

So them, I'm NOT a hunter. I don't even like shooting squirrels and other rodents, like those cute little wabbits that are destroying my 10 acre hillside property.

BUT!

If someone enters my house uninvited. They will pay.

If a critter tries to eat me.. They will pay!

and I echo RFH and wonder.. Is there enough there to feed say, about, 60 FJR peeps? RTE!

I would really like to know how it tastes. In my mind it would be a dishonor to the cat to not eat it, the meat should not be wasted.

 

[dave k]

Dam you're one lucky man.

 

[Geezer]

Your ability to keep your cool for that split second that it took to get off a clean shot is impressive. I hope I can do the same if I am ever in a similar situation.

 

[escapefjrtist]

Damn Harald, scary story, glad you came out on the top. That'll be one to tell the grandkids!

~G

 

[MCRIDER007]

If you can believe the Internet, cougar attacks are extremely rare...but this would be the second one in Washington this year. Its usually better to be lucky than good but you were both very lucky and very good.

 

[Panman]

Wow Harald, quite the story! Glad I'll be able to say hello at the next Tech get together.

 

[Hudson]

Glad this turned out ok Harald. I live about 5 miles from the cougar attack we had that resulted in the fatality, so your story hits home.

My missus opened the door a month ago and saw a very large cougar lounging on the front yard in tall grass. Had a neighbor come over who tracks and she found week old scat behind the house, meaning it had been hanging around. Came out this weekend and spotted a coyote hanging out waiting for my dog. I’m beginning to wonder if I should carry, especially since I’ve been doing mountain bike riding on nearby power line roads where critters hang out.

The tracker said she carries a small pocket air horn with her, as well as bear spray. We got a six pack of air horns and I used it to scare the coyote away since it wouldn’t respond to my making noises. Hit a short blast and it took off like a rocket.

I prefer your solution.

 

[Proteus1952]

Well told tale. Excellent reflexes that saved your life no doubt. I've seen cougar twice in the wild, once in an area of eastern Oklahoma where I hike and camp alone or with my lovely bride on a regular basis. Started carrying my .45 1911 as standard gear a while back after the cougar incident involving two young men mountain biking in the northwest that ended with one fatality. I felt a tad foolish at first with such a pistol on my belt at first. Not anymore.

Great job. What a story to tell for the rest of your life.

 

[fjrwalker]

Wow! Here's to good ears, reflexes, and aim! Glad this turned out the way it did.

 

[Harald]

Telling my story in other forums, I wonder if my situation is not as super rare as we might think. We do know that a mountain biker was killed by a cat in WA this year and there was also a person killed by a cat in OR this year. Probably not any kind of scientific study done on people stalked by cougars, but I've heard numerous stories on a WA hunting facebook group including a photo one guy posted of a cat he shot through the head with an arrow!

Hound hunting for cougars is a controversial topic, but it is an efficient method of controlling the cat population and affords the opportunity to be selective about which animals are killed. My 2 year old female would have been set free, but I didn't really have that choice. The other benefit of hound hunting is that most cats would get treed at some point and would therefore learn a healthy fear of humans (and packs of hounds). Anecdotal evidence appears to show that they have less fear of people since hound hunting was banned by the initiative voting process here in WA. Wildlife management by a popular emotional vote is a poor way to scientifically manage game.

I will absolutely eat this cat. Except for coyotes, mice and rats, I eat whatever I kill. I've had cougar meat before when a friend shot one years ago. The piece of backstrap he gave me was delicious! Better than any deer I've ever eaten. I wish I could share with everyone, but there's not many steaks after boning it out and grinding up scraps for burger.

Oh yea, in the future I'll be packing my 40 caliber Glock on my hip during my excursions in the woods.

 

[user 6393]

We have the largest closed eco-system of these magnificent kitty-cats here on Vancouver Island (as in, cat to human ratio is highest in the world). Encounters like yours often have a different outcome than yours. Good thing you are a crack shot, young man!

I know a hunter in my old home town that was stalked thru a newly logged slash area THREE times. He didn't have to take the shot, but he was left profoundly unnerved by the encounter.

and yes, cougar is awesome meat to roast. It's like a very fine grained pork tenderloin.

 

[FJRay]

Gotta agree with the carry thing while in the out back. When ever we are out in the forest I have my 1911. The Deschutes national forest is my next door neighbor so cat sightings are common. Just two years ago they killed a number of them that were roaming a neighborhood just two miles from my place. Domestic animals are easy prey for predators and people need to realize once in the forest you are not the top of the food chain so don't be lunch.

 

[RichDoyle]

Could've been worse. Could've been a flintlock: Pull trigger and wait ...

I quit hunting long ago. No ethical reasons, just too much work. My roots are a lazy layabout

Where we now live we can acquire our meat bought directly on the hoof from local folks. No feed lots around here.

Between the coyotes and cougars I'm packing when out hiking, cross-country skiing, etc. But even here in the neighborhood (way out of town) I'm starting to think about packing when I'm away from the house and even escorting my wife when she goes running in broad daylight (bicycle for me, of course, there's that lazy thing again

) I keep an AR at the ready at home should some of these predators appear to threaten our chickens, dogs or goats.

 

[Redfish Hunter]

My own personal Cougar Story does not have the Happy Ending of this one. The last time I was stalked by a Cougar I ended up marrying her. I have been miserable ever since.