“Dude” films mountain lion for 6 minutes as it try to scare him off or possibly eat him

originally posted by: bigfatfurrytexan
I agree with everyone else: you NEVER go hiking without a side arm.

What kind of ammo are you using in your paintball gun?

Dunno what anyone else is using, but I'm dang sure not using paintball rounds!

+P Cor-Bon's maybe, but not paintball rounds!

ETA - and that's kind of an interesting point actually. A really loud noise will cause a predator to stop and evaluate the situation, frankly it scares them. Had this fellow been with a sidearm, and fired a shot, he might have had a much less encounter. That said, from my time in AK with the brown bears, they'll do one of two things; they'll either run away, or they'll attack (full-on, not false charge). This is one of the reasons OC spray is better on bears than a firearm, at least initially. Cougars spook more easily than bears (well, brown bears anyway).

In my case, I'd left my sidearm back at camp **super dumb**, and had gone down that mountain with only my rifle. When I got down into the heavy "dark" timber I quickly realized there was no way I was going to be able to swing my rifle fast enough to hit an attacker from behind (where the cats come from). I figured if I got knocked down I might have a chance with my pistol, but I didn't have my pistol with me **stupid me**. It was a high altitude weight issue, and I was wrong. It was the only time I've ever been elk hunting that I left camp without my sidearm. The only time. And, that was the one time I got into some serious trouble with a predator.

The ironic part of my whole 'stalking' story is...this was one night I absolutely KNEW I would get an elk. They were holed up in the heavy 'dark' timber, and my odds were really good. I just didn't realize that the cat that night had the same exact idea, and I became his elk dinner!.

Honestly, I've never seen a cat follow someone like in the OP's video. It's very odd. The video is fantastic, with her charges (ears back, and paws out). What a magnificent creature! You can't take anything away from these animals, they are spectacular! Just look at her form, and her feet...WOW!

This 'dude' captured some video not many people will ever capture in their lives. Ever.

Have a great night, all!

a reply to: AugustusMasonicus

.40cal "paintballs". They only seem to paint in red though.

a reply to: bigfatfurrytexan

I agree with everyone else: you NEVER go hiking without a side arm. Laws be damned.

And exactly what I do. Sometimes a big wooden stick. If metal detecting, I carry my big shovel with serrated sharp edges, it can take down a tree like an axe. Also have bear spray.

I found coyotes, wolves and many other animals but they usually run away before I can take a photo.

I always go alone. That's part of the fun. I used to explore near the Andes when I was in south America too, always alone.

a reply to: quix0tic
Lol I doubt it, you’ll probably just piss it off and it would very quickly realize your weapon is useless. I’d choose something that actually injures and eventually kills. Eff the bs get the job done or not

a reply to: bigfatfurrytexan

Apparently bending down is a trigger for them like running. Something about making your frame appear smaller is more inviting for the attack. He should have never stopped to try and film the kitten. That was all about a mother protecting her babies...I think if the cat was really just very hungry he'd be a meal already.

Also side arm...and fixed blade knife. If you are already in the fight before you see it coming a gun probably won't save you.

originally posted by: network dude
a reply to: TheAlleghenyGentleman


wow, that was a persistent cat. I think she was hungry and liked the way his fear smelled.

There is apparently another video, the original one, that shows the whole incident was caused by the idiot approaching her cubs and taking video of them. She then starts chasing him. He brought it on himself and is damned lucky to be alive.

originally posted by: 1947boomer

originally posted by: network dude
a reply to: TheAlleghenyGentleman


wow, that was a persistent cat. I think she was hungry and liked the way his fear smelled.

Not likely, IMHO. When mountain lions attack to kill, in order to eat, they attack from ambush. They get to their target as quickly as possible and attack the most vulnerable parts. This looks like a territorial dispute where the animal was trying to evict the human from its territory.

Successfully, I might add.

Thats 2 of you who are both wrong.

Her Territorial distance was far exceeded...she was lean gaunt and hungry....and wayyy more persiatent than other Cats would have been.

Her fake charges were to scare him into turning his gaze away or around to give her his back and neck.

That was a life and death chess match all based on small signals n speed of evolution of the dynamic.

He did not act like Prey....and she was stalking him....opportunisticlly....everything in Nature is opportunistic or it dies faster.

There are no Paintball guns on this one....yes a sidearm would have been nice to have...he had time to draw and aim...during her shorter Territorial charge at the very beginning that stopped his progress and rove him back.

Deer and Elk LOOK and point their eyes where their Antlers and Hooves go....Deer and Elk can kill a Wolf a Bear a Cougar or a Human quite easily if they land a good one or two blows to sweet spots.

Anyone who knows cats knows they use eye contact a lot....because they are silent assasins, they only make sounds to make prey react to them to get the party started.

A Wolf will try to bait you into opening up your flanks by making itself available for a good shot....it will lure you in the run away trying to again GET YOU TO REACT AND RUN so its buddies can get in behind you to hamstring you.

Dogs and Cats make you run for the same reason....to make you vulnerable to their attacks.....to outfox you into entering their Wheelhouse where all of their strengths can shine.

Big Bucks that can kill a Cat do not stop to pick up rocks....they present their deadly weapons then in a controlled manner back up and egress until they have enough of a headstart to outrun the threat....that Momma Cat had her finger on the trigger the entire time...it would have been unnatural behaviour for him to do that....he was duplicating a retreating Bucks stance and to boot he was on a roadway that prevented her from easily just melting into the bush then outflanking him and attacking in a Hunting manner by surprise.

A truly wonderous video and interesting learning tool now.

Dumb arse out trolling for Cougars in a Jogging outfit is lucky he fluked out and held his reverseing position for so long and did not turn around and show his back or break and run because Cats will be super-patient and almost always thrown down and bet on themselves for that one single sprint of high speed action even on a longshot try.....he held his backing up mentality until she got far far out of her Territorial Instinctive Zone and either a Cub balwed for her or she just stopped hearing them completely....but once she decided to book it back to them she did it with conviction.

Frankly the guy showed why Human stupidity leads to Human Ingenuity...he recognized instinctually that the millisecond he tried to even glance away from her she began to close in immediatly.....his instincts made him maintain eye contact in the face of death and not run and possibly his education pre-event helped him react properly.

This is why I always carry some Scottie Little Softies when I hike...I am sure that guys colon surrendered long before he thought it would.

originally posted by: RickyD
a reply to: bigfatfurrytexan

Apparently bending down is a trigger for them like running. Something about making your frame appear smaller is more inviting for the attack. He should have never stopped to try and film the kitten. That was all about a mother protecting her babies...I think if the cat was really just very hungry he'd be a meal already.

Also side arm...and fixed blade knife. If you are already in the fight before you see it coming a gun probably won't save you.

Ever see a Deer facing you turn around and run away ...watch a video of it...they lower their head down as they begin the turn and stick arse up as they dig in their wheels to begin their spin ... then spin and break for it....that last second bend over immitates this...its a huge trigger to the Cat that its time to go for it or lose the chance....

I did not see him stop or slow down to observe the Cubs if he did hes dumber and luckier than I originally pinned him for.

Whenever you stumble upon Forest Babies with TEETH AND OR CLAWS....you leave expeditiously....Wild Mommas do not accept reasonable excuses.

a reply to: one4all

It's where the video picks up. He first sees the baby kitten come out of the brush up the trail towards him a bit and tries to film it. The kitten runs out towards him and he steps back but keeps filming. Then he sees momma and starts getting out of there.

a reply to: NightSkyeB4Dawn

Shortly after the first sighting, he backed away around a bend in the road, out of sight of the cat. Plenty of time to pick up a handful of rocks. Problem was he couldn't put his phone down.

a reply to: CharlesT

Actually, if you look closely, that's not what happened. As he moved around the corner, the cat jumped into the trees and started to pursue him in the trees. What he did by staying facing the cat and upright drew the cat back out of the trees, and was a very smart / lucky move. Had the cat stayed in the trees he would likely have been 9 lives kitty food!

This is why I said earlier, it's very unusual to see a cat out in the open like this. Normally they stay in heavy cover and you rarely see or hear them. In the trees, that cat could have been on top of him in a flash.

So, if he would have bent over when the cat jumped in the trees there's a good chance she would have attacked right then.

Messing with a big cat in the trees is 100x more dangerous than messing with one out in the open (and even out in the open at those distances is extremely dangerous)!

ETA - The reason she came back out of the trees is because she didn't know what he was doing, and what he was doing was not what she expected. She expected him to turn and run (which is exactly their tactics) where he would have been easy prey. When he didn't turn and run, but kept facing her, she came back out to get a better look at what he was doing. Very smart (or lucky) move actually.

Bottom line, he kept her eyes engaged with his. Even UTAH DWR said this was very smart on his part.

a reply to: Flyingclaydisk

There are two cubs in the beginning of the video. One which is closer to the “dude” is looking in mama’s direction, the other which is also on the trail runs off left of frame. When he keeps approaching the cub which runs left out of frame must have alerted mama as she and the cub closest to “dude” run at him.

What do you see?

a reply to: TheAlleghenyGentleman

I was just referring to the frames after he spotted the momma. I didn't analyze the first seconds of the video too carefully; I saw he observed some kits and I pretty much knew what was going to happen next, so I was looking at momma.

I know how it all ended, so beyond that I really don't need to go back and review it in intricate frame by frame detail. He got lucky, momma didn't attack (but she easily could have), he did the right thing backing up.

One other thing I neglected to mention is, many of today's cell phones have an infrared pulse they send out to gauge exposure (similar to many cameras). It's quite possible this infrared flash may have scared that cat, and thus she kept her distance. She obviously wouldn't understand what this was, but it wouldn't be something she would see from her normal prey.

Frankly, his cell phone may have saved his life (as much as I absolutely HATE to say this!)

a reply to: Flyingclaydisk

I agree with all of that 🤙