The Canadian Pastor has a Big Cat

a reply to: Trueman

The poison of living up there, everywhere I have lived down south and in the fly over states hunters often donated meat to food banks.

In addition to what Blaine said down in the Florida panhandle greenies sued to block black bear hunting because they claimed they were dying out.

Any hunter in the area knew that was a lie, shortly after they won the court case numbers got big enough they started entering Tallahassee looking for food.

originally posted by: burdman30ott6
a reply to: Trueman

Mother Nature doesnt need saving by you, either, then.

I don't go around looking for animals in trouble like Diego

But sometimes I unintentionally found myself in front of an animal in trouble. That's when God send them. Then I must rescue them.

originally posted by: burdman30ott6
a reply to: Blaine91555

Blue Jacket, I think, was talking about mountain lions. I have some experience with mountain lions having grown up in the Lesser 48 where they are plentiful. Honestly they are a bigger worry than even moose or bears in my mind. Cats will actively hunt a human being purely for entertainment purposes. They also are an ambush predator, which is something we really don't have up here in AK (although there is a modest population of cats down on the Kenai... they are rare enough to not be a major concern down there.)

Not really. I grew up around them in Utah and they were common in S.E. Idaho around the Bear Lake area. They are not confrontational and will flee if challenged face to face. Much like black bears will. When you hear that old woman scream, I admit it's chilling. They are opportunistic in how they hunt. They also have a very large range and you can go for years before seeing one.

They need to be culled however IMO. I understand they are getting overpopulated like the black bears are all over the place. This is a case where we should open up hunts in many places in the Northwest.

I knew a guy in the Bear Lake area of Idaho that took people out and if they allow a hundred tags, maybe 2 or 3 would be filled. They have been overprotected but the main risk is to livestock not people.

My worst experience with one was not that bad due to it announcing its presence before it got near me. It told me to move and I complied. My only weapon was a fishing pole, so I moved. It got the drink of water it was after and moved on.

a reply to: Trueman

There are only two reasons I'd ever kill an animal. For food or to deal with predators. When predators get out of control the toll it takes on livestock is devastating.

Why anyone would shoot a bear and not eat it is beyond me. But then there are a lot of idiots with rifles who fancy themselves to be hunters. Not so much in the northwest though. It's usually out-of-state hunters that do the bad stuff.

Wolves are the big problem in Idaho right now. Contrary to the lies, the wolves were never extinct there, to begin with. Importing them to Yellowstone backfired but you'll never read about it. They are further decimating the elk and deer herds and raising hell with livestock. They multiply so fast a small pack can become way too many animals very fast. I could have taken you to where a large pack was right at the same time they said they were gone. The farmers keep them secret to protect them.

Alaska thank god is wide open and unblemished no matter what you read.

a reply to: Blaine91555

I've not personally had a negative interaction with one, but I have 2 friends that each have stories.
1. Rancher in southern NM had one drop out of a pine tree onto his horse's ass while he was riding the horse. He has the cat taxidermied in his ranch house entryway. Quite a story with him talking about trying to keep from getting bucked from a hurting and scared horse while simultaneously trying to swing his .357 around to shoot the cat in the head while not also shooting his horse.
2. Friend riding his mountain bike near the Biosphere 2 outside of Tucson, AZ came around a corner on a gravel switchback and ran smack into one that forced him to cut trail to get away from. He went off the bike and slid/fell down the side of the mountain and got to spend a few days in the hospital with multiple contusions, cactus thorns, and broken ribs. He was saved by a truck on the road below him who saw the cat heading down after him and started honking his horn, which made the cat call it off.

My Mom of all people actually killed one before I was born. It was trying to get into the chicken coop at my parents' ranch in NM. Dad was out calving and she heard the noise and looked out and saw it on top of the coop. It fell through the roof of the coop when she shot it. Dad got back and she told him to please check the coop and he came out carrying a dead lion.

originally posted by: Blaine91555
Why anyone would shoot a bear and not eat it is beyond me.

Agreed, though brown bear isn't great. A black bear that's been on a berry patch is some of the best tasting meat around, but a brown bear that's been living off of fish carcasses is a bit of a culinary adventure.

a reply to: burdman30ott6

Yeah, no doubt they are something you don't want to stumble over, but they don't stalk people like a brown bear or a wolf will. Face them, wave your arms and yell and they run.

I'd never shoot a brown bear and I've never tasted one. I would for self-defense. I have no issue with the folks that cull the bulls on Kodiak though since it saves so many other bears. Not my cup of tea.

I am, or should say was that guy who would rather shoot a young buck than an old trophy buck. I passed up many in my youth. My first deer might have been a Boone and Crocket but people did not care. Huge with a huge rack, but it was tough and not that great eating. Spanish Fork Canyon above Price, Utah had a lot of trophy bucks back then. I've never seen one larger, even one on a wall. I should mention I'm talking about mule deer.

originally posted by: burdman30ott6
a reply to: Blaine91555

Blue Jacket, I think, was talking about mountain lions. I have some experience with mountain lions having grown up in the Lesser 48 where they are plentiful. Honestly they are a bigger worry than even moose or bears in my mind. Cats will actively hunt a human being purely for entertainment purposes. They also are an ambush predator, which is something we really don't have up here in AK (although there is a modest population of cats down on the Kenai... they are rare enough to not be a major concern down there.)

Correct, we have a rapidly expanding cat population. We also have some larger supposed "hybrid bears and plenty of others." And Wyoming started moving their "problem Grizzly bears" to Norcal..if you spend as much time in the woods as we and our miner brethren here in S. Oregon...

You carry, you're wary and you know how to track and at least recognize a few kinds of scat...oh and ya don't wear headphones for Godsake.

Its not common, but depending on the season...

originally posted by: burdman30ott6

originally posted by: Blaine91555
Why anyone would shoot a bear and not eat it is beyond me.

Agreed, though brown bear isn't great. A black bear that's been on a berry patch is some of the best tasting meat around, but a brown bear that's been living off of fish carcasses is a bit of a culinary adventure.

TRUTH

a reply to: BlueJacket

Did they actually move any bears? I thought that started out as a joke in a Wyoming bill.

No, headphones are not a good idea.

originally posted by: Blaine91555
a reply to: BlueJacket

Did they actually move any bears? I thought that started out as a joke in a Wyoming bill.

No, headphones are not a good idea.

I really should follow up on that( Griz move) its been some time. Its very hard to distinguish from rumors amongst a group that is fairly self isolated.

I can tell you of a few big cat episodes, 2 with close friends and one with my wife, daughter and I. Generally I agree with your assesment that they'd rather not mess with humans, but the increased populations, and dry conditions the last few years are pushing juveniles and others into non traditional patterns of behavior.

eta and lord, I wouldnt make it a habit to hunt big cat...oh my God...the SMELL. It's horrendous and sticks around days

a reply to: BlueJacket

I've been up close and personal three times in my life. I paid them due respect and it went OK. Don't get me wrong, they are nothing to mess with, but far less dangerous than other predators.

It's important their numbers be controlled around people and farms.

originally posted by: Blaine91555
a reply to: burdman30ott6
I have no issue with the folks that cull the bulls on Kodiak though since it saves so many other bears.

Kodiak brown bears. Whoah. Those are real monsters. The one they have (or had at least, back in 79 or 80) was like 2 or 13 feet tall, and I saw one from a small plane when touring the island with my parents that had to be much larger.