BajaNomad - Be Careful walking the Baja Trails

Be Careful walking the Baja Trails

LancairDriver - 10-13-2020 at 03:53 PM

How to react if you encounter a cat on your morning stroll.

https://www.deseret.com/utah/2020/10/12/21513450/utah-cougar...

PaulW - 10-13-2020 at 04:01 PM

Big cat. What we have in Baja are Bobcats and they are less formidable.

John Harper - 10-13-2020 at 04:40 PM

I had one chase a squirrel through my campsite outside Sun Valley two summers ago. Ran right past me about 10 feet away. A totally awesome experience, as I had heard something up on the ridge above me for a few nights prior. What a beautiful animal, and I know I was so lucky to have experienced seeing an creature very few humans ever do.

So glad I camp alone most the time. That would not have happened if someone else was there, I'm sure of it. I know my spirit animal now, because he revealed himself that day.

John

[Edited on 10-13-2020 by John Harper]

Maderita - 10-13-2020 at 04:40 PM

Quote: Originally posted by PaulW

Big cat. What we have in Baja are Bobcats and they are less formidable.

There are mountain lions in Baja California, and they are quite formidable. Ranchers lose livestock in the Sierra de Juárez, and a favorite burro was killed by a mountain lion.

motoged - 10-13-2020 at 04:59 PM

I consider it a blessing to see a cougar in the wild. I have had several experiences here in BC when dirtbiking... and they have seen me far more often than I have seen them. I am more concerned about them than bears when stopping for a break.

They can jump 15-20 feet without a problem....and saw one jump the entire width of a two lane logging road....

JZ - 10-13-2020 at 07:50 PM

This is the 4th site I've seen this posted on. The other 3 were college football message boards.

It's a very impressive video/story, and making the rounds.

A lot of ppl are saying to throw a rock at it. I do that all the time with coyotes. Not so sure that is a good idea here. I suspect it could trigger him to attack. Anyone know?

LancairDriver - 10-13-2020 at 08:28 PM

It’s pretty common to see Lions here in rural Oregon but mostly just a flash crossing the road and springing 10 feet or so up a bank and its gone. No reports of any attacks other than one across the border a few years ago in Northern CA where a hiker was attacked and mauled pretty good. His wife tried to beat it off with a stick with little effect. Attacks like that are about as rare as being struck by lightening.
They are amazing animals and are truly a treat to see.

mtgoat666 - 10-13-2020 at 08:31 PM

Look at the first few seconds of the video. The guy is taking video of cubs while approaching the cubs, then momma shows up...
The guy should have turned around when he saw cubs, instead of taking Time to get out phone, start video, and then walk towards cubs.
I think this was an avoidable encounter — if you see cubs, walk away, don’t dilly dally to video it...

AKgringo - 10-13-2020 at 08:32 PM

Mountain lions occasionally range through my property here in Nevada county. I don't usually see them, but two years ago, I had several encounters with one that stuck around for a while.

That one was a "good cat", and ran away from us! They make lousy neighbors, and will kill dogs and any other pets or livestock if they are hungry. My neighbor lost a Great Pyrenees that was just guarding the house.

They are much more common now that they were fifty years ago.

mtgoat666 - 10-13-2020 at 08:43 PM

I often see bobcats in lagunas. I see cougars much less frequently. Cougars must be more shy or stealthy than bobcats.

AKgringo - 10-13-2020 at 09:14 PM

Quote: Originally posted by JZ

Throw a rock? Not so sure that is a good idea here. I suspect it could trigger him to attack. Anyone know?

I hope i never find out with a cougar, but I did stand my ground with an aggressive German Shephard once. I think an aggressive stance is the best choice, running would be the worst choice!

Throw rocks? You bet I would, the camera too if I needed to. A good solid staff to swing would be great as well

JZ - 10-13-2020 at 09:32 PM

Quote: Originally posted by AKgringo

I just remember the old YT video of the Asian guy throwing a shoe at a monkey.

LancairDriver - 10-13-2020 at 10:41 PM

I don’t know what a cougar would do if you gave it the middle finger, but a monkey doesn’t put up with it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NxlLxMAaK3E

advrider - 10-14-2020 at 06:41 AM

The only problem with throwing rock is the few seconds when you bend over to pick them up, that might make you look smaller and give the cat a chance to jump. I've seen several when I use to hunt, sitting still and down wind. We have them around the house and hear the babies at night calling for their mother. Not uncommon to find partly eaten, buried deer when they have been around.
People are pushing them out into the open more and more with all of the building.

bajatrailrider - 10-14-2020 at 07:29 AM

on my many years of riding Baja. Once big mountain lion ran across trail in front me. Did see a bob cat on trail another time a large bob cat. Did stop a hundred feet in front of my moto. looked at us then took off. Also have a place valley T bypass we see dear there . Almost every time.

defrag4 - 10-14-2020 at 10:49 AM

seen plenty of mexican bobcats down here, no cougars, though some of my friends who hunt borrego up in the sierras say they have seen them

in all my travels ive never seen one in the wild, hope too one day, ideally from the safety of my truck lol

del mar - 10-14-2020 at 11:17 AM

"The Humane Society of the U.S. recommends people to not run if they encounter a cougar as it can provoke the animal. Instead, people should directly face the cougar and not stare them directly in the eyes but at their feet, make loud noises and try to appear larger."

does a loud whimper count?

AKgringo - 10-14-2020 at 11:45 AM

If the encounter ever happens to me, I hope I can count on a little help from my friends, Smith and Wesson!

TMW - 10-14-2020 at 12:08 PM

Before I retired every time I went up Breckenridge Mtn east of Bakersfield to our transmitter site I'd see at least 1 or 2 Bobcats.

I've seen 2 mountain lions 1 in Baja crossing the hwy south of Chapala. The other on Breckenridge. We were putting in a new backup transmitter and the factory engineer and I were on our way back down the mtn just before dark when a huge mountain lion jumped up on the road in front of us. We followed behind him maybe 30 feet as he loped around 2 curves before jump up the side maybe 20 feet and out of site. I'm only guessing but he appeared to be about 3 ft at the shoulders and maybe 8 feet nose to the tip of his tail.

I told this to the Univision engineer a few days later and he said he had seen that same lion a couple of months earlier near the same spot. There are deer on the mtn so it was probably his hunting area.

surabi - 10-14-2020 at 06:59 PM

Quote: Originally posted by del mar

"The Humane Society of the U.S. recommends people to not run if they encounter a cougar as it can provoke the animal. Instead, people should directly face the cougar and not stare them directly in the eyes but at their feet, make loud noises and try to appear larger."

does a loud whimper count?

The advice in Canada, where cougars on the west coast are ubiquitous, is to raise your arms up in the air to make yourself look as large as possible, and jump up and down. Cats' and other carnivores' eyes track horizontally, as that is how their prey moves. Things which move vertically supposedly don't look like prey to them.
The absolute worst thing you can do is run, which makes you look like dinner.

thebajarunner - 10-14-2020 at 07:07 PM

FOX News ran the attack portions of the clip today
The host said "That whole thing runs 6 minutes" so it is getting a lot of exposure.

AKgringo - 10-14-2020 at 08:36 PM

By the way, is a mountain lion called a "Puma" or something else in Baja?

[Edited on 10-15-2020 by AKgringo]

Mulege Canuck - 10-15-2020 at 06:13 AM

Quote: Originally posted by AKgringo

By the way, is a mountain lion called a "Puma" or something else in Baja?

[Edited on 10-15-2020 by AKgringo]

The rancheros I have talked with call them Puma.

Talked with the family at San Cosme last year. They told me about a recent puma attack there. A ranchero was jumped by two puma and knocked off his horse. His dog got one of the cats off him and he fought the other one off with his machete. His dog got cut up but he was ok.

I have worked as a logging engineer for 35 years and only once did I have a cat try and eat me. It was ready to jump on me when my dog, Shepard/Wolf cross named Elvis, treed him. He got steak for dinner that night.

pappy - 10-16-2020 at 07:26 AM

At the very end of video he did throw a rock at it.it hit the ground in front of cougar.it immediately took off in opposite direction...

Humbold county attack?

Allwaters - 10-30-2020 at 06:47 AM

Quote: Originally posted by LancairDriver

It’s pretty common to see Lions here in rural Oregon but mostly just a flash crossing the road and springing 10 feet or so up a bank and its gone. No reports of any attacks other than one across the border a few years ago in Northern CA where a hiker was attacked and mauled pretty good. His wife tried to beat it off with a stick with little effect. Attacks like that are about as rare as being struck by lightening.
They are amazing animals and are truly a treat to see.

Allwaters - 10-30-2020 at 06:54 AM

On the Northern Ca. Attack, are you speaking about the one in Fern Canyon I believe? An elderly couple where the wife was stabbing the Lion with a pencil while it was mauling the Husband... I remember hearing of that one... As far as Oregon there was a fatal attack on a woman hiker (near Portland I think) about two or three yrs ago. My Biologist friend was somewhat involved in the capture of that particular Lion. Never have heard of or seen a Lion or Bobcat in Baja altho no doubts in my mind they are there, as there ar Deer, Bighorn Sheep and much smaller prey items.

Allwaters - 10-30-2020 at 06:57 AM

Quote: Originally posted by AKgringo

By the way, is a mountain lion called a "Puma" or something else in Baja?

[Edited on 10-15-2020 by AKgringo]

Allwaters - 10-30-2020 at 06:59 AM

Puma is the Spanish word for Mt Lion, Cougar would be another name for it. The Florida Panther is also a Mt Lion/Cougar and native to Florida although their numbers have been augmented by animals from Texas I believe...

David K - 10-30-2020 at 07:54 AM

Quote: Originally posted by Allwaters

Puma is the Spanish word for Mt Lion, Cougar would be another name for it. The Florida Panther is also a Mt Lion/Cougar and native to Florida although their numbers have been augmented by animals from Texas I believe...

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MulegeAL - 10-30-2020 at 08:34 AM

Young Puma snared by goat rancher at rancho La Presa, just north of Mission Guadalupe. Tanning it with local treebark in an old cooler. We had coffee, chatted a bit. We drained some cervesas at the SJ de Magdelena cabalgata a couple years later.

motoged - 10-30-2020 at 10:24 AM

Good encounter....for you, Al.

Ride safe.

Paulina - 10-30-2020 at 01:22 PM

There are mountain lions, pumas, living in the Sierra de Libertad mountain range, BCN. We have seen them, they are known to eat the foals/calves born out on the range, we see their tracks in the sandy river beds. They are here.

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