Home › Forums › Campfire Forum › Gotta remember to watch my back
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Well for the second time in 2 weeks, my wife and I have seen a lion near our home. First time, 2 weeks ago, we were out for a walk, down the dirt road behind us, when we spotted 3 nice bucks about 35 yds from the top of the bank of a neighbors pond. Well, more like mud hole. Seeing that we’re in the third year of the most severe drought in this area that they have seen in MANY years, the water was almost gone, it is now gone.
Anyway, we saw these bucks, and my wife was fiddling with her iphone for a pic, and I said “what’s that”? Looking down by what water is left, I see something brown lawing by the water. We have now put the deer on high alert, since we are about 75yds from them, in plain sight. The deer turned away and started back where they came from. By the time they get another 50yds or so away, this “brown thing” gets up and starts walking. Then we both realize it’s a lion. He looks straight at us, and slowly turns away from us and walks off, stopping to look back about every 25yds or so.
Not quite as “afraid of humans” as I would personally like.
Then tonight, we are watching TV and we hear the dog growl outside. We listen for a bit but don’t hear anything else, and go back to our show. Then I hear the cat hiss loudly, which she usually only does when a feral cat is starting to bother her.
I grab my 22 rifle, equipped with a under barrel flashlight, I mad for occasions just like this. When I opened the front door the dog (queensland healer mix) is at the door wanting in badly. Hmmm. Turn the light on, and less than 50yds away is the unmistakable pair of lion eyes glowing, staring right at me. I brought the wife out to look and you can see it turn it’s head every now and then, but always looks back. Too wide to be a bobcat, WAY too wide for a domestic cat, they are at least 5 inches apart, and glowing like a demon. A little unnerving since it’s right outside.
I’ve seen lions eyes at night before and knew instantly when I saw them.
This drought has all the animals in this region acting very odd, and this is one more example. Most of them are the deer, coyotes etc. An occasional raccoon, or opossum, and every once in a while a bobcat. Seen quite a number of those, but several of the neighbors have spotted this lion in the last few months and he’s starting to get a little too close to home.
They are protected here and I would never “just shoot it” but I will protect my animals if necessary.
I can tolerate a lot of critters sneaking around, but most of them will not hurt us, I hope this one isn’t getting too desperate.
I was just out deer hunting last night in this same area. Yes, it IS open season, early archery in the CA “A” zone. Kinda makes one just a bit leery.
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Not to make light of your kitty problem, but it reminds me of the old Howard Hill film, hunting the hard way, in which a couple cow pokes rope a mountain lion.
The lion is up in a tree and the first guy ropes it and pulls it down to the ground. The second guy chases it in a circle around the first guy till he catches it and then ties it’s back legs together 😯
Them feller’s had more toughness in their little finger than I have altogether 😳
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“Kinda makes one just a bit leery.”
Yes sir on the uneasy feelings. I used to hike into some lakes on the Grand Mesa early in trout season to fish the “ice out”. I had to tromp through quite a bit of snow generally. Once, mountain lion tracks, complete with the tail drag, were on my tracks as I exited and another time, bear tracks.
After that I carried a bit of assurance along with me.
Not archery, but you would not believe the fishing when the ice starts breaking up on those high lakes.
Mosquitoes:evil:
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Yep – big kitties can be troubling. There are no shortage of them in the mountains around my house, though seeing them is, of course, quite rare.
I know someone who was calf calling a couple elk seasons ago, and had a lion come right in on him. Stopped about 10 yards away and just crouched and stared at him. Guy started yelling, and the cat did nothing. Wasn’t until his hunting partner walked in that the cat got up and left, but it didn’t leave in a hurry – just turned and walked away.
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as Smith said we have a lot of cats here also . We have at least 1 ever year that seems to hang around town and gets folks worked up. Lots of hunting stories with cat tracks in my tracks. Hopefully your cat hangs out a couple days and moves on
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Yea, I’m gonna be extra diligent at night, to make sure he (it) isn’t bothering the dog and cat. Our cat is a barn cat, and the dog sleeps in the garage (allergies) but we usually don’t put the dog in till just before we go to bed.
Interesting to hear other stories of their “boldness”. Kinda scary.
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I have 0 experience with lions but it makes sense to me that a cat or any predator that lets you see it is not at all afraid of you and is a very good reason to be vigilant. The ones that you never see are avoiding you and all you will see of them is tracks.
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Ha, true. Just as an example, just a few minutes ago, the dog was growling, so I too the big flashlight out to have a look see. My cat was out there and here eyes were almost touching in the light. The lions eyes were easily 3-4 times wider.
Doubt had me wondering about bobcat, but no way. Those eyes wee far apart. Two other neighbors have seen it walking around near their places. We are all within 3/4 mile of each other.
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R2 wrote: Ah! The “alpha” predator must constantly beware of becoming the prey.
Which could be one working definition of true ‘wilderness.’
As much as I think grizzlies are an amazing creature, there are times that I wish lions were the only thing I had to worry about where I hunt. Especially when I’m solo and several miles from the trailhead after dark…:shock:
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Yea it’s even making local news, they are being spotted a LOT more than many years. I knew this day was coming when they banned hunting them, but those that voted that into law will NEVER see one, nor understand the threat they can be.
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The 4 legged kind is ALL I want to consider 😯 At least I can understand the mind of the 4 legged ones. 😀 Besides I have no interest in the others. This August we will celebrate our 40th anniversary and am happy to have the one I’ve got.
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Well now, I don’t mind admittin’ I was thinkin’ the other kind after reading Etter’s post…
After all, just ’cause the fridge is full don’t mean you can’t go window shopping 😯
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Welll took the recurve out this AM and saw a big doe (not legal here) but no bucks. No kitties either!
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