chasingthewind

Cougars or mountain lions, also known as pumas, are large, powerful and
aggressive predators. Found throughout Montana, a large male may weigh 130-
190 pounds while females average 90-130 pounds. Stretching up to nine feet,
nose to the tip of their tail, cougars are tawny colored with a dark tip at
the end of the tail. Young cubs have spots which slowly fade. A cougar has a
lifespan of up to 20 years.

Cougars were first hunted and killed for a bounty in Montana beginning in
1879. In 1971 the Montana legislature classified the cougar as a game animal
and as a result lions have regained much of their previous historical
distribution in the mountains of Montana. Prior to the arrival of the white
man, mountain lions were at one time the most widely distributed land mammal

in the western hemisphere ranging from northern Canada to the southern most
tip of South America. Now they are found mainly in the western United States,
with a strong population in northwestern Montana.

As carnivores, mountain lions prey on deer, elk, moose as well as beaver,
grouse, birds, rabbits and rodents and occasional domestic pets and livestock.

Domesticated cats are a favored prey. An adaptive and efficient predator,
cougars will often take down prey many times their own weight and size. It is
not out of character for a 100 pound lion to attack a 400 pound elk. Silent,
stealthy and deadly, a cougar will stalk or ambush its prey, most often with
a swift and vicious attack from behind or above.

Solitary and shy by nature, cougars are most active at dusk and dawn when
prey is active. Nature has provide the mountain lion with a special
adaptation for night vision, yet they are easily blinded when caught in the
beam of a flashlight or passing headlight. However, be aware and wary, these
dangerous cats travel at any time of the day or night.

Mountain lions first breed at about two years old and will then breed at any
time, although in Montana most of the cubs are born during the warmer months.
The gestation period is 92 days and lions normally give birth at two year
intervals. Young lions become independent and leave the mother at about one
year. They will however, travel with their litter mates for several months,
so it is not unusual to see this normal solitary cat in the company of other
lions.

Lions often cover unconsumed parts of their kills with litter and soil and
leaves. Should you ever stumble upon a lion’s cache in the woods, depart the
area immediately. The lion is probably watching and guarding its prey from a
tree above. A mountain lion in defense of food may suddenly become hostile
and attack readily. As population increases, more and more cougars are
sighted near and in urban areas. Drawn by the tantalizing aromas of backyard
barbecues, pet food and garbage, the big cats overcome their shyness and
visit town.

The following stories of recent cat attacks in Montana remind us to be
vigilant:

Townsend man kills mountain lion after it crashes through window and into his
house

Posted on August 9/08
By the Associated Press

HELENA - “A Townsend man said he had “a little excitement to start the
morning” when a mountain lion launched itself through a closed window at his
home and tore apart a room in his basement.
Scott Vine, a 45-year-old ranch worker, said the female adolescent cat set
off an alarm on his property at about 6:30 a.m. Thursday. “My dogs started
raising hell,” said Vine, whose wife and two stepchildren, ages 14 and 20,
were also home at the time. “I looked out the window and there was a lion.”
Vine said he grabbed his rifle moments before the mountain lion crashed into
his house. “That window exploded,” he said. “All of the sudden I had glass, I
had curtain, I had lion coming over my head.” Vine retreated upstairs as the
60- to 70-pound feline made its way to the basement, where it knocked items
from shelves and clawed at the walls. Vine and a friend who brought a shotgun
and a rifle with him killed the animal about 20 minutes later.

Rusty Ruchert, a warden for Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks, said the
killing was a legal defense of private property, so Vine and his family only
need to worry about cleaning up the mess. The warden said the window looked
like a dark hole, and the cat probably thought it was a cave. “It was looking
for refuge and picked the wrong hole to jump into,” he said. The Vines live
northeast of Townsend, about halfway between the town and the Helena National
Forest boundary.”

Lion pounces on hunter - By JIM MANN/Daily Inter Lake
Published: Tuesday, November 13, 2007 12:37 AM CST

“Backpack saves man from more serious injuries

A big-game hunter was jumped by a stalking mountain lion Sunday in the Swan
Valley’s Squeezer Creek drainage. The young man, who was not identified by
Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks, managed to walk several miles to reach his
vehicle, then drive himself to Kalispell Regional Medical Center for
treatment.

The hunter suffered a gash on his leg as well as puncture wounds and
scratches, according to a press release from Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks.
He was treated at the hospital and released on Sunday. Warden Chuck Bartos
interviewed the hunter several times and said the man was hunting alone
Sunday morning when he heard a scream that sounded like a mountain lion. A
short time later, he heard a growl and turned to see the mountain lion only
10 to 15 feet away.

“The man dropped his rifle and rushed to get behind a tree. The lion quickly
caught up and pounced on the hunter’s back, knocking him into the tree,” a
press release from Fish, Wildlife and Parks states. “The collision caused the
lion to lose its grip and the hunter was able to reach his pistol and fire a
shot.” The noise apparently spooked the lion, causing it to flee. As it ran,
the hunter fired several more shots in the lion’s general direction. The
hunter picked up his rifle and made his way back to his pickup truck, along
the way encountering two hunters from Kalispell, J.B. Stone and Scott
Daumiller.

“We asked him if he saw any game and he said, ‘a lion, but it saw me first,’”
Stone told the Inter Lake Monday. “I asked him if he was OK and he told us
what happened.” The hunter’s pants and backpack were torn, but he did not
appear seriously injured, Stone said.“He was pale and his hands were shaking
like a leaf,” Stone said. “He was still coming down off of this thing. I mean,
he was wound up.” Stone said the hunter told them he had run the four miles
back down the road while looking over his shoulder for the lion.
Bartos said the man got to the hospital with help from relatives and received
five stitches for a claw wound on his right calf. He was treated for
scratches on his back and a few puncture wounds on the back of his head.
Bartos said the man’s backpack probably prevented more serious injuries
because the pack was shredded, reflecting the protection it provided. Stone
agreed, saying that if he hadn’t been wearing a backpack, “he would have been
screwed.” Stone said the worst wound was on the hunter’s right calf, where
the cat slashed through the man’s gaiter and pants. He related one humorous
note from the injured hunter: “He said, ‘Oh, no, my wife is never going to
let me go hunting alone again.’”

Eric Wenum, a regional wildlife conflict specialist, said it was the first
documented lion attack resulting in an injury in Northwest Montana in many
years. Wenum said the chances of a lion encounter increase at this time of
year as hunters use calls and rattling antlers that get the attention of
predators as well as deer. As deer congregate in their traditional wintering
areas, signs of mountain lions can be expected to follow. Encounters between
people and the elusive cats have been rare. “Given the number of people who
recreate in the forests of Northwest Montana, and the number of lions, there’
s always lots of potential for an encounter,” said Jim Williams, regional
wildlife manager. “But even considering this potential, documented attacks
are extremely rare.”

Wenum said there is no response to a mountain lion that guarantees a person’s
safety, but there are some rules of thumb:

• Do not run from a lion. Move slowly and back away.
• Make enough noise in lion country to avoid a surprise encounter.
• Keep youngsters close and in sight at all times.
• Never approach a lion. Give it a way out of a close situation.
• Stay calm and talk to the lion in a confident voice.
• Do not turn your back; maintain eye contact.
• Do all you can to enlarge your profile. Do not crouch.
• If a lion behaves aggressively, arm yourself with a large stick.
• If the lion attacks fight back with whatever means you have.
• Pepper spray is very effective in deterring a lion attack.

Reporter Jim Mann may be reached at 758-4407 or by e-mail at jmann@

dailyinterlake.com

Marlene Affeld spends as much time as possible in the mountains of Montana and enjoys sharing this beautiful area with others. Visit Marlene’s site at http://nandugreen.com for quality goods.

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