Encounters with Cougars while bowhunting

[wonder]

How common has it been for those of you experienced bowhunters to have run ins with cougars while out bowhunting?  I've heard stories from several experienced hunters but would like to hear yours.

[boneaddict]

I wish.   I never seem to run into them when I am armed.   I run into them all the time when out tromping.

[xd2005]

Spokesman-Review just had this article couple days ago.

http://www.spokesman.com/stories/2013/sep/15/bowhunter-prevails-in-double-jeopardy-with-cougars/

[boneaddict]

Last encounter I had......   I got out of my truck to go through a gate/fence.  I heard a buck raking some brush.  I moved my truck out of the way, grabbed my camera and closed on the sound.  A decent buck was tearing it up.  He paused and started to walk away.  He was watching something underneath me.  I didn't know what.  About that time, these deer exploded out.  I was  in a great position to see them climb up the hill across from me, so I sat and watched, hopeing a big buck would appear.   WAIT A MINUTE, the last animal isn't a deer, its a cat.   It was chasing a doe.   The cat lept in the air to take her down and  grabbed at the deer.  The deer ducked its shoulder and kept its feet.  The cat ripped it from belly across its back and flew into open space carried by its momentum.   The deer powered up the hill. The cat was now in the air in open space doing barrel rolls in the air as it was a steep hill.  The cat hit the ground on its back.  This whole time I was pointing and shooting as I didn't want to look into the viewfinder and not see what was happening. (happens alot in photography).   I then looked into the camera, and missed where the cat went.   I watched and watched.   Where is the damn cat?  I finally reached into my pocket and pulled out a bearmanric call and gave a couple blows.   Nothing.....then I heard something.  I turned and there was the cat less than 10 feet away. FACE TO FACE  I think the focus on my camera can focus 9 feet and out, and it was too close to focus.   PUCKER FACTOR time. 

[wonder]

I read about that double cougar kill shot.  If that is legit, what are the odds of that happening?  What an amazing story!

[wonder]

With all the great pictures you've taken boneaddict over the years I would expect that you would have a few to share.  Even without pictures I'm sure you've got more stories?  Closest I've come is a cat screaming in the middle of the night right outside my truck at 30 yards or so.  Made every hair on the back of my neck stand up.  I've felt that creepy feeling way out in the woods that something was watching me but never seen one.  Thanks for sharing.

[stickbuck]

Was sitting in my treestand in my evening elk spot. I had been cow calling for about 15 minutes when a chipmunk to my right went on high alert and sent out a machine gun rapid fire alarm sound. I had never heard one make this call at such a fast rate. You almost knew something was very wrong. For the next several minutes, I too was on high alert looking for what had caused this little creature to go into alarm mode. After the woods quieted down, I realized that it must have been a false alarm or so I thought. Well, I was sadly mistaken when I heard the smallest branch on the ground make the smallest cracking sound. As I looked down, this cat was standing five feet from the base of my tree and staring directly at me. The stare down went on for just over a minute when I slowly stood up to grab my bow. As I did, this cat slumped to the ground and belly crawled into a small patch of brush no bigger than ten feet wide. I sat for the next 30 minutes shaking uncontrollably watching the brush but the cat never emerged. As I climbed down just before dark an hour later, I walked directly to that brush which was now void of this cat. Where did it go and how did it escape without me seeing it? I had a 30 minute walk in the dark following my exit from my stand and I don't think I've ever been so freaked out in the dark as I was that night. I think that 30 minute walk only took me half that as a result of this encounter. They are unbelievable scary and beautiful at the same time.

[hntrspud]

I have read that for every 48 hrs you are in the woods a cat has watched you for around 2 of those hrs on average.

[boneaddict]

Probably pretty accurate.   Last cat I shot I walked underneath it twice while trying to trail it in the snow.  The SOB finally bailed out of the tree behind me.  PUCKER CITY   

I've had more than one moment out in the woods when I knew I wasn't alone.  Hairs on the back of the neck standing up.   I'm obviously pretty comfortable in the woods, so I know something was up.   I used to call elk all the time at night, especially nights like tonight with the moon and temps drop during the peak of the rut.   I wonder how many other visitors I have had. 

[walt]

I was looking for an article on a cougar attack in MT a few years ago and came across this site.  If you have an hour or so to kill there is all kinds of info and first hand accounts of cougar encounters and attacks over the last century. 
http://www.cougarinfo.org/

[Doublelunger]

Last season I saw two cougars...or maybe it was one cougar twice. I was in my stand for 30 days during the late archery, so if that statistic is true I guess I was due to see one.

[steen]

My only known encounters were: first while walking in a trial I made in the woods behind my house I saw something slink away as only a cougar can do about 20 yds. or less.  The other time was while hunting. When we got back to camp my brother in law asked if I saw the cougar that was 40 yds. above me.  I hadn't but it felt a little unnerving.  That is about it.

[hillbilli]

Only one encounter- last year, elk archery. Sitting in a tree stand 50 yds or so back in the treeline, saw something walking along the edge of the trees- that looked too short to be a mule deer, and figured it was a coyote, only clear look I had was when It crossed my shooting lane at 40yds.. which with the recurve was the outer edge of my range.. he didnt stop, and I didnt try to shoot. he kept going, and I didnt see him again.

[hike2hunt]

last year, my buddy and I had one come up behind us while elk calling on ridge, he was within 10yds. This year, same area, saw him taking a nap at 100yds or more...just the way I like it....

[KenPCPilot]

Last season elk hunting near Mt. Adams I had a couger stalk me up to 17 yards.  I was calling with an elk calf call.  I could see fairly well and was set up near a mud wallow.  Twice I thought I might have hear something but is was very light and did not see anything till I turned on the stump I was sitting.  He was looking straight at me a full grown cat.  Note to self carry that .357 mag on you at all times.  It was the first lion I had seen in the wild.  Thrilling but a little closer than I ever want to be again in the wild.  The stealth of its approach impressed me the most.  How could something that big not make a sound and come so close unseen.  Makes me wonder just common this may be.