Hungry Cougar

[bigmacc]

Kind of adding on to my story above I guess but I also had an experience with the "tracks in my tacks"  like my dad had and some on here have had. It was after my dads run in, I think it was about 2000 or 2001, me and a buddy were in the Methow counting, we were in an area about 3 miles in and about 6-8 inches of snow was on the ground, neither of us was armed(has not happened since) and once we got to the draw we were going to watch we sat under a couple big trees about 200 yards apart for about 4 hours. We counted about 170 deer and wanted to get out before dark so we met up at about 2 o'clock to start hiking out. We made it about 1/2 mile down the trail when we crossed drag marks, cougar tracks and blood in the snow, the path crossed our trail and tracks and went down hill into a small draw. We looked at each other as the hair stood up on our necks, we immediately looked around and listened, we stood there for probably 4-5 minutes just listening. We walked out with both our heads on swivels, every sound and movement seemed magnified, very uneasy feeling. We got back to the truck and during conversation wondered when that could have happened and if we were being followed or trailed until a deer made it self known to the cat and the gears were shifted. Needles to say, like I said earlier, I have not went on hikes etc. in that valley not being armed since that encounter. Also like I said before, like my dad, I have wandered all around the Methow for over 60 years and up until that incident I had no concerns and myself had only seen one cougar, since my incident, about 20 years ago, I have seen at least 8, (a couple more could have been cats, but I could not positively verify) and 4 of those were seen in a 3 day time frame a few years ago, I think I told that story on here before. Like some are saying, including myself, its going to have to take some very unfortunate run-ins with humans before they finally decide this predator explosion in the Methow has crossed a line, like some folks I know over there have said, "other animals, domestic or not and a plummeting deer herd are just cannon fodder for the beloved predators". ........And yes,  I started having a cougar tag in my backpocket a couple years ago after seeing a cougar about 100 yards from me, with no tag! I ended up running into a couple guys on my way out and they had a tag, they went into the area where I told them where he was and killed him

[Skyvalhunter]

You would probably be lucky to see 2 deer there now.

[bigmacc]

You would probably be lucky to see 2 deer there now.

Your close Sky, my son and I went to that same spot 2 years ago, the second weekend in November and seen 5 deer

[Bango skank]

You would probably be lucky to see 2 deer there now.

Your close Sky, my son and I went to that same spot 2 years ago, the second weekend in November and seen 5 deer

At some point people are going to realize that cougar and bear is the best quality hunting in the state, and the meat is good too.  We all need to start learning to call predators, because soon it will be the only hunting worth getting a tag for in this state.  Thanks wdfw!

[zwickeyman]

Bango's right

I was talking to my son in Lousiana last night and told him the same thing. If you want to come and hunt WA it should be for Bear or Cougar.

I wouldnt pay out of state here for Deer or Elk

[Jingles]

Well guess the town of Winthrop must be in Cougar habitat  as cougar seen today on Perry Street just before dusk, which for those that don't know is in the Heckendorn area just south of downtown Winthrop.

Guess that explains why no deer have been in the yard for the last week.

[bigmacc]

Well guess the town of Winthrop must be in Cougar habitat  as cougar seen today on Perry Street just before dusk, which for those that don't know is in the Heckendorn area just south of downtown Winthrop.

Guess that explains why no deer have been in the yard for the last week.

I heard of that also, must not be enough deer left in the hills, now they are coming after the town deer

Hey Jingles, didn't they kill a lion under the bridge there in town a year or two ago?

[Jingles]

Well guess the town of Winthrop must be in Cougar habitat  as cougar seen today on Perry Street just before dusk, which for those that don't know is in the Heckendorn area just south of downtown Winthrop.

Guess that explains why no deer have been in the yard for the last week.

I heard of that also, must not be enough deer left in the hills, now they are coming after the town deer

Hey Jingles, didn't they kill a lion under the bridge there in town a year or two ago?

Yes it was killed in the barn over by the Winthrop Trailhead after it killed a deer in the corrals and dragged it under the bridge I believe it was 3 years ago though

[Jingles]

Latest update
Cougar killed in town under what used to be the old Trading Post Book store, now called the wine Shed. Have another one with pictures taken last night kitty corner to my place 1 block from school bus stop. Still these flower sniffers still feeling sorry for the cougars and how we (humans) are invading their territory

[mountainman]

Cougar make their way into town every year, even back in the 60's and 70's, when hounds were used to hunt them and pursuit only. Easy pickings with pets. But yes, more cougars, more common. Bring back the hounds👍

[wolfbait]

Cougar make their way into town every year, even back in the 60's and 70's, when hounds were used to hunt them and pursuit only. Easy pickings with pets. But yes, more cougars, more common. Bring back the hounds👍

True, but back then Did WDFW relocate problem cats, from my understanding the cougar killed under the wine shed had been relocated twice. 

[wolfbait]

Young cougars captured in Winthrop

https://methowvalleynews.com/2020/01/23/young-cougars-captured-in-winthrop/?fbclid=IwAR0fPxyB6b9Y36Iit6zP8OrmzjGk2v-T5d2Bnh6REUSJXBFibjjKj4MppJE

[wolfbait]

Friend of mine who hikes the Golden Doe quite often, went two days in a row last week, the second day he crossed over onto the same area he had walked the day before and found a cougar on his trail, he said the cougar followed him for along ways before cutting off onto some deer.


As has been said, there are many uneducated people in the Valley when it comes to predators, they cuss at deer for getting in their garden and praise predators like the wolves etc. for killing those terrible garden wreckers.
And of course they idolize WDFW and the fake environmentalists like CNW etc..

The Valley is full of meat eaters and there aren’t many deer left to eat, but there are plenty of cross country skiers, and snowshoers etc.. It’s just a matter of time, anyone with half a brain can see the writing on the wall. The question is, how many times will the uneducated blame these attacks on the people, cougar/wolf protecting den- verses mismanagement of the predators?

I live next to the golden doe unit and had that happen to me last year.  My trail was picked up not 50 yards from the house and I was followed for about half a mile.  I tracked that cat the next day and crossed a second set of prints, clearly from a second cat, going down to the river.  The cougars and bears are tripping over each other.  When my kids want to play outside i rip off a few (30) rounds and run the dogs out first.  Wonder what the Methow net bulletin board people think of that.  There’s some good people out here though Jingles, who haven’t lost their minds.  Even some of us newer families.  I’ve met plenty of people who have come to the Methow from other rural parts of America and we just tend to stay off the local bulletin board because it will only make us crazy bickering with the urban coastal crowd.  Stay safe out there.

I agree, I have met several newbies in the last ten years that understand the predator issue in the Methow, not all are brainwashed into believing the WDFW/CNW etc. "We moved into their territory" BS.