Stalked within 10 yards by cougar

[Buckhunter82]

Left work at lunch to hunt the last day of modern elk. Seen quite a bit of sign, but no animals. The sun started to set so it was time to head back. About a mile from my truck I catch a glimpse of a deer moving 30' to my right. With my gun slung over my shoulder, I realize this deer has a long black tipped tail. Not good. Once we made I eye contact and she started to slowly move toward me in a crouched position, it was time to fill my cougar tag. I introduced her to my .300 wsm. I've always had this fear in the back of my mind, but convinced myself it wouldn't happen to me. Out of curiousity, if I wouldn't have caught her out of the corner of my eye, do you guys think she would have attacked? By her behavior it seems so, but I would like to think otherwise.

[carpsniperg2]

that is a huge female lion! wow i am glad you got to give her a taste of your 300wsm, before she gave you a taste of tooth and fang. thanks for sharing the pic and story with us. glad it turned out like it did. you have a fine cat right there. one of the bigger females i have seen in a long time.

[remington300mag]

That is a huge female......Yep buddy, you are lucky you spotted her!! You were either going to end up as dinner......or at the very least crapping your pants!

[WonkyWapiti]

Nice cat! 

[shedcrazy]

Dam what an encounter!!! Nice cat for sure, just glad you saw her.

[krout81]

if she wasnt running from you then you were dinner good thing you saw her and put her down. 

[raekmike]

yea man...she woulda definately jumped you and went for the back of your neck!    If their quiet and no (roar) i guess you'd say, then she's sizing you up and ready to jump!  Great Job!  Thats gonna be an awesome mount! and one to remember forever!

[Hangfire]

It would be a guess to say she would have attacked or not, cougars follow often. The person is just not aware of being followed most times. In cougar areas, if you follow your previous days hiking tracks in the snow, you will often see where you have been followed by a cougar. At that distance and situation it is best not to take a chance. I have had them follow me out of the woods at night. You would hear them chirp as they followed along just out of sight. When I first heard this I thought it was a bird, wondering what it was out doing after dark. I once went back a day after hunting a area, and found where a cougar followed me and my wife out. The cat cut ahead and laid on a rock about 10 feet above me and my wife's head and 10 feet off the trail. Another time my brother-in-law Bill and I were hiking out after dark. The trail was poorly maintained, we would often loose the trail. Bill would wait at the last defined trail while I went ahead to find where we were supposed to be. He would shut his flash light off to save batteries. When I would call to him he would just come tearing down to where I was at. This happened several times on the couple mile hike out. When we got back to our camp, he told me something was following us out, he could hear it walking behind us. The next day when we went back, there were cougar tracks in our tracks almost to camp.

[nontypical176]

WOW.  How much does that girl weigh?  The head is huge.  Makes the spine tingle for sure.  What part of the state did you shoot her in?  Where did you hit her and did she go down quick?  Did you ruin any underwear?  30' is too close for comfort.  Details Please.

My buddy was rattling horns up near Republic WA and had a cougar come in on him.  Shot it from the hip, he said the main on it was all flaired out when he first seen it coming through some brush 20' away.  Shot it from the hip and then ran up to the road and almost jumped in the back of a passer bys truck.  As they were waiting there listening they could here the tail wipping back in forth in the brush.  Spooky.  He's a lot jumpier than he used to be when sneeking around in the bush, and has a full body mount that reminds him of how quick the hunter can become the hunted.  You should do the same.

Congrats man.  Thats just awesome. 

[spikehunter]

as a fellow sportsman, I say thank you for saving the lives of hundreds of deer and elk, that right there is one killin'machine congrats

[wsucowboy]

Nice job on the cat! I've only seen 3 in my life. 2 were out by the nile and the other was down the road from our house in Buckley. Don't know how many times I've had one track em when I'm out in the woods, heard a few scream at night though.

[deerhunter_98520]

wow what a story...ive had one follow me for 5 or 6 hrs and didnt know what it was till i got back to my truck and seen the cat tracks on top of mine...scary stuff..once i seen the cat tracks i had my gun in my hands the entire time back to the truck.

[hogsniper]

Awesome story man!   Congrats on the trophy of a lifetime.  That cat was definitely eating well!   

[markts]

Thats one big girl congrats on your longtail

[fishermanjoe]

Thank God you saw her! That could of been a bad situation. But that was the best situation to have one stalk you, open season, and the good ol short mag on hand. Congrats on the kitty.