Seattle runners. Cougar attack (fatality) in Washington: Same trail as the course used for downhill marathons?

Trail Guy wrote:

15 years ago I was pursued and faced off with a large male cougar 17 miles west of the location of this fatality. I am quite certain that if I hadn't detected it's approach and taken aggressive countermeasures (facing aggressively, yelling, keeping eye contact, picking up sticks and rocks), I would have been attacked. As it was, I had to face off with the animal for 15 minutes at a distance of, at first, 10 feet, then 30 as it repositioned itself in the foliage. I can tell you there is no more feeling of helplessness and primal survival than such a confrontation. I view it as a gift of reminding me of my personal mortality and vulnerability, and I have appreciated every step I have taken since that evening.

Come on. Cougars don't want to kill people. They're just curious and just want to play with you.

----- signed, typical moron with no clue

You're a dumbaz wrote:

http://www.wideopenspaces.com/colorado-man-attacked-3-coyotes-video/

You know what's more dangerous & likely to occur than coyote attacks? A falling tree or branch hitting you. You really should avoid running or walking outside because it's too dangerous. Oh, but inside you're more likely to get injured by falling down the stairs and having a spinal cord injury. You really should simply stay on one level to play it safe. But then you'd still have to walk. Walking can be dangerous too because you could slip on a water spot & fall & fracture your pelvis.

You better buy a hospital bed & a commode to pivot to. But that'd involve standing & you could fall getting up in the dark at night to toilet. Might as well get a bed pan now. Don't want to risk it . . .

Word has it Greg Metcalf has been attacking cougars on the trails around Seattle.

No, yourself.

Maybe try reading the story, why don't you?

The account as reported by KOMO News clearly says they fended off the cougar the first time, but were trying to figure out what happened when it surprised them and attacked again. To me, that sounds like they didn't have time to put up the same defense they had earlier. Please note that "The man who survived said he had his entire head in the mountain lion's mouth, but then his friend ran away and the animal chased him. " So, it sounds pretty clear that one of those two guys was going to be killed.

Thank you for pointing out the importance of being on your guard, and not letting that down. Excellent point. And two people fighting it off would clearly have been better than one, or so it would seem, but we will learn more as the survivor recuperates, which he is doing.

I have spent some time researching what could be done after hearing of this story, and i do believe that bear spray is a vastly better option than swinging something like a club at a ferocious predator. Also realize that the bear spray could be used on a bear, if that danger availed itself.

Bear spray is also a very good option for those of us that often use these trails alone. And nothing is stopping anyone from using the methods you mention in addition to bear spray. But from everything i've read, the bear spray is going to be about all you need.

Here's a very good video off of you-tube of a runner who believes bear spray saved his life when a cougar attacked, and the whole thing is captured on his go-pro:

Read statistics wrote:

Taylor Swift wrote:

Tell that to Taylor Mitchell. Moran.

Seriously?

There has only been one fatal coyote attack ever recorded in the U.S. And that involved a 3 year old girl. But yes, fear the big bad coyote and stay locked inside.

The mitchel incident happened in eastern Canada where coyotes will breed with a wolf at times.

Yes, seriously. Coyotes have attacked dozens of people and whether fatal or not, nobody wants any sort of canine gnawing on them.

Your description of them 'breeding with a wolf at times" is simplistic. Coyotes have already done their breeding with wolves and most of them have a stable amount of wolf blood and are therefore much more dangerous.

Nobody is "staying locked inside". They are just being aware.

Your Welcome. Moran.

pop_pop!_v2.2.1 wrote:

OP's assumption is that because an animal attacked solo humans on a trail, when there are very many humans on the trail, there is a greater probability of an attack. Which, is false.

Actually, OP asked a question about the attack location, whether it was the same as the Tunnel marathons. Your entire comment and conclusion above is conjecture.

don't be like Trail Guy and wait your whole life to face off with a large, male cougar,

you can do as he did, tomorrow (17 miles West of North Bend) - between 930 - 5PM -

http://www.cougarmountainzoo.org/

@trail guy -- I call BS on this. I live in the PacNW. I have never heard of a runner fighting off a mountain lion along the I-90 corridor. Sightings...sure. But, your full of BS mhy friend.

Maybe some cougars are looking for new territory with wolves now in the Teanaway area.

Hoovis! wrote:

@trail guy -- I call BS on this. I live in the PacNW. I have never heard of a runner fighting off a mountain lion along the I-90 corridor. Sightings...sure. But, your full of BS mhy friend.

It doesn't sound like BS to me.