The answer is emphatically YES! In fact, one lives in the woods adjacent to our neighborhood. Do you want to know how I know this? Thought you’d never ask. It’s because I saw one. Close up. Too close up if you ask me.
Bailey (the Labradoodle) and I were out for our usual walk the other day and since it was so nice out I decided we’d do the “big” loop of the old logging roads and trails. We were about a mile from home when we came across a deer grazing at the side of the road. This isn’t unusual; we see deer probably three or four times a year on the road/trails. So as soon as I saw the deer I called to Bailey to come to me so I could put her leash back on. She tends to chase things like deer.
Once the deer saw and heard us he (he had a pretty good sized rack) went off the road and back into the woods. So Bailey and I continued on our way but before I could take even a few steps I spied an unfamiliar lump on the side of the road about a hundred or so feet away. It was in shade and was hard to discern, but I thought I saw it move just a little. And since a deer had just been standing in the same area, I wasn’t too worried about what it could be. After all, if a deer is comfortable, I should be too. Right?
So I thought what I saw was either a rock or a bush, but when I saw movement then I thought it might be a fawn. It was pretty small looking after all. We walked just a few steps closer before I figured out this wasn’t a fawn. It had a roundish head. And was that a tail I just saw flicking? Then I realized it was a cougar and we had just interrupted its hunt. I stopped and took a quick picture. Somewhere along the line I had also picked up a rock. I think I had planned on tossing it down that way to see if it was indeed an animal rather than a lump of rock or a bush.
As we took our first step away, the cougar got up and came toward us. But both Bailey and I are alright. I was able to scare it off by yelling, making myself look bigger, and throwing rocks.
Holy Crap! I’m glad Bailey is okay!
Rod, Glad you remembered to stay manly during this chance meeting. Funny that you stayed calm enough to take a photo!
Damn Cougars. If it’d gone to a real school, maybe it would have a job now and wouldn’t have to skulk around in the woods.
Well, I had the camera out before I was completely sure that it was a cougar. I wasn’t really scared while it was all happening. But the next day I was doing plenty of second guessing, wondering if I should have recognized what I was seeing sooner, turned back sooner, done something different.
But Bailey and I made it out alive without any permanent damage. I think Bailey still wants to try chasing it….
Glad you are safe, 3 times in a month is too much
Well, that third time didn’t really count I suppose. Ray, our guide, did a pretty good job of driving us up to Hunt’s Mesa.
I may tend to hyperbole….
I’m just now reading this – I’m behind on all reading – been making quilts for my grandsons – not much photography the last two months. That place sounds something like Carolyn’s backyard in Estes Park was – deer, bears, elk, coyotes, bobcats and other critters wandering through all the time. One time Carolyn let her dog outside just as a coyote showed up in the yard – it started chasing the dog around the house. Carolyn thought the dog was toast – or rather, coyote food – but after a few trips around the house, the dog had outrun the coyote and ended up behind the coyote chasing it – the coyote took off in a hurry.
Glad you and Bailey are OK – we need you to stay around for future workshops.