Cougar chases runner for 6 minutes in Utah (video)

I use to run in Peters Canyon Regional Park. Seen a boat load of Bob Cats, and one mountain lion never chased me thank God. The one time I was chased was by a bear and that encounter was just to get us, away from its cubs we happened to be out of its territory quick thanfully. My scariest moment was in 2003 North Dakota the weather was close to zero I was doing a long run with a teammate and we pissed off a bull moose looking for tail. He circled us around a tree and we played ring around the rosey until a farmer got between us with his truck and drove us a couple miles down the road. That was the only time I thought I might get seriously hurt or be killed.

Even if the cougar attacked him he likely would not have been killed.

Your thread has jumped the shark, rojo.

https://www.letsrun.com/forum/flat_read.php?thread=10244663

This is my go to plan in event of cougar run in:

https://www.newsweek.com/canadian-woman-scares-off-cougar-blasting-metallica-1452433

Can't believe his first instinct wasn't to climb a tree and throw his bra at it.

the boy scouts motto- Be Prepared; dont go alone, carry a stick , carry pepper spray that will shoot 20-30 feet, learn how to pick up and throw a rock, you could save your own life

At the start of the beginning didn't this guy move towards the cub(s)? Didn't he consider who is usually around when cubs are around? Then suddenly mom appears and she's a bit larger and angrier.

Maybe he should have just moved away from the start.

That is sketchy for sure. Anyone who says it was not a big deal is full of $hit.

Was followed out west more than a few times, on logging roads mostly. Freaks you out, especially the bigger ones. I have never gone into the woods alone, and believe me it makes a difference.

Bear spray does work, my sister-in-law sprayed one square in the face and it took off like a bat out of hell, and slammed into a tree on its way. Bear spray is nasty stuff.

Check this out, a 115-lb male where you might least expect one: in the Minneapolis suburbs:

https://www.google.com/amp/s/minnesota.cbslocal.com/2020/09/30/dnr-115-pound-cougar-struck-killed-by-vehicle-in-bloomington/amp/

Ya this is one of the wildest videos I've ever seen. All the armchair QBs out there are saying "throw a rock." As soon as you crouch to grab the rock - YOU'RE DEAD. This guy handled everything PERFECTLY - except for going to film the cubs in the first place - and threw a rock when he could. Which is why he's alive today.

What impact if any did your diet have on these encounters?

boring wrote:

That was boring. It wasn't a mother it was a juvenile. He took six minutes to film when ge should have picked up a rock, which he eventually did. Then the kitty ran like hell.

yep. There were enough perfect rocks around to build a cairn

I run there fairly often. This guy is an idiot. Doesn't mean it wasn't scary, though.

Geez, as soon as the guy turns his head the cat charges. No chance to bend down and get something.

That's scary. As soon as it's that close there's basically nothing you can do. Once you're in a vulnerable position it can just close the distance and get you.

Glad he made it out ok

YMMV: Are you Kyle Burgess?

After rewatching the video, I'm puzzled.

In the first 15 seconds, momma lion is charging you. Then the video restarts (6:15) and you are *approaching* two lion cubs in the road: one in the left rut easily seen and one in the leafy median that scampers to the right as momma lion charges you.

Did the first 15 seconds of the video happen first? Or is that cut and paste from when momma lion charged you later in the video?

If that happened first, why did you go back and try to approach the cubs, even at a distance if the momma lion had already charged you once?

meow meow wrote:

Did the first 15 seconds of the video happen first? Or is that cut and paste from when momma lion charged you later in the video?

If that happened first, why did you go back and try to approach the cubs, even at a distance if the momma lion had already charged you once?

The first 15 secs are from later in the video. The incident starts with the guy apparently moving towards the cubs.

J. Fowler wrote:

The first 15 secs are from later in the video. The incident starts with the guy apparently moving towards the cubs.

That makes sense. Someone might not watch a whole six minute video. Put the exciting part up front.

So basically, the guy was coming down the road and sees 2 cubs in the road at a distance, and starts to video with his phone. And then momma lion comes charging out of the side of the road.

I can understand wanting to video it from a distance. Years ago, I came across three bear cubs on a backroad in my car. I got out to take pics of them and momma bear, but stood next to my car with the door open and the engine running in case momma bear charged. But I could clearly see momma bear and kept my eye on her when I did so.

I can also understand being hesitant to bend down and pick up rocks to throw. If you bend down, it makes you look small, vulnerable, and attackable. Momma lion could quickly pounce.

And if you throw rocks, it might provoke an attack. You wouldn't know if momma lion would run off and feel threatened and attack.

There is another animal leaving at the beginning of the video. This dude was probably only protecting a member of his family by chasing the human

I see no attack. If the cougar wanted to chase and kill the human, the guy would be dead now.

But as always humans talks of attacks when most of the time wild animals just want to leave peacefully without being bothered by obnoxious, terrified and unpredictable humans and their technologies that destroy the whole world.

Probably none (I was regualr high-carb in 2001, the longest of three interactions), but I did run into a friend hiking about 15minutes prior and she gave me the rest of her water (about 0.6L) which I credit for keeping me alert enough to sense a large animal on my heels at mile 18.

I ran with pepper spray or a large knife for a few years after that.