Mountain Lion Hunting

The California Highway Patrol received a report about a deer on the side of the road in Santa Barbara County. When they arrived to investigate, a deer was on one side of the road, and a cougar was on the other side of the road. They believe the cougar had been struck while chasing the deer across U.S. Route 101.

Last week Robert Biggs was in the news for surviving a mountain lion attack when a mother bear came to his rescue. His story was amazing, and may have been believable or unbelievable. California Department of Fish and Game took it very seriously. They would have to warn people if there was a mountain lion attacking people in a popular hiking spot.

Robert Biggs of Paradise, California has some favorite hiking spots. One that he frequents is in the Bean Soup Flat area above Whiskey Flats. On numerous occasions on these hikes he has seen a mother bear with her cubs at different times of year and different ages. All of the occasions have been friendly.

On Monday he came upon the bear with a cub and a yearling. He watched them for awhile, and then he was ready to turn around on the trail to leave the bear family alone. Suddenly from behind a mountain lion attacked him. The mountain lion stuck its paws into Bigg's backpack, luckily missing Bigg's head.

A portion of the study on the elk in Custer State Park, South Dakota, utilizes a helicopter crew. The helicopter crew will go in first and dart some cow elk, then return and pick up the researchers. When the researchers reach the sedated cow elk, they fit them with implants and radio collars to track their movement, and when they calve in the spring the researchers then also radio collar the calves.

This year after tranquilizing one cow elk, the pilot told the researchers they wouldn't believe it but a mountain lion was trying to make lunch out of one of the drugged animals. Actually it was very believable though, as this is exactly what happened last year.