Danger Ahead! Best Ways To Keep Safe In Cougar Country

• Cougar Attacks Cyclists Near Seattle
• What To Do When Confronted By America's Second Largest Predator
• Tips To Limit Your Chances Of A Cougar Encounter

The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) says that an adult woman is in stable condition after being attacked by a Mountain Lion while on a Saturday bike trip near Fall City.

The woman's cycling group helped to fight off the animal and are credited with potentially life-saving action says Carlo Pace of the WDFW. 

They did fight back. If it wasn't for these people the lady that was attacked would be in much worse shape.

The attack left a woman with injuries to her neck and face, in what authorities say was a case of the bikers being in the wrong place at the wrong time.

Cougar attacks are frightening to consider but thankfully rare with 22 attacks reported in the last century, two of those were fatal. In July of last year, a woman screamed at and chased off an attacking cougar, saving her eight-year-old child in Washington's Olympic National Park.

Cougars have a variety of calls. They hiss, purr, mew, growl, yowl, chirp, and cry. This is what you don't want to hear when you are out on the hiking or biking trail:

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What Does It Feel Like To Hunted By A Cougar?

A while back, Yakima radio station KFFM 's website shared a video of a man being stalked by a cougar. It is, at times, terrifying. Be warned the language is quite rough. The individual recording the video was obviously fearing for his safety and that's quite apparent by his tone and profanity!

Yakima's KIT radio also has an account of a Yakima man in a point-blank cougar attack on its website.

No Weapons, No Retreat. What You Should Do When Confronted With A Cougar

Washington's Department of Fish & Wildlife has a comprehensive list of things you should and shouldn't do.

• Face the cougar. Don't run.
• Talk to it firmly while slowly backing away.
• Do not take your eyes off the cougar or turn your back.
• Do not crouch down or try to hide.
• Try to appear larger than the cougar.
• If it shows aggression, shout, wave your arms, and throw anything you have available
• If the cougar attacks, fight back. Be aggressive and try to stay on your feet.

What To Do To Limit Your Exposure To Cougar Conflicts

As of 2022, WDFW estimates there are approximately 3,600 cougars in Washington state.  Here are common sense precautions to take so you don't meet one on the trail.

These guys know best how to survive a showdown with a cougar. Heed their advice.

Cougars, mountain lions, catamounts, pumas or panthers, whatever you call them, enjoy them from afar and consider the words of American poet Ogden Nash.

The panther is like a leopard,
Except it hasn't been peppered.
Should you behold a panther crouch,
Prepare to say Ouch.
Better yet, if called by a panther, don't anther!