An open community 
of Macintosh users,
for Macintosh users.

FineTunedMac Dashboard widget now available! Download Here

Previous Thread
Next Thread
Print Thread
Pug marks
#48143 03/06/18 08:03 AM
Joined: Aug 2009
Likes: 4
grelber Offline OP
OP Offline

Joined: Aug 2009
Likes: 4
Speaking of running around in the woods ...

Check out:

Canine vs Feline Tracks
The PowerPoint presentation (60 slides, 73.3MB) referenced is an excellent short course in IDing pug marks.

Distinguishing Cougar, Coyote and Bobcat Tracks

Re: Pug marks
grelber #48158 03/07/18 04:06 PM
Joined: Aug 2009
Likes: 14
Offline

Joined: Aug 2009
Likes: 14
Good to know. Our area has periodic "cougar sightings", although I'm in the woods at least twice a day with my dog and have never seen one. The odd black bear, coyotes for sure, and deer often but a cougar, not yet. However, that could be the cougar's plan.

I recall an event from about five years ago, when we lived on Vancouver Island, and on the north end of the island a cougar attacked a 72 year-old man. He battled it and killed it with his knife. I remember thinking "What a tough old bird that guy is" and I assumed he carried a hunting knife.

Then I wondered about my situation, as I carry a Swiss Army Knife. A friend suggested that, in the excitement of an attack I'd probably whip out the spoon.....and the next scene would be the cougar using the spoon.

Last edited by ryck; 03/07/18 04:09 PM.

ryck

"What Were Once Vices Are Now Habits" The Doobie Brothers

iMac (Retina 5K, 27", 2020), 3.8 GHz 8 Core Intel Core i7, 8GB RAM, 2667 MHz DDR4
OS Ventura 13.6.3
Canon Pixma TR 8520 Printer
Epson Perfection V500 Photo Scanner c/w VueScan software
TM on 1TB LaCie USB-C
Re: Pug marks
ryck #48159 03/07/18 04:31 PM
Joined: Aug 2009
Likes: 4
grelber Offline OP
OP Offline

Joined: Aug 2009
Likes: 4
Originally Posted By: ryck
Good to know. Our area has periodic "cougar sightings", although I'm in the woods at least twice a day with my dog and have never seen one. The odd black bear, coyotes for sure, and deer often but a cougar, not yet. However, that could be the cougar's plan.

Then I wondered about my situation, as I carry a Swiss Army Knife. A friend suggested that, in the excitement of an attack I'd probably whip out the spoon.....and the next scene would be the cougar using the spoon.


Then you'd best sharpen the spoon. tongue

Speaking of cougar's plans ...
Bernd Heinrich (in Mind of the Raven — one of the best accounts on corvids that I have ever read) recounts being snow-bound in a remote New England cabin only to have a raven (which may have had a 'grievance' with him) guide a cougar to said cabin — ostensibly to have dibs on the remains. Heinrich was not especially amused.

Re: Pug marks
ryck #48175 03/08/18 05:25 PM
Joined: Aug 2009
Offline

Joined: Aug 2009
Originally Posted By: ryck
Good to know. Our area has periodic "cougar sightings", although I'm in the woods at least twice a day with my dog and have never seen one. The odd black bear, coyotes for sure, and deer often but a cougar, not yet. However, that could be the cougar's plan.


It is indeed. Any (big or small) cat prefers to stalk from behind and attack from behind. Running away from them creates an irresistible target. So if you encounter a mountain lion, you should face it and slowly back away. Loud noises are usually effective against any larger predator such as mountain lions or even bears, so yell loudly at it while you back away. The yelling alone may cause it to depart.

So if the cat has done its job right, you won't see (or hear) it until you've been knocked to the ground. It's not looking good for you at that point though.

Cougar sightings seem to be more common in borderline urban areas, where people see them on their property from inside their house. I'd call that the best way to sight a cougar. (unless you just put out the dog)


I work for the Department of Redundancy Department
Re: Pug marks
Virtual1 #48178 03/08/18 05:37 PM
Joined: Aug 2009
Likes: 4
grelber Offline OP
OP Offline

Joined: Aug 2009
Likes: 4
Originally Posted By: Virtual1
So if the cat has done its job right, you won't see (or hear) it until you've been knocked to the ground. It's not looking good for you at that point though.

Chances are that you will only know for a second or two that you've been knocked to the ground. The vibrissae (whiskers) and canine ("killing") teeth in a felid are exquisitely innervated to enable an effective killing bite to the cervical spine.
Lights out. Feeding begins.

Re: Pug marks
Virtual1 #48420 03/29/18 04:01 PM
Joined: Aug 2009
Likes: 14
Offline

Joined: Aug 2009
Likes: 14
Originally Posted By: Virtual1
Any (big or small) cat prefers to stalk from behind and attack from behind. Running away from them creates an irresistible target. So if you encounter a mountain lion, you should face it and slowly back away.

Unless you're a teed-off Granny.


ryck

"What Were Once Vices Are Now Habits" The Doobie Brothers

iMac (Retina 5K, 27", 2020), 3.8 GHz 8 Core Intel Core i7, 8GB RAM, 2667 MHz DDR4
OS Ventura 13.6.3
Canon Pixma TR 8520 Printer
Epson Perfection V500 Photo Scanner c/w VueScan software
TM on 1TB LaCie USB-C
Re: Pug marks
ryck #48421 03/29/18 04:40 PM
Joined: Aug 2009
Likes: 4
grelber Offline OP
OP Offline

Joined: Aug 2009
Likes: 4
Originally Posted By: ryck
Unless you're a teed-off Granny.

Perhaps a good training exercise for a sub-adult cougar.
And the roommate's gotta be dumb as a stump and/or deaf.

Re: Pug marks
grelber #48422 03/29/18 05:29 PM
Joined: Aug 2009
Likes: 14
Offline

Joined: Aug 2009
Likes: 14
Originally Posted By: grelber
And the roommate's gotta be dumb as a stump and/or deaf.

No argument there.


ryck

"What Were Once Vices Are Now Habits" The Doobie Brothers

iMac (Retina 5K, 27", 2020), 3.8 GHz 8 Core Intel Core i7, 8GB RAM, 2667 MHz DDR4
OS Ventura 13.6.3
Canon Pixma TR 8520 Printer
Epson Perfection V500 Photo Scanner c/w VueScan software
TM on 1TB LaCie USB-C
Re: Pug marks
ryck #48504 04/03/18 07:35 PM
Joined: Aug 2009
Offline

Joined: Aug 2009
Originally Posted By: ryck
Unless you're a teed-off Granny.


oh I thought you meant THIS teed off granny!

https://vignette.wikia.nocookie.net/penguinsofmadagascar/images/b/b1/Nana.jpg


I work for the Department of Redundancy Department

Moderated by  alternaut, cyn 

Link Copied to Clipboard
Powered by UBB.threads™ PHP Forum Software 7.7.4
(Release build 20200307)
Responsive Width:

PHP: 7.4.33 Page Time: 0.019s Queries: 32 (0.015s) Memory: 0.6116 MB (Peak: 0.6984 MB) Data Comp: Zlib Server Time: 2024-03-29 06:06:38 UTC
Valid HTML 5 and Valid CSS