The range of a Mountain Lion may cover 25 to 785 square miles. Don't be discouraged. Mountain Lion Utah The snow covered mountains of southern Utah are beautiful and hold a high density of Mountain Lions. "Go away!" He went for a run, and ended up running for his life. "Go with your babies.". Kyle Burgess, 26, encountered an adult mountain lion while trying to take a video of her But before you plan a winter backpack trip in an attempt to see a Mountain Lion, keep in mind that backpacking in winter at Bryce poses far more dangerous risks than Mountain Lions. Download the official NPS app before your next visit. After several tense minutes, Burgess threw a rock and scared the cat away. The 26-year-old captured the whole incident on video, which has gone viral. However, in the winter, Mountain Lions will visually track deer by following their hoof-prints in the snow. While actual sightings are rare, encountering evidence of Mountain Lion passing is fairly common if you know what to look for. See FAQs, to the right, for more information about Colorado fees. 7 talking about this. Variations in the color of the lion's coat have been listed as rust, apricot, lemon, smoke, and even black. A Utah hiker stumbled upon two mountain lion cubs and a protective mother in a scary encounter on a trail. Here in southern Utah, lions have been known to occupy home ranges as large as 513 square miles. I'm big and scary.". Perhaps it is a good thing that Mountain Lions are exceedingly difficult to see. She does a little roar. Utah Hiker Talks About His Terrifying Encounter With Mountain Lion. Limited-entry mountain lion hunting is extended in the Oquirrh-Stansbury, East Unit and the Wasatch Mountains, West-Strawberry Unit by 30 days. This season will be reviewed annually and may not run every year. National Audubon Society Field Guide to North American Mammals. Evolving short muzzles increased biting power, but decreased the sense of smell. No cat can resist the instinct to give chase. Mountain Lions have been more prevalent to the west in the last 100 years, but many of the pockets of breeding populations east of the Mississippi River have been wiped out over the decades due to habitat loss and hunting. People are not always eager to help predator populations recover. Accessibility Help. Mountain lion stalks hiker in Utah, viral video leaves netizens petrified; Mountain lion stalks hiker in Utah, viral video leaves netizens petrified Though Smith was petrified, he tried to remain calm and back away from the animal. Although Mountain Lions cannot see in complete darkness, they can discern details in much lower light than humans. This is also an important tool for hunting in low light. Sources: Facebook. Life is tough for juvenile lions. The last mountain lion attack recorded in Utah occurred in 1997, in the Book Cliffs region southeast of Price. Bounty hunting continued across the nation until the 1960s, when efforts began to preserve environmental health. Over the years the outfitter for this hunt has become well known for his Mountain Lion hunts. Mountain Lions in the State of Utah Utahs Division of Wildlife Resources puts ever-increasing numbers of mountain lions in the crosshairs. There's a viral video going around about a man who had an encounter with a mountain Lion in Utah. When attacking large animals, Mountain Lions go for the neck. Utah Mountain Lion Encounter Captured in Terrifying Video While it contains explicit language, this terrifying video shot shot early October 2020 in Provos Slate Canyon shows what can happen when you encounter a cougar on the trail. This is a list of known or suspected fatal cougar attacks that occurred in North America by decade in chronological order.The cougar is also commonly known as mountain lion, puma, mountain cat, catamount, or panther.The sub-population in Florida is known as the Florida panther.. A total of 125 attacks, 27 of which are fatal, have been documented in North America in the past 100 years. BOUNTIFUL, Utah An unexpected guest startled residents in Bountiful on Tuesday. In the west, it has been discovered that the kittens are usually born during June or July. Kyle Burgess got more than he bargained for as he hiked on a Utah trail, when he encountered a mountain lion and its cubs on Saturday. Few ever witness Mountain Lions except for a brief second in car headlights. Examination of the lion after the attack revealed an emaciated, half-starved animal. After approximately three months, the kittens will be born. Mountain Lions are most active in the winter because snow offers them several advantages over their prey. The spots disappear after 6-9 months, and the eyes turn yellow within 16 months. Today in North America, lion populations are limited to British Columbia, Alberta, the twelve westernmost states in the U.S., and the Florida Everglades. "These mountain lions are not going to actively attack a human being unless they need to defend themselves or they're scared," she said. The vision of the Mountain Lion is one of the animal's most important adaptations for hunting. Kyle Burgess' jog on his local trail in Utah turned into a life-or-death situation when he came across a cougar. Utah Cougar (Mountain Lion) Guided Hunts Welcome To The Shane Scott Outfitting Cougar/Mountain Lion Hunting Information Page When it comes to harvesting big cats, we are the best in the business. The size of a lion's territory depends on the availability of food and habitat quality. Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. Mountain Lions usually weigh between 75-175 pounds. The lion waits patiently in dense vegetation or rock crevices for prey to wander by. "It was just like it's over," he told CBS News. Human activity has encouraged Mountain Lions to retreat to the rugged terrain that remains largely uninhabited by humans. Busch, Robert H. The Cougar Almanac: A Complete Natural History of the Mountain Lion. Whitaker, John O. Although attacks on humans are extremely rare, the attacks have increased over the past few decades. Ultimately this keeps people from running into trouble with Mountain Lions and vice versa. Our houndsman are handpicked and among the best in the nation. By Christopher Brito October 14, 2020 / 7:06 AM / CBS News A hiker survived a terrifying encounter with a mountain lion in Utah after the animal chased and During a trail run, Kyle Burgess was pushed back by a mother mountain lion for six minutes after he got between her and her cubs. As more people are recreating and living in rural areas, the chance of an encounter with these secretive animals is more likely. Loss of predators led to overpopulation of deer and other herbivores, resulting in overgrazing, increased erosion and decline in the long-term health of whole ecosystems. A mountain lion was caught on camera roaming around a residential area in the hills above the city. Jump to. Mountain Lion habitat must provide an adequate prey base as well as cover for hunting. Trump mocked as petulant toddler after calling Biden ungracious for not referencing him in joint address. A popular myth is that Mountain Lions jump out of trees or off of cliffs to attack their prey. Despite Utahs large cougar population, attacks on humans are rare here. You can actually hear her roar, said resident Rich Day, whose home security camera captured video of the cougar. A hiker survived a terrifying encounter with a mountain lion in Utah after the animal chased and charged at him on Saturday. This mountain lion, or cougar, if you prefer, was trapped in the backyard of Dreamride's Moab shop next to Bullock Creek Wetland Park in 1999. MILLCREEK, Utah (KSL.com) A mountain lion broke into a home through a sliding glass door in the foothills of Millcreek Canyon on Saturday. Really. Kate Remsen, who works with the Living with Lions, said the mountain lion was not stalking Burgess, but pushing him away from her cubs. However, the mountain lion Then, silent stalking of the prey is followed by a quick surprise attack by the powerful cat. Mountain Lions are capable of breeding at any time during the year. But it is human encroachment into Mountain Lion territory that creates marginal Mountain Lion habitat. Based upon a new predator management law, there is a new fall spot-and-stalk hunting season for mountain lions that runs Aug. 1 to Dec. 31. At one point, the mountain lion hissed and charged with her claws out at Burgess. 1996. This Mountain Lion hunt takes place in Utah. After feeding on its kill, the lion will cache the prey, or bury it in a secluded spot. The largest Mountain Lion ever to be documented weighed 276 pounds, but a Lion of this size is extremely rare. Mountain Lions can survive in a variety of habitats, including high mountains, deserts, and swamps. The cougar charges several times, lunging suddenly with teeth bared and claws splayed. He was just over a year old, large and well nourished. Recommended Stories. During the breeding season, the famous scream of the female lion may be heard. Maintain eye contact, and never turn away from the lion. Males mark their territory with urine to warn away intruders. / CBS News. Hunting Mountain lions in Utah has always been different than most all of the western states. Mountain Lions are solitary animals, only seeking company during the breeding season. The most common observations of Mountain Lions are brief glimpses at night along the park roads. As a rule, Mountain Lions avoid people and signs of people, but in recent years, Mountain Lion attacks on humans have become a serious source of controversy. The coat of the Mountain Lion is light brown in color, and the fur is short and coarse. Christopher Brito is a social media producer and trending writer for CBS News, focusing on sports and stories that involve issues of race and culture. However, because Mountain Lions are such successful predators (they can just as easily kill a bull elk as a domestic sheep), as long as there are plenty of deer for them to hunt they tend to leave livestock alone. Chasing and Swearing Ensue. A terrifying video uploaded to Youtube yesterday shows footage in which an adult cougar follows a Utah hiker for six minutes on the Slate Canyon Trail near Provo, UT. The Mountain Lions can survive in a variety of habitats, including high mountains, deserts, and swamps. The underside of the cat is white, and the tail is tipped in black. Originally, Mountain Lions roamed throughout North and South America. 2020 CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved. October 14, 2020 / 7:06 AM Large paws help Mountain Lions sprint over deep snow that deer or elk flounder in. After the female chooses her mate, the two lions will remain together for several days, hunting and playing until the female is ready to mate. Phones are answered and messages returned as soon as possible as staffing allows. An avid hiker who was stalked in Utah by a mountain lion Even in California where Mountain Lions are protected from hunting, 75% of the kittens do not live to be two years old. "Those six minutes were so long for me.". A runner in Utah got more than he bargained for when he ran into a mother mountain lion and her cubs on a trail. Lions can detect high frequency sounds that allow them to detect hidden prey. While deer is their preferred food throughout their range, Mountain Lions also feed on mice, ground squirrels, rabbits, skunks, porcupines, and birds. Because Mountain Lions avoid all things associated with people, your chances are better at spotting one in the backcountry than in places where people usually hike. The tail of the Mountain Lion is about one-third the entire length of the body. Livestock losses are a source of concern because individual Mountain Lions have been documented wantonly killing dozens of sheep in a single night. Mountain Lion habitat must provide an adequate prey base as well as cover for hunting. The situation was a unusual; a rancher was attacked while riding his horse. Utahn Kyle Burgess went out for a run on October 10 in Slate Canyon near Provo, Utah. A Utah Man Meets a Cougar. Recreation & Sports Website. "Dude, I don't feel like dying today," Burgess said. "Please, go away. She also said encounters like the one Burgess had are rare, and he did many of the recommended things in that situation. Wikimedia Commons Mountain lions, or cougars, are a protected species in Utah. Utah hiker captures terrifying experience running into a mountain lion and cubs Kyle Burgess got more than he bargained for as he hiked on a Utah trail, when he encountered a mountain lion The animal's eyes are quite large, and the retina contains more rods than cones, lending to the cat's excellent night vision. Alternatively when attacking larger animals such as elk or even horses, Mountain Lions choose to clamp down on the windpipe, strangling the victim. Nevertheless, by taking some precautions humans and Mountain Lions can coexist. In addition to its' excellent vision, the Mountain Lion has extremely sensitive hearing. If the lion does attack, fight back. One lion can consume up to 20 or 30 pounds of meat in a single meal. Dominant males may kill juveniles within their territories, so often juveniles must eke out a living in marginal habitat. Therefore, investigating a Mountain Lion food cache is fine if you can fly like a raven, but otherwise it is a very dangerous idea. but a new study suggests that mountain lion hunters may have had even greater cause for concern. His clients hold many of the top rankings in SCI, B&C, and P&Y record books because of the cats they took while hunting with him. Now there's been a lot of misinformation out there of exactly what this cat is doing and I've spent the last two and a half decades tracking Mountain Lions filming them watching them almost every single day. Sighting a wild Mountain Lion is a rare and unexpected event. December 6, 2020. The cougar, Puma concolor, is also known as the mountain lion, puma, catamount, screamer or panther. Runner Has Frightening Encounter With Mountain Lion in Utah. By the 1900s these predators had been killed in astonishing numbers, with a disastrous effect on the ecosystem in some areas. Mountain Lions are known as ambush hunters. The mountain lion is a solitary animalthe male does not share its territory with other male mountain lions. One Utah man carefully eluded a mountain lion on a hiking trail and caught the harrowing encounter on film, as seen in a now-viral video. The range of a Mountain Lion may cover 25 to 785 square miles. Sections of this page. Were going to look at Mountain Lion population by state, though many states dont have a population as Cougars are mainly found in Western U.S. states. If the lion approaches, throw rocks or sticks and yell at the animal. The video shows a mountain lion steadily advancing on the man as he walks backward up the trail, never turning his back on it. During the expletive-filled clip, Burgess made loud noises, roared and walked away slowly as the big cat followed him, but stayed at a distance. Press alt + / to open this menu. As widely publicized as these accounts are, they do not occur regularly. Their jaws are powerful enough to break the neck of a deer or smaller animal. Netanyahu says Israel will do "whatever it takes to restore order", Fauci says new mask guidance "based on the evolution of the science", UFO studies and the possibility of alien origin, Behind the Secret Service's veil of secrecy, Ernst, Gillibrand hail bipartisan deal to address military sexual assault, CBS News poll: Republicans weigh in on Liz Cheney and direction of GOP, U.S. ambassador to U.N. calls for de-escalation in Middle East, Damon Weaver, kid reporter who interviewed Obama, dies, Utah man captures mountain lion encounter, What's behind the push for a fourth stimulus check, IRS sending refunds to those who overpaid tax on unemployment benefits, Damon Weaver, kid reporter who interviewed Obama, has died, Americans have few options to prove they're fully vaccinated, California Privacy/Information We Collect. By comparison, Mountain Lions have a weak sense of smell. First published on October 13, 2020 / 9:21 AM. Back away very slowly in case the lion is guarding a kill or her den. Alfred A Knopf, Inc. p937. We hunt mountain lions in Utah yea-round and from November to April in Colorado. After eight weeks of nursing, the kittens will weigh about 30 pounds. Feb. 11 (UPI) --A Utah man received a scary surprise when he went to check on a relative's home and found a mountain lion wandering around inside These large cats, as adults, can be 30 inches in height at the shoulder, and approximately 8 feet long from nose to tail. Early settlers feared the Mountain Lions, and believed that the lions, as well as wolves and bears, had a negative effect on game populations. In the event that you encounter an aggressive Mountain Lion: When and Where to See Mountain Lions at Bryce Canyon: (KUTV) Despite being considered a shy animal, cougars are increasingly in the news, as sightings in Utah seem to be on the rise. The Mountain Lion will return to feed on the prey for up to 10 days. Mountain Lions survived the persecution better than other predators, yet Mountain Lion populations have not been restored in many areas. Conservation Issues: This can ultimately lead to starvation or encounters with humans. Lion kittens begin to eat meat at the age of six weeks. The 2019-20 quota allowed hunters to kill 690 lions, but in January 2020 the state tacked on an additional 117 permits and reopened closed hunt units. Tracks are readily identifiable in that they are similar to those of a Great Dane or other very large dog, but with one obvious difference: Mountain Lions walk with their claws retracted so you will see only the round toe prints without the triangular claw marks. Unlike surviving a bear attack, if you play dead with a Mountain Lion, you will be. There is a draw processes that has limited the number of lions on a number of units across the state, and quota's that shut the season down quickly in the few exceptions. (435) 834-5322 Mountain Lion kittens are born with a spotted coat and bright blue eyes. This scream is used to attract the male lion. Copyright 2021 CBS Interactive Inc. All rights reserved. he said. After 18 months, the immature lions usually leave their mother to begin life on their own. Before Moab Animal Control arrived on the scene he Lacking a strong sense of smell, Mountain Lions have difficulty tracking prey in the summertime, so instead they wait in ambush for prey to come to them. RunnersWorld | 10-16. Biology & Behavior: New York: Lyons and Burford, 1996. Stand up straight, with arms above your head in order to appear larger. This is the trade-off cats made millions of years ago. Kyle Burgess, 26, recorded the six-minute incidentin Slate Canyon with the cougar, who was with her cubs. The female will choose a den, which could be a rock overhang, shallow cave or area of dense vegetation, as a secure place to give birth. This is a great combination but to be successful you will this extremely hard working and dedicated outfitter along with extremely well trained hounds. Cougar stalk: Utah jogger on six-minute encounter with a mountain lion Close Kyle Burgess' jog on his local trail in Utah turned into a life-or-death situation when he came across a cougar. The Independent. Sometimes it's your nose that alerts you to presence of a Mountain Lion. So you probably all seen it. On the evening of October 10, Utah resident Kyle Burgess went for a run and ended up running for his life from a female mountain lion. So unexpected that it's common for people to initially mistake them for deer even though the only things deer and Mountain Lions have in common are four legs and similar colored fur. Phones are answered and messages returned as soon as possible as staffing allows. Remember above all DO NOT RUN! Here in southern Utah "You see the two cubs and one kind of runs off, but then I didn't notice mom was right there and that's when I knew it was not a good situation to be in," he told CBS News. Human activity has encouraged Mountain Lions to retreat to the rugged terrain that remains largely uninhabited by humans. Bounty hunting of Mountain Lions began as early as the 1600s in North America. Weighing in at about one pound at birth, the kittens grow rapidly. NOTE: A Mountain Lion periodically returns to its food cache or may just rest between meals hidden nearby. A male mountain lion's range can cover up to 300 square miles, and often overlaps with the range of one or two females, who have ranges approximately one third this size. In actuality they may leap from a high hiding place to build up speed for the attack, but at the point of impact, they keep their hind legs on the ground for balance and, if necessary, a quick escape. If you find a small pile of dirt that smells strongly of cat urine you have found a scent mound used for marking territory.At other times, circling vultures or ravens might indicate the location of a Mountain Lion food cache. As in most livestock depredations, the Mountain Lion that attacks a person is usually a hunger-crazed juvenile that has been pushed into marginal habitat by more dominant males. Mountain lion hunts include lodging and meals in one for ways: in our lodge, in a neighboring ranch lodge, in camp trailers or in motels. The female mountain lion in a chilling faceoff with a solo trail runner in Utah wasnt trying to kill him. They use highly trained hounds for tracking the cats.