Ok, after that disclaimer, here's the scoop:
A girl from Detroit was visiting Colorado Springs, and was taking a walk early one morning in the Garden of the Gods. She was walking on the Scotsman trail, the same trail I was running on two days ago when...*sigh*...when I fell on my face. All I saw were rocks, trees, cacti, and horse poop. She saw something different.
Now, this would be why I was told NOT to hike in the early mornings or at dusk. Luckily, the girl was able to keep her cool. I know many of you are thinking: "WHY THE HELL IS SHE TAKING A PICTURE?!? SHE SHOULD BE RUNNING AWAY VERY FAST!"
That, however, would be the wrong thing to do. Cougars are cats, as you know. BIG cats, but cats just the same. What happens when you put something in front of a cat and then move it quickly and sharply in it's line of vision? Usually, it pounces. Hence why that is the wrong thing to do.
If faced with this situation, you should never run, never (EVER) turn your back on the predator, and try to make yourself look bigger and badder (less of a target, less like prey) than the cat is.
The girl in question put up her arms, made her hands into claws, and growled as loudly as she could. The cougars in question stared at her, then eventually padded away when she turned up the volume on her growl. Nicely done.
Here's hoping I don't have to put her methods to practice....but good to know they worked for her.
Syl, this is for you. :)
Ha... My mom made me hike with a big stick once incase I had such encounters, I'm totally the one always asking those kinds of questions. Lately, the question has been, "If I see a shark fin in the water, what would I need to do. Still to scared of the thought to try body boarding or surfing, but if I do one day get the nerve, I will read up on how to respond in the presence of a shark.
ReplyDelete