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I might be a little paranoid but...
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Are mountain lions a real issue around southwest Montana around the Bozeman area? I am moving to Bozeman in 6 days and want to do some backpacking and camping but have heard the cougars are an issue especially up in Hyalite. So should I be super concerned or is this not a big issue? And since we are on this topic, how about grizzlies? Thanks guys, tell me if I am being a pussy or if this is a pretty serious issue.
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You being a pussy. Ha just playing i understand what you're saying its not that bad at all. Bears are the big concern around here, and you just gotta carry bear spray if you go into the forest far.
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cool, thats kind of what I assumed.
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I've been followed by a mountain lion once, and I was 8 miles from the nearest road so I wasn't totally surprised by it. Lions are not a problem at all around here, they don't really like being around people so you never see them. As for bears; if you go up gallatin canyon or stay low in the beartooth/absarokas it would be a good idea to carry some bear spray on you. Most areas you don't have to worry about grizzlies though since it's mostly black bears around bozeman. So to answer your question, yes, you are being a bit paranoid.
And Evan, you should look at your signature and find the part that doesn't make any sense (I'll give you a hint: it has something to do with the FOLLOWING post thing).
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you really can't do much if a mountain lion is following you, right? They are really stealthy aren't they? And fast a hell. Should I buy a shotgun?
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Mountain lions around the area do stalk hikers often. Word is food is going to be scarce because of a harsh winter. That means mountain lions will move in on the easiest prey they can find. And bears, the bears are aggressive. I saw a bear tear a man in half one time and eat him. true story. Get a shotgun, and ALWAYS keep it loaded on you. Bears and mountain lions are natures killers.
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^ is this around the bozeman area, or more up in glacier?
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what can I do to be procative with the animal situation? Besides stay inside? BTW sorry to here about your bear situation, that most have had a huge impact on your life.
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all right I am a dumbass, didn't sense the sarcasm until after I posted.
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there definately ARE bears and lions around bozeman, but its rare to see them, especially lions. as far as what to do: for lions, avoid hiking and especially running around dusk, especially by yourself. with bears, just make noise as you hike, clap your hands, especially around loud creeks, before blind corners, through high busshes, anywhere visibility isnt the best. ive been hiking, bking, climbing in the area for a couple years now, and have never had an encounter. ive had scarier encounters with moose than anything.
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cool, so just common sense. I had a scary moose encounter down in Jackson while fishing. Nothing happened but I just turned around and a moose and her young were standing like 10 feet away.
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Yeah, you gotta be careful around moose. Moose are the only animals that have made me feel threatened around here, sometimes you just can't do anything to avoid some sort of confrontation. Bears, lions, and wolves will all stay away from you, but a moose is a lot more unpredictable.
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bears and lions arent that bad but moose are soo scary
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No, bears, lions and wolves will not always stay away from you. I have been in a situation where 2 mountain lions walked directly through our camp. If you can see a mountain lion, then you are probably fucked, because you probably won't see one unless it is hunting you. Not to scare you, but that's how it is. And as for bears, their hearing really isn't any better than a humans, which is why so many people around here turn the corner and take bears completely by surprise. This is what pisses them off, especially if they have cubs. Don't buy a shotgun, just get some bear spray, and if you see a bear, spray a little on the ground if front of it. It will get the hint and won't be pissed off because it can't see.
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Don't be stupid. Lions and bears have so many more tools to kill you. Moose are just much bolder and easier to aggrevate. If you stay out of a moose's way, it's not going to pursue you. Youy can't say the same about lions and even bears in some situations.
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I wouldn't worry about any of them, maybe buy bear spray, better to just take the other precautions (clean camp etc.)
Moose kill more people in AK each year than bears.
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Dude Im 5' 10" and an immature bald picked me up once. He got me about 15 feet in the air before I could pull out my knife and stab his eyes out which was a mistake because he flew into a cliff and I fell 40-45 feet into a rattlesnake's den only to barely survive after getting bitten in the face numerous times and then being played with and tossed around by griz cubs.
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i dont know about small children, but definately dogs
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umm i have jumped a mom bear and here two cubs. i was within 15 yards of her she stood there and her cubs scattered up teh nearest tree. i just sat there thinkin oh shit im fucked. but she just proceeded on her way. now i have been treed by a moose before. and mountian lions are not that scary you pussy i spend twice as much time in the wild as you do and they've never bothered me when they acountered me. they only animal i have had trouble with are fuckon moose
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Please don't do this. You only have 7 seconds of spray, so use it wisely. If the bear is charging, you need to spray it in the eyes, but if it doesn't charge then aggravating it with pepper spray is a stupid thing to do.
Mountain Lions are detered by making yourself look as big as possible, and making as much noise as possible.
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Yes, small children. And there are moutian lion everywhere in Montana, if you need a gun ask your neighbor, I guarantee he/she will have one.
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haha, i just remember reading an article in the bozeman chronicle a couple years back about this little dog, like a shi tzu or something, that the family had seen get picked up and carried away by a big bald eagle. and the crazy part- it showed up again like a week later, all scuffed up and with talon marks on its back, but other wise in fine shape. thats a tough little dog.
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Also, wildlife biologists in YNP have reported seeing golden eagles killing newborn elk calves.
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The fact that you can't type a complete sentence is one reason that I am going to completely disregard your whole post. Another is the fact that you assume you spend more time in the wild than I do. You may or you may not, that is beside the point. It doesn't really matter if you do because what I just read is so fucking stupid. I have been stalked by a mountain lion man, can you say the same? I think not. Let one follow you around for a while partner, see how much of a pussy I am then. Mountain lions are scary as shit because they are silent hunters. All they do is hunt, so they are pretty damn good at it. When they attack, the hold on to you with their front claws and disembowel you with their rear ones. Yeah thats some pussy shit right there. Grow up faggot. Oh, and by the way, it's encountered not acountered dumbshit.
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The 13 year backcountry guide that I talked to on this very subject would beg to differ. He has proven through experiance that it is better not to piss off the bear. Bears a pretty intelegent animals, if they see you spray that and get just a whif of it on the ground, they know you have more and that they don't want any of it. If you spray them in the eyes, the feel pain, and when bears feel pain they get mad. But you are right, if it's not charging, leave it along. I acctually came face to face with a bear today. He kind of eyed us and then climbed a tree.
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I'm going to go out on a limb and assume that it was a black bear. Unless it's a male in the spring or you find one with cubs, black bears are about as ferocious as a whitetail doe. I have videos of them climbing up trees while we were in them and just watching us from below the tree stand. Grizzlies are the ones to worry about all the time.
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more attacks are from black bear momas then grizzles.
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And that would be why I made an exception for ones with cubs.
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He didn't specify, but I'm assuming that he has had a few grizzly encounters based on the fact that he guides in Yellowstone and Glacier Park much of the time, and like you said, grizzlys are the only ones that you really have to worry about using spray on. As for the bear I saw, yes it was a cub standing about 20 feet away from me. He was just curious I think, but I was kind of worried about the mom being around somewhere.
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