News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon
News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon
There's probably a cougar in the woods near Tollgate, but Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife biologist Steve George doesn't think residents should be too concerned.
"There's probably a cougar out there wandering around and it hasn't, as far as we're concerned, posed any kind of threat," he said.
George said the department looked into some reported sightings and tracks found near Tollgate last week. Most of the tracks turned out to be from large dogs, but, George said, "we've had a couple of tracks that realistically could be cougar."
It's not surprising to find evidence of a cougar in the area, George reported. The wide ranging cats can move through an area like ghosts, leaving tracks or other evidence of their presence, then be gone for months.
While George thinks residents shouldn't be too concerned, there are some precautions that can be taken to avoid problems with the cats.
ODF&W recommends that residents avoid feeding deer and other wildlife that attract predators. Keep pets under control, especially at night.
Hikers in cougar country should go out in groups and make enough noise to avoid surprising a cougar. Pets and children should be kept under control and in sight. Do not run from a cougar if one is encountered. Maintain eye contact, try to appear larger, speak in a loud and commanding voice -- anything to convince the cougar that he or she isn't dealing with prey.
An encounter with a cougar is highly unlikely. George said that the cougar that was probably near Tollgate last week could very well be long gone by now.
"Personally, with this cougar, I wouldn't be super concerned," George said.
Just take prudent precautions, he recommends, and "keep an eye out for anything unusual."
Jim Cornelius is editor in chief of The Nugget and author of “Warriors of the Wildlands: True Tales of the Frontier Partisans.” A history buff, he explores frontier history across three centuries and several continents on his podcast, The Frontier Partisans. For more information visit www.frontierpartisans.com.
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