During the weekend, one of my neighbors sent me a snippet from our Nature’s Preserve across the street. We are directly north of the preserve, with a street separating us.
I clicked on the link “Living with Mountain Lions” and this is what it said:
Mountain lions are predators capable of seriously injuring or killing humans. The Arizona Game and Fish Department is committed to helping people learn how to behave responsibly and live safely in proximity to mountain lions, and to removing animals that are a potential threat to the public.
The risk of attack by a mountain lion is small, but real; children are most at risk. Mountain lions may return repeatedly if food, water, or shelter are available. If food, water, and shelter are not available, mountain lions generally move on to other areas more quickly. If you live or recreate in mountain lion country, remain aware of your surroundings and minimize risks to yourself, your family, and pets by following the recommendations referenced on this page.
if you encounter a mountain lion
Do not approach the animal. Most mountain lions will try to avoid a confrontation. Give them a way to escape.
Stay calm and speak loudly and firmly.
Do not run from a mountain lion. Running may stimulate a mountain lion’s instinct to chase.
Stand and face the mountain lion. Make eye contact.
Appear larger by raising your arms or opening your jacket if you are wearing one. Throw stones, branches, or whatever you can reach without crouching or turning your back. Wave your arms slowly. The idea is to convince the mountain lion that you are not easy prey and that you may be a danger to it.
Maintain eye contact and slowly back away toward a building, vehicle, or busy area.
Protect small children so they won’t panic and run.
Fight back if attacked. Many potential victims have fought back successfully with rocks, sticks, caps, jackets, garden tools, their bare hands, and even mountain bikes. Since a mountain lion usually tries to bite the head or neck, try to remain standing and face the animal.
Report all mountain lion attacks to 911. All mountain lion encounters and attacks, sightings in urban areas, property damage due to mountain lions or possession of a live mountain lion should also be reported to Arizona Game and Fish Department Dispatch 623 236-7201. Dispatcher is available for your call 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
I will confess while I was sitting outside in my backyard, writing my morning pages, I kept looking over my shoulder. I felt a little nervous, knowing that the fence would not keep a mountain lion out.
While I was putting together this post, I got another email. This one from our HOA president, passing on the same info about numerous Mountain Lion sightings. I guess it’s a good thing I’m not able to go for walks right now.
Then, I opened the front door to check for an Amazon package and this guy ran away!
Well that sort of makes you never want to go outside doesn’t it!? I had this thought as I was reading the recs about staying safe- turning a corner, coming face to face with a mountain lion and saying something like- “oh, hey Mr mtn lion, give me a second before you attack so I can pull out my extensive list of what to do or not do so you decide not to eat me” 😉 How many people are really going to remember not to run?
Oh my goodness. You had me laughing about pulling out the list of what to do. My first reaction would be to run. It wouldn’t be eye contact. Will you have wild animals in your new neighborhood, or do you have them now in Washington? I remember an occasional bear where we lived outside of Snohomish.
No big wild animals here EA, although the squirrels can get nasty with each other when they want all the sunflower seeds! The new neighborhood sits against mostly open front range prairie land that leads up into the mountains with hiking trails throughout. On one of the first hikes my daughter and SIL took they saw (from a distance) bison and a bear confronting each other. I assume they turned around and went the other way 😉 I think we’ll be talking about investing in some bear spray…
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Squirrels can get aggressive. Your new neighborhood sounds gorgeous. But yes, you may want bear spray. We were in Alaska years ago for a hike and the guide laughed at people who bought bells to scare off the bears. He called them dinner bells so the bears knew dinner was on its way!
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Too funny! 🙂
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👍🏼
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Do not approach the animal. Well yes that’s good advice, but if you do find yourself in front of one make eye contact. That advice might be more difficult to do. No mountain lions here, our biggest [as in weight] wild animals are deer. Not predatory at all.
At least we don’t have tigers and bears! I don’t know if I could make eye contact. I was outside by the preserve walking one day and a pack of eight coyotes was eyeballing me. I took off my jacket and waved it, yelled and screamed and they were non plussed. Finally, I called my husband to come pick me up.
Wow wow wow!!! Oh WOW! I’m speechless and it’s rare that I have nothing to say. That is a big surprise I’m sure – glad you’re safe inside! Great photo too!
I have a walking stick plus a whistle to make loud noise.
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That’s good. Stay safe
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I can’t go outside and walk yet, so by the time I can, hopefully the mountain lions will have moved on!
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A blessing in disguise.
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👍🏼
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That would be disconcerting-we have alligators here but one can make a wide path around a body of water. And bears, and venomous snakes in our settled area is nada. In some of the new housing communities, land has been cleared and this tends to attract more scattered wildlife.
That makes sense. In our newer developments, they tend to have more scorpions and snakes. We have rattlers, too, but none in our yard so far. I’d be afraid of alligators!
I have never seen an alligator in our lake nearby but I did see them on a trip to the Everglades and at a tourist spot. Never seen poisonous snakes but lots of garter snakes. More likely to see pit bulls but with the new people moving in our area, less likely which is good as now I am not as careful of thinking I might need to jump on top of a car in the driveway if I see one on the loose. Alligators are more likely to get people new to the area who dive into waters (Lakes), etc. with no fears and no knowledge of the area.
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We took a trip to the Everglades and they took us to an alligator place. Not a fan. My husband got bit by a pit bull in our neighborhood. The owner was a petite woman who couldn’t hang onto the leash. Jumping on top of a car would be a good idea!
It’s definitely not what I was expecting to read. One of my neighbors volunteers at the preserve and it was emailed to her. She shared it with her friends and the president of our HOA.
Wow – it’s incredible that you were able to take that photo — especially after receiving that email. I wonder if a camera lens counts as looking them in the eye?
The photo of the mountain lion came on the email. So that’s just a screen shot. The bobcat at our front door was caught on our video camera. I have one set up in the front of the house and in back. I mostly get quail, but bobcats are a fun surprise. I opened the front door and he ran away.
Whoa….and yikes! Stay safe! The advice about what to do when encountering a mountain lion sounds similar to the advice about other wildlife/predators – make oneself big and noisy – but when I’ve had coyote encounters in our backyard and neighborhood, it’s the last thing on my mind. Adrenalin kicks in and ya wanna run, run, run.
I’ve heard similar things before, too. I had a face to face encounter with eight coyotes in the winter and I tried to scare them away. They weren’t bothered at all. Eventually, a gardener stopped his truck between me and the pack and then I called my husband to rescue me. It’s really intimidating when the wild animals show no fear!
Agree, agree, agree. We want all living things to live in harmony but the encroachment is scary. Take care! 💕
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Thank you! I can’t go far with my boot so I’m safe. Also, I think my boot my scare off wildlife!
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I love it! 🤣🥰🤣
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😅
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So much to consider when sharing our living space! They are such awesome creatures and I want them to thrive, but running into one on a trail would be so frightening, let alone in your yard. I’ve had friends who encountered them when I lived in Lake Arrowhead, CA, but I saw mostly bears and coyotes, which never approached me. The bears did break our fence and spent time in and out of our yard and on our deck over the years. They were beautiful. Stay safe!!!
We do have them, but I’ve rarely spotted one and never had a close encounter on a trail or at home. Black bears, on the other hand….
We’ve had one in the neighborhood for over a month now. He caused some small issues while we were on vacation. I keep thinking of the local woman walking with her dog two or three years ago who was killed by a mama bear with two cubs while walking her dog on a fairly busy residential road. My encounters with bears (even with cubs) have always ended with the bears turning tail and taking off. But you just never know.
Wow. I appreciate your into about the bears. I’ve always been afraid of them from growing up with some in our yard in WA state. What a sad story. I have looked out for coyotes, bobcats and javelinas. But I have never considered them as a life danger. A mountain lion is in a different category.
The idea of mountain lions roaming the area make me realize that we are not in control of our environment. I am on NextDoor, a neighborhood watch app. I almost wish I wasn’t because there are all sorts of videos and photos of mountain lions and rattle snakes that people post.
It does have me a little nervous every time I go outside. But recovering from surgery, I make sure I go outside every morning. Otherwise I feel too cooped up.
Well, at least you have some good information. Not knowing this could happen is scary; being more alert with your knowledge can help.
We don’t have mountain lions, but in GA, we have bears, coyotes, and bobcats that we have to be aware of. I can’t let the dogs out into our little dog area without being in the vicinity.
Nature is beautiful, but we have to keep our distance. Great capture at your front door. WOW!
I have video cameras in the front and back of the house. That’s how I got the bobcat photo. This morning I was in the backyard journaling and a coyote jumped on the wall separating a golf course from our backyard. What a sight to see! He jumped on a six foot wall like it was nothing!
Well that sort of makes you never want to go outside doesn’t it!? I had this thought as I was reading the recs about staying safe- turning a corner, coming face to face with a mountain lion and saying something like- “oh, hey Mr mtn lion, give me a second before you attack so I can pull out my extensive list of what to do or not do so you decide not to eat me” 😉 How many people are really going to remember not to run?
Oh my goodness. You had me laughing about pulling out the list of what to do. My first reaction would be to run. It wouldn’t be eye contact. Will you have wild animals in your new neighborhood, or do you have them now in Washington? I remember an occasional bear where we lived outside of Snohomish.
No big wild animals here EA, although the squirrels can get nasty with each other when they want all the sunflower seeds! The new neighborhood sits against mostly open front range prairie land that leads up into the mountains with hiking trails throughout. On one of the first hikes my daughter and SIL took they saw (from a distance) bison and a bear confronting each other. I assume they turned around and went the other way 😉 I think we’ll be talking about investing in some bear spray…
Squirrels can get aggressive. Your new neighborhood sounds gorgeous. But yes, you may want bear spray. We were in Alaska years ago for a hike and the guide laughed at people who bought bells to scare off the bears. He called them dinner bells so the bears knew dinner was on its way!
Too funny! 🙂
👍🏼
Do not approach the animal. Well yes that’s good advice, but if you do find yourself in front of one make eye contact. That advice might be more difficult to do. No mountain lions here, our biggest [as in weight] wild animals are deer. Not predatory at all.
At least we don’t have tigers and bears! I don’t know if I could make eye contact. I was outside by the preserve walking one day and a pack of eight coyotes was eyeballing me. I took off my jacket and waved it, yelled and screamed and they were non plussed. Finally, I called my husband to come pick me up.
Wow wow wow!!! Oh WOW! I’m speechless and it’s rare that I have nothing to say. That is a big surprise I’m sure – glad you’re safe inside! Great photo too!
That was a big surprise for sure!
Yikes!
They’re magnificent creatures but I’m not sure I’d want one on my doorstep. Be careful.
At least the one on my doorstep was a bobcat and not a mountain lion. Not nearly as dangerous!
It is a scary bit of information. I would stay inside too.
I still go outside in the mornings to write in my journal. But I keep my eyes and ears open and I’m close to the house.
Do carry a stick when you’re away from your house
I have a walking stick plus a whistle to make loud noise.
That’s good. Stay safe
I can’t go outside and walk yet, so by the time I can, hopefully the mountain lions will have moved on!
A blessing in disguise.
👍🏼
That would be disconcerting-we have alligators here but one can make a wide path around a body of water. And bears, and venomous snakes in our settled area is nada. In some of the new housing communities, land has been cleared and this tends to attract more scattered wildlife.
That makes sense. In our newer developments, they tend to have more scorpions and snakes. We have rattlers, too, but none in our yard so far. I’d be afraid of alligators!
I have never seen an alligator in our lake nearby but I did see them on a trip to the Everglades and at a tourist spot. Never seen poisonous snakes but lots of garter snakes. More likely to see pit bulls but with the new people moving in our area, less likely which is good as now I am not as careful of thinking I might need to jump on top of a car in the driveway if I see one on the loose. Alligators are more likely to get people new to the area who dive into waters (Lakes), etc. with no fears and no knowledge of the area.
We took a trip to the Everglades and they took us to an alligator place. Not a fan. My husband got bit by a pit bull in our neighborhood. The owner was a petite woman who couldn’t hang onto the leash. Jumping on top of a car would be a good idea!
OMG! That is very scary!
It’s definitely not what I was expecting to read. One of my neighbors volunteers at the preserve and it was emailed to her. She shared it with her friends and the president of our HOA.
Wow – it’s incredible that you were able to take that photo — especially after receiving that email. I wonder if a camera lens counts as looking them in the eye?
The photo of the mountain lion came on the email. So that’s just a screen shot. The bobcat at our front door was caught on our video camera. I have one set up in the front of the house and in back. I mostly get quail, but bobcats are a fun surprise. I opened the front door and he ran away.
Whoa….and yikes! Stay safe! The advice about what to do when encountering a mountain lion sounds similar to the advice about other wildlife/predators – make oneself big and noisy – but when I’ve had coyote encounters in our backyard and neighborhood, it’s the last thing on my mind. Adrenalin kicks in and ya wanna run, run, run.
I’ve heard similar things before, too. I had a face to face encounter with eight coyotes in the winter and I tried to scare them away. They weren’t bothered at all. Eventually, a gardener stopped his truck between me and the pack and then I called my husband to rescue me. It’s really intimidating when the wild animals show no fear!
Agree, agree, agree. We want all living things to live in harmony but the encroachment is scary. Take care! 💕
Thank you! I can’t go far with my boot so I’m safe. Also, I think my boot my scare off wildlife!
I love it! 🤣🥰🤣
😅
So much to consider when sharing our living space! They are such awesome creatures and I want them to thrive, but running into one on a trail would be so frightening, let alone in your yard. I’ve had friends who encountered them when I lived in Lake Arrowhead, CA, but I saw mostly bears and coyotes, which never approached me. The bears did break our fence and spent time in and out of our yard and on our deck over the years. They were beautiful. Stay safe!!!
We live out in the wild, so we have to expect wild creatures. That’s just like you in Lake Arrowhead.
They do make you worry (AZGF, that is)!
We do have them, but I’ve rarely spotted one and never had a close encounter on a trail or at home. Black bears, on the other hand….
We’ve had one in the neighborhood for over a month now. He caused some small issues while we were on vacation. I keep thinking of the local woman walking with her dog two or three years ago who was killed by a mama bear with two cubs while walking her dog on a fairly busy residential road. My encounters with bears (even with cubs) have always ended with the bears turning tail and taking off. But you just never know.
Wow. I appreciate your into about the bears. I’ve always been afraid of them from growing up with some in our yard in WA state. What a sad story. I have looked out for coyotes, bobcats and javelinas. But I have never considered them as a life danger. A mountain lion is in a different category.
No to mountain lions. The emails themselves aren’t a surprise. The AI summaries of them freaked me out
The idea of mountain lions roaming the area make me realize that we are not in control of our environment. I am on NextDoor, a neighborhood watch app. I almost wish I wasn’t because there are all sorts of videos and photos of mountain lions and rattle snakes that people post.
Yeah. Just no….
👍🏼
That’s an unsettling email, and then to see the bobcat. Yikes!
It does have me a little nervous every time I go outside. But recovering from surgery, I make sure I go outside every morning. Otherwise I feel too cooped up.
Well, at least you have some good information. Not knowing this could happen is scary; being more alert with your knowledge can help.
We don’t have mountain lions, but in GA, we have bears, coyotes, and bobcats that we have to be aware of. I can’t let the dogs out into our little dog area without being in the vicinity.
Nature is beautiful, but we have to keep our distance. Great capture at your front door. WOW!
I have video cameras in the front and back of the house. That’s how I got the bobcat photo. This morning I was in the backyard journaling and a coyote jumped on the wall separating a golf course from our backyard. What a sight to see! He jumped on a six foot wall like it was nothing!
WOW!!! You’re living in the wild wild west.
We have a preserve across the street with 130 miles of hiking trails. Next to that is a National Forest.
Wow, well, be careful!
I am. I’m almost thankful I can’t go for for walks right now.