ORIGINAL: JeffS
In your area Mountain lions would probably be more prevalent then Bears. The little **** cats don't bother anybody just be aware of your surroundings if you do any bugling or cow calling.
They won't bother you if you don't mess with them. Most of the time they are there and you never know it. I spooked one coming back to camp one night when it was stalking a pig. I walked past a big boulder and spooked the pig and the cat roared right above my head. It scaredme but it just took off the other direction and I never seen it. When they roar that close to you all your hair stands up on youtr body. It couldn't of been more than 5' above my head. If it wanted to attack it wouldn't of mattered if I was carrying a cannon it would of just jumped me from behind andI would of never knew what happened.
We have them here in FL and protected by the state. In 50+ years in the woods I have only seen 1/2 a dozen, 5 Buff and 1 Black. The black one use to roam the dirt road on the South side of my property and the county named it Black Panther Road..
They usually get close when you are field dressing Deer or Hogs, but 9 times out of 10 will wait untill you leave to feed on the entrails left behind. I have seen them them up on tree branches also.