Oregon passed a law about 4 or 5 years ago banning dogs and bait for cougar and bear. Since then, there have been more and more problems with cougar killing livestock, steadily increasing cougar sightings, and I know I see alot more sign and occasionally even the cougars themselves where I hunt. There seem to be fewer deer. I used to see porcupine all the time. Now I rarely see one. I have read they are a favorite food for cougar. I personally know a guy who shot one from about 8 feet away as it was coming at him. The adult cats aren' t afraid of humans anymore, as they have never been hunted. Used to be I would run into alot of bobcatters up in the hills. They would often inadvertantly tree cougars, but I haven' t even seen the bobcat guys for the last few years. Cougar are the only thing up there that really scare me. I too have heard them scream. You want to hear something that scares the living crap out of you!

I love the big cats. Only seen two up close in 30 years of hunting Arizona, NM, Montana but many times no tracks in a puddle going in and big cat tracks going out. Theyre called the ghost of the forest for a reason. A few children have been attacked here near the lakes by young adults and I talked to another bowhunter who was knocked flat by one hiking in in early dark. It hit his backpack and then took off. I know the only sure way to hunt them is with dogs and just waiting for the stories from Cal and Oregon on more hikers, kids and joggers getting munched. Well meaning fools are dangerous.