State Senator and Mason County Commissioner Tim Sheldon shot and killed a cougar last week on his property in Potlatch. Sheldon told MasonWebTV.com his wife called him Tuesday while he was driving home from a Mason Transit meeting to tell him their dog had treed a cougar but she was able to get the dog inside.
When Sheldon arrived home he grabbed his shotgun and went to make sure the cougar had left. While near the area where the cougar had been treed, Sheldon noticed movement in the brush. He called 9-1-1 and was transferred to the State Department of Fish and Wildlife. After explaining the situation, Sheldon was told there wasn’t anyone in the area to help him.
At this time, the cougar came out of the bushes but from a different direction. Sheldon shot the cougar twice. However, there was still movement in the brush. Thinking there might be a second cougar, Sheldon call 9-1-1 again and this time was connected to the State Patrol. A Trooper was in the area and responded. While Sheldon was explaining to the Trooper what happened, a coyote came out of the brush. The coyote was injured and the Trooper shot and killed that animal.
Apparently, the cougar had been hunting the coyote and was looking for its injured prey.
The killing of the cougar was justified as Sheldon shot it in self-defense. According to the Washington State Department of Fish and Wildlife, this lethal action is warranted as long there is “reasonable belief that the cougar poses a threat of serious physical harm, that this harm is imminent, and the action is the only reasonable available means to prevent that harm.”
The Revised Code of Washington (RCW) also allows “a property owner or the owner’s immediate family, employee, or tenant” to kill a cougar on their property if it is damaging domestic animals.
Sheldon said the cougar was a “scary animal” and the first claw marks on the tree where it was chased by the Sheldon family dog were at least 12 feet up.
Here is what the Department of Fish and Wildlife’s website says about encountering a cougar:
Relatively few people will ever catch a glimpse of a cougar much less confront one. If you come face to face with a cougar, your actions can either help or hinder a quick retreat by the animal.
Here are some things to remember:
- Stop, pick up small children immediately, and don’t run. Running and rapid movements may trigger an attack. Remember, at close range, a cougar’s instinct is to chase.
- Face the cougar. Talk to it firmly while slowly backing away. Always leave the animal an escape route.
- Try to appear larger than the cougar. Get above it (e.g., step up onto a rock or stump). If wearing a jacket, hold it open to further increase your apparent size. If you are in a group, stand shoulder-to-shoulder to appear intimidating.
- Do not take your eyes off the cougar or turn your back. Do not crouch down or try to hide.
- Never approach the cougar, especially if it is near a kill or with kittens, and never offer it food.
- If the cougar does not flee, be more assertive. If it shows signs of aggression (crouches with ears back, teeth bared, hissing, tail twitching, and hind feet pumping in preparation to jump), shout, wave your arms and throw anything you have available (water bottle, book, backpack). The idea is to convince the cougar that you are not prey, but a potential danger.
- If the cougar attacks, fight back. Be aggressive and try to stay on your feet. Cougars have been driven away by people who have fought back using anything within reach, including sticks, rocks, shovels, backpacks, and clothing—even bare hands. If you are aggressive enough, a cougar will flee, realizing it has made a mistake. Pepper spray in the cougar’s face is also effective in the extreme unlikelihood of a close encounter with a cougar.
Precautions for Hikers and Campers
While recreating in a cougar’s territory, you can avoid close encounters by taking the following precautions:
- Hike in groups and make enough noise to prevent surprising a cougar.
- Avoid hiking after dark.
- Keep small children close to the group, preferably in plain sight ahead of you.
- Do not approach dead animals, especially recently killed or partially covered deer and elk.
- Be aware of your surroundings, particularly when hiking in dense cover or when sitting, crouching, or lying down. Look for tracks, scratch posts, and partially covered droppings.
- Keep a clean camp. Reduce odors that might attract mammals such as raccoons, which in turn could attract cougars. Store meat, other foods, pet food, and garbage in double plastic bags.
More information is available online: http://wdfw.wa.gov/living/cougars.html.