Deer and cougar tracks together in mud

[Okanagan]

This cat had walked at least a quarter mile down the logging road the day before I drove up there.  The cougar track in the first pic below was made the previous day, probably less than 24 hours old.



He left the road and then earlier the same morning I was there he had come back onto it a half mile farther down and walked the road for several hundred yards.  Fresh track made that morning shown below.



Along with the fresh-that-day lion tracks were tracks of a large mule deer that had also walked down the road that morning.  I don't know whether the deer or the cougar was first down the road as I didn't notice where one had stepped on the track of the other to tell their sequence.  I suspect that the cougar came by after the deer did, and he may have been following it.  Neither was running nor indicated any hurry or stealth.  I think that they just both happened to be heading that way on the road.  Cougar season was not open in that area or this one would have been a candidate to call.

The photo below shows fresh tracks made that morning from a mule deer and a cougar, both probably less than 4 hours old.  Both were skidding slightly in the downhill slope, especially the deer, which makes its track longer.  Squinting my eyes slightly makes these tracks show up clearer for me.  Not sure why.

[riverboss]

I love these cougar story's! I would really like to hunt them someday but I'm not sure of how I would feel just finding ones track.
Would I get all excited or kind of sick to my stomach with fear? I'm not sure but would love to find out! I've never really hunted anything that dangerous.


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[FinsnFur]

There's a story there I wonder how it ends

[slagmaker]

I would be happy just calling in a bobcat.

But I do love the stories and pics.

[Coulter]

Very cool...keep that locale in your notes for when the season does open.

[Okanagan]

Very cool...keep that locale in your notes for when the season does open.

Yep, that whole area downslope at lower elevation is a wintering ground for deer and elk and so a good winter hang out for cougars.  I hunt it sometimes but without plowed roads access is difficult.  If I could get into it in winter, it would be my main lion calling area.

[Okanagan]

There's a story there I wonder how it ends

Tracks always  tell a story.  Love to read them.  I'm at about the beginner's comic book level of reading...