I live in Idaho in the Clearwater river drainage and some really big cats have been taken within a few miles of my home. I have seen a dozen or so in the woods, but never have killed one.

I have been hunting deer in a small draw about 10 miles from where I live for 30 odd years or so now.

About 20 years back I hit it on opening day and didn't have any luck, though usually I see several deer there and had for a lot of years.

I didn't get back for a few days. I usually worked the edges of the drawe and carefully walk the mile or so from one end to the other. This draw is only 20 to 40 feet deeper than the wheat fields around it. The deer either have to hide in the heavy brushy bottom and risk being spotted or go up on the wheat fields and offer a good shot.

I walked over to the edge of the draw and using a fence post jumped over the fence on the edge of the field next to the draw.

When I landed I was almost astraddle a big couger. It let out the darndest screech I ever heard and jumped what seemed like to me 50 feet. I'm not shure how far I jumped, but I know I got out just as good a screech as that cat did.

I never even got a shot at that cat, Just to busy finding a place to sit down so's my wobbly knees wouldn't give out on me. Well at least I figured out why I wasn't seeing any deer there.

I was allways a little more observant of my sorroundings after that, though I never did shoot one of the big cats.

Good story faucettb gave me a good laugh! You know, few guys would try to mount a cougar, but I guess there are some exceptions in Idaho! I'll bet that cat is still going! I wonder what he is telling his friends..lol. For some reason your story brought up an ancient memory of asking an old timer how I would know if a grizzly was around. He told me that I would know because there wouldn't be anything else around...lol. sincerely, Fred

Put your heart in your mouth, I'll bet!

Many, many years ago while pheasant hunting by myself in a thickly wooded plot in Indiana, I went to step over a deadfall when 2 doe deer jumped up from under the foot extended over the log and went racing through the brush. The commotion sounded so loud and so sudden it resembled a brush hog tearing things down. The shotgun instinctively swung down on the forms rising up seemingly out of the ground and it's wonder I didn't end up blowing my leg off!

Sat down on the log (after a careful look!) and took several minutes to rein in my rapidly beating pulse. Ever time I went through those woods after that I always checked that deadfall! ;)