Hunter mimicked call of wounded animal to lure coyotes. Something much bigger pounced

A California coyote hunter found the roles of predator and prey reversed last week when a big cat pounced on him and he shot the cougar.

The incident occurred Friday near the northern shore of Mono Lake, located between Yosemite National Park and the Nevada border.

The hunter, covered in camouflage and lying on his belly, was blowing a call that mimicked a wounded rabbit to lure in a hungry coyote to shoot, said Lt. Bill Dailey of the Department of Fish and Wildlife.

The hunter, whose name was not released, spotted a flash of movement and looked over his shoulder just in time to watch a mountain lion leap toward his head.

He threw up his hands to protect his face, the animal struck, bounded away and the hunter fired twice, killing the cat.

The entire ordeal took place in mere moments.

“It happened extremely fast,” Dailey said. “He didn’t even have time to aim. ... It was 100 percent instinctual. It wasn’t like he was premeditating this.”

The hunter sustained a minor injury to the back of his head that did not break the skin, but he nonetheless went to a local hospital and got rabies shots.

Mountain lions are protected under state law, but the hunter called wildlife officers to notify them he killed it. After an investigation, the hunter won’t be charged. Wildlife officers said he was justified in shooting the cougar “given the suddenness of the attack” and the “fear for his life.”

As for why the cougar pounced, investigators believe the cat likely mistook the hunter for the injured rabbit he was mimicking.

Coyotes are legal to hunt year-round in California.

This story was originally published March 2, 2017 at 2:59 PM with the headline "Hunter mimicked call of wounded animal to lure coyotes. Something much bigger pounced."