Cougars near Gig Harbor? It happens. Here are tips for handling the large predators
It goes without saying that backyard wildlife encounters are common in rural Gig Harbor and Key Peninsula.
Deer delicately pick their way through backyards, racoons rummage for a snack, and every year we have startling sightings of larger predators like bears and cougars.
Coexistence is inevitable and, to many, feels manageable — until a large predator report comes out.
To understand coexisting with cougars, we need to understand the characteristics of cougars.
First, terminology: the terms cougar, mountain lion, and puma are all interchangeable. The name is region-specific, with “cougar” most often used in the Pacific Northwest. Bobcats are not cougars (though their range often overlaps). They are visually defined by their short tails, smaller size, and a brownish-gray, striped or spotted coat.
Cougars, on the other hand, can range in color from reddish-brown to gray, always with a black tip on their long tails. Adult males average 140 pounds, while females rarely weigh over 110 pounds. They are ambush predators and animals of stealth – often, we find suspicious signs of a cougar rather than seeing it. They prefer habitat suitable for hiding while hunting, including dense brush and forests, and adult males’ territory can cover up to a whopping 150 square miles.
While they primarily hunt from dusk to dawn, it’s not unusual for them to hunt during the day.
Their prey of choice is deer, but it’s not uncommon for younger cougars to hunt smaller prey like racoons, rabbits, and occasionally pets and livestock. A clear sign of cougar activity is how a carcass has been dealt with. Cougars are known to cache their prey, covering the remains with soil, rock, or sticks to keep it from other predators and return to eat portions of it later. Deer that have been preyed on by another predator – such as wolves – are going to be more spread out and left unburied.
Paw prints are hard to spot since cougars tend to make very little impact on the ground when they walk. If you do come across tracks, look for a lack of claws in the print; cougars retract their claws when roaming to preserve sharpness for gripping prey. Equally hard to spot: their droppings. Typical of cats, cougars usually cover their scat with loose soil. When their droppings are visible, they will often show pieces of bone and a decent amount of hair from the hide of their prey. This is as opposed to wolves, whose scat won’t show bone at all, and bear scat that often has berries in it.
‘Convince the cougar that you are not prey’
While cougars do their best to avoid highly populated areas and humans in general, they are still occasionally spotted in our neck of the woods. Cougar attacks on humans are incredibly rare, but pets and livestock can be a concern. If cougar activity is identified in your neighborhood, the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) recommends keeping dogs and cats indoors, especially around dusk and dawn, as well as feeding them inside.
Pet food and water left outside attracts small mammals that, in turn, attract larger predators.
When taking dogs outside, use a leash, even in your own backyard. Lighting walkways after dark and pruning shrubs and trees can prevent cougars from staying out of sight. Livestock should be kept in secure pens away from forest boundaries. When hiking, stay in groups and make plenty of noise.
If a cougar is encountered, WDFW says to remember that rapid movements (like running) may trigger an attack. At close range, a cougar’s instinct is to chase. Pick up small children or pets immediately and, while facing the cougar, talk to it firmly while slowly backing away. You can make yourself appear bigger by holding a jacket open wider or spreading your arms; if in a group, stay shoulder to shoulder to appear intimidatingly large. If the cougar does not flee or becomes aggressive, be assertive: shout, wave arms, and throw anything you have available.
“The idea is to convince the cougar that you are not prey, but a potential danger,” WDFW’s website says.
Armed with a bit of knowledge and precautions, we can better coexist with wildlife in our backyard – and beyond.
