...about the mountain lion.
The encounter actually happened on that Thursday afternoon when I was hiking out to buy an elk tag so the load was light on the goats, ~15-20 lbs. Also goats don't do well on lead so you basically hike as if you are alone and they will follow...usually lagging 10-30 yards behind.
Anyways, I was hiking down a spine of this long, open ridge when I looked down and saw a cougar quartering towards the goats. He was about 60 yards away, didn't see me and was 100% focused on the goats. The goats didn't know he was there. I yelled and clapped my hands and in a split second the cat turned around and disappeared down hill. At this point I thought he was gone and continued the trek down. About 2-3 minutes later I see the cat again on this time in front of me on top of the spine in some rocks (sort of in a laying down, sitting down postion). I have no idea how he got ahead of me but this time he was close, about 25 yrds away. I remember it was like the cat was looking right through me as if I didn't exist, totally focused in on the goats. The goats still had no idea they were being hunted. I threw a stick in his direction and he jumped on the other side of the spine and disappeared. I knew he wasn't gone so I took my gun out and slowly started down the ridge making sure I was on the highest point so not to be ambushed from above. I also gathered the goats and tried to keep them from lagging too far behind. But to be honest, I was looking out for me and the goats were on their own. It was a few minutes later I heard some thrashing behind so I turn around and see flashes of goat absolutely hauling butt down the mountain. I'm not exagerating, it was deer like speed and all I could see was flashes of goat, orange panyards and dust through the trees. I thought for sure I would be following a blood trail to find one of the goats ##### up. So I made my way towards where they ran and about 1/2 mile later found them, in the bottom of the canyon, untouched with no injuries. I couldn't believe it. They were gitty as hell but fine.
So I'm not sure what really happened. I think if they would have winded the cat they would have been nervous and stayed super close to me but not bailed off the mtn like that. I think the cat made a move on them to get them running like that. Maybe the panyards or a cow bell I had on one of the goats made him think twice.
I'll never know what happened but it was an intense few moments and an unforgettable memory thats pretty funny looking back.
Curious? did you hunt that elk in your white T-shirt? 
