Mountain Lion Photographed Around Bayside Cutoff

Capture

Image from a game camera set up by Ramona LaBolle.

A large mountain lion was captured on camera prowling near a residence in the area of the Bayside Cutoff a little over a week ago. “[A]ll summer we’ve been watching what looked like a “scent mound” on our driveway,” said resident Lisa LaBolle. Finally, to see what was up, her daughter, Ramona LaBolle, set up a wildlife camera that captured this image (and several others) at 1:30 a.m. on August 28.

The family didn’t check the images until this morning when they discovered the large cat had strolled by their garage.

Southwest Wildlife’s Educational Director, Kevin Hansen urges people who live in Mountain Lion country to take the following precautions:

Make lots of noise if you come and go during the times mountain lions are most active—dusk to dawn.

• Closely supervise children whenever they play outdoors. Make sure children are inside before dusk and not outside before dawn. Talk with children about lions and teach them what to do if they meet one.

• Don’t feed wildlife! Feeding deer, javelina or other wildlife in your yard may attract mountain lions, which prey on these animals. Avoid landscaping with plants that attract deer and rabbits, especially non-native shrubs and plants.

• Landscape for safety. Remove dense and/or low-lying vegetation that provides hiding places for mountain lions, bobcats, and coyotes—especially around children’s play areas. Make it difficult for wild predators to move about or approach your yard unseen.

• Install outdoor lighting. Light areas where you walk so you could see a lion if one were present.

• Keep your pet under control. Roaming pets are easy prey and can attract lions. Bring pets in at night. If you leave your pet outside, keep it in a kennel with a secure top. Don’t feed pets outside; this can attract raccoons and other animals that are eaten by lions. Securely store all garbage.

• Place livestock in enclosed sheds or barns at night. Close doors to outbuildings to prevent inquisitive lions from entering.

• Encourage your neighbors to follow these simple precautions. Prevention is far better than a possible lion encounter.

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16 Comments
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Shawn
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Shawn
8 years ago

The cat was not prowling, it was just being a cat. Please don’t contribute to the stigmatization of predators. Remember, everybody- there are lots of big cats around here, we just don’t often see them.

Rachel
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Rachel
8 years ago
Reply to  Shawn

Thank you!! I agree-we as humans have moved into their territory. Many of us who came here or choose to stay here do so because of the natural beauty of Humboldt County. Included in that are the predators such as mountain lions and it would be a fundamentally different place without them. I love the fact that compared to many other places in this country, bears, bobcats and mountain lions here can live as they were meant to.

Shake
Guest
Shake
8 years ago

I appreciate the alert & the tips for keeping all safe, including the mountain lion.

yay
Guest
yay
8 years ago

The best advice i got on lions was from a few older ladies in varying parts of the county- carry a long umbrella when hiking or even in your yard for kids.
Each lady told me almost the same story; come upon a mtn lion while out hiking, had been using umbrella as walking stick and for sun shade, each waved that umbrella around their head to look big to lion then opened the umbrella with it pointing at lion. Each cat quikly ran off after that!!!

Many large animals are now displaced by fire and hungry from drought. A mountain lion has a huge home range, & fires push them to travel through areas they may not have otherwise. As does hunger. There are many cows and goats in the b.cutoff area, put them inside at nite if you can. Goats are sweet treats to lions.

That area is/was a bit of a wildlife corridor as a direct route up the jacoby creek watershed is close by.
Its a good idea this time of year anyway to take precautions as food is often low and drastic weather changes can push them to try to fatten up for winter. Saw that hayfork went from firey to a low of 33° a few nites ago. That drastic of a change is stressful for any mammal.

And dont forget the awesome wildlife program at hsu, am sure there are students who would be into monitoring this lion if its sticking around.

Zoltan
Guest
Zoltan
8 years ago

Prefered homebase is green pond that smells good. From a pond, comes microbe fed bug, fish, bird. A rare spot to watch bugs and game, for water. Water near man smells of chlorine, or humanure. Ask any raven or crow. Read about endangered cóndor , bathing, daily,in a little, highaltitude puddle. Nuthing like a human burning up over $100 dólares a day .imagine a colon, of such a being.wouldnt be fit for even food.

V man
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V man
8 years ago
Reply to  Zoltan

It sounds like you have lots of ideas spinning around in your head right now.
A little scrambled in the presentation though.

G-ma
Guest
G-ma
8 years ago

Yikes!!their just looking for food,the fires are pushing them from there home.we have shared land with them as long as we have been here.Big cat

Life is Good
Guest
Life is Good
8 years ago

Great pic. I have cams set up all over my land and have captured everything except the crown jewel, a big cat. Very elusive.

Ben Shepherd
Guest
Ben Shepherd
8 years ago

I have two videos of a large mountain lion here in Dows Prairie one at 2:20 in the afternoon and the other at 6:15 in the morning. It was just behind my barn, last Friday. Had a deer kill by the barn last year.

LeAnna Carson-Hansen
Guest
LeAnna Carson-Hansen
8 years ago

That is a big cat for sure….. Hope the clueless do not end up facing down a big cat when it decides your cat, dog or small child is its prey. The fires are almost out. The territory of the big cat is very large. Easy prey is food. Nice photo. Would love a more precise location of the sighting.

Patty
Guest
Patty
8 years ago

Boy you got that right! I used to work for Fish and Game, and some people are so STUPID when it comes to wildlife, including cougars. “Oh they’re so pretty!” Yes but don’t be fooled, that pretty kitty will rip your face off and eat your child too given half a chance and if it’s hungry enough or feels threatened. One of our wardens came across two parents laughing and taking pictures while their two small children played with a couple of bear cubs on the side of the road. SERIOUSLY?!? My husband says it’s nature’s way of weeding out the stupid, sigh. Thanks for your comment, it’s spot on.

Sparklemahn
Guest
Sparklemahn
8 years ago
Reply to  Patty

You comment’s spot on, too.

humboldthung
Guest
humboldthung
8 years ago

So when was the last kid killed by a lion? I didn’t know we had javelin here!

TT
Guest
TT
8 years ago

Nice to know. I sure could use a rash of handfuls of fun pics! You know coping with the stress of all these fires. We all need to help. Fire is equal opportunity.

Fives
Guest
Fives
8 years ago

Beautiful cat!