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Cougar video, Sheringham Point Rd

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The following video and text was posted on Youtube, by Larry McCafferty.

A visit from a cool cat!

I have no doubt that I was being considered as an early evening snack! As soon as I went out the door he was sitting there looking at me… and I had time to go back in and grab the camera! I got a little bit of footage handheld but I can’t hold it still enough… so I went back in and got the tripod.

I have trimmed down our visit as he was here for about 45 minutes… and it is really hard with a cat like this to say… no …that part isn’t worth keeping!

The most frustrating part is that at the end… the memory card filled up! When it came around the tree it took a couple of steps in my direction and then turned and put the front paws up on the cherry tree and had a look around up there… then came down and took another step or two in my direction… at which point I stepped back into my door!!!

After that he/she just casually exited the yard just as quietly as he/she had arrived!

This was my second encounter with a cougar.. ever… and the first with a camera…

So long as I know they are there… it’s cool!

I wouldn’t want those eyes on me like that without being aware of it!!!

Unfortunately with this attitude towards humans… I am afraid that this cougar may not see another summer here on Sheringham Point Road… but you never know!

Thanks for watching

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Cougar video, Sheringham Point Rd — 94 Comments

    • That is not typical behavior.. it has been tagged already which means that its been delt with already.

      For the safety of pets/livestock and possibly humans in the area it probably should be

    • It is sad to say that his attitude towards me will probably lead him to a bad end. He was fine here where I had room to go the other way if needed.. but out in the open I’m not sure that would have been the case. That being said… I think he was still pretty young and may have just wanted to play!
      Thanks for watching Larry

      • Do you mean to tell me that if I didn’t have a camera they wouldn’t come in my yard? Or are you saying that I get a thrill out of having them killed? Both are things that you don’t know and shouldn’t make assumptions about!
        I think that by filming what I see out here in the wilds that it makes it so those not as fortunate as I, can still see what wonderful animals they really are!
        Thanks for watching
        Larry

    • They are awesome creatures aren’t they? I found it strange how much he looked like a snub nosed German Shepard at some times and a lion at others! Of course the whole time being the main Cougar on the block!
      Thanks for watching Larry

    • He is more than welcome to visit any time he likes and no I don’t think I would want to mess with him! Play peek a boo maybe… but not mess!
      Thanks for watching
      Larry

    • I was a little surprised when he stood up… I knew they were big!!! I just wish the memory card filled just at the end there… when he put his front feet up in the tree… his head was at least 7 or maybe 8 feet up!
      Thanks for watching
      Larry

    • I hope so too… but he has had one run in already… maybe he was just in the process of heading for the hills and this place got in the way! I’ve kept my cats inside so as not to slow him down any around here!
      Thanks for watching
      Larry

    • Some are just sick & mental, just like other living things on this earth. He was not displace this area is his home. As do other living things they adapt as we have also adapted to living in this concrete jungle
      If I remember correctly we where wild animals ourselves.

      Cheers

      • I believe that he was neither and this concrete jungle is called Shirley! This is his home and I think he is doing a fine job of doing what cats his size do… what ever they want!
        Thanks for watching
        Larry

    • The epitome of grace and strength! But when you get right down to it… it is still a cat… plays the same games and even has a quick check out of the tail… you never know!
      Thanks for watching
      Larry

  11. I know a fellow who lives in that area and he has had many Cougars enter his yard over the years. They follow the deer and the deer go where the green stuff is this time of year

    • This is the first one I have seen in 4 years here… of course I’m not out there all the time and I am sure that many have passed through! The deer are here on a pretty regular basis as are the bears so I get to see all kinds of things that people back in town only ever hear about! Awful Lucky!
      Thanks for watching
      Larry

    • An apt description… and your suggestions are good ones… but when it comes to cohabitation… I kind of think he was here checking out the menu! Me! The memory card filled up just at the wrong time… he made a few more moves towards me before I went back in the house… he may have just wanted to play… but I wasn’t going to take any chances!
      Thanks for watching
      Larry

    • The yellow tag means that he has been picked up by some branch of the parks department and has been released back into the wild. I am afraid that he has not taken the warning to heart! He still looks young and he may still make a life for himself out there somewhere!
      Face to face through a telephoto is close enough for me!
      Thanks for watching
      Larry

    • Having seen him look up the cherry tree to see if there was a good spot to hang out! Fortunately I use a riding mower!
      Loud food!
      Thanks for watching
      Larry

  19. what a beautiful animal. The tag on her ear no doubt has a story. She hardly took her eyes off Larry and I saw her predatory body language several times. I hope she finds her way back into the wilds before she gets in trouble.

    Wondering if Larry happened to have a dog in heat? Had a cougar hanging around (very close) to our tent while camping. It turns out it was our dog she was after. We had to put her in kennels for the rest of our trip.

    • The body language and the smacking of the lips!!!
      I hope she does too!
      Wasn’t sure of the sex… it’s a good one what ever it is!!
      I have only two cats and both of them are male and both are kept in at all times!
      There is evidence of deer in the yard as well as bear… all in the last couple of days! Sort of like the main highway through Shirley! Not to mention the rabbits and raccoons that live here too!
      All part of living in the country!
      Thanks for watching
      Larry

  20. Hey thats nature and we are in its back yard we are taking over everywhere where are they supposed to go its sad to see this and im into construction and i see alot of this we are pushing them out of there area we more or less have to have to have a preserved park for these beautiful animals that we share this planet with

    • I am much more grateful to see them out here where it is closer to wilderness than all the ones you hear about down in Victoria itself!
      It would be a lot easier to share though … if we weren’t on the menu! But they can come and visit me any time they like… not that I could stop them anyway!
      Thanks for watching
      Larry

    • October 5, 2015 10:43AM PDT was when that was posted! So I am going to say that no I don’t believe it was the same one! The same breed for sure! And it does look to be about the same age. But that was almost a year ago and I think there would be more signs of age by now.
      Thanks for watching
      Larry

    • Looks like the conservation officer thinks that might be a possibility! They relocated that one to Port Renfrew a year ago and it could have made it back this far by now! Sharp eye!
      Larry

    • That is my hope too! Of course this is the forest out here! Shirley is only 600 people and there are still lots of places for the critters. People just have to learn to not leave anything out that can attract them! Although I see by some accounts, that by allowing the rabbits and the deer to come and go as they please I am attracting the cougars too! Ah well! I will just have to make sure that the camera stays charged and ready to go!
      Thanks for watching
      Larry

    • I am right here on the edge of civilization and It could well be that this was just the most direct route out of Dodge!
      A beautiful animal for sure!
      Thanks for watching
      Larry

  27. Sorry, but Larry only used the 45 minutes of admiring the cougar to help habituate it to humans, probably sentencing it to death. It just learned that a man was no threat and piqued its curiosity on its next human meeting. To all that have encounters with bears and cougars, do them all a favour and use a bear banger to frighten it away immediately. To do anything else only contributes to their demise.

  28. Beautiful animal. It’s a little disturbing that even the wildest of creatures have our plastic crap stapled to them. No peace for anything while humans are around.

    What’s even more disturbing is that thing peeking out from behind the tree.

    • It is at that! I imagine that the tag says that this one has been in town before and this was a better option than shooting it! When it gets back out in the woods, the tag won’t interfere with it any more than an ear ring would!
      Disturbing maybe… but rain or shine he is always out there smiling! Even when a bear stands on his head!!!
      Thanks for watching
      Larry

    • He has a pretty good sniffer so I would imagine that with the cougar sitting not 10 feet away… he should be able to smell him!
      If you had that problem too then I would say that you were probably too close!!!
      Thanks for watching
      Larry

    • That he/she does and that means that this is a second chance,,, it has been too close to people for too long and needs a little reminder that it belongs farther out in the woods where it can flourish on its own!
      Thanks for watching
      Larry

  32. Can’t believe some of the negative comments on here. What is wrong with people?? Some just can’t enjoy anything without wanting to tear it down in some way.
    Filming this magnificent creature is hardly habituation…it was a beautiful opportunity to see this elusive animal at a safe distance. ….thank you, Larry, for sharing your experience.

    • I was a little surprised myself but everybody has their own vision of what is right and I am not going to be able to make videos that are what everybody thinks is right. I could make a fortune if I could do that!!
      I found this experience unusual in that when I walked out the door the first time… the cat was sitting in that same spot. I don’t know how long it had been there but there was a deep depression in the grass the next day, where it had been! It may have been waiting for a rabbit to appear or it may have just wanted to rest for a while! It did seem to be contemplating a climb up into the tree there… but I guess it didn’t provide enough coverage!
      I am glad that I was able to have the experience to share!
      Thanks for watching
      Larry

  35. Gorgeous cat. He/she sized you up as to whether or not you were a threat – and upon deciding you weren’t – then lounged around and stretched right out like a lazy cat, yawning!
    Great footage Larry! We don’t get to see them for such a length of time. I hope he/she fares well and makes his way to the hills.

  36. I agree with Cat Adam’s comment. It was not helpful in any way not to have simply scared that cat away from you Larry…beautiful footage or not. Please folks, don’t try to get wild animals comfortable with your presence if you value their lives as well!

  37. Best thing to do for this cat is shoot it with a slingshot or maybe even pellet gun, make it afraid of humans.

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