Death of a Cougar

Brian Davis was shed hunting in the Central Oregon high desert last month when he came upon the battle site between two cougars.  Obviously, one of the big cats lost.

The following is an excerpt of an article by Gary Lewis from the March 8, 2012 "Bend Bulletin."

Before there is new life, there must be death. In February, the deer and elk cast off their old crowns. Even as yesterday’s antlers fall away, new growth begins at the pedicle.

It was a Sunday afternoon and the weather forecast called for wind on the high desert. Brian Davis of Redmond calculated he had a few hours to look for antlers on public land between Bend and Sisters. He parked his car a little way off the road and felt the wind in his face as he walked up through the junipers and pines.

When the sun was high in the sky, he topped out on a knob and caught a glimpse of movement up ahead. A tawny body. Dappled sun on muscled flanks.

“I looked through the buckbrush and saw this big brown animal running. It had a long, black-tipped tail. He definitely saw me first,” Davis said. “It was 50 yards away. I walked right onto it.”

Brian whipped out his camera to try to get a picture and trotted up through the brush for a better look.

When he stopped, he looked down at the body of a partially eaten cougar.  “It looked like the ground was mown down where they fought, for about 10 feet in one direction and 20 feet in the other. And this one was the loser.”

Brian has taken many photos of the site and has tastefully
framed the results of the cat encounter.

For more information Brian may be contacted by phone at 541-350-3180