Mountain Lions are getting more active the closer we get to summer. Do I need to remind you of this scary video from our neighboring state? A Utah hiker came across a mama mountain lion and her cubs and the mama charged and chased him away. Warning this video contains A LOT of bleeped profanity.


According to the hiker 26 year old Kyle Burgess, he was jogging along the Utah trail when he came across a couple of cougar cubs. Probably equally as startled the mama cougar made it very, very clear that she wanted him far away from her babies. So far in fact that she 'chased him off' for a good six minutes.

Have you ever seen a Mountain Lion up close, or had one even from far away charge at you? it is a scary scary thing. My two pups and I were chased by one almost 10 years ago in southern Oregon near Klamath Falls and I will never forget it. We luckily managed to make it safely back to the car. My heart truly goes out the Idaho family from last year whos dog got taken by a mountain lion while they were enjoying a trip outdoors.

According to Fish and Game the "family was in Carey Idaho in the Wild Rose Hot Springs along highway 20. What was a peaceful beautiful day turned quite quickly when a mountain lion came out and snatched one of the small dogs. Mountain Lions usually stay clear of humans but the little dogs must have been too enticing for the lion to resist."

Here are some things to keep in mind if you encounter a mountain lion.

  • Do not run or turn your back on it. Yea, easier said than done, this is literally the first thing I did when I encountered one with my dog was to run. Instead you should try and make yourself look as large as possible, and slowly back away while continuing eye contact.
  • Being loud is also good however stay away from screaming as it can sound like a wounded animal to them.
  • Another one that is scary to think about, if attacked by a mountain lion, always fight back.

Animals You Can See Now At Zoo Boise

Snakes in Idaho, What's Venomous & What's Harmless

We love Idaho and love the great outdoors that the gem state has to offer. Inevitably however, if you are outdoors enough, you will encounter a snake two. While many will run away from anything that slithers, it is helpful to know which snakes are common in Idaho and which ones are dangerous in Idaho.

LOOK: 30 fascinating facts about sleep in the animal kingdom

More From Idaho’s Talk Station