[at-l] Bobcats

["Beau Bushor" <mail2beau@adelphia.net>]

Cin's comments on Bobcat tracks along the LT/AT in Vermont reminded me of
the scariest night I ever had while backpacking.  Near the same area that
Cin references is Griffith Lake.  When I was 16 doing my first big solo
hike, Massachusetts border to Killington, I stayed at the Griffith Lake
shelter.  It became very foggy and dark during the night and you couldn't
see hardly at all.  During the night I had usual shelter mice dancing on my
bag that half woke me many times.  During one half awake period I heard this
scream very near to the shelter. It sounded like a woman's voice who was
being killed. It scared the hell out of me.  Not hearing it again I dozed
back off to sleep.  All of a sudden a heavy weight was on my chest.  I was
terrified after hearing the earlier scream.  I just froze. Because of the
darkness I couldn't see a thing.  I thought I was about to be killed.  Then
the object moved off my chest via my neck.  It was wet and furry.  I was
fully awake now and my eyes had adjusted to see it was a raccoon.  That
proceeded to snuggle up to me and settle in for the night.  Not knowing if
it was rabid or not I didn't move. I didn't sleep the rest of the night.  I
had gotten to the shelter late and had not read the log prior to going to
bed.  In the morning when I read the log this is what I learned. This
raccoon who had lived with people since its birth had been brought to the
shelter area and left to return to the wild.  Other shelter users had been
awoken as I when it wanted to snuggle for the night.  Others entries talked
about the Bobcat "screams" that sounded like a woman being murdered.  It was
one hell of a night for me.

* From the AT-L |  Need help? http://www.backcountry.net/faq.html  *

==============================================================================