[at-l] Mountain Lions in Smoky?

[stephensadams at hotmail.com (Steve Adams)]

Skeeter,

Reference your post, date 12-15-03, “about a mountain lion being spotted in 
the Adirondacks. ... they managed to get a photo.”

I once viewed a collection of photos sent in by people to prove their 
mountain lion sightings.  There were, of course, no identifiable mountain 
lions - - otherwise that collection would have been without humor.  The 
photos of a beaver crossing an open road was most memorable.

“I was out in Montana with Jim and Ginny.  We didn't see any griz, but we 
kept wondering how many griz saw us ...  I suspect the same thing applies 
with mountain lions ...”

I have observed such behavior with black bear.  On one, I think spectacular, 
occasion, I was walking along the AT and came to a “T intersection” where 
another trail intersects from the left and the AT turns right.  I was being 
bad, hiking with my two dogs, off lead - - it WAS a season where I have 
never met anyone hiking.  The dogs were well ahead of me and correctly 
turned right.  Straight ahead, beyond the intersection and facing me, a bear 
was sitting next to a large tree watching my dogs, off to his left.  When 
the dogs had gone far enough away he returned his gaze forward, and noticed 
me walking toward him.  The bear almost imperceptibly shifted his bulk, 
without moving his feet or rear end, and leaned right, until he was 
completely behind the tree.  I had not thought of bear appreciating 
concealment of this subtlety - - or, perhaps, he thought when he couldn’t 
see me, I ceased to exist.  Regardless, I turned right at the intersection, 
and looked back several times.  The bear remained - - as if a bad student 
caught in class - - sitting with his “nose in the corner” directly behind 
the tree.

Steve

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