Cougar in the backyard.

[rpd]

I always enjoy the wildlife photos/videos that are shared here, so I thought I would share this video by Larry McCafferty.
[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=npw786Ou_gY[/youtube]
There are many more wildlife videos on his channel ranging from humming birds and slugs to eagle, deer and bear visiting the old orchard behind his house.

I first met Larry almost three years ago when I subscribed to his wood turning channel The Tiny Trailer Workshop . Soon I discovered he only lives about 27 miles west of me (45 min drive),

Shirley BC.png (782.64 KiB) Viewed 1570 times

I have visited with him several times and we have become friends.

[BuckeyeDennis]

I enjoy wildlife, and am all for coexisting peacefully with the critters. But that big cat doesn't seem to have much fear of humans -- he looked as likely to charge as to run away. Are they a danger to humans in your area?

[rpd]

I enjoy wildlife, and am all for coexisting peacefully with the critters. But that big cat doesn't seem to have much fear of humans -- he looked as likely to charge as to run away. Are they a danger to humans in your area?

Larry does say in the description.

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!

Attacks on humans are very rare, usually on children in remote community's or camping with their family's and the offending cougars are generally old and sick or young and inexperienced hunters. I noticed the one in the video has a tag in it's ear.

Every year there are cougar sightings in Victoria and the surrounding suburbs, these are usually young cougars that come down along the west coast of the island looking for territory. I'm sure the proliferation of urban deer probably doesn't help either. The Conservation officers come with tracking dogs and deal with them.

Back in the early 80's one was caught in the parkade of the Empress Hotel which is right downtown and another in a basement suite in the James Bay neighbourhood which is next to downtown. In the the mid 90's one was found in a small warehouse that I did the mail pickup for, also in James Bay, they come in along the railroad corridor at night and then look for a place to hide when it gets light.

Back in the early 2000's a bear was shot by the police just behind my house. My wife was coming home and saw it on the road, then it went down our driveway and into the gravel pit that was behind us (it is now closed and being developed). There is an elementary school and a middle school nearby so it was not safe to let it roam.

[garys]

We have had a cougar problem around here the last few years too. There is good habitat for them in the western part of the state, but they don't want to stay there. Some of them roam out into the open areas where there is no cover for them and into more populated parts of the state and get themselves in trouble.
A couple of years ago we had one right in the city of Bismarck, so State Game and Fish had to eliminate him before he killed somebody.

[Gene Howe]

Ron, you and Larry don't live far from Paul Miller, (Shipwright) do you?
He's on Cowichan Bay.

[rpd]

Ron, you and Larry don't live far from Paul Miller, (Shipwright) do you?
He's on Cowichan Bay.

Cowichan bay is 30 miles (40 min drive) north of me. We were going to get together for coffee last year but I didn't get it organized.
Last August he had his marquetry jewellery box exhibited at an arts fair in Sooke, (about half way to where Larry lives). I went to see it and thought I might see Paul there as he was also demonstrating but I had misread his blog and his demo had been the previous weekend.

He has opened The Canadian School of French Marquetry and I believe that is keeping him fairly busy.