Mountain Lions?

[KathyW]

I heard they had trouble with mountain lions attacking the horses/mules when they kept them in Long Valley years ago, but I'm not sure if that's true or not. Anyway, there are Mountain Lions up there - they just don't like to be seen.

[magikwalt]

Seen the tracks on Skyline between 4,000 and 6,000 several times. Deer move into the canyon areas seeking water and food and the mountain lions follow.

[zippetydude]

Z - Did you mean pack of coyotes?

No. I was just kidding about them being menacing. I don't think there's been a mountain lion attack in the San Jacintos in 50 years, and you're right, they don't run in packs of 20! Round Valley is probably one of the safest places you can be - much safer than a city sidewalk.

z

[bluerail]

I DID see a pack of wild bunnies snooping around a crowded Tamarack site once. Some of them even had their ears back and looked menacing.

[asabat]

Only mountain lion I've seen (outside a zoo) was running across the road at the cemetary in San Marcos. A month before I had seen lion tracks in the mud outside my front door. I've seen their tracks many times, including near Ranchita (above Borrego Springs) and in Lost Valley.

We were once surrounded by a pack of kit foxes as we were sitting around the campfire in the desert. They stayed just out of the light, except around 1 in the morning one of the guys woke to find himself face to face with one. Startled him but thankfully he didn't make any sudden move and get bit.

[scottmac]

Might be one male and (maybe) one female on San Jacinto given their huge individual territorial range, estimated to be between 50 or so sq.miles up to 300 sq.miles or more depending on terrain, vegetation and prey abundance. Male cat territory overlap is rare.

[sparky]

Maybe ten years ago where "Cottenwood Jumps" used to be in Railroad Canyon, we heard something VERY large jump out of a tree and run into the brush. Definitely a mountain lion. It was night and there was maybe 8 or 10 of us going to party down in the old oak grove by the jumps. It scared the shit out of us and we bailed. I never saw it, but the only other thing it could have been was a deer, and they don't hang out in trees!

Me and my family on a day hike to suicide rock saw a lynx bound across the trail, this was 5 or 6 years ago?

In the Santa Ana mountains me and a couple others saw a VERY large mountain lion jump onto the trail from a cliff below, then jumped up to a ledge 15-20 feet above in a single bound, was pretty amazing. We turned around and left. This was maybe 3 years ago?

A couple weeks ago I was hiking solo from strawberry junction to saddleback junction, and I saw many deer. In fact this year, I have seen lots of deer, they seem to be growing in numbers. Anyway, as I was heading back, I saw 2 deer and heard one or two more in some brush. They seemed to be running from something, probably me. For the next 5 or so miles, I kept hearing something behind me...something big, and could feel something watching me. I started getting a little tripped out and was banging my water bottle to make loud noises. I imagined I scared off its kill and was going for me! Or perhaps checking me out.

I never saw it, but I was sure I was being stalked by a mountain lion.