The Seattle Times
reported that two mountain bike riders were stalked by a cougar while they were cycling on a dirt road in the forest near Snoqualmie, a popular riding destination east of Seattle, Washington. After facing off the cat, the two continued on their way, after which the cougar returned and attacked 31 year old Seattle resident Isaac Sederbaum. According to Sederbaum, his friend, identified as S.J. Brooks, tried to flee into the woods, which captured the attention of the cat and precipitated a fatal attack on Brooks. Reportedly, Sederbaum then hopped on his bike and rode two miles in search of cell phone reception to call for emergency assistance. Brook was found dead and was apparently being dragged off the trail by the cat when authorities using tracking dogs located and killed the animal.
Fish and Wildlife officials said attacks are rare and that this was only the second fatality by a cougar in Washington State in nearly 100 years. The cougar was in "emaciated" condition and is being examined by veterinarians to assess why the attack may have occurred. Rich Beausoleil, the state’s bear and cougar specialist said that the state's cougar population has been stable at 2100 adults. "Emotions can run high after a report such as today’s" he said. “Hopefully, nobody will break the law.”
How much should mountain bikers worry about cougar attacks? Chances of an attack are minimal. In the past century, 18 non-fatal attacks were recorded in Washington, with seven requiring minor hospitalization. Top predators are always a risk, so riders should be prepared. The two mountain bikers initially responded correctly, reportedly, by facing it off, making lots of noise and waving their bikes, which successfully drove the cat off. Be aware of potential wildlife risks, and it's a good idea to check with local authorities for a specific danger in unfamiliar riding areas.
Our condolences go out to the friends and family of S.J. Brooks.
See the Seattle Times follow-up story.
Extremely rare, tragic incident.
The forest IS Cougar habitat.
Cougars are facing habitat loss in many areas.
Hunters have shot and killed (recorded) over 600 cougars in the US alone since 96.
It's so bad and the numbers have been decimated so much that they're not getting the genetic diversity to fight disease etc.
Some good info here - mountainlion.org/FAQfrequentlyaskedquestions.asp#Hunting
My condolences.
In the US?
Negative.
A guy (a triathelete no less) was killed in Whiting Ranch by a mountain lion, and the same animal later attacked two women, and while it was attempting to finish off one of 'em, her friend successfully drive it away with rocks.
And this was post-y2k.
A friend of mine had an encounter with a cougar while on a mountain bike ride in Western Washington in the nineties. It basically turned into a wrestling match and he was lucky the cat was not full grown. The story is worth a read:
community.seattletimes.nwsource.com/archive/?date=19960527&slug=2331443
That being said, unless I were riding solo at Tiger / Raging / Olallie, I'm not too worried about mountain lions or bears here. Granted they are ambush predators who like fast moving prey and we simulate much of that in our descending.
Actually i'm standing at my desk criticizing. just sayin'. i'm aware that more than one rider against a "small" cat stand a good chance of scaring it off.
Horrible situation all around and nobody knows how they'd react but unless i was mortally wounded i wouldn't leave anyone behind.
i dunno fatty-d. I'm 200+ lbs of angry, bald, fat biker. I'd sit on his ass.
Yes i'm typing out my arse. just sayin' i wouldn't leave someone behind, not for a 100lb kitty cat.
Same here - when i've encountered huge moose it's just shocking and startling. Hard to know what anyone would do until they're in that situation. Good to have a plan in mind just in case.
I was fishing alone in those same foothills when a mtn lion showed up, and I did what I was supposed to in terms of facing it down, shouting, throwing rocks; it didn't run, it just looked at me for a bit and sauntered into the undergrowth. I'll happily admit I was scared motherless and that downstream slog to the car was some of the longest 30 minutes of my life.
As to fighting back, that's what you're supposed to do - I know some folks that managed it with 3 guys, a dog, and eventually hunting rifles; but I also held a 25 pound lion cub in Africa and when that thing wanted to be gone there's nothing in the world I could have done to hold onto it. Fighting is the right thing, but realistically I don't fancy my chances against 100+ pounds of wildcat.
(Also standing at my computer, internet warrioring...)
protip: don't be messing with no badgers.
#honeybadgerdon'tcare
That's gnarly. Glad the cat you saw lost interest.
Yup, that's the wild card. A couple people fighting a normal 100 lb cat might be able to scare it off..... but sounds like this cat had issues.
Sounds like they did what they were supposed to and it initially worked but the cat was acting unusually for some reason and decided to go at them again.
Look around in areas of potential danger, don’t ride alone, don’t clip in, don’t wear 5.10s, wear Pumas. It’s not about outrunning a mountain lion, it’s about outrunning your friends
Have a nice day
www.sfgate.com/science/article/Couple-s-lesson-in-survival-from-07-cougar-attack-3658073.php
Some day I'm going to crash and rupture my can of bear spray. That's gonna suck. I'll probably get eaten by a mountain lion while I'm down :/
fkn legendary! i love it!
bear spray won't work quite as well, as it is meant for bears
To your point, however, @jclnv: a very rare occurrence. A sad situation all the way around. Pedal safely, folks, and respect what we're doing and where we're doing it...
But if you ever do see a cougar, it's probably best to put your bike between the cougar and you while you stand your ground. At least provide some sort of barrier between you and the animal that will also make you look larger and more threatening. Try not to run, as that will make you look like prey for them to chase.
Maybe it'll work, maybe it won't, but i'm going down fighting.
www.bladehq.com/item--Benchmade-Nimravus-Fixed--2365
w/ this knife:
www.bladehq.com/item--Benchmade-140BK-Nimravus--1490
Expensive, but I'm a knife dork too
Truth is they grab the back of your neck and shake you (trying to break your neck) and rake with their rear legs. Knife isn't likely going to help.
This cat was an anomaly. That being said, you are more likely to have to fight off another human so the presence of your knife is not all bad. Horror stories of running into psychos and meth cookers on rides are all too common.
You really have to pull with authority to get the knife out of the sheath, and it just won't come out at all without disengaging the thumb lock. I'm not worried about it.
I got knocked off of my bike by lightning (can't explain the physics on that one) just a sudden flash and I was on the ground. My mouth tasted like aluminum foil.
I fended off a smallish black bear with my bike (smallish as in we were eye to eye when it stood up on its hind legs). I ended up hitting it in head with my chainring and then we both ran in opposite directions, and I vaulted a 6 foot fence without touching it.
So, myself and things in the wilderness get crazy on occasion, and I try to be prepared.
If I could put this post on a pillow in needlepoint I would; words to live by, it's hilarious and damn informative.
I know at walker, left hand, Jamestown, ward, etc, they’re watching. Any of the less traveled trails, they know you’re there. Lucky for us, they have plenty of food.
Awful news and my condolences to the victim's friend and family.
I was a bit shocked, but my buddy put it in perspective. He said "I drive up and down I-5 through Seattle everyday, and see people dead in car wrecks all the time".
My heart goes out to these two men, and their friends and family. They met with a highly unlikely fate.
If a bear, or a shark, or a mountain lion, etc. becomes accustomed to or even accepts the ideaof hunting people as prey it has to die. Literally slash the motherf*ckers throat or risk dying.
Why? Because scaring off a cougar that is attacking people just means there's going to be another attack. Potentially a child on the same trail with their family. Potentially you smugly riding along with your little can of pretend protection.
Super rare, blah, blah, blah all nonsense aside my condolences to the riders friends and family. What a crappy thing to have happen.
Ride with pepper spray or bear spray
Ride with a knife
Noise makers
Be aware because those animals are guess what animals and will do what animals do to stay alive.
and this is why you have no friends.
but for serious..... might be interesting to know how many attacks resulted in fatalities vs cougar backing off. i'd wager most of us would join the fight as opposed to saying:
"Hey Bill..... we'll.... uh.... wait for you back at the car. Um..... good luck with that."
My scariest encounter was on a night hike, was just walking along with friends being loud for that very reason and 30 feet away we see those eyes reflecting back from 15 feet up in an oak tree overhanging the trail. They have an eerie presence for sure, and have no right being that big, strong, and quiet. They hunt from the trees by dropping onto their prey, then kill it and drag it back up the tree. If you actually see one it’s because it allowed you to, you didn’t sneak up on it.
For everyone saying bear mace, it wouldn’t hurt; but bear mace spray range is 15-20 feet, and Cougars can leap 40 feet while sprinting. Mace will only help if you see it coming.
It sounds like they did everything they could, and that Cougar had it out for them. You have to remember you’re not always the apex predator in the area.
Look where the cat is going. If it is *determined* to go your way, you are between it and its cubs or cache. 'Food storage'
It will see you as a threat to its stuff/cubs. Circle away from its path with your bike between you and it. See if its path changes.
Make *SURE* you make noises that CANNOT be mistaken for animal noises. Don't growl, hiss, bark or what not at the cat. Talk LOUDLY to it with varying words and sentences. Try NOT to repeat yourself over and over.
UN-Naturally patterned gear helps make you not look like prey as well as they only see muted colors.
Do *NOT* turn your back or ride off until you cannot see that cat anymore.
IF the cat should attack, go for its eyes, under the ribs/throat. They'll get you on your back, or get you from behind. They're prime place to blow is the neck. Cover neck with your hands, elbows and donkey kick.
Its very very very rare to have happen and is a tragedy to this biker and his Family.
Bear spray could be effective in a situation where you saw the cougar coming (like this one) but cougars like to attack by surprise and are very fast.
Probably the most important advice is if you actually know there are cougars in the area to keep a very close eye on children and dogs as they are far more likely targets.
Carrying a gun is probably a waste of effort unless it helps your testosterone level which will probably help build muscles while riding.
I guess the thing to remember is how much less danger you are in from animals while mountain biking than from head injury while riding or vehicle related injury getting to and from the trail. I do love seeing the bears and cougars (never seen a wolf while riding although there are lots where I live) so I am happy to share the woods with them. There is always a risk but its small comparative to many things we do and honestly I have seen both my father and grandfather die from workplace hazard related lung cancer and while being killed and eaten would suck and at least it would be over pretty quick.
Being in the woods always come at a specific danger- just be prepared.
youtu.be/Fgx74DIrLZI
This is a very sad story and thankfully not a common story.
Condolences to all involved, it’s hard to be prepared for that kind of situation.
They were on road bikes on dirt roads
www.kiro7.com/video?videoId=753867643&videoVersion=1.0
youtu.be/d4FbHzeCJjM
Very tragic. Thoughts go out to SJ Brooks’s loved ones.
Moron. Once a wild animal kills a human it will do so again and start to see humans as a food source. Once there's an attack, the animal has to be put down.
It doesn't have sh*t to do with fairness.
In the other hand...what is the benefit of hunt and kill the cat..question?
Agreed.
There is likely Russian intervention in this account/media spin. Leave North American Mountain Lion out of it - focus instead on Russian bear.
Personally, I don't think killing the cougar was really necessary. It's like if a surfer is attacked by a shark, it's not the shark's fault for being a shark. In this case, the cougar probably felt threatened and lashed out, that doesn't mean it's going to go on a killing spree. Also, in case nobody knew this, in Washington killing a human is not typically a crime punishable by death (yes, I realize it can be. However, it must be aggravated first-degree murder which is irrelevant for my argument). So, if an intelligent, thinking human can commit murder and just go to jail, why can't a cougar? I understand this may sound stupid and insensitive to some of you, but instead of flaming me below just think about it and let it go. Thanks.
Don't waste your wisdom.
That cougar done NOTHING NAUGHTY. Period.