leaves were all off the trees and bushes； and I felt that next day
there would be such a chance to follow the cougar as fate rarely
offered。 In the morning by dawn I was at the bottom； and speedily
found his trail。 Following it I came across his bed； among some cedars
in a dark； steep gorge； where the buttes bordered the bottom。 He had
evidently just left it； and I followed his tracks all day。 But I never
caught a glimpse of him； and late in the afternoon I trudged wearily
homewards。 When I went out next morning I found that as soon as I
abandoned the chase； my quarry； according to the uncanny habit
sometimes displayed by his kind； coolly turned likewise； and
deliberately dogged my footsteps to within a mile of the ranch house；
his round footprints being as clear as writing in the snow。
This was the best chance of the kind that I ever had； but again and
again I have found fresh signs of cougar； such as a lair which they
had just left； game they had killed； or one of our venison caches
which they had robbed； and have hunted for them all day without
success。 My failures were doubtless due in part to various
shortcomings in hunter's…craft on my own part； but equally without
doubt they were mainly due to the quarry's wariness and its sneaking
ways。
I have seen a wild cougar alive but twice； and both times by chance。
On one occasion one of my men； Merrifield； and I surprised one eating
a skunk in a bull…berry patch； and by our own bungling frightened it
away from its unsavory repast without getting a shot。
On the other occasion luck befriended me。 I was with a pack train in
the Rockies； and one day； feeling lazy； and as we had no meat in camp；
I determined to try for deer by lying in wait beside a recently
travelled game trail。 The spot I chose was a steep； pine…clad slope
leading down to a little mountain lake。 I hid behind a breastwork of
rotten logs； with a few young evergreens in frontan excellent
ambush。 A broad game trail slanted down the hill directly past me。 I
lay perfectly quiet for about an hour； listening to the murmur of the
pine forests； and the occasional call of a jay or woodpecker； and
gazing eagerly along the trail in the waning light of the late
afternoon。 Suddenly； without noise or warning of any kind； a cougar
stood in the trail before me。 The unlooked…for and unheralded approach
of the beast was fairly ghost…like。 With its head lower than its
shoulders； and its long tail twitching； it slouched down the path；
treading as softly as a kitten。 I waited until it had passed and then
fired into the short ribs； the bullet ranging forward。 Throwing its
tail up in the air； and giving a bound； the cougar galloped off over a
slight ridge。 But it did not go far； within a hundred yards I found it
stretched on its side； its jaws still working convulsively。
The true way to hunt the cougar is to follow it with dogs。 If the
chase is conducted in this fashion； it is very exciting； and resembles
on a larger scale the ordinary method of hunting the wildcat or small
lynx； as practised by the sport…loving planters of the southern
States。 With a very little training； hounds readily and eagerly pursue
the cougar； showing in this kind of chase none of the fear and disgust
they are so prone to exhibit when put on the trail of the certainly no
more dangerous wolf。 The cougar； when the hounds are on its track； at
first runs； but when hard…pressed takes to a tree； or possibly comes
to bay in thick cover。 Its attention is then so taken up with the
hounds that it can usually be approached and shot without much
difficulty； though some cougars break bay when the hunters come near；
and again make off； when they can only be stopped by many large and
fierce hounds。 Hounds are often killed in these fights； and if hungry
a cougar will pounce on any dog for food； yet； as I have elsewhere
related； I know of one instance in which a small pack of big； savage
hounds killed a cougar unassisted。 General Wade Hampton； who with
horse and hound has been the mightiest hunter America has ever seen；
informs me that he has killed with his pack some sixteen cougars；
during the fifty years he has hunted in South Carolina and
Mississippi。 I believe they were all killed in the latter State。
General Hampton's hunting has been chiefly for bear and deer； though
his pack also follows the lynx and the gray fox； and； of course； if
good fortune throws either a wolf or a cougar in his way it is
followed as the game of all others。 All the cougars he killed were
either treed or brought to bay in a canebrake by the hounds； and they
often handled the pack very roughly in the death struggle。 He found
them much more dangerous antagonists than the black bear when assailed
with the hunting knife； a weapon of which he was very fond。 However；
if his pack had held a few very large； savage； dogs； put in purely for
fighting when the quarry was at bay； I think the danger would have
been minimized。
General Hampton followed his game on horseback； but in following the
cougar with dogs this is by no means always necessary。 Thus Col。 Cecil
Clay； of Washington； killed a cougar in West Virginia； on foot with
only three or four hounds。 The dogs took the cold trail； and he had to
run many miles over the rough； forest…clad mountains after them。
Finally they drove the cougar up a tree； where he found it； standing
among the branches； in a half…erect position； its hind…feet on one
limb and its fore…feet on another； while it glared down at the dogs；
and switched its tail from side to side。 He shot it through both
shoulders； and down it came in a heap； whereupon the dogs jumped in
and worried it； for its fore…legs were useless； though it managed to
catch one dog in its jaws and bite him severely。
A wholly exceptional instance of the kind was related to me by my old
hunting friend Willis。 In his youth； in southwest Missouri； he knew a
half…witted 〃poor white〃 who was very fond of hunting coons。 He hunted
at night； armed with an axe； and accompanied by his dog Penny； a
large； savage； half…starved cur。 One dark night the dog treed an
animal which he could not see； so he cut down the tree； and
immediately Penny jumped in and grabbed the beast。 The man sung out
〃Hold on； Penny；〃 seeing that the dog had seized some large； wild
animal； the next moment the brute knocked the dog endways； and at the
same instant the man split open its head with the axe。 Great was his
astonishment； and greater still the astonishment of the neighbors next
day when it was found that he had actually killed a cougar。 These
great cats often take to trees in a perfectly foolish manner。 My
friend； the hunter Woody； in all his thirty years' experience in the
wilds never killed but one cougar。 He was lying out in camp with two
dogs at the time； it was about midnight； the fire was out； and the
night was pitch…black。 He was roused by the furious barking of his two
dogs； who had charged into the gloom； and were apparently baying at
something in a tree close by。 He kindled the fire； and to his
astonishment found the thing in the tree to be a cougar。 Coming close
underneath he shot it with his revolver； thereupon it leaped down； ran
some forty yards； and climbed up another tree； where it died among the
branches。
If cowboys come across a cougar in open ground they invariably chase
and try to rope itas indeed they do with any wild animal。 I have
known several instances of cougars being roped in this way； in one the
animal was brought into camp alive by two strapping cowpunchers。
The cougar sometimes stalks its prey； and sometimes lies in wait for
it beside a game…trail or drinking poolvery rarely indeed does it
crouch on the limb of a tree。 When excited by the presence of game it
is sometimes very bold。 Willis once fired at some bighorn sheep； on a
steep mountain…side； he missed； and immediately after his shot； a
cougar made a dash into the midst of the flying band； in hopes to
secure a victim。 The cougar roams over long distances； and often
changes its hunting ground； perhaps remaining in one place two or
three months； until the game is exhausted； and then shifting to
another。 When it does not lie in wait it usually spends most of the
night； winter and summer； in prowling restlessly around the places
where it thinks it may come across prey； and it will patiently follow
an animal's trail。 There is no kind of game； save the full…grown
grisly and buffalo； which it does not at times assail and master。 It
readily snaps up grisly cubs or buffalo calves； and in at least one
instance； I have know of it springing on； slaying； and eating a full…
grown wolf。 I presume the latter was taken by surprise。 On the other
hand； the cougar itself has to fear the big timber wolves when
maddened by the winter hunger and gathered in small parties； while a
large grisly would of course be an overmatch for it twice over； though
its superior agility puts it beyond the grisly's power to harm it；
unless by some unlucky chance taken in a cave。 Nor could a cougar
overcome a bull moose； or a bull elk either； if the latter's horns
were grown； save by taking it unawares。 By choice； with such big game；
its victims are the cows and young。 The prong…horn rarely comes within
reach of its spring； but it is the dreaded enemy of bighorn； white
goat； and every kind of deer； while it also preys on all the smaller
beasts； such as foxes； coons； rabbits； beavers； and even gophers；
rats； and mice。 It sometimes makes a thorny meal of the porcupine； and
if sufficiently hungry attacks and eats its smaller cousin the lynx。
It is not a brave animal； nor does it run its prey down in open chase。
It always makes its attacks by stealth； and if possible from behind；
and relies on two or three tremendous springs to bring it on the
doomed creature's back。 It uses its claws as well as its teeth in
holding and killing the prey。 If possible it always seizes a large
animal by the throat； whereas the wolf's point of attack is more often
the haunch or flank。 Small deer or sheep it will often knock over and
kill； merely using its big paws； sometimes it breaks their necks。 It
has a small head compared to the jaguar； and its bite is much less
dangerous。 Hence；