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Runners encounter cougar on bike trail

Two Sisters high school cross country runners out for a summer training run had an encounter with a cougar on the Suttle Lake Tie Trail west of Sisters at about 9 a.m. on Saturday, July 6.

Jordan Beck and Alex Templar, both seniors at Sisters High School, started at the west end of the trail off of George McCallister Road across from the Camp Sherman Junction. The two ran 5.5 miles up to the entrance to Suttle Lake, then turned around to make the return trip.

Just before the Camp Tamarack Road on the way down, the pair saw the large cat standing in the trail before them.

Beck, who was leading, didn't realize immediately what he was seeing.

"I thought it was a huge chocolate lab at first, until Alex yelled for me to stop," said Beck. "It stood there for a second right in the trail, looking at us."

The two boys estimate they were within 10 yards of the mountain lion.

"It was closer than we wanted to be is all I know," said Beck.

"I know you're supposed to yell and make yourself look big," said Templar, "but we were completely silent until it sauntered off."

The two walked down the trail a bit and continued the run shortly afterwards

Beck, who has experienced three other cougar sightings from the safety of his car in the past year, described this cat as "by far the biggest."

"His tail alone looked four feet long," said Templar.

Wildlife experts in the Northwest caution people about running alone in the woods, particularly near dusk and dawn, in areas like Central Oregon where cougars are known to live.

Cougars are likely to run away when encountered. According to the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife website "Living with Wildlife," strategies to help ensure the interaction remains friendly include standing in one place facing the animal and speaking with a firm loud voice.

Raise arms and wave them slowly above the head to make yourself look as big as possible. Make eye contact. Do not approach the animal; give it a way to escape. Don't crouch down, and do not try to dash away from the scene, since this may engage the cat's instinct to chase.

The two runners agreed that they were lucky to see such a beautiful animal in the wild at such close range, but would just as soon not repeat such an encounter.

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