ARIZONA MOUNTAIN LIONS

[Elwood]

Hi friends,
This evening my ten year old son was stalked by a mountain lion not one block from home. My boys play at "forts" in a vacant field near our home, the field is grown up with mesquite trees mescal and ocotillo. Since school has been out they have spent quite a bit of time there. Tonight at 6:30 my 55 lb ten year old Luke came to me and said " Daddy I have never been so scared in all my life, there was a big cat looking at me and it wasnt a bobcat." He shows me the size and tells me the color, it was a Mountain Lion and TEN feet from him. He was playing and heard movement, looking through the trees he saw fur and assumed that it was a rabbit. As he looked it moved closer and he saw what it was! It was stalking him.! He wanted to run but backed away slowly heading toward a neighbors home where there was a conciderable amount of noise being made. Thank God that the cat didnt follow.
   I should have armed myself and looked for it but, not knowing what the repercussions would be I called the police and waited a hour for a officer to show up. Game and fish called twice this evening they will be out in the morning to look for tracks.
  I should add that we live in town (Bisbee) These things happen to other people not us. I cant sleep, so thought I would share this incident.

Elwood

[Lawdog]

Elwood,

Thank the good Lord that your son showed good sense in not running away.  That would have made the Mountain Lion attack.  Has word of this spread through out the neighborhood?  Let everyone know around you that a lion has staked out the area as part of his(or hers) hunting grounds.  Keep all dogs and cat in at night as they are prime targets for food for Mountain Lions.  Calling the police was the right thing to do but their lack of concern shows in their reaction time.  More phone calls from your neighbors will help in this.  Some will try to tell you the cat was just curious about the movement your son was doing in his “fort” but don’t you believe it.  The situation was just as dangerous as you think it was.  Until that cat is found/caught/killed neither you or your neighbors will sleep well.  Keep the heat on the authorities until that Mountain Lion is taken care of.  Lawdog