Posted by fish on December 14, 2007 at 3:47 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Why on earth would you call the police when you see a mountian lion walking away from you ??? Its once thing if you being attacked, or if its walking down the middle of the street, but to report a mountain lion that is just doing its thing is obsurd. Its like...oh look...theres nature...call in the SWAT team to hunt it down and kill it because we cant have any of that nature stuff around these parts !

Posted by RC on December 14, 2007 at 4:12 p.m. (Suggest removal)

UH Hello fish...what would you do? It's not normal to see a lion in that area

Posted by del on December 14, 2007 at 4:27 p.m. (Suggest removal)

As long as I was not in any danger (one should never discount what cats are capable of), I would marvel at the beauty of the animal.

Fish has it right.

Posted by toofargone on December 14, 2007 at 4:46 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Fish has it very right! ITS NATURE!

Posted by RC on December 14, 2007 at 4:50 p.m. (Suggest removal)

I don’t know. If I saw a lion I would be pretty frightened because it is unusual to see a lion roaming around Ventura…maybe if I was in the mountains it would be a different story

Posted by del on December 14, 2007 at 5:07 p.m. (Suggest removal)

And one should be frightened. But I would rather take my chances with a big cat then some of the animals we have on our city streets.
Cats do not act out of malice and meanness. And that makes them better neighbors.

Posted by JumpinJack on December 14, 2007 at 5:44 p.m. (Suggest removal)

The cat is walking away so it is not in danger / not dangerous?

Could the cat not change its mind and walk towards people?

Is that not something you would want the police to know about?

Just when I think I have seen the stupidest thing ... an internet comments page like this surfaces. Small wonder our schools are failing ... all the kids have parents this brilliant.

Big cats like that should not be in the city, for their safety or the citizens.

Duh.

Posted by fish on December 14, 2007 at 6:59 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Well Jack lets see...I have my B.S. degree from USC in Biology and my Masters degree in Fisheries Biology from UCSB. My wife has her BS degree in Criminology from Humbolt State and her Law degree from Pepperdine and passed that Cal Bar exam on her first try and is now working for a law firm in LA.

Now that that is cleared up...our kids will be just fine.

A man walking his dogs in an orchard close enough to be able to determine that a mountain lion was headed up the mountain...whos the dumb one here?

Posted by kenclubber on December 14, 2007 at 7:01 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Hey del, I agree with you.

Posted by uknow1 on December 14, 2007 at 7:30 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Grant Park and environs IS in the mountains! It ain't Seaward & Thompson, or Telephone and Petit.
And, with fish's credentials, not to mention his wife's, I'd be a fool to disagree. And, I'm no fool. Although not a common site, nature, in all its varied forms, is likely to breakout on the periphery of coastal mountain ranges, at any time; EVEN IN VENTURA!!! Some of these posters sound like they've never gone camping in thier lives, or they stayed drunk in a motorhome the entire time. "Mom!" Guess what I saw! A kitt fox by the beach! It was so cool!" "OH NO" My POOR sweetheart, it could have attacked you, in fact, anyone of these seagulls could attack you too! Come in this motorhome and stay where it is safe and well insulated from that nasty, old, nature stuff. Come on in sweetheart and play your new Nintendo gamme!!!" fish rules! And, you owe me, dude.

Posted by uknow1 on December 14, 2007 at 8:02 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Now that I got tha out of my system...did the POlice come and investigate? How many cop cars? V.F.D.? Sheriff's? Fish (no pun) and Game? U.S. Forestry? Humane Society? Peta? Search Dogs? NORML?(the cat must have been high to be walking on a mountainside in the daylight)...How much did THAT cost? Yet, when all is said and done, I don't mind that the man chose to err on the side of safety. I do mine that it reached the level of being reported in the newspaper the next day.

Posted by dcsfancy on December 14, 2007 at 8:45 p.m. (Suggest removal)

"a mountain lion was seen" And you point is?
I saw a human today driving like a idiot now that's dangerous.

Posted by Nosmo_King on December 14, 2007 at 9:04 p.m. (Suggest removal)

I liked this report. I'm glad it made the news. I'm glad there is a large cat out there in nature. I would not have known this had a man not walked his dogs. Maybe we can post sightings of wildlife here to raise awareness that were not alone on this planet...yet...

Posted by CarpCoyote on December 15, 2007 at 6:22 a.m. (Suggest removal)

A mountain lion in the Ventura Hills?? omygod!! Where am I to walk my designer dogs now? They saw the lion and are now traumatized..I need to take them to a dog whisperer...dirty evil lions!!I thought Ventura was civilized....

Posted by waasup_H8RS on December 15, 2007 at 6:24 a.m.

(This thread was removed by the site staff.)

Posted by lrgvanman on December 15, 2007 at 6:33 a.m. (Suggest removal)

Wow! I saw my cats walking away from me last night, should I call the cops?

Posted by nelle2hot on December 15, 2007 at 8:01 a.m. (Suggest removal)

I believe you were lucky to see one... They are rare beauties and this one clearly did not have you marked for a meal. People must understand we have to share this earth with all the animals in God's creation. It was designed this way. The sad thing is they are running out of space and we are taking it all. I hope they survive us.

Posted by AnnaWhaat on December 15, 2007 at 8:04 a.m. (Suggest removal)

Although it may be completely safe. If I lived in the area and had small dogs outside or children I would at least want to know........Better safe then sorry !!!!

Posted by spokenit on December 15, 2007 at 8:31 a.m. (Suggest removal)

I think calling VPD was the smart thing to do. I would have called also. It needed to be reported so that people are aware. I dont think a college degree matters much in this situation though. I think common sense does and with all your education Fish you still have some. But I guess when one is called stupid its like a badge of honor to let people know. I wonder which one of you would have tasted better to the mountain lion. What do you think?

Posted by del on December 15, 2007 at 9:44 a.m. (Suggest removal)

The key here is awareness, not a knee-jerk reaction to destroy.

Posted by GitRdone on December 15, 2007 at 9:45 a.m. (Suggest removal)

WELL YOU HAVE spokenit !! IT WAS A GOOD THING TO CALL. IF THE MAN HADN'T CALLED, JUST THINK, NONE OF US WOULD HAVE A COMMENT TO SAY ABOUT THIS ARTICLE...INCLUDING FISH !!! SO FISH, THANK THE DUDE FOR CALLING & GIVING YOU SOMETHING TO COMMENT ABOUT & REMEMBER DUDE.....NOBODY IS PURR-FECT, INCLUDING YOU.
LATER....GitRdone

Posted by Mamie on December 15, 2007 at 10:26 a.m. (Suggest removal)

Mountain lions have a very wide range of roaming (35 miles reported). Since this is not birthing season, the residents and users of this park can rest easy assuming that the cat left the area immediately. Pumas are not fans of any human or dog interactions and are known to choose flight over fight unless they are defending a very recent kill or sick. I enjoy seeing them on my property but keep in mind that if I don't want them to visit all I have to do is keep human scent prevalent (walking the area, having dogs leave urine markings). This "park" is more open space and not surrounded by development, so humans must keep in mind that we are closer to wildlife than society anytime we choose to venture into such areas. Keep in mind that the mountain lions presence keeps away the coyotes that are much more human oriented and cause trouble right outside back doors.

Posted by single_usa_man on December 15, 2007 at 11:14 a.m. (Suggest removal)

"he had seen what appeared to be an adult lion walking up the hillside toward the mountains"

"appeared to be an adult lion"

Mountain Lion or Bobcat?

What angle did he see the cat from? Does this man wear glasses and did not take them on his walk that day? How far "up the hillside" was the cat and from what angle did he see the cat? Has this man ever seen a mountain Lion is the wild before? Or only in photos and on TV?

Last week my dad and I saw a cat in the field accross the road from Lake Casitas. We only saw the cat from behind walking away from us and thought it was a mountain Lion. We turned around and went back to get a better view. The cat turned sideways and we could see it was a Bobcat approx. 50 yards away, not a mountian lion. We regularly see deer and coyotes in this area. My dad and I have hunted since we we young, He is 65 and I am 42 and we both have seen lots of bobcats in the wild.

Posted by uknow1 on December 15, 2007 at 11:34 a.m. (Suggest removal)

I think this is a matter of perspective, but in a more general sense. If you even live in a track home area of the Ojai Valley, you have seen coyotes, bob cats and maybe a mountain lion in your front yard, heard big animals jump the fence into your backyard at night and heard them attack the pets of people silly enough to leave them outside for too long after dusk, and might even know where a pack of coyotes live. This is one of the highlights of living here. However, it is a significantly different experience than living in most parts of Ventura. This may be where the difference lays since I never heard of anyone calling the cops upon a wildlife sighting here, unlerss the animal was stocking someone or injured itself. And, aren't we lucky to be able to waste time in such an informative and creative way, GITRDONE? I think its great too!

Posted by BillyBob on December 15, 2007 at 12:15 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Gitrdone needs to learn about the capslock function on the computer. Perhaps fish can teach him, he has a bunch of college degrees!!

Posted by Comments on December 15, 2007 at 12:54 p.m. (Suggest removal)

The immaturity of some replies is astounding. I don't care how many degrees one has either - rude, is rude.

I don't think it's unusual for someone to report having seen a mountain lion. I've seen them while hiking and didn't report it, but I can see why others might. Especially if one was seen within city limits. Were the police the appropriate folks to call? Maybe not, but I'm sure the person assumed that the information would get to the right folks.

I like being informed when wildlife is seen close to homes. Yes, we do share the environment with other animals and should not be so surprised when we see them. However, it's nice to be alerted when they're nearby. I don't see this as any different then getting a note from my HOA telling me that rattlesnakes are thick in the area. Seems a no brainer to me, given all the desert like hills around here, but it's still nice to be reminded of that now and again.

Posted by thsomerville on December 15, 2007 at 2:55 p.m. (Suggest removal)

If you live near Grant Park and you have small children and pets, you should always assume mountain lions are present because you live on a freeking mountian and they are mountain lions...get it? Anyhow, beyond sarcasm, I think the man that called in did the right thing, so those of us that live in these areas are reminded that we need to be careful. But, I don't think this is something that should be investigated...I hope it wasn't. I mountain bike around here all the time (sometimes very close to the city) and we see all kinds of dangerous animals in close proximity, including mountain lions. Being a recent LA/big city transplant, I used to be frightened in these circumstances. Now, I realize that as long as you give them the space and respect they deserve, they want little or nothing to do with you. I now consider myself lucky to cross paths with one of these animals when I'm out riding. Quite amazing to see, actually.

Posted by uknow1 on December 15, 2007 at 3:21 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Yes, and I agree that I want my H.O.A. to notify me not only of the mountain lions, scorpions, rattlesnakes, black widows, and tse tse flies in Africa, but also notify me of the bald tires on my car, and when I need new windshield wiper blades too. This way I won't have to be responsible for myself at all! Isn't THAT cool? It is not enough learning what my surroundings might hold for me in any given area, be it mountain lions or crackheads, I NOW want to be formally notified of every potential hazard that I could possible come into contact with....in writing. Thank you. I always thought Internet forums ARE suppose to be silly and immature. That's the fun part about it. All the pinheads have all kinds of intellectual outlets, while us slantheads have to be degraded by them for being stupid and immature. Otherwise go to :
www. seriouslyaXXllyretentive.com

Posted by AnnaWhaat on December 15, 2007 at 4:45 p.m. (Suggest removal)

GetRdone, it was a mountain lion with moles! Get it????

Posted by fish on December 15, 2007 at 7:06 p.m. (Suggest removal)

I only listed my credentials because Jack took a cheap shot at my family. I along with uknow1 and others usually read the comments and just laugh, but if someone who doesnt even know me is going to attack my family, and especially my kids, Im going to have something to say about it.

Cant we all just get along ????

Posted by uknow1 on December 15, 2007 at 8:45 p.m. (Suggest removal)

even

Posted by EagleEye on December 17, 2007 at 6:47 a.m. (Suggest removal)

If I keep having to read "oh be afraid" articles every time someone spots one of these things - which by the way haven't killed anyone in Ventura County ever - then let's just shoot the darned thing and be done with it. Hunt them, shoot them, be done with them. Replace them with ducks so the soccer moms can let their over-indulged little monsters run through the parks without a care in the world.

The mountain lion is a remnant of a once wild America. We ought to just shoot them and be done with them like the way we have done with our national character.

Posted by RocketMan on December 17, 2007 at 7:17 a.m. (Suggest removal)

The Mountain Lions and Coyotes, as well as the owls, hawks, Foxes and Bobcats, and yes, rattlesnakes were all here first. I lived in the mountains for 30 years and I've lost 3 kittys as coyote food. I now have 4 INSIDE cats. YOU have to adapt! It's their mountain.

If you kill off all the preditors, then the bunnies will eat all your roses... then you'll have to kill them too. And the rats!!! we have an ENORMOUS rodent problem in our neighborhood. There's no Rattlesnakes, we kill them all. There are children in our neighborhood, so everyone is protective. I NEVER let my children hike alone when they were little. And we made them aware of the issues and how to handle themselves in a confrontation.

Does anyone here know how to handle themselves if they were to be walking down a trail and , hey presto, there's a mountain lion stareing at you? If you live in the hills you really DO have a resposibility to behave responsibly. Calling a government agency to report a sighting IS a good idea... freaking out about it is stupid. Parents should be aware that there's a BIG preditor in the neighborhood so they can take steps to protect their pets and children.

The cats HATE people, the reason they come off their mountain is the drought... they're looking for water... and food. If you're dog is smaller than a Labrador, don't let him roam! An animal (or kid) that size is lunch.

Posted by RocketMan on December 17, 2007 at 7:24 a.m. (Suggest removal)

Here's how they handle it in Colorado.

Perhaps the Ventura Co. Star should run these instructions as part of the article about the cats.

http://carnivoreprotection.blogspot.c...

Posted by GitRdone on December 17, 2007 at 10:17 a.m. (Suggest removal)

BILLYBOB,WHAT UP WITH THE CAPSLOCK FUNCTION ??? THIS IS FOR THOSE WHO CANNOT SEE VERY WELL.....HAHA.
ANNAWHAT, IT'S ALL GOOD, I GOTTERDONE !!

Posted by bugmenot on December 17, 2007 at 12:32 p.m. (Suggest removal)

I spotted a mountain lion on Thursday December 13th on the trails behind Arroyo Verde park at dusk.

When the lion spotted me, it quickly left in the opposite direction.

On Saturday I spotted a bobcat in the avocado orchards behind the trails behind Arroyo Verde. I also spotted a couple coyotes near the avocado orchards.

I typically track/follow other hikers in these valleys for fun, and try to not let them ever see me. Creepy maybe, but entertaining.

If anybody wants to go for a hike, I start near arroyo verde and typically end up a couple ridges inland from all the telecommunications equipment behind Arroyo Verdo. I typically spot something whether it be a coyote or bobcat and rarely a mountain lion. There are a couple cow/bull carcasses in the valleys a couple miles from the park.

Posted by bugmenot on December 17, 2007 at 12:38 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Point being, if you're near the hills, there are always coyotes, bobcats, mountain lions, and rattlesnakes any time of the year, whether it has rained or not. We invaded their territory.

We shouldn't need a newspaper article to let us know this.

Posted by rogeliosfast on April 1, 2008 at 3:12 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Very interesting. Animals are very interesting. Humans are too. Old men and dogs and cops are incredibly interesting too. Newspaper articles and college degrees and immature attitudes are immesuarbly interesting as well.... wait!! American Idiot is on!!... gotta fly now ....bye!!!!