Mountain Lion Survivor Kyle Burgess

Hot podcasting from Chico California.

This is the Bartlett fly fishing podcast.

Where we discuss North fly fishing, guiding, fisheries, signs and management,

conservation and more.

No better, fish better. Here's your hosts. Chad A and Nick hanna,

This episode of the barb fly fishing podcast is brought to you by California shroud. Working throughout the state to ensure we have resilient wild fish thriving in healthy waters for a better California.

Support Cal

innovative science based work by becoming a member or donating today at cal dot org.

Hey, everybody. Welcome to the Bart Life fishing podcast. I'm one of your c, Nick Hannah. I'm here with Chad Dollars and Chad with... Happen in man. What's up,

just finished a long grind of work, like, six weeks

almost straight. So I'm had about a week to just relax. I'm gonna have, like, a normal forty hour week work week, and it's it's quite... It's quite nice. Sounds like me. I haven't been on the water at all. We need to change that

dude. I haven't gone hardly at all. Right. Yeah.

Well,

we have a kind of an interesting

podcast

for us today.

It's not necessarily We're gonna be talking about fly fishing, but sure a lot of you listening have seen

the Epic Mountain lion video,

captured captured by Kyle Burgess. That's now probably international news.

That's... Yeah. Definitely international news. And

I'm sure Kyle. I'm super tired from getting hit up to to tell the story. But we're... We're lucky enough He accepted our offer and we got him on the horn to tell him tell us what happened. What do we offer from? Just just fame and fame in Fortune.

Yeah. Dude.

Okay. So that's, like,

brain

kind of stuff that just freaks you out. And I think that's why people are are are so,

you know, just kind of, like, almost enamored with it because it's just... It's... It's so frightening, and it just gets right down to the monkey brain part of us and of being chased by a loss back flight. Right? I do realize if loss and a bi pedal human wasn't in the same. But, you know, just go back to, like, it's what... What is the one with Jeff Gold blue,

you know, jurassic park. Yeah Yeah. Yeah Yeah. So it's kinda like that. It's kinda like that scene where the velocity

raptor chasing the the jeep down the down the road and he's in the back, and and we all know how he died. But

you didn't kyle and your... It's amazing. Dude,

it's it was a terrifying thing to watch.

Yeah. I'm got... And I'm glad. I'm alive.

Yeah. I am too so you can tell the story. The first thing I wanna know is, like, if it were me, I would have shipped myself six times at least. Because that's how many times I think it, like, charged you with its with its clause full open.

So Yeah. Sphincter muscles, you do... Ke goals or what's the deal? Like, how do you how did you not crap yourself?

Dude I don't know. I just kinda living in the moment and kenneth... I was more

focused on the the cougar That I was right in front of me instead of crap myself.

Well,

thought about sweating thinking about it again. You know It's like, we thought about playing the audio on the on the show and and then, you know, commenting after, but

let's let's hear your... Let's hear your story about it, and then let's let's... Do some commenting

aftermath. So to

because you were destined to take that video, Again Where where was it? First of all, I don't even start with your start with your day for... So, yeah. For sure. So...

I was in promo Utah.

Utah. There's some hike status around

me, like, probably ten to fifteen minutes away from my house and

I usually go to trail running on the weekends that happened on Saturday the tenth. So, yeah. Not too long ago.

And,

yeah. Just a normal trail run. Kinda I went up one side coming down another side of of the, like, of another of another canyon,

and I happened to be halfway into my run and kinda stumbled upon some wildlife

originally, I was thinking they were going be some Bob katz. But

the video

obviously

tells that it's not Bob katz in. I learned read quickly that they weren't Bob Katz.

And so that's when I kinda realized it was they they were they were baby cougar and mom was

pretty mad at me.

Yeah.

Yeah. It it's just... It's crazy to to watch that video.

I'm just I'm still kind of, like, in shock. I I literally just saw it yesterday. So... And then you called me and said, hey. I got the guy. On the got chased by the. I'm like, shut on.

It's some people... I've always said Mountain lion and other people say... Everybody says something different. Right? But if there's a Cougar or Mountain lion. I guess Cougar so the more correct. Correct term. Right?

Yeah. From what I understand there, actually this... They're the same thing. Yeah. But I could be completely wrong. No. Yeah. Totally. So

you... You're running. You see this wildlife You're like I pulled out my... You pulled out your phone. You start video taping and then you and then stuff quickly turn with. So what happened?

Yeah. So that's when I kinda take a take a couple steps back and I'm like, oh,

wow.

No. There's a mama cougar

that doesn't walk me near her kids and so that's when she's both at me. That's when the video kinda dips in to the trees.

And you see gravel

and the red leaves,

and

the mama cougar actually drops it down in to the vein for a second. And it's almost like she wanted to come up and flank me... Yeah. And so I was like, I was like, no No, no. No. This is not happened. So I I kinda hustle a little bit back a little bit further.

Alright And then then that's when I kinda lose my siding for a little bit, but then that's when she popped to have those trees so

riley happened And I was probably wanna scare parts for me that's when she popped out of those trees. Right? Because you met... You probably thought when she went into the Ravi either getting flank or she just kinda skid out. Right?

No. Exactly. But I don't think she left because it took her babies right there. Right? And so she just can't do it the mama cougar should do and she asked she just trying to protect her babies.

What did what did the what did the cubs do? Were they just chilling?

Yeah. They weren't doing too much. One of the little cubs that was the closest to me, probably about fifteen feet away from me.

Even know that I was there.

And there were actually four... There were four cubs altogether. You just don't see them in the video.

When I first rolled up on the on the cubs,

you got two that kinda dart into into the bush and then you had two more that you can't see in the video.

Yeah. So how long was it like, that you you came across the cubs and you you

decided to pull out your phone and your video taping to when you saw the mom. How long how long did that take?

So once I to pull my phone out, because I still at this point, when I initially pull my phone out, I'm thinking there was a whole time Bob catch. Yeah. Because I have seen Bob before on the trail. Know. And yeah, I have pictures of those little guys.

Really cool animals. They're really pretty actually. I And

totally I was just... Yeah. Just about. I pulled my phone out I'm gonna take the picture pictures So I can show my family when get home,

and

that's, like, literally almost

seconds into the video that's kinda when I realized, okay. Not bob cats cougar.

And I'm now in trouble.

So you're... The whole time you're you're video tape this cat. You're just walking backwards. You got your phone up, you're just walking back Yeah. We're you're doing the right thing. Yeah you're pretending to be big. You're yell lane you're being loud. Were you... Where your arm? Did you have your arms up? Did, you know, what keep keep going in the story a little bit more detail if you can?

Yeah. For sure. So at this point, like, I'm going... I'm thinking my... I have my phone still

in my hand,

I also... In my other hand, I have

my little handheld, the camel back water bottle.

Just because it was this light run. I just had my little light running shorts on, nothing

not too much that was with me. Like, so I was pretty bare if for anything that was... If I can defend myself with anything. Right? Yeah. And so I just started backing up because I saw her. She started taking her little swipe

at me,

I she even been told it's called the a bluff charge. Mh. And what that called when she

kinda pounce forward.

And so the first couple bluff charges she

Yes. She just kinda balances it. You kinda see that happen, but

I wanted

initially to try to get away from the cubs

because I mean, I didn't want to be next to those cubs. Because I knew that's what she was trying to do.

It's because you got mama's is doing her job. She's trying to defend. She's trying to protect. Yeah.

And so that's kinda when. I just I just decided on the. Well, I'm just gonna go back as far as I can.

And so I feel like I'm in a better spot

to then pick up a rock

and try to start start alert.

Yeah. Did this. So

when I when I was... It's everybody's worst night... Yeah. Because I've seen three in the wild myself. But if I was ever that close, you know, like, first of all, like, I I

I know if I ever see cup bears or a cub puma or or Cougar or whatever,

you know, like, the first thing that I think of is where's mom? Right? Where's mom? And that's just like an instinct, like, I I need to know. And if if I walk in on something like that, I'm walking out the opposite way. Right?

And that's what most people, but And and I I knew when I was like, man, what what the hell was he doing in video taping these little these kittens? You know, when I'm thinking that. And

my my instinct before I even knew what you... That you said that you thought there were Bob cats, that I I figured that. I figured you thought there were Bob cats and your life wasn't threatened

You know? Because very few people would be fucking holding enough a phone. Yeah. Video taping this it happen, you know, Like, unless it like a cobra. I don't think of. Yeah. I I don't think I could. You know, Like, I do not. I don't think I have balls to hold up a video camera. So you were, like, you were destined to make this video. Right? And it just... It happened because it was supposed to happen. Yeah.

Yeah. Exactly. That's...

I think it's it's that kinda of fun too. It's a very cool experience. Even though for me as a near death experience.

It's a cool experience because we don't have this type of footage.

There's nothing like that that's

showing

this type of

Cougar,

I don't know what to say to your attitudes and stuff like that. So... Well, there's You can't cool? There's all kinds of a Kyle. It's just that you can't really show the aftermath on Tv normally. That's the thing they get shredded, the people that that are on video normally die.

I think that's what.

You know,

it's crazy.

It's crazy.

Okay. So were you...

I I... Can can you kinda, like, describe

your brain... Did your brain shut down in a way? Like, did you go into full, like,

fight or flight mode? Did did did things slow down for you? Like, if you're in a car wreck,

explain, you know, what what happened physiological to you, do if you can remember and if you can describe that,

the sound... For sure It's like... The sound is what I was gonna ask you thought to, like, when that cat made its first sound, but Because, like, in a car wreck. Like, I've been on a pretty bad car wreck, Everything just slows down and been it just becomes kinetic almost. It's a trip.

But what what was your experience like, with respect to that?

No. For sure. When she first turned that corner, I remember, I do remember

hearing that kind of first, like, cat kinda grow, and I was just, like, oh,

shit. Like, she's coming right towards me.

And so that's kinda when I started backing up really quickly.

And All I knew is I wanted to keep my eyes on her,

so that I knew what where I need to be and then... Yeah, maybe if she did lunch,

Maybe I can jump out of the way. I don't know.

I probably wanna be that quick, actually because I mean, chapter fast.

But in my in my head, yeah, I'm just kinda going back And, like, this is so cool and at the same an exact time Like, everyone else said, like,

holy crap. This is scary.

I like, yeah. I'm

this animal can take out so easily just because, like, yeah. We all in the know. Especially a lot of people like go out hiking and stuff and go camping.

Cougar can take out bears. They take out elk. They think out moves and those are Yeah. Huge animals.

Cute I am a hundred and fifty pound, six foot tall.

I can be a little ball of yarn for that thing. Yeah. And and, like, we... There was a a friend of mine had to had to utilize a a mountain line this year.

Because it was causing some issues. They gotta permit and everything for it, But

he brought it by the house, and I gotta see a male up close and personal,

and their paws are as big as our hand, a male, a dull hand. Masters. In each

each one of those pause, it's exactly like a house cat. Like, if you put... If you push the pad this this, you know, the the the the the claw comes out. And the claws, no joke, if you've tied a streamer

like, a, you look for for or for for stripe, a three out four out hook,

that's the size of the clause on these things. I'm... And so picture, ten of those fucking things,

lock locking into you, just the front and then them just

crushing you with their with the their jaw.

It it's pretty it's pretty crazy, man. Like, you literally had Freddie krueger covered in hair chasing you down a trail and you and you lived. No. Exactly.

I seen like Cougar attacks just

in general on Google when you kinda search that type of thing and, yeah. A lot of people get pretty messed up with some of these other cougar detection. So I know I was...

That

some of the comments on my Instagram go by the lottery. Go by lottery ticket because... Yeah, you got... You were so lucky. And, yeah, I definitely know that I was definitely lucky to get have it unscathed.

Yeah. Well, in

I I just keep... I keep thinking about like that. Instant, you know, most of the time when people are attacked like that. It's it's due because of the fact that they're in the wrong place at the wrong time. That mountain lion was either sick or really, really hungry. Right? Those are the times that the mountain is actually

attack people. They're just kinda confused. They're hungry. They haven't eaten in a long time. But most of the time, they're super aware of where we're at at all times and and they avoid us. Oh, exactly. Like the plague. So...

And It's... More animals.

Yeah. Well, and you can... And you can kinda tell in that video that, you know, that that her goal wasn't to wasn't to hurt you. Right? It wasn't to Eu. It it was to put you away from the kittens. Right? If it was that would have... Exactly. That would have been a ten second video if it if it was... If it the kill any... Exactly right. The the first Mountain Know exactly. That I saw in the wild. It moved a hundred yards. Right in a matter of seconds chasing a baby deer. I mean, it was just moving. Wow. Up and so fast. I didn't even know what I was looking at. And when I... It tried to take down this deer and ever since then I'm just like, man, if it wants to do something, any mountain outline. Wants to attack anybody, it's gonna do what it wants to do. Right?

Yeah. So I feel when you're telling that story, I feel like you almost didn't even know what

that, you know, what that thing could do.

You know, kinda, like, you... You... But you did everything right. You stood tall, you were yelling at it. It's

so it's interesting that, like, you... Those instincts kinda kicked in. Like, you you read about it obviously in the past. Well, maybe I mean you're talking in grammar school they teach you you guys the stuff. Don't.

Did you learn this? Did you learn this to, like, on Youtube or did what buddy tell you but your dad tell you? How how did you know what to do?

Well, so get grown up here in Utah. We obviously here are very close to a lot of different mountain ranges and we've gone something with ton. And I also grew grew up in the boys scouts and so... Okay. We kinda always just went camping a lot, and then the boys scouts are very good on teaching you

different types of yet,

take me, I guess. I... You can say, or just saying, hey. This is what you should do if you do encounter a bear or mountain lion. Yeah.

Well... And I... My I head, the first thing I member is look big and scary.

Yeah.

I mean, nine out of ten people in California would ran. I guarantee that

the a jog on on these trails here would ran, and they would have been dust.

It's crazy. No, Definitely. Oh and for me. I'd like to see what what I'm up against. I like to see kinda, like, friend right in in front of my face. So I knew if I turn around, I wouldn't be able to see her,

you, he did try to take a lunch at me. I don't think I would have had chance if I turned around. So So I knew I wanna keep my face brain.

In minute, like, three of this six minute video, like, it, you know, it kept it kept coming at you. And it kept coming at you start alley. So

by the way. And I was like, man, why didn't he pick up a rock. Like, pick up a rock, pick up a rock and I I was literally, like, feeling, like, I was there when I was watching that video, like I really was because it just like, I'm always thought that that was gonna happen to me sometime in my life being out there in the wilderness.

And I and I went through my head I was like, I gonna pick I would pick up a rock and throw it, and then I was like, wait What if it gets mad, You know? What if it attacks me for throwing a rock. Yeah.

Yeah. And and so then I kept watching, and I was like, that's what, you know maybe that's what he's thinking. Maybe that's why he hasn't done it yet.

So why, you know, why didn't you

throw your water bottle Or is that why? Is is that...

Well, so originally

one of the reasons I didn't pick up rock sooner was because every time I either...

Turned my head or kinda cro down.

She pounce. She didn't want of the bluff charges.

I was like, okay. Nope. I don't like that. I really don't like that. So then I kinda, like,

was kinda just modifying what I want to do and like, hey, nope. You're gonna stay standing up.

And keep my balance. Keep my wits about me and I'm just gonna keep calm and hopefully keep her calling us, because I'm just backing up away from her babies.

And, like we've already said, like, yeah, if you wanted to... If you wanted to eat me, she woulda me.

Yeah. There's no doubt about that

and I kinda figured that out once,

She just wanted me to keep backing up. And so that's all I just intend to do is get it far away from her kids?

Yeah. Are you still feeling the adrenaline when you're telling the story right now? Or is it... Is all that gone because you've told it so many times?

No. Not all the adrenaline really gone. It's really... I think it's coming too for me Is was like, well, it actually did happen. Yeah. This was...

Practically a near death experience. I mean, yeah, I could have died.

Yeah. And I I think you got I brush it off just because kind of my personality

being in love with kind of the action sports and the outdoors, but

Yeah. I mean, kinda think it is coming too.

Because because my wife's reaction is, like,

like, oh, I love you and all this stuff and, like, don't ever to do that again. Like, what's like it? I didn't try.

Dude you are a different bird man because, like, in. Like, at the end, you you go you partner turn the camera to yourself and you're like, that just happened. And I was like, holy fuck This guy's got it together. How does it... Still... How's you know, like, freaking the fuck out. Yeah. Like it was

right after,

you know, you're just... You just took, like, six minutes of straight adrenaline. So what... Can you kinda talk through what what was going on with your body at that time in your brain. And before before that took... Finish that part. So he she pounce at you, like, three times and kept charging you. What finally made her... Yeah. Her lee you got a little ahead of ourselves. It's okay. What what finally made bit? No. So, yeah. One of the those couple balances... I think one my scariest moments right there was when those... You have like, that dirt on the side the kinda of the, more rocky

rocky gravel on the left side when she takes those three pounce. Yep. That last one probably was the most scariest for me. I thought for sure, like, I was...

I was not... Yeah. I I was kinda almost, like, done for because

she got within him four feet at me. And I was just like, oh, like, my body almost, like, tense up, and I kinda sq my eyes just a pitch.

I'll get getting ready for I was, oh, this is gonna hurt.

Type of deal,

but luckily, yeah, she tested away I was able to kinda shuffle my feet a little bit quicker as well as she came closer to me.

Then once we got to that point, when I kinda felt...

In in the lightest of terms comfortable.

I

crowds I was able to crash down and actually grab a rock

and kinda toss it in her direction

and that kinda, like startled her away, and that's why she kinda booked off.

Okay.

I thought maybe you'd thrown a rock right at the end I wasn't sure though.

Yeah. I was... I was able to toss the rock. I'm not sure if it hit her or not.

That part is

fuzzy to me because I was paying attention to the rock. Yeah. And then as well as kinda just standing back up getting back up on my feet. Yeah. I mean, that that's probably what

broke her focus. You know, like, if my my dog will be doing something weird, like, he'll just be on on a bone or licking his power or something. And if I just, like, slap clap my hands really loud, he'll just get out of it and be like,

okay. And then he goes off to the next task, and I wonder if that's that was just the catalyst to break, you break that

that mode she was in.

Obviously, it was. No. Exactly.

It's crazy. Yeah. Exactly. And that's kinda what Ended that, and then, yeah. I turned the camera myself. Well, obviously, I got kinda cocky at the end and like, yeah. Get the freak away from me. Alright. Yeah.

But, yeah. It really what it was I was just so excited that you left if there was just excitement, and so I kinda went to the camera myself. I was like, oh,

wow. And that was crazy. Like,

did that really happen? Like...

That is something that we don't expect can ever happen to us. Fish efficiency. A lot of us

hunters,

fish

fishermen and yet, there's runners and hike we don't think any of this will actually happen to us. We know it can happen, but we don't think it will happen. Yeah.

Yeah. That scene at the end when you were like, oh, look I'm shaking and you held out your hand, and it was like, pretty much still. I was... It made me think of the door was started when lean on the cap was like, you know, when were in a room with a mass murderer and you're, like, body just racing adrenaline and you and you hold your hand up or still.

You know, like, he's like, my hand does not shake. You know, Like I was like, dude this guy. How did you how did you know? What do you like, was do for living like navy seal or Chad said, How did how did you not? Yeah. Not at all.

No. I mean, really, my day to day is I go to work every day. I work at Ups and I work at late Hq, so my day consists of just working.

Yeah.

So going back to what Chad was asking, what... So, obviously, like, it's it's in the evening time. It's kinda getting darker, and it... I'm guessing that that direction you were heading was your way to get out. So what the hell what the did you do?

So I ended up calling my father love, which he he

he goes hunting quite often, so I kinda called him and I was like, hey, what do I do in his circumstance, like, I don't know what?

I've never...

I've never seen a Cougar before. I've never had this happen before. And I was like, what what should I do.

And he kinda said, like, the babies are there and she ran off. I mean, she's probably went back to her babies and they're gonna kinda... They're gonna kinda finish their course and go where they need to go.

So I kinda waited up there at that spot for probably good twenty, thirty minutes and decided to start going down. Oh, you had to go back through where you got almost killed?

Yes. Oh, shit.

Yeah I be like fuck dead sun helicopter.

Oh my god.

I thought that you were backing out. You like, you would just backtrack and go back. But you had to go through

his ball hot zone again. His balls get bigger. Holy shit. The story is and say into.

I thought it's indeed. Okay. Talk us through that. Yeah. So I... Yeah. So I gotta go back that way.

Should kept video

now sweat again. Jesus

So... But, I mean, it was actually relieving. And the reason why

I only started walking down for about fifty yards and actually ran into two high.

And

they were coming up the Canyon. And I stopped them like, hey. Whoa. Like, did you guys seek the Cougar?

Like, and they kinda like look at me and kinda like, weird, like...

But what are you talking about? What Cougar?

And I was like, no for real and can pulled my phone out. I'm sitting there showing them

and they're, like, well, I'm not going back down that way. I'm like, well, my. My cardio back that way.

So

but I did feel a little bit lot a lot of relief once I saw them. Yeah. And I they were coming. Because, like, the cure was probably on their way and they were kinda out off the trail by that point. So was... Where you saw them? Was that in the middle of the the six minute video at all? Or was it beyond the kitten

scene?

When you saw the Hike. Oh after. I saw hike. No. It was probably like... I'd say, like, the halfway mark of the of my six minute video. Wow.

So that cat that had booked... It went down in in off the trail and wrap back around. To its its kittens, obviously.

Yeah. Exactly.

And she was out of there.

And I think and the crazy part for me is that the...

This happened only two miles up to the Canyon. I, from the the trail hit.

So

this cute in her

little cubs were very close to the trail head,

and

I've never seen...

It's I mean, for me if you rare to see deer two miles from the trail head. So... Right.

It's kinda like a car accident. It happens at home little closer to home one of those statistics.

Yeah. Exactly.

Jeez man. It's freaking so wild.

That'll. Well, that that makes... Brings up a a just a

something I feel like we should talk about it and and that's if you... With a family or if you are going out in the a while, it's it's things like this that you hear about that makes you think twice. Right? About. Maybe I should have some bear spray. Or maybe I should be packing a pistol.

It's kinda one of those situations where it's better to have it and not need it than to need it and not have it, you know.

But yeah can imagine, like, you're a dad, you know, and you're just taking your kid on a little walk or something like that and that happened, You know, like, I mean... Oh, okay. You that'd be crazy.

So I... That's... I think that's super important. And and it's not just for Mountain. Mountain... That's probably never gonna happen in the next twenty years. Maybe never again, you know, like,

with with Covid going on, there is a ton more people out in the wilderness right now. It's it's just a fact that... There's way more people out there. Hunters are seeing people where they've never seen them before.

And it's... I I I do think that we're gonna maybe see more shit like this. But

Mh. Maybe not maybe not

to that to that degree. You know what I mean? But Yeah. I I do know, you know, if a bio... I know biologists that, you know, they wouldn't have hesitate to drop that cat if they were packing total. They would use it as an... Excuse

to shoot that thing if they had to. Right? They would have felt threatened. Life would have felt. It's like that's south the South park episode where they're... They,

they're they're looking at the bear and he's like, oh, isn't had a lovely bear. It's all... It's in endangered and did a and he just blows it away. And the kids are like, what are you doing? Well, you gotta say? It's coming right for you before you can kill it.

Yeah. That's guy... You know, I I've...

Have you can't hunt Mount lions in California. That's where we're, you know, obviously calling you from, pretty much everywhere else in in the country you can.

And I know people that do and they they hold very still. They sit with a a pistol on their lap, they'll have a rifle in their in against our arm, and they don't move for forty five minutes, call... Trying to call these mount lines in. And it's sketchy. Right? You're getting these things super close to to shoot. And

I've heard of a story where a guy shot one in the mountain lion charged them, and it came right after him after you shot it, and that instantly, like, hit my brain when I was like, why don't she throw a rock? Why don't she throw a rock throw a rock throw a rock and I'm like, wait, maybe

maybe he's like me. And that's not a good idea. You know, maybe it'll piss it off.

And and that guy ended a drop in the cat with his handgun? You know, like, close to

Wow himself.

Is there anything you'd do different,

Kyle that for that day?

You know

they kinda a lot of those questions on the instagram stuff was like they're, like, why don't she have a knife for one ship a gun. I don't know. That... I think if I had either one of those the situation could've have ended a lot differently. Maybe I would have been more aggressive in attacking her. And she would have been a more aggressive attacking me as well. Right.

And so kinda going back and, also listening to someone like, the experts and stuff like that. I'm just kinda have scene that video going run by a Casey,

he explains the situation very well

that the mom literally, it was just backing me up. She didn't want me. She didn't want to eat me. She's just wanted to back me up. Yep. And so

kinda taking that into consideration. I think I think the only thing I would have changed if anything is maybe just having some bear spray. Mh. Right? Mh.

Yep. That's... I mean, definitely... And that's impact and easy to... Just just throw for dogs...

Dogs are are more apt to, you know, attack a human and and hurt a human than than it'll mountain lion. Right? So just for agree or a bear, and and I've seen bears just bolts just at the sound of that spray coming out of the nozzle. You know, it's it's Mh. Definitely smart to have just something, like an air horn would probably be enough. Yeah.

Yeah.

So or a big, ball of yarn too, Kyle, maybe next time for for that insurance, you know, press the girls and have having a little anti diet thing.

It's... It is interesting to see that the the media totally spun a lot of it and said, Mountain Lions stocking Hike, you know, and, like, all this different shit. And when it's when it's when it's obvious that, hey, this this mom mom mountain line Cougar was was trying to protect her young. You know, It was completely obvious. But a lot of people look at that, like,

I don't know. As everybody has their own opinion and it has on their own experience experience and how they're brought up or, you know, go deep into that. But what, you know, what things have come about that you're just, like... How,

I wanna say this, or I wish I would've said that, or is there any... Do you have any, like, regrets about

some of this stuff? Or

no?

Not necessarily. I feel like a lot of it is this knowledge and knowing

kinda what was happening in that situation. I didn't know I didn't know she was... Like, I know for a fact that yes. She was protecting her kids, but, I didn't know she didn't want to attack me. Yeah. I

I don't study mountain lions every day, and so

Now now knowing these things, is actually kind of interesting to see, like,

yes. She didn't wanna attack me. She just wanted me either way from her kids.

And

it is funny. Like you said, like, some of the news guys is taking it and say,

getting attacked and

making it very dramatic when it is a very, I guess, a very serious

situation that was in,

by the same time, she didn't she didn't wanna eat me. Did did you handle it better than,

again, like Chad said, nine out of ten people would, you know, most people would turn around and start running and that... That's that can that can, you know, invoke. She could chase you down and and attack, You know, that's what they do. Mh.

So you, I mean, you just did it right, which is which is awesome. So kudos to out how you handle... Yeah. Exactly.

Yeah toys. So has this changed your experience on going out? In nature at all or... Did you quit drinking kyle.

Clean up your mouth.

What... Yeah. No. I know... I didn't washed my mouth That was soap a couple times. I'm on here like that one. Yeah. But, I mean, come on out. She needs to give you a mu again for that day.

That's. Yeah. I think so as well.

But no it. It hasn't changed my my perspective of go outside.

I'm I'm a big believer and you fall down and get back up. And so just because one bad thing happens is I mean, you stop for every so. Yeah. Yeah. I mean, Let me... I was out Sunday morning running again. So... I was gonna ask you, have you... Are you gonna ever run that trail again?

No. Most definitely.

It's pretty cool. Most definitely. It's it's it's fun... It's a fun trail for me. Yeah. I love that little loop. It to get some good

ver in

going up and down and, yeah. And just, like, kinda of being in

back where a lot of other people don't go. Because a lot of people don't do the full loop.

Unless there that's runners, and so kinda gets me away from all the the people in the suburbs city. How'd do you sleep that night?

I said fine. Yeah. I... I think he would he would just be so rung out and exhausted that you be, like, sleep like a little baby.

No. Yeah. And I'm... Like, usually, I do sleep quite often. I sleep.

My I sleep by I sleep just because I do have some pretty long work days We're in sixteen hours eighteen hours a day. So... Sure.

Yeah. I've vivid dreams man. I'd... I'd be having nightmares about that, you know, probably ongoing. But as you were talking about earlier, like, people...

People go their whole lives, like, living at living in the wilderness... Then they're not even city. Live going to cities. They, like, literally homestead out in the middle of nowhere. They're living out in the middle nowhere, and they'll never even see him outline. Never even see

a glimpse of one. You know what I mean So... Mh.

I mean, just right there, that just kinda shows you that, you know, and you know that, you know, so going back out there and experiencing, you know, mother nature, like, it's intended is is what it's all about. You know, and that's

all the Mountain... I've seen three.

And the two...

The two of the three were were... Basically, it's butt

tail going, you know, away with you the. Away from me and at into the woods. You know, it happened so fast. They're they're out of there. Yeah. You know? Yeah. They never picked they never posted up their shoulders at us and looked at us.

Yeah. Super hard to just get a photo of one. So that video, man, you were you were destined to take that video. It's it's epic, and it was it was a pretty cool experience that you get... You know, you brought a lot of people... A lot of people got to... Somewhat sharing with you. So I I just... I wanna make sure that everybody knows that, you know, the main message I wanna get across today is that they're they're not out there to kill you. Right. And this is a this this story,

it is a testament to that, and glad you survived.

Yeah. You both.

Crazy. That's not crazy twenty times. So...

So are people thank you for taking the, the call for us today to or people just blowing you up left and right to are you on Kim yeah? He's when he going on Jimmy?

I haven't gone Jimmy yet. I mean, I think all of my most memorable stuff... Far as Anderson Cooper.

I'm seeing that. Other than this, though you... Then Anderson.

Yeah. Exactly. Alright. Cool.

But Yeah. Still okay. I

it's kinda crazy because, yeah. I mean, I've been in

interview after your interview after interview, and usually, like, once we hit, like, eight o'clock in the states, nine o'clock in the states, it's the other side of the world that wants to talk to me in Australia and the Uk.

Like, last night, all on. Good morning, Britain,

and that was at one o'clock in the morning.

Crazy

in cool. And so it's super crazy on how this is all played out. So somebody's gonna get you to endorse some bare spray or something I guarantee it.

Yeah. We'll see what happens down the road. I mean, we're only, like what four days in?

Yep. She's in. So are they sending, like, video crews to your house and stuff to to get these

interviews or how's that work? Probably on Zoom... No. It's all been Zoom. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.

That's cool? Yeah. A lot of them just just say, hey, Put your headset on or something like that. So I have my beats

and then just...

Top on a zoom call.

It's awesome, man. It's freaking re unreal.

I'm just I'm just happy that you you were able to keep that video rolling because nobody, you know, a lot of people don't get to experience even, like, experts that are in the wild. Get to see an animal act like that. You know, they they just never get they'll never get to see it or have never seen it. So

you captured something super special man. So

again, for for today. Thanks for coming on. I know we're not cnn in, but it do appreciate it.

No... And I'm have... It's so much fun with these podcasts because I kinda like talking about the experience, and I do want everyone to know, like, kinda what you said already is that, yeah. These animals are aren't out to kill us. They're just living in their home. That's where

that's that's theirs. Right? And so we we are guest over there and so we gotta be careful. If we go and we go out in in some mountains. Yeah. That doesn't mean approach one and try and pet it behind the air. But... You know, give, yeah. Respect it, but, you know, don't don't shoot on sight kind of a thing, I guess. No exactly. Yeah. Cool.

Alright. Awesome. Yeah. Alright awesome. Thanks again, Kyle, and and good luck with all the future interviews and thanks again for coming in, coming on the barb fly fish fishing podcast. If if you're ever in, Nor cal and you wanna do some fish fishing. You got a free ride on our boat to do whatever you want. So boom.

Perfect. We're we're in california you get located? Chico.

Chico. Okay. Yeah. No number one party school in the eighties in playboy.

Would put us on that.

But I I wanted to give a shout out to fish bio for for letting us giving us through for the head for the the studio and,

cal out for their support on on sponsoring the show. Right bringing it to you guys. Right on tight lines everybody

Thanks. Thanks, Kyle.

Yeah they show me.

Special thanks to our sponsors.

Without them, this show would not be possible. Like this episode, leave a review. Grab some gear.

Become a patreon supporter. Links are in this episodes description. This show is part of the barb podcast network. For sponsorship inquiries or general questions, please email vis at barb dot ceo

no better, fish better.

This has been an amp audio production.