Bobcat

A comment by Waage reminded me of a hair raising crew chief thing that happened to me a few years ago.

I was doing a topo on a lot that had a rise from the curb and then dropped off the other side.

I was dropping over the rise when I noticed a head wall. Kind of an unusual place for one in the middle of a lot so I figured I better get it.

As I approached the head wall something gray started walking away from me and then all of a sudden stopped and turned to look at me and there I was no more than 10 feet from a Bobcat staring into his or her eyes.

Needless to say it scared the ^%&^%& out me.

I instantly froze and realized that if I had to fight this awesome creature that could climb me in .002 seconds I was totally screwed. All I had was the gps, a pocket tape and a lock blade knife somewhere in my pocket.

So I did what I thought was most sensible at the moment and said "Hello there big kitty cat" and started to back away slowly while continuing to watch this cat watch me. (I'm real good at memorizing my steps so I can walk backward in the weeds pretty well).

After a few seconds the cat figured that I of little threat and turned walked away stopping every 20 feet or so to check me out.

I only backed up about 25 feet and stopped and watched that cat slowly leave.

Notice I said watched? The thing that got me the most was the fact that I could not hear it walking through the brush as it left.

Truly the most quiet scare the crap out me experience I have ever had in the desert.

I wonder if the cat stopped somewhere and watched the silly human walk around with the stick for an hour or so???