Bowhunter Stalked

Hunting

One minute Biff Williams was bowhunting for deer from a stand. A moment later, he was in a standoff.

Williams, an archer who draws his bow with his teeth because of a disabled arm, was sitting under a tree in January hoping to get a shot at a deer during a late-season hunt in Okanogan County.

Williams became the hunted, however, when a cougar stepped out of the woods and began stalking his scent. Williams snapped a photo with his camera when the cat was 55 yards away. In the dim light, the flash went off. But that didn’t deter the cougar.

“He circled to within 25 yards where he turned (as if) to attack, closing to within 15 yards before his attention was diverted by Doug Garrison, a Physically Challenged Bowhunters of America member helping with the hunt,” Williams said.

“I had been talking out loud to let the cougar know that ‘It’s Biff, not Beef!’ But when he kept advancing I dropped the camera and yelled as loud as I could and grabbed my bow.”

The two men made enough racket to persuade the cougar to veer off, and disappear down the hill.

“My hair still tries to stand up when I think about it,” Williams said.

Williams is secretary for Physically Challenged Bowhunters of America. Info: 747-6745. , DataTimes ILLUSTRATION: Photo