Cougar spotted on Coeur d’Alene’s Tubbs Hill

A mountain lion is prowling near Tubbs Hill in Coeur d’Alene.

According to a post on the city’s official Facebook page on Tuesday, the cougar was spotted near Tubbs Hill.

The director of Coeur d’Alene’s Parks and Recreation Department did not immediately respond to a call requesting comment.

Cougars rarely attack humans and when they do it’s almost always avoidable. The city of Coeur d’Alene posted tips on how to handle a cougar encounter – tips every hiker should know.

On Wednesday Craig Walker, the regional conservation officer, said Idaho Fish and Game has no plans to try and remove the cougar.

“We’re kind of monitoring it,” he said. ”You can’t set a trap because you have so many people and dogs. You can’t use hounds because you’re surrounded by very small pieces of private property. There is not at terrific way to deal with something like that.”

And it’s not the first time a cougar has been spotted in the area. Most likely the cat will leave on its own.

“They are going to come and go,” he said.

From the city’s post:

“STOP - Never approach a cougar, especially when it is feeding or with kittens.

STAY CALM - Face the cougar. Do not run. Running encourages it to chase.

APPEAR LARGE - Make yourself look large. Do not bend over or crouch down. Raise your hands. Hold your coat open. Hold small children.

FIGHT BACK - Fight back if attacked.

MAKE NOISE - Make noise while hiding to reduce the change of surprising a cougar.

KEEP CHILDREN CLOSE - Always keep children close by and in sight.

AVOID HIKING ALONE and PACK BEAR SPRAY.”

Additionally, bear spray is an effective cougar deterrent and is recommended by many wildlife managers and biologists.

Below is a video from former outdoors editor Rich Landers explaining how to properly use bear spray.

This story will be updated.