Kamloops hiker gets rare, close-up look at cougar

A Kamloops hiker enjoying the warm weather yesterday found herself looking directly at a cougar.

Ashley Gribble was on a hike with her dogs on Crown land near McConnell Lake yesterday, May 13, when she noticed the big cat perched in a tree.

For Gribble, this was a moment of deja vu.

Last May, she came face to face with a black bear near Isobel Lake. The bear followed her and later attacked one of her dogs.

She says yesterday's encounter with a cougar was much more positive, and she and her dogs exited the area quickly.

According to WildSafeBC, the carnivorous cats use a "spot and stalk" hunting method, and are very seldom seen by hikers.

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