There are always outliers. I have a 105 lb German Shepherd right at my feet. It’s a legitimate weight taken by the vet. He’s not fat at all, but is thick. The amazing thing to me is that when I take him to the dog park, he’s usually not the biggest there.
I cosign this. I hike in the Trinity Alps Wilderness. There are mountain lions here. I have never had a face to face, but saw three strolling on a logging road and they did NOT see me. I think this is unusual and I think that I have probably been seen many times when I did not see the lion. They are cats, after all. If they were generally dangerous to humans, there would be a lot of hikers disappearing in these woods. On the other hand, they WILL take your dogs and cats.
Wow … if you actually saw one … that means them hills are flat thick with them. We have them here in the flatlands crossing over the urban/wilderness interface. By the time the neighborhood notices all the cats and dogs cleared out, that cougar is long gone.
Still, I wouldnt want to be lost out in wolf country with 2 broken legs.
The Trinity Alps? Of course they are there! I’ve seen one on a hiking trail right here in Silicon Valley not more than a mile from the nearest urban area. And this is a trail that it’s hard to go more than 1/4 mile without encountering other hikers-- its heavily used every day.
I certainly would feel better knowing where I was …