Overview

I never thought I would start a book by talking about the time a cougar stared me down in the middle of a Montana canyon, but here we are. It was a July evening and I had taken a short hike after work to shake off the day. The trail was quiet, the kind of quiet that makes you feel like the whole world has stopped moving except for you. Then I saw her. A cougar, not more than thirty yards ahead, crouched low and staring right at me. My heart pounded so hard that I could hear it in my ears, and every instinct told me to run. That is the first mistake most people make. Encounters like that will change how you look at the world. For me it started a slow but steady education on how predators work and how ordinary people like us can prepare to live and travel safely in their territory. I am not a wildlife biologist, I am a dad of three teenagers, a guy who works for a living, someone who likes to hike on the weekends and spend time out in the wild places that we are lucky enough to still have. I am also someone who has had to learn how to be ready for the unexpected because life has a way of surprising you. I live in Montana with my wife Regina and our kids Logan, Smith, and Harper. We see more deer than cars some days and the outdoors is part of our family's daily life. That means I take seriously the responsibility of keeping my family safe without locking them away from the very places that make life rich. This book is about that balance. It is about knowing enough to enjoy the trails, the campgrounds, and the deep backcountry with confidence instead of fear. Cougars are remarkable animals. They are powerful, quiet, and fast. They are also very shy and, nine times out of ten, they will avoid you long before you know they are there. But sometimes paths cross. If you are not prepared, that crossing can go bad very quickly. The goal here is not to scare you. It is to help you develop a kind of confidence that only comes from preparation and understanding. I have learned some of these lessons the hard way. This book is practical. It is rooted in experience. And yes, I sprinkle in personal stories because I believe that preparedness is best taught through life, not just dry facts and statistics. You will find techniques here that can keep you and your family safe, but just as important you will find a way of thinking that turns fear into knowledge and panic into calm action. Whether you are an experienced hiker or someone who just loves an afternoon walk on a trail near your neighborhood, I wrote this for you. Cougars are not going anywhere. Neither are we. It is time we learn to share the same trails with a little more confidence.

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