Cougar Sighting At Spencer Butte Park

Eugene - University of Oregon sophomores Julie Butdorf and Jenna Rosenfeld decided to go see the sunrise before they slept, but they never saw that sunrise. About a quarter of a mile in they saw three cougars. “We heard them growl at us, it was pretty clear that there was more than one of them, they were on both sides of us,” Jenna Rosenfeld explains. “We yelled and growled, made a whole a lot of noise the whole way down.”Julie explains. “I had my cell phone out, and had my head lamp out. Tried to keep the light on the trail, watch the trail, and watch her,” both girls explain. That’s exactly what fish and wildlife said you should do. City employees posted signs, telling people to be careful, and keep children and dogs close by. The warning stopped some hikers in their tracks, but not all. Butdorf and Rosenfeld say they will be back at Spencer Butte, but next time during day light. Brian Wolfer with ODFW says there never has been a verified case of a cougar attacking a human in our area, he says the animals usually hunt at night, and are timid around people.