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Photographer captures unique images of Silver Skagit mountain lions

Cougar kitten hissed and growled at photographer during encounter
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Danny Smith captured several images of a young mountain lion up the Silver Skagit Road earlier this month.

Out checking snow and road conditions up the Skagit, Smith said he happened to spot two mountain lions standing on the road - a mother and a kitten. Smith drove up and made some commotion, he said he yelled into the bush a few times, the kitten escaped up into a tree. He snapped a few photos, as he was photographing he could hear the mother nearby “chirping”, meowing to call her young and let him know she was there.

“It’s not very common,” to capture these kinds of images said Smith, a trapper and former houndsman. “Most people who don’t know what they’re looking for, they could just be looking right at them.”

Smith said the kitten is likely around two years old. While Smith took photos, the cub was hissing and growling as he was walking around. “Just, basically keeping an eye on me,” he said.

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