Mountain lions roam nearly all corners of the western landscape, from the wildest reaches of the backcountry to our own backyards. They're even present in urban areas -- everyone's heard reports of mountain lions showing up in surprising places, like within Los Angelos city limits.

But how much do we know about these big cats? Do these large carnivores pose relatively little risk to humans and our pets? Is the presence of mountain lions something we should worry about? Could Ricky Bobby really drive with a cougar in the car?

In this episode, Hayden's friend Dr. Kristin Engebretsen drops by the studio to share what she's learned in the field and the lab studying these big cats. We talk about:

• The journey of a scientist turned mountain lion expert


• The biology and adaptations behind their stealth and strength


• How the hell you get a collar on a lion


• Using hounds to catch mountain lions


• What it's like to dart a mountain lion


• Where very heavily medicated mountain lions tend to fall asleep


• Handling and studying the predators up close


• How mountain lions share the landscape with us—and what that means for their future


• Playing with cougar kittens up close


• Mountain lion Q&A featuring YOUR questions!

LINKS MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE

Brown Bears of Katmai, Wolves of Yellowstone | Dr. Aidan Beers | Ep. 018: https://youtu.be/f4EldpL9wnk

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Featuring Kristin Engebretsen

“Welcome to the Backcountry” theme song by Logan Roth, Will Brown, Arjun Dube and produced at Treacle Mine Studios, Phila, PA Copyright Outdoor Visions Media LLC, 2025