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I ran up this week to get in a quick scouting trip. I've been trying very hard to curb my hunting ADHD by working on patience. This means spending a set amount of time in certain particular areas. Early Friday morning, I was down low in an area where many trails intercross and I've been forcing myself to sit here and watch the deer and elk go by. My goal was a few hours, but almost as soon as I sat down next to a huge pine tree I heard this loud noise coming from somewhere south of me. This was a noise I've never heard before, but whatever it was kept on and on and on. I sat for 30 minutes before curiosity got the best of me and I followed the noise. The ruckus was up above me on a ridge, but just below the knoll of a mountain. I VERY slowly started inching my way up the mountain. I could tell the animal would face different directions and make the noise, but I hadn't heard it for a few minutes. My eyes were zero'd in and scanning. Gun was unsnapped and bear mace was hanging out of my pocket with plastic safety pulled. Then I heard it again. It was CLOSE and right above me! I froze and didn't move a muscle as I watched a mountain lion come down off the ridge in front of me and cross just below the knoll. I was smiling from ear to ear. I had just seen my first mountain lion and it was up close and personal. I was beyond thrilled. My camera was also ready, but I didn't get a single photo because it all happened so fast and to be honest I was afraid to move. Even though she had moved off my senses were still extremely heightened and I was paying close attention to everything everywhere. If you've ever been in a similar situation, I know you understand exactly how heightened senses can be. All of a sudden from my left, I see a lion coming back toward my direction. This is the only time I felt extremely uncomfortable and this was because I couldn't tell if there was more than one lion. The thought definitely crossed my mind that maybe they were stalking me. Thankfully, and I do mean thankfully, I quickly realized it was just her pacing back and forth as she kept periodically screaming. Now I started clicking away with the camera trying to get a picture. I never moved except my fingers that were controlling the focus ring and the shutter button. I was in 100% FULL HIDING MODE! I watched her pace back and forth calling for a mate for 15 minutes before she finally caught some type of slight movement from me because she instantly froze in her tracks and was now staring right at ME!! For six seconds I was looking eye-to-eye with a mountain lion until she turned tail and ran. I guess I wasn't the mate she was looking for, but I thank her greatly for the experience I will kill a mountain lion one day, but this was not the day. I was alone, armed with an LCP & bear mace, and she was about 30 yards from me. This is not my ideal situation to attempt a mountain lion kill, but I had a few things at my disposal if the need arose, including the tree I was standing next to. I honestly couldn't have asked for a better first encounter, and I'm home safe and sound. I took this right after the encounter with the knoll in the background. I haven't been this happy in a long time :)