Boise Hiker Has a Close Encounter With a Mountain Lion

Nothing says "Boise" like a relaxing hike.

Being stalked by a mountain lion on said hike isn't so relaxing.

A man claims that on Saturday, he was hiking with his dog near Bogus Basin Road when they came across a mountain lion. According to the anonymous citizen, the animal followed him and his dog for quite a while during their hike.

So what should one do when you encounter a mountain lion out in the wild? According to Mike Keckler from the Idaho Department of Fish & Game, you may want to hold off on snapping that photo of the wild animal:

You never know what you can encounter in Idaho, that's one of the things that makes Idaho so special. Always be aware of your surroundings, take the time to look around and just be thinking at all times. We do live in prime mountain lion habitat and we should be aware of that. If you see a mountain lion keep your eye on it. Turn around, square up and get big. Yell at it and if you can throw something at it. When I say get big I mean if you have a coat bring it up over your head and make yourself look big.

While mountain lions attacking people is an extremely rare occurrence here in the Treasure Valley, sightings of the animals are fairly common. It goes without saying, but be sure your dog is always on a leash when hiking. The last thing you want is to have your pet tangle with a feral mountain lion.