Kamloops, B.C., man photographs cougar attack on a doe - Action News
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British Columbia

Kamloops, B.C., man photographs cougar attack on a doe

Ryan Headlee was stopped in his truck when a cougar attacked a nearby deer on the road in front of him.

'The cougar somersaulted the deer on the road and then tried to drag it down over the bank'

This is one of four photos of a cougar attacking a deer snapped by Ryan Headlee near Kamloops, B.C. (Ryan Headlee/Facebook)

Ryan Headlee was taking a back roadto his Kamloops, B.C.home after a hunting trip near Ashcroft when he came across a herd of six femaledeer.

One of them was separated from the larger group, and when Headleepulled over,a cougar emerged.

"The cougar jumped up and he made a bit of a noise that I'd kind of describe as a snarl and he latched on the doe's neck," said Headlee.

"The cougar somersaulted the deer on the road and then tried to drag itdown over the bank."

Headlee grabbed his phone and snapped a few photos before the deer was pulled down a nearby embankment.

"People see cougars ... to see what I saw is pretty profound not too many people get to witness that."

'Chance of a lifetime'

WildSafe B.C. provincial co-ordinator Frank Ritcey agrees.

"It's very rare to see a cougar in this country," said Ritcey.

"They are very secretive animals ... so just seeing a cougar is a big thing, but seeing a cougar take down a deer, that's a chance of a lifetime."

Ritcey reminds dog owners to keep their pets leashed, saying cougars rarely attack people, but have been known to engage with canines.

Headlee says he captured this image shortly before the cougar dragged the deer off the side of the road. (Ryan Headlee/Facebook)