Hey Bobert...

About the cougar...they are seriously nothing to mess with. Please talk to your neighbors and brush up on the habits of the ones in your area. If you are out in the sticks, or even if you're not, I'd suggest subscribing to Countryside Magazine. It's full of information about homesteading and dealing with the animal aspect of living in the sticks. I read a story not long ago about a woman being mauled to death on her farm by a cougar. They aren't like black bears, they are highly territorial and predatory animals (okay..so are bears but black bears aren't nearly as dangerous as cougars). Don't mess with that...call your local farm co-op or game warden and see what they suggest.

Michelle