Police Urge Caution after Cougar Sighting Near Stayton Middle School
Stayton police and the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife say this is a good reminder that residents in the Stayton area live where wild animals live as well.
(STAYTON, Ore. ) — A recent cougar sighting in the small Oregon community of Stayton has some residents on edge, and police along with state wildlife officials urging caution should you encounter one.
Stayton police say they received a report of a cougar near the wooded trail system behind Stayton Middle School. Stayton police, the North Santiam School District, and the US Department of Agriculture have been working together to monitor and address this particular incident since it occurred near a school.
Stayton police and the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife say this is a good reminder that residents in the Stayton area live where wild animals live as well.
Police urge people engaged in outdoor activities where you could encounter wild animals to do the following:
1. Hike or run with a partner or in a group.
2. Make noise so the animals know you are there but do not startle them.
3. Keep your distance, and do not get between them and their young or food.
4. Do not try to feed them.
5. If you do see a cougar, leave the area, and present yourself in a way to appear larger then you are.
6. Avoid after dark activities in the woods as cougars are more active at night.
If you see a cougar in the City of Stayton please contact Trevor Lock of the USDA at (503) 881-9381 or the Stayton Police Department at 503-769-3421.
