Man Attacked By Mountain Lion In Nevada County

NEVADA COUNTY (CBS13) - A camper was attacked by mountain lion early Sunday Morning in an area northwest of Nevada City, according to the Department of Fish and Game.

The 63-year-old man was driving through Nevada County on July 1 on his way to a hiking trip when he decided to camp for the night near a tributary on the Yuba River. He laid his sleeping bag on the ground, got inside and went to sleep, according to agency spokesman Patrick Foy.

At around 1 a.m., the man says a mountain lion suddenly pounced him, clawing and biting him through the sleeping bag. He said it bit through his clothes and his hat. The cat then walked 15 feet away, turned around and stared at the man him for 15-30 seconds, then ran off.

The man drove to the hospital in Grass Valley where he was treated for non-life threatening scratches and puncture wounds.

The Department of Fish and Game analyzed the man's clothes and sleeping bag at its forensics laboratory.

Game wardens went to the scene of the attack and found mountain lion tracks. Search dogs were sent out to search for the animal, but weren't able to find it. However, they found the remains of a domestic cat that appears to have been killed by a mountain lion.