I bow hunt some wilderness areas that put me in some prime cougar habitat. I have run into two cougars before when hiking into a little river. I just raised my arms and shouted and after a bit of time they ran away. I do have a handgun I could pack, but like was stated before, if a cougar wants to attack you, it will be on you before you know what is happening. Even if a cougar attacks you, if you fight back, it will most likely run off. Most important is to be aware of your surroundings and be noisy(unless hunting). The reason why cougars are becoming a nuissance is due to the anti hounding laws passed about 5-6 years ago. We now have generations of cats that have no fear of humans. Unfortunately it will take a highly publicized attack of a child to overturn this law.