Nicole Darrah reports at Fox News:

An Oregon woman who had been reported missing nearly two weeks ago was most likely killed by a cougar in an "unprecedented event," investigators revealed Tuesday.

The body of Diana Bober, 55, was found Monday off a trail in the Mt. Hood National Forest in Welches, about 40 miles southeast of Portland, according to the Clackamas County Sheriff's Office.

The medical examiner's office determined that wounds found on Bober's body were "consistent with a suspected cougar attack," and ruled out the possibility that she was mauled after she died from a separate cause.

The sheriff's office advises the following when "anywhere in cougar country": 

• Be aware of your surroundings at all times
• Hike in groups. Keep your dog close to you or on a leash
• Make noise to alert wildlife of your presence
• Keep children close to you
• Be especially alert at dawn and dusk when cougars are most active.

To this I would add: Consider carrying a firearm to protect your own life and those of friends and family.

In a natural world both beautiful and brutal, preparation could provide a means of life-saving self-defense against both 4-legged and 2-legged predators.

There may be only one occasion when you need to act. But your readiness that one time could make all the difference in the world. 

Hiking is great. So is going home again.