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In MyMemeCards, the meme card game, “Utah Hiker Cougar Encounter” is a common card of the Memes World series 74, number 22105 of the collection, and the 53rd best-known meme of its 300 cards. Here is what the meme means, where it comes from, and how to get its card.
What does the “Utah Hiker Cougar Encounter” meme mean?
The image captures the moment when humor gives way to pure survival. It is used to illustrate sudden anxiety, overwhelming professional or personal stress, or that feeling of being chased by one's own problems. The hiker’s backward step becomes the universal symbol for desperately trying to stay calm while everything collapses around you.
Where does the “Utah Hiker Cougar Encounter” meme come from?
The source is a video recorded on October 10, 2020, by Kyle Burgess, a 26-year-old runner, in the Slate Canyon area near Provo, Utah. While encountering small felines he initially mistook for bobcats, he quickly realized they were young cougars. Their mother followed, charged, and pursued him for about six minutes as he slowly backed away on the trail. Burgess first posted the clip on Instagram, then on YouTube on October 12, 2020. The video went viral immediately, being picked up by major media outlets like CNN, The New York Times, and TMZ. Contrary to some urban legends, this is not a TV show excerpt but a personal recording shared on social media. Internet users later detached stills of the cat or Burgess’s posture to create ironic memes on platforms like Tumblr and 4chan, sometimes naming the animal 'Gougar' or 'Gouger'.
- October 10, 2020Kyle Burgess encounters the cougars and films the interaction in Slate Canyon.
- October 12, 2020Video published on social media and immediate virality.
How to use the “Utah Hiker Cougar Encounter” meme
- Share the cougar photo when you have to deliver bad news to your boss.
- Use Burgess backing away to illustrate your running start away from an insurmountable administrative task.
- Post this meme in your stories when you hear a suspicious noise at home at night.
Also searched as
- Gougar
- Gouger
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- Hiker vs cougar
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- kyle burgess cougar video
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- gougar meme origin
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- slate canyon cougar incident
The “Utah Hiker Cougar Encounter” card in MyMemeCards
| Number | No. 22105 |
|---|---|
| Rarity | Common |
| Collection | Memes World series 74 |
| Fame | 64/100 · #53 of 300 |
| Recycle value | 5 MemeCoins (15 in Shiny) |
How to get the “Utah Hiker Cougar Encounter” card
Every pack holds 5 meme cards, the first 3 of them Common; Utah Hiker Cougar Encounter comes out of the Memes World series 74 as a common card. The pack odds say what each rarity weighs.
Your first pack is free and needs no account. After that a new free pack lands every 10 minutes, up to 3 waiting for you. You can also buy the card with MemeCoins on the market, bid for it at auction, or trade it — and a double recycles into 5 MemeCoins.
Open your free pack
5 meme cards, one of them at least Rare. One free pack per person.
Free · no account needed
Odds per card, averaged over a pack: Common 72%, Rare 23.9%, Epic 3.2%, Legendary 0.56%, Mythic 0.3%, Full Art ≤ 0.1%, Shiny 0.2%. Cards 1 to 3 are always Common, cards 4 and 5 climb the rarities. Rates drop for cards that circulate a lot. Details
Memes like “Utah Hiker Cougar Encounter”
More cards of the Memes World series 74
Frequently asked questions
What does Utah Hiker Cougar Encounter meme mean?
It refers to a real 2020 video of a man fleeing a cougar in Utah. The image is used to represent panic or intense fear.
Who is Kyle Burgess?
Kyle Burgess is the American hiker who filmed the encounter with the cougar in October 2020. He is not a celebrity but an ordinary person.
Where does the Utah cougar video come from?
The video comes from a chance encounter during a run in the Slate Canyon sector, near Provo, Utah, United States.
Why is the cougar called Gougar?
Internet users nicknamed the animal 'Gougar' or 'Gouger' as a humorous wordplay on Tumblr and 4chan after the viral spread.
How do I get the Utah Hiker Cougar Encounter meme card?
Open a pack of MyMemeCards: “Utah Hiker Cougar Encounter” is a common card of the Memes World series 74. Your first pack is free, with no account, and you can also buy, trade or win the card at auction.
How rare is the Utah Hiker Cougar Encounter card?
It is a Common card. Rarity decides which pack slot can deal it, and what it is worth on the market.
Sources: The cougar in that viral video looked scary, but experts say ... · Video shows man being followed by angry mountain lion ... · Was ‘Stalking’ Cougar Actually Protecting Her Cubs? · checked on October 16, 2026.
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