Mountain Lion Attack

^ Because not all communities are following the model that your's is. My community (Atlanta) huge issues with increased interaction with black bears, especially in the northern suburbs.

I think if a cat eats or kills a human being, and it happens to be your human being.....it's going to matter a lot.
The cats are not to be blamed in any way....only the people who feel that just because it doesn't happen very often that it's some how OK.

Animals are great, so are humans, but some of them belong in cadges
not out in public where they can harm others.
For instance Jefery Dommer, and countless others ....just people....
but not to be trusted because of some bad habits.
Way back when,.... people seemed to understand that.....today it
seems they want to allow these dangerous predators to roam free.....just because they don't often kill people.
I think there is some serious problems with that attitude.
If we were talking about domestic animals that from time to time get sick or just have bad temperament that would be different.

These lions are wild dangerous creatures. People hunted them down and killed most of them for self protection.....not a lust for killing.

Now, the same people who want to let these lions, etc roam free are often the same people who don't want humans to have arms etc.....something is just not correct........I wonder what the answer is in all of it.

Eggzackly. This is the socialist state of Oregon. It's a whole nuther planet, and that ain't funny.

Here's a shot off my porch. Through the notch in the mountains lies California, several hundred miles away. If I was to walk that, except for crossing the few roads that connect the Willamette Valley to the beach, I could do it without seeing another person. This ain't the east coast by a long shot.

I'd have to wonder if putting the first round into the dirt wouldn't shock the cat into dropping it's grip and bolting.

How many animals have you seen stick around after a gun shot?

^ My cats got freaked out the first few times I fired an airsoft while they were in the room. They now don't really care.

There was a good show on big cats last night. Started off with a cat grabbing a gal right off her mountain bike just outside LA. She didn't die because another mountain biker managed to hit the cougar in the face with a stone and the cat finely let go, but then did came back later. Basically, 4 mountain bikers (2 guy,s 2 gals) verse one cougar, and they really were not sure if they could save the one the cougar had in his mouth.

There are quite a few "amimal lovers" who hate people enough they would rather have people die than animals. Just read a survey the WA F&W conducted, seems about 11% of those surveyed would not want cougars killed for reasons of human safety concerns.

JMO, but I'd think that any bullet, from any gun, fired anywhere into an attacking cougar, and that cat will immediately stop its attack. I'm not talking about a killing shot necessarily, but any hit that will injure the animal and I'd bet it would instantly let go of its victim.

Of course, now you have a wounded cat that may either run off or counterattack, so follow-up shots will likely be needed. But I understood the question being "where do I shoot it to make it stop?". Lions aren't bears, and my money says that if you hurt it, it will most likely try to flee. Bears will take revenge on you.

We get ~3 mountain lion attacks per year.
We get ~ 5,000,000 dog attacks per year.

I had a mountain lion on my property once, and it avoided me.
I had a large black bear on my property once, and it avoided me.
I had a pit bull on my property once, it attacked me, and turned my body into hamburger.

There is a difference between a perceived risk and a calculated risk.

Ask a 3 year old what will be more dangerous to him in his life, a mountain lion or a pit bull.

He will probably give the wrong answer.

These lions are wild dangerous creatures. People hunted them down and killed most of them for self protection.....not a lust for killing

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Way back when,.... people seemed to understand that.....today it
seems they want to allow these dangerous predators to roam free.....just because they don't often kill people.
I think there is some serious problems with that attitude.

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Sure...a serious problem with uderstanding a wild animal is not domesticated, and seeing it's value in the ecosystem.

Yeah, we should probably just kill everything that could be a potential risk. Good plan. And comparing Jeffrey Dahmer to a cougar could be the most idiotic thing I've ever heard.

We should probably get rid of knives as well since they seem to be the tools of choice for Jeffrey Dahmer types, we wouldn't want to be enablers.

HGUNHNTR said:

Whats wrong with that? Its not manly to be green? Personally I LOVE to hunt, hike and fish, and I hope that my children's children get to have the same type of experiences that I did.

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It didn't take much to convince Teddy Roosevelt, and he liked shooting animals just for fun. The problem is that once you've shot them all, you can't shoot them anymore, hence the idea of conservation (on a massive scale in this case).

HGUNHNTR said:

It is fact, cities are expanding, we are consuming more, and it is bound to affect the ecosystems that we enter to pursue the activities we hold dear to our hearts.

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Even if we didn't care about wildlife and deliberately exterminated every species except our own, eventually our population growth and use of resources (even "renewable" resources are limited) will render us extremely vulnerable to the smallest variations in climate, whatever the cause (and wild climate swings have plenty of potential natural causes--never mind what we do).

I don't know about everybody else, but I'd prefer to arrest these inevitable problems long before they occur, as I kind of like the world we live in right now.

HGUNHNTR said:

Back on target, I would trust my instincts (they have been honed by millions of years of evolution) and do whatever it took.

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Human instinct appears to be to learn techniques from one another through communication (e.g. online forums), create tools, and work hard to become proficient in their use. Otherwise, we probably would have evolved more effective natural weapons on our bodies along with better fighting instincts.

relentlessknives.com said:

I think if a cat eats or kills a human being, and it happens to be your human being.....it's going to matter a lot.

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It does matter when it happens, but aside from educating fellow humans on how not to get killed, if possible, what can we do? If you want to live in a housing development that juts right into mountain lion territory, for example, then you run a much greater risk of getting preyed upon. Likewise if you love nature and choose to hike in the wilderness, then you might get killed and eaten. It is our duty as "intelligent" creatures to learn and understand the risks we take, and to make our own choices accordingly. In general, living life is dangerous--it could get you killed!

relentlessknives.com said:

The cats are not to be blamed in any way....

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Right, they're just doing what they naturally do.

relentlessknives.com said:

only the people who feel that just because it doesn't happen very often that it's some how OK.

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Are you trying to suggest that we DO something about it? The people who have gotten killed all took a risk by living near or venturing into mountain lion territory. The small risk of predation on humans must have been acceptable to them, and it's too bad that they became victims, but that's life and yes it is OK.

If they simply didn't know better, well, that was a failure on their part to properly use the big human brains that their ancestors had bequeathed to them through evolution or God had bestowed upon them in His own image--take your pick. Sadly they decided to fill their brains with everything besides survival knowledge and skills, which is risky for anybody. This plays right into an essential aspect of evolution known as natural selection, and that's OK too.

relentlessknives.com said:

Animals are great, so are humans, but some of them belong in cadges
not out in public where they can harm others.
For instance Jefery Dommer, and countless others ....just people....
but not to be trusted because of some bad habits.

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That is why rangers generally hunt down and kill mountain lions who have shown a tendency (only takes a single incident) to attack humans. The vast majority of mountain lions do not. The same applies to humans (albeit with a more complicated system of justice).

relentlessknives.com said:

Way back when,.... people seemed to understand that.....

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Nah, they just didn't care because the wilderness seemed limitless. But circumstances have changed, and there's a lot more we know now that they did not.

relentlessknives.com said:

today it
seems they want to allow these dangerous predators to roam free.....just because they don't often kill people.
I think there is some serious problems with that attitude.

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If you're actually suggesting that we should cage every single large predator just on the basis of species, then I would suggest starting with the most vicious, savage, brutal, genocidal one of all: Homo sapiens. Not all of us are like that by a long shot, but it seems that a few examples are all you need to relegate entire species to internment camps!

relentlessknives.com said:

If we were talking about domestic animals that from time to time get sick or just have bad temperament that would be different.

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How so? They only occasionally harm people, much like mountain lions (actually far more frequently than mountain lions).

relentlessknives.com said:

These lions are wild dangerous creatures. People hunted them down and killed most of them for self protection.....not a lust for killing.

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Every individual creature can be dangerous, even members of one's own family, which accounts for the majority of homicides. People used to exterminate mountain lions simply because they didn't care and they could. No other species on Earth that I know of possesses such ruthless genocidal tendencies as humans (even on each other for minor differences, which is astounding!). That's just how we are, and this is not a condemnation despite how it may seem, but we should be aware of it so that we don't indirectly commit ecological suicide by killing everything else around us first.

In this light, it's funny how people often talk about "wild animals" as being dangerous and prone to unpredictable behavior. That may be more true for some species than others, as well as more true for some individuals than others, but "wild animal" in this context is meaningless. Humans and canines are just as unpredictable and capable of being dangerous as any other creature, and specifically more so than mountain lions living in the wilderness.

relentlessknives.com said:

Now, the same people who want to let these lions, etc roam free are often the same people who don't want humans to have arms etc.....something is just not correct........I wonder what the answer is in all of it.

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I want mountain lions to roam free, and I want everybody who wants to enjoy the natural beauty of their habitat to be able to carry defensive tools (such as guns) just in case they run into a particular mountain lion that attacks humans (not their normal type of prey). Such occurrences are rare, much like being attacked by human predators, but they do happen and self-defense is the natural right of all creatures.

Don't confuse people like me with those who may share some of the same goals but not others, or may have very different underlying agendas. There's nothing to be confused about anyway--not only are we all individuals, it is usually not possible to completely "pigeonhole" everybody into distinct groups with absolutely no overlap with regard to goals.

Have a good knife handy and slit its throat and or cut it to ribbons if you can... Just get it done ASAP. I'm not saying this as some macho guy, this would have been my only option last month if one of my children were "Cougar Meow Mix"... From June to September, Vancouver Island BC Canada... I'm from here.

A shocking cougar attack on an 18-month-old boy on Vancouver Island Monday night has sparked a search.
http://www.theprovince.com/travel/Cougar+attacks+toddler/5332430/story.html

Conservation officers kill cougar near Goldstream Park campground
"There were lot of little kids there and it’s summer and a long weekend...it was a dangerous situation."
http://www.vancouversun.com/travel/Cougar+killed+Monday+after+lurking+near+campground+Vancouver+Island/5354460/story.html

Cougar deposits grisly gift in yard
http://www.bclocalnews.com/news/123394818.html?c=y&curSection=/vancouver_island_central/ladysmithchronicle&curTitle=BC+News&bc09=true

Comox Valley RCMP along with conservation officers and locally contracted cougar hounds have been kept busy the past couple of weeks with several cougar sightings.
http://www.bclocalnews.com/vancouver_island_north/comoxvalleyrecord/news/124073334.html

SSN Vet said:

I'd have to wonder if putting the first round into the dirt wouldn't shock the cat into dropping it's grip and bolting.

How many animals have you seen stick around after a gun shot?

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It might be worth a quick try, but over the years I've read about big cat attacks in which at least several shots (into flesh) were required to make it release the victim. Bears are similar in that some will run away from the sound of a single shot, while others have to actually be shot multiple times. Perhaps nothing less than killing the animal would have stopped some of these attacks.

You could try shooting into the dirt first if you think it's worthwhile, but when a friend or loved one is getting mauled, I intend to make each shot count.

rondog said:

JMO, but I'd think that any bullet, from any gun, fired anywhere into an attacking cougar, and that cat will immediately stop its attack.

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People don't always immediately realize that they've been shot, and I would guess that the same applies to big cats. There was one instance I recall involving a mountain lion that took four shots before it reacted at all, and then additional shots before it stopped completely (due to being dead). Just like with people, sometimes a single shot from a .22 kills them instantly or makes them yowl in agony, and sometimes they don't feel a thing until they lose enough blood when shot multiple times with a larger caliber--it's impossible to predict what will happen.

rondog said:

Of course, now you have a wounded cat that may either run off or counterattack, so follow-up shots will likely be needed. But I understood the question being "where do I shoot it to make it stop?". Lions aren't bears, and my money says that if you hurt it, it will most likely try to flee. Bears will take revenge on you.

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It depends on the individual cat or bear. I've seen videos of charging grizzlies turning tail and running away from a single missed shot, and I've also read about others that kept coming despite receiving multiple wounds that ultimately proved fatal.

Sure life is dangerous, and people are the most dangerous animals.
All a given.
My point is that society has changed considerably in the last 150 years.

Most of the lion attacks are on people who did not realize that lions were a risk at all.
My local news talk radio station host moved to the Mtns from a large city....he was amazed to hear terrifying cat calls at night.
He called the Forest rangers who told him the lions just were not
in the area for the last 75 years.
People began calling the station with lion sighting reports....this went on for about a year. Finally the Forest service was interviewed
and the guy had recordings of cat sounds, police reports, etc.etc.

The Forest service then changed their tune a bit saying that maybe
a few cats found their way here from other places.

My point is that people out riding their bikes on trails have been told that bears, and cats and wolves and coyotes almost never will
bother them....yet .....it is happening more than ever.
I don't have an answer except maybe to stay home.....

But, rangers hunting down killer cats is also not the answer
after the cat has killed or seriously injured someone. Sure we
hunt down bad people but these are not people.

I'm not suggesting that bears or cats should be eradicated, but, they are being re introduced into the wild.....I don't know why.
Most animals reproduce far faster than humans, and in my opinion
it's not a wise thing to do.

And at the same time wildlife laws become more and more strict.
You dare not shoot a bear or cat that comes on your property
as heavy fines etc are commonly the result.
Today the Mtn lion in your yard might not bother you...but tomorrow night when you getting out of your car you might be considered cat food.
Natural selection and the strong surviving is great for some. But
again this is not 1844....and Grand Ma sort of needs to know that she can walk around outside her rural home without carrying her rifle.

And even if she does, Mtn lions are full of stealth, and will probably disarm and eat her.
I'm all for protecting one's self, and realize that the world is dangerous. But some things just don't need to be a problem.
Promoting the reintroduction of creatures that attack and destroy human beings is not wise in my opinion.

Having to figure out how to save the life of a friend being chewed on by a lion is a problem that was solved long ago.....I believe they call it a zoo.

*deleted*

If an animal attacks a human it is hunted down and killed.

If a wild animal is continuously hanging around a populated area, then you can call some sort of animal control where they will displace it back to the wild.

What more should we do? Hunt down every animal that could potentially do us harm? It cracks me up when people CHOOSE to live in or near the wilderness and then complain when they have an interaction with you guessed it....the wilderness.

Wildlife conservation has been around for a long time and anybody who enjoys wildlife SHOULD be a conservationist. Especially if they would like their future generations to be able to enjoy those same things. Calling someone a "weenie greenie" because they believe in conservation is foolish.


A shot anywhere will stop the cat. If a stone can do it I'm pretty sure a shot from a gun surely will do so.

^Thank you, some common sense...how refreshing. Everyone on this forum that enjoys the outdoors should be ultra "green", doing everything in their power to conserve the little we have left.

Promoting the reintroduction of creatures that attack and destroy human beings is not wise in my opinion.

Having to figure out how to save the life of a friend being chewed on by a lion is a problem that was solved long ago.....I believe they call it a zoo

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Well we have zoos currently right? We have the occasional wild animal/human confrontation right? See where I'm going with this?

I'm not suggesting that bears or cats should be eradicated, but,

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--they just be rounded up and put in a zoo right? Sounds feasable and logical.

The issue is that they are apex predators, and absolutely vital to the health of the ecosystem. We can't even regulate banks worth a darned, how can we regulate an ecosystem. There are far reaching consequences for tinkering with the way nature works. Hunters (myself included) have loved the boom in prey animals in the last 20 years. Deer herds have become a nuisance, turkeys inhabit land where we had never seen any before. There has to be a balance, and the answer isn't putting any animal with sharp teeth into a zoo, and increasing bag limits.

If you want to recreate in cat country you have to take the consequences of your action. I call coyotes in cat country quite often and am always hopeful that a cat will come into my call. I hunt with a longbow critter has to be close. I accept the possibility that I may end up the hunted and killed and eaten. MY choice and I don't expect anyone to worry or cry about me. It really adds zest to the hunt and I really want the cat to come in. 3 friends or aquantences of mine have got their cats that way and now its my turn. Go walking or jogging in cat country and get attacked and if you somehow survive dont blame the cat he's doing exactly what God designed him to do KILL MEAT!!!!!!
In my area of the country the citizens voted to stop hunting cats and bears with dogs. Now naturally theres lots more of them. Now their bitching that the cats are killing people bloody liberals would bitch if they were cut with a sharp knife. Frank

Purgatory, my post was directly about this ridiculous statement you made, specifically: "It's pretty common for small children and pets to be snatched by Coyotes--sometimes right in front of the parents/owners."

Yes, pets are commonly taken by coyotes but your sentence also made the same claim about children and even in front of their parents. That is purely absurd and none of your articles showed otherwise.

Anywho, if this doesn't satisfy you, you'll just have to grin and bear it, won't ya?

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Nah, instead i'll call that statment what it is. Nonsense.

Texas Mt. Lions

Camera date is not set correctly....Taken in Brady , Texas by the Lady ranch owner who wanted to see what had mauled and killed this cow the night before.
Not a pack or pride cat...this is strange behavior. Could be drought related.

melodyranch said:

Camera date is not set correctly....Taken in Brady , Texas by the Lady ranch owner who wanted to see what had mauled and killed this cow the night before.
Not a pack or pride cat...this is strange behavior. Could be drought related.

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Odd indeed. Would not want to walk into that on a dark night, I don't care what I was armed with!

^Don't be scared, I'm sure some uninformed person will be along to shoot them, or trap them and whisk them off to a zoo.

Now that is super scary and very odd to see. I would like to hear more about the outcome of that event. That changes the rules and ups the ante to a new level of conscious. More Please.

I'm probably greener than the next guy but if a big cat is dragging my son into the bush to eat him I want more than sticks and stones to save him. I don't care how natural or whatever the darned cat is. In our natural state humans can't defend themselves very well, which is prob why those cats are so brazen about the attacks, so I want to be armed thank you very much.

Go walking or jogging in cat country and get attacked and if you somehow survive dont blame the cat he's doing exactly what God designed him to do KILL MEAT!

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And I'll do exactly exactly what Bill Ruger designed his guns to do and defend myself.

I want mountain lions to roam free, and I want everybody who wants to enjoy the natural beauty of their habitat to be able to carry defensive tools (such as guns) just in case they run into a particular mountain lion that attacks humans (not their normal type of prey). Such occurrences are rare, much like being attacked by human predators, but they do happen and self-defense is the natural right of all creatures.

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Exactly, some think that when we go out into nature we should be quiet passive observers. It's weird how some people treat nature as some kind of glorified zoo. Mother nature ain't like that. Sometimes she likes to slap you around a little, or a lot. You gotta be prepared. Part of that is preparing to not end up as lunch.
This issue gets me going because the place I want to relocate to is the Comox Valley where there are sightings. It's beautiful country but, like I said, you gotta be prepared.