Mountain Lion Shot in Self-Defense

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They've already put down 2 in my town that were getting too friendly with people, and another is known to be in my neighborhood, according to the deer carcasses that keep showing up. Even so, all my time in the woods, I've seen about every animal (some a little TOO closely) except for a wild cat while out there. Shoot, I even have pictures of a bear walking up the sidewalk near my house.

I always joke that my 5' wife is mountain lion bait and warn her never to crouch over without me standing nearby. And yes, in this area, I do carry.
 
No Cat Can Be Trusted

Mountain Lions are Cats. Cats will devour any critter smaller than themselves, occasionally larger than themselves. It's their nature, and as such, quite natural. We must not hold this against them as natural creatures. All cats are natural hunters, so we must, as humans, stay out of their territories. Big Cats shall always hunt peoples' pets, because it is natural. If one's back yard becomes a big cat's territory, stay out-of-one's back yard. Never attack a cat while killing your dog or cat, lest it may consider you additional food. Lions have every right to free egress unless you superceed. Just remember that wolves are worse than mountain lions concerning who is food and who is armed enemy. cliffy
 
My brother and I took up Bow hunting in 95, we were on a lease in E. Tx. of about 85 acres. I had just gotten to my ladder stand at about 05:45 opening morning and was just settleing down when a cat screamed not far away. I'm here to tell you that every hair on my body stoodup. Even the ones I was sitting on. I remember thinking that I'm sitting here in the dark with a bow & arrow and I can't see shinola. About 11:30 my brother came to pick me up and asked if I'd heard the cat come by and I responded "Heck Yes". Seems the cat had crossed between us and when we found its tracks the paw prints were the size of a salad plate. Went and got my CHL and have been carrying ever since.
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I had one cross a road in front of me about six years ago in E. Texas ( Panola county)

There is no mistaking that shape and tail.
 
What?

"Never attack a cat while killing your dog or cat, lest it may consider you additional food."

Bang! Still hungry? Bang bang.

No one's eating my babies.
 
A sub species of the North American Mountain Lion, the Florida Panther was thought to be extinct for years. In the 1960's as a kid I would summer with my maternal grandparents in rural (remote is a better description at that time) Washington County, Virginia. The far southwest corner of the state. The "town" was Mendota.

I camped once on the ridge line above this "holler" with some local boys. Dark was approaching when we heard a sound that still stands the hair on the back of my neck. Don't know how to spell it but the unmistakable g-g-grrooowwww of a very large cat completely unnerved my brother and I. The locals were a bit amused and told us it was Panther. The "town" at this time was very undeveloped and these hillbilly boys knew what wildlife officials did not, the Florida Panther in this portion of it's historic range at least was most assuredly NOT extinct. With just a brief stretch of equally isolated Tennessee between this area and NC, I don't doubt he's there. The animal is just very shy of humans and stealthy until habitat encroachment exposes him.

P.S. These boys were often packin', and for more than copperheads and timber rattlers as it turns out.
 
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Well, I've been a student of Mt Lions for some time having seen one as a teenager in western Maryland. No question they exist all up and down the Appalachians. I am a big fan of these beautiful animals. The fact is, attacks on humans are very very rare, and then it is almost always on small children away from others. Exceptions are almost always, like this one, a sick animal that is desperate. This guy was of course right to shoot, he did a suffering creature a favor. But I hate it when I think that stories like this will prompt some to think any lion they see is a danger to humankind and must be killed. Leave them alone. On the other hand if you see sasquatch, shoot the freak!
 
+1 for woof,

but doesn't it seem that habitat encroachment is altering the previously well known behavior patterns of 'ol Felis Concolor?

The Chicago specimen is an extreme example of this. I saw video footage of the 140 pounder picking his way through pedestrian traffic before Chicago's finest threw the 18 rounds at him and he seemed to be a magnificent, healthy animal. (Most people never looked up and one that did clearly didn't believe his eyes).

Recent reports from California all the way to this Chicago one belie the former truism that he is the Mountain Ghost and you will likely never see him and have nothing to fear.

I'm no paranoid but to be forewarned is to be forearmed. A healthy dose of respect for these magnificent predators is prudent.
 
Quote:
"My brother and I took up Bow hunting in 95, we were on a lease in E. Tx. of about 85 acres. I had just gotten to my ladder stand at about 05:45 opening morning and was just settleing down when a cat screamed not far away. I'm here to tell you that every hair on my body stoodup. Even the ones I was sitting on."

Dude! That is hilarious! Even though I probably would have the same reaction.

I remember fishing on the Cape Fear river a few yrs ago, when I saw some very large tracks. I'm not too sure if it was a ML, bear, or large dog, but all of a sudden, I felt undergunned with the p32 in my pocket.
 
Habitat encroachment is indeed why more Mt Lions are being seen. The Chicago cat was undoubtedly a captive that was released or got loose. But when we move into their areas and take small animals with us we shouldn't be surprised at the outcome and shouldn't blame the cats. Most shark attacks are on swimmers and surfers in wet suits. Sharks feed on seals. So here these humans go in the ocean dressed in seal suits and wonder why sharks attack? If you are in cougar country think about the possibility of defending yourself. But I hope people don't start thinking that it is the responsible thing to do to kill a Mt Lion whenever possible.
 
Mt. Lions absolutely exist in the Appalachians. I know an individual who gathered scat, had a biologist he knew test it, and the DNR (or whatever its called in Vermont) still would not accept it was from a Mt Lion in their area, said he faked it.

In Zion National Park I saw evidence that a Mt Lion stalked a couple backpacking who left camp before we did. That sure gave me the chills. Park rangers seemed unconcerned.

I don't go into the woods without carrying. I don't let my wife go into the woods without carrying, even when she has our German Shepherd Dog with her. I know two people here in Northern New Mexico who have had cat encounters this year, though the cat was scared off in both occasions.
 
I agree cats will watch humans and be curious, but that's not the same as stalking. I'm not saying it can't happen, but these cats hunt alone and they don't prey on animals their own size.

State DNRs are denying lions because they are afraid it will hurt tourism. I'd be much more likely to go somewhere if I thought I would get a look at a big cat! And I don't go in the woods without carrying either, but frankly I'm thinking more of two-legged predators.
 
I agree cats will watch humans and be curious, but that's not the same as stalking. I'm not saying it can't happen, but these cats hunt alone and they don't prey on animals their own size.

I don't know how much you know about Mt Lion, but that is absolutely false. Their primary food source when they can get it is mule deer out here in Az, and they're much larger than the cat.

You'll also see in the news out here often enough where an attack has occurred on horses in corrrals, also much larger than themselves.

Humans represent a food source if they get a chance. As such, they'll stalk you as potential prey like any other animal. In fact, you're quite a bit smaller than a 1000 pound horse or muley and an easy target of opportunity.

Brownie
 
Mountain Lions are Cats. Cats will devour any critter smaller than themselves, occasionally larger than themselves. It's their nature, and as such, quite natural. We must not hold this against them as natural creatures. All cats are natural hunters, so we must, as humans, stay out of their territories. Big Cats shall always hunt peoples' pets, because it is natural.
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And if one of those natural creatures should be attempting to eat me or mine.....

Well gosh darn it, I'll shoot the bugger.

Naturally.

:cool:
 
the dna indicated the chicagoe cat came from the blackhills and it was spotted at vatious places allong the course of its journey
 
"Spotted?" What did they do, take dna at each spotting. The idea that a Mt Lion traveled from the black hills to Chicago is just ludicrous.
 
Good shoot. Strict self-defense. We're being overrunned by cats here in California and the voters are too stupid to allow for some limited hunting. Heck, they were dumb enough to vote for Prop 92 back in the '90s to "save the cat." Wait until some kid gets snatched.
 
Wait until some kid gets snatched
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In Cali you'll just get someone from the "result of human encroachment" crowd Sad that an incident like that would have to happen,

That being said when out in the woods it would be prudent to have somebody else with you.

We have an ongoing deal in MI with lions and the DNR, to sum it up they treat the possibility on mountain lions in Michigan like Bigfoot.
 
a year ago my brother,friend, and I were camping for the weekend we kayaked 9 miles into the spot at the end of a lake by a waterfall comming from a stream up top.
Later in the night after a couple of beers and some dinner i heard a noise "pistol on my side at all times and other guns a couple of feet away" i grabbed my streamlight TLR-2 and scanned the outer area of the camp site i not only saw 1 mountain lion but 3 walking low to the ground around our campsite. in a low stalking like position i quickly put the light on to my glock 17 and handed my brother the 357 mag and my friend the 12 guage. the mountain lions continued to walk low around the campsite watching us while we were following it with the lights we cocked the shotgun and i racked the slide on my glock and the mountain lions ran off into the woods but we encountered them again that camping trip. They had some type of interest in us i believe it was a mother and two of her babies. maybe trying to teach them to hunt. but boy did it scare me... ive had more mountain lion encounters than i care to remember exactly why i always carry when im in the woods.
 
Quote:
"We have an ongoing deal in MI with lions and the DNR, to sum it up they treat the possibility on mountain lions in Michigan like Bigfoot."

If they dont believe that they exist in your state, then they shouldn't have a problem with you shooting one then!;)
 
uhhhh...

Colorado cougars are small.
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...BSH*T...
I've been within 20 feet of 2 different lions in Colorado that could have gone 150 easy...and they were both looking down on me...
...besides a Colorado Cougar can kick a Chicago Cubs ass anytime...
rauch06.gif
 
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