quote:

Originally posted by bigmule:
A bell would have done the trick.
No pistol needed.

I don't think bells deter cougars that have already began a stalk. You can take your bell, I will take a gun. Haven't you heard ? 65% of all cougar scat contains bells. With bears it's 85% bells and pepper spray.

Riding a bike on those forest roads is not exactly a stealth operation.

They were making plenty noise.
A bell would likely have had little use here.

The cat was hungry.

quote:

Originally posted by bigmule:
A bell would have done the trick.
No pistol needed.

How big a bell does one need?

EasyFire

I carry in the woods, but odds of being killed by a cougar are higher than being struck by lightening. Last WA death by cougar was in 1924.

quote:

Originally posted by EasyFire:

quote:

Originally posted by bigmule:
A bell would have done the trick.
No pistol needed.

How big a bell does one need?

EasyFire

I’d bring one big enough to clock that cat so hard his mom would feel it.
I go to West Virginia every year to dirtbike and I pack a 10mm Glock just for bears and big cats.
Never seen either and sure as hell hope I never do but I’ll be damned if I get eaten without a fighting chance

quote:

Originally posted by FishOn:
I carry in the woods, but odds of being killed by a cougar are higher than being struck by lightening. Last WA death by cougar was in 1924.

Yeah,well
It’s always random until it happens to you

“A weapon wouldn’t have done you any good”

Don’t care, I’d rather have something other than harsh language to fight back with.

Reading the articles--I appears a pistol very well may have made a difference in this case.

These cats are indeed very stealthy untill they decide not to be. We have one or several up here that many, including my 16 year old son, have seen. So far, only the rabbit, fawn, and house cat populations seem to be on the menu. Still, I have taken to carrying when riding. I do need a better, more accessable solution. In the top of the Camelbak doesn't lend itself to quick access.

quote:

Originally posted by egregore:
In California, I'm surprised there haven't been far more mountain lion/cougar attacks than there have. They have no fear of humans because sport hunting of them has been banned there since 1975, and an attempt to repeal it circa 1998 failed.

It's only a matter of time.

quote:

Originally posted by usp_fan:
... I have taken to carrying when riding. I do need a better, more accessable solution. In the top of the Camelbak doesn't lend itself to quick access.

The Hill People Gear Recon Kit Bag is what you want. It's what I use.

I'm not a hunter but someone suggested using a 40 S&W. Is that really enough?

Pictured: mountain biker that was mauled to death by an emaciated cougar…

“The 32-year-old biker who was killed by a starving cougar in a horrific attack that left another man injured in Washington State has been identified.

SJ Brooks was killed on Saturday morning during a mountain-bike ride with 31-year-old Isaac Sederbaum near North Bend, about 30 miles east of Seattle, when the cougar attacked…”

www.dailymail.co.uk/news/artic...starving-cougar.html

Up here in northern Minnesota, the DNR says big cats don't exist here. Myself and my two hunting partners call BS on that. One fall about eight years ago, we were cleaning up trails and getting ready for deer season. One of the guys found "big" cat tracks in mud. All three of us knew right away what they were. We grew up in those woods together and never worried about taking a pistol with us.

That same fall when deer season started, after a week into it, we had a heavy wet snowfall about eight inches one night. That morning I made it to my enclosed stand in the dark(used atv). About three hours later, nature called so I had to go take a walk. I go do my business and text one buddy that I am going for a walk by the "pallet bridge". I got to the pallet bridge, holy shit, there were cat tracks and tail "swish" marks in the fresh snow. I called my buddy and told him to get over there (five minute walk for him). Now, two grown men here stood in disbelief(still unsure of tracks earlier in the mud, confirmed now! I don't think we had a hair on our body that was not standing.

We called the other buddy. He is more of our pro tracker. He was there in ten minutes. He turned a little pale when he saw those tracks.

He/She is still in the area! Two years ago, the GF was hunting with me. We were bored and decided to go for a walk. Ten minutes into the walk, a fresh ass pile of cat scat right smack in the middle of our trail. We have wolves and coyotes all over and knew what theirs looked like. I told her we need to move and forget about deer. Now my head and eyes were on a swivel looking in trees as we were headed out of the woods.

After the first tracks eight years ago, we do not go into those woods without an exposed handgun on our hip!

quote:

Originally posted by Bulldog7972:
I'm not a hunter but someone suggested using a 40 S&W. Is that really enough?

For the last quarter century, I've trusted .357 Mag from a 4 inch barrel. YMMV. These cats are pretty rugged.

Of course, I only have 6 shots plus one speedloader. I think most now days feel better with more rounds.

quote:

Originally posted by EasyFire:

quote:

Originally posted by bigmule:
A bell would have done the trick.
No pistol needed.

How big a bell does one need?

EasyFire

if it is a big enough bell, you’ll have to an awfully strong guy to swing it hard enough to kill a cougar.

quote:

Originally posted by corsair:

quote:

Originally posted by egregore:
In California, I'm surprised there haven't been far more mountain lion/cougar attacks than there have. They have no fear of humans because sport hunting of them has been banned there since 1975, and an attempt to repeal it circa 1998 failed.

It's only a matter of time.

I LOL that people in Palo Alto call the cops when they see a mountain lion. I guess that's the right response with kids around and such. But out where I am, if I called the sheriff every time I saw a scary animal, I'd get laughed at, and quite possibly talked to about abuse of 911 services.

City folk.

By the way, wolves (which are protected under law) are making a comeback on the west.

from our state fish and wildlife website:

quote:

In the unlikely event that you are attacked by a wolf, fight back. Try to remain standing and use rocks, sticks, tools, camping gear, and your hands to fend off the attack.

Screw that. I'm reaching for my trusted L-frame with rubber grips, and going for center of mass.

quote:

Originally posted by Balzé Halzé:

quote:

Originally posted by usp_fan:
... I have taken to carrying when riding. I do need a better, more accessable solution. In the top of the Camelbak doesn't lend itself to quick access.

The Hill People Gear Recon Kit Bag is what you want. It's what I use.

I’m loving the hell out of that!!!
Looks like if you got time to shit your britches, you got time to whip out a pistola ...

quote:

Originally posted by bigmule:
A bell would have done the trick.
No pistol needed.

The news article I read indicated the fish and wildlife people said the animal was underweight and starving.

Therefore the behavior of the animal may not follow the normal rules of engagement.

Unless those big cats are a hell of a lot slower, and far worse hunters, than ordinary house cats, you will rarely have time to reach for your gun.

When I lived in SoCal, I lived in the foothills in Orange County. There were mountain bike trails all over the place but there were also coyote and mountain lions.

One mountain biker made national news while I was living there. Two people were mountain biking and the mountain lion attacked the rider in the rear. The mountain lion had the bicyclist's skull in its mouth and was dragging her toward a raving, and the other mountain biker grabbed her feet and had a tug of war with the mountain lion. The mountain lion scampered off to the ravine, and when authorities entered the ravine they found a dead person previously killed by a mountain lion.

Here is the 13 year follow-up on the story.