http://www.foxnews.com/us/2018...ear-old-brother.html

With the threads on bear attacks, this story fits right in. Youthful courage, presence of mind, fighting with what you have, and getting home alive!

Glad a predatory cougar is dead, but with the elk calls being used, I'm thinking that the situation was possibly caused by that activity. If the cougar wanted to eat an elk, then happened upon a smaller prey (the boy), it would certainly shift targets.

Interesting also that a .223 low weight high velocity round succeeded. Probably multiple hits.

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Interesting also that a .223 low weight high velocity round succeeded. Probably multiple hits

Not surprised at all- .223 would be plenty effective on a cat that size.

Seems to be a fair number of these Mtn Lion attacks out West. A regulated hunting season would help keeping them honest and reduce the bold ones.

I realize this instance was while the hunter was elk calling.

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Originally posted by gearhounds:

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Interesting also that a .223 low weight high velocity round succeeded. Probably multiple hits

Not surprised at all- .223 would be plenty effective on a cat that size.

Of course it would. Despite decades of ignorant myths to the contrary, bullets from the 223 Remington/5.56mm NATO cartridges can cause massive body damage if not neutered by being fired from pistol-length barrels.*

And the reason for the increase of attacks like this should be obvious to anyone who is familiar with the history of interactions between large predators and people. At one time even sightings of such animals were extremely rare in their ranges. Why? Because of heavy hunting pressures. I don’t believe that animals should be hunted to extinction, but human beings are just as much “natural” inhabitants of the planet as any other creature, and just as we should learn to get along with the other inhabitants without destroying our world, they should learn to get along with us. Even with their limited intellects and instincts they used to know how to do that in this country. One of the things I find odd is that some of the same people who believe (rightly) that we shouldn’t be held prisoners in our own homes by human predators don’t hesitate to tell us that we should avoid activities that might “encroach” on other predators’ ranges.

* There are internet photos of such wounds and a book that unusually discusses their effects in some detail is Sniper by Horwitz and Ruane about the killers who shot people at random in the Washington, DC, area in 2002.

Don't teach young boys the dangers of cougars, teach cougars not to go after young boys.

Just don't read the comments in that article. Good God.

Glad it worked out. That girl had great situational awareness and courage.

However, it was a mistake for the boy to turn his back on the cat and run (not trying to criticize; just trying to point out good safety procedures). This is the best possible way to trigger an attack with nearly any predator (running from a predator often triggers a predator/prey response even if they weren't going to attack in the first place). Also, most big cats attack prey when the prey's backs are turned to them. There are quite a few videos out there of big cats in cages trying to attack their captors when the people turn their backs.

Good on them, though. Without that weapon, they both could have been killed.

I also don't find it surprising that a .223/556 would be effective on a cougar. It's all about shot placement. Even a .22LR could have killed it with proper placement (though I wouldn't recommend it).

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Originally posted by Gustofer:
Just don't read the comments in that article. Good God.

I DID like the one about how to stop a cougar: take away her credit cards. . .

This is the best ‘daughter and archery’ story yet.

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Originally posted by Gustofer:
Just don't read the comments in that article. Good God.

I read a few of those comments. My God! The level of stupid grows exponentially every month!

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Originally posted by ridgerat:
This is the best ‘daughter and archery’ story yet.

There is a hunting season on Cougars in Washinton state, although hunting them with hounds was banned a long time ago. I hunter deer and elk there for 8 years and never saw a cougar. I did get one on trail camera and saw signs but never saw one in person. They are there, just very stealthy creatures. The girl got lucky seeing it before it pounced on the little brother.

awesome story

very decisive action

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