Mountain lion kills California man in state’s first fatal attack in 20 years (Orange: place to live, safer)

[ChrisMT]

I was reading some comments from residents of these smaller Sierra towns and basically, mountain lions are all over the towns because the deer are in town hiding from the mountain lions. Also, these lions are not just in the Sierra wilderness, they are in green belts near big cities and people are seeing them on their doorbell cams at night.

What I know as basic common sense is that anywhere deer are regularly present, you need to assume there are mountain lions close by as well.

These men were not way off in the wilderness on a trail, they were on a road just outside of town. It only took minutes for first responders to arrive. I have mountain biked on Ice House Road in the past.

They should allow some basic hunting to scare the cats from human contact. They aren't afraid of people, living and growing up in close contact.

Nevada is allowing a few bull moose to be hunted with only a population of less than 20 moose here. It isn't going to decimate the lion population to allow some tags.

There needs to be common sense, these lions don't have many enemies in the wild.

For the record, I am not a hunter and find it distasteful, but it serves a purpose as long as the animals don't suffer for long periods, like trapping

[Du Ma]

Originally Posted by Tulemutt

What do you not get about “deputies/cops/rangers/tour and hunting guides” acting as hunters as opposed to being suddenly ambushed? Of course “ deputies/cops/rangers/tour and hunting guides” carry big guns to hunt big game. I’ve, myself, been a hunter … and never hunted with a knife …. Rifles, shotguns, and bows. Never suggested hunting predators with a knife (although, now I bring it up, my son and I did hunt wild boar with dogs and knives … but certainly never predators). What I wrote about carrying a knife along with my 115 lb dog was: if somehow a cat was on me in an instant I’d have a better chance slashing with a knife than fumbling with a sidearm to get off an effective (or any) shot without likely shooting myself in the chaos.

Do you grasp that now? Lol

By the way, canines, of all types, are a huge part of the world’s predator population … and no, they aren’t ambush hunters that spring out of nowhere in an instant. They hunt mostly in packs to wear down their prey.

Have a nice day playing with your fetish object - er, I mean your SW Model 69 Combat 44 Magnum revolver.

Sound like you have a trigger discipline problem if you accidentally shoot yourself

My 44 magnum bullets can penetrate through the muscles and bones of a 200 lbs big cat and hit its heart/lungs/vital organs and stop the cat from mauling me to death. Good luck doing that with a knife while you are being maul to death. Go to a butcher shop and try to stab large beef/pork meat and see how easy you can do it

[Veritas Vincit]

Originally Posted by ChrisMT

I was reading some comments from residents of these smaller Sierra towns and basically, mountain lions are all over the towns because the deer are in town hiding from the mountain lions. Also, these lions are not just in the Sierra wilderness, they are in green belts near big cities and people are seeing them on their doorbell cams at night.

What I know as basic common sense is that anywhere deer are regularly present, you need to assume there are mountain lions close by as well.

These men were not way off in the wilderness on a trail, they were on a road just outside of town. It only took minutes for first responders to arrive. I have mountain biked on Ice House Road in the past.

They should allow some basic hunting to scare the cats from human contact. They aren't afraid of people, living and growing up in close contact.

Nevada is allowing a few bull moose to be hunted with only a population of less than 20 moose here. It isn't going to decimate the lion population to allow some tags.

There needs to be common sense, these lions don't have many enemies in the wild.

For the record, I am not a hunter and find it distasteful, but it serves a purpose as long as the animals don't suffer for long periods, like trapping

Well, it looks to me like they were on a dirt road a few miles out of town. A dirt road that maybe sees a few cars a day max isn't going to look or feel any different to a wild animal than a hiking trail. And I mean the town in question is a pretty small town where outside of a small 'main street' core it's mostly just houses on big lots. In that type of place (which as an aside also looks like it's just one 'bad luck' fire away from being razed to the ground), you're gonna find plenty of wildlife even in town, never mind on the dirt roads and paths in the wider vicinity.


I wouldn't say that the mountain lion was in any location where a mountain lion shouldn't be naturally.

[Tulemutt]

Originally Posted by Du Ma

If you accidentally shoot yourself during a struggling with a big cat, then you will need some firearm training. Sound like you have a trigger discipline problem

My 44 magnum bullets can penetrate through the muscles and bones of a 200 lbs big cat and hit its heart/lungs/vital organs and stop the cat from mauling me to death. Good luck doing that with a knife while you are being maul to death.

Lol. I am career, retired military, multi-tour combat vet. I’ve had to function, with weapons, under extreme conditions. You?
Have a nice day with your SW Model 69 Combat 44 Magnum revolver.

[Du Ma]

Originally Posted by Tulemutt

Lol. I am career, retired military, multi-tour combat vet. I’ve had to function, with weapons, under extreme conditions. You?
Have a nice day with your SW Model 69 Combat 44 Magnum revolver.

Served two tours in Iraq with the 82nd

15 years in LE. Saw plenty of shot and stabbed victims. I’d say a bullet can cause way more damage to live tissue than a knife (swords don’t count)


Thanks for asking

[Tulemutt]

Originally Posted by Du Ma

Served two tours in Iraq with the 82nd

15 years in LE. Saw plenty of shot and stabbed victims. I’d say a bullet can cause way more damage to live tissue than a knife (swords don’t count)


Thanks for asking

Ok brother Then you should be able to visualize wielding that hand-cannon of yours with a 100+ lb cat on your back, teeth in your neck, ripping you to shreds with its claws, while you try to ‘take aim’.

It isn’t a question of how much damage a bullet or blade can do (and blades can do just as bad) …. It’s all about trying to wrestle with one of the world’s baddest most vicious big predators as they have a hold of you by your neck. Anybody would be flailing wildly at best … and if your military and LE history is as you say (and I’m not questioning) then you know that.

[Arktikos]

Originally Posted by ChrisMT

..

They should allow some basic hunting to scare the cats from human contact. They aren't afraid of people, living and growing up in close contact...

It's legal to hunt them in basically all of the states surrounding California. Perhaps the populations in California haven't been deemed healthy enough by authorities? I haven't heard.

As with bears the best weapon to use against a lion, in the event you see them, is avoidance by employing brain power if so equipped. If that fails, bear spray would also probably work well. Of course, the best choice for killing one would be a rifle or high powered hand gun.

Besides Tulemutt's favored knife, how about a spear? I think we should see more California hikers on the trail carrying a spear!

[Du Ma]

Originally Posted by Tulemutt

Ok brother Then you should be able to visualize wielding that hand-cannon of yours with a 100+ lb cat on your back, teeth in your neck, ripping you to shreds with its claws, while you try to ‘take aim’.

It isn’t a question of how much damage a bullet or blade can do (and blades can do just as bad) …. It’s all about trying to wrestle with one of the world’s baddest most vicious big predators as they have a hold of you by your neck. Anybody would be flailing wildly at best … and if your military and LE history is as you say (and I’m not questioning) then you know that.

There is no “aiming” when you make a close in contact shot. The only thing you need to be aware of is where your muzzle is pointing and finger discipline. That goes back to training.

Yes, I’d rather have tiny objects travel 1400 feet per second than trying to stab a 200 lbs beast full of muscles and bones. Go to a butcher shop and try to stab a large beef/pork meat. Tell me how that goes.

If you can’t manipulate your handgun when a mountain lion grabs you by the neck, then there is no way in hell you have the leverage or strength to deploy your knife.

[Tulemutt]

Originally Posted by Arktikos

It's legal to hunt them in basically all of the states surrounding California. Perhaps the populations in California haven't been deemed healthy enough by authorities? I haven't heard.

As with bears the best weapon to use against a lion, in the event you see them, is avoidance by employing brain power if so equipped. If that fails, bear spray would also probably work well. Of course, the best choice for killing one would be a rifle or high powered hand gun.

Besides Tulemutt's favored knife, how about a spear? I think we should see more California hikers on the trail carrying a spear!

Well you sure are asking a lot there

Anecdotal fun: was hiking in Montana two years ago, with nephew, his wife, their baby, and my sister … bear advisory issued by local lodge, based on sighting … supposedly grizzly w/cubs. Enjoying the trail, we heard a series of loud *huffing* sounds from trees and thickets ahead. Nephew hands me the bear spray. I asked why I was given the honor of walking ‘point’ with the ‘weapon’. “Because you were in Vietnam,” he says. I advised “face forward but start walking backward.” Which we did. Never saw the “huffer”.

But in retrospect, I’m thinking I was handed the spray and role because I was likely the slowest runner

[Tulemutt]

Originally Posted by Du Ma

There is no “aiming” when you make a close in contact shot. The only thing you need to be aware of is where your muzzle is pointing and finger discipline. That goes back to training.

Yes, I’d rather have tiny objects travel 1400 feet per second than trying to stab a 200 lbs beast full of muscles and bones. Go to a butcher shop and try to stab a large beef/pork meat. Tell me how that goes.

If you can’t manipulate your handgun when a mountain lion grabs you by the neck, then there is no way in hell you have the leverage or strength to deploy your knife.

Well, we disagree. If I’m being shredded, and my arms and hands are at all functional, I’m betting my own slashing and shredding is more likely to release me than a random shot that is likely as not to graze rather than magically find the beast’s heart or head.

Under such assault, the idea that you’d have the time and capability to make such aim as you suggest, at a target that is on your back and you can’t even see …. “Training” won’t defeat that kind of power on you with its natural weapons and vastly superior strength.

Nope. I’m stabbing and hoping it’s not my dog I’m slashing. Between the two of us, still not much of a chance.