Naw Solomonson, I'm not talking about trekking poles. Trekking poles save a lot of wear and tear on your knees when you're carrying a heavy backpack. And they're great for a little additional stability, especially off-trail. But when I said a "big honkin' hiking staff," I was talking about one like I carry on my exercise hikes from the house. It's hardwood, a little over 5' long, and it's about an inch and a quarter in diameter. I fashioned it out of the handle of some kind of digging or tamping tool. It's heavy enough that not only do I use it as a walking staff, I have to switch hands with it once in a while because my arm gets tired.
I carry it for protection from the large, overly territorial farm dogs around here. I've never had to whack one of them with it yet, all I've had to do is show it to them after they've ran a hundred yards down someone's driveway to tell me I was "trespassing" on "their" section of a public road. When they see that big stick, they always just stop and stand there growling as I walk on by.
We have plenty of mountain lions around here too. But they're not like the ones where you live. The mountain lions around here have not lost their fear of humans. That probably has something to do with the fact that the farmers and ranchers around here don't like them very much. Imagine that?!
At any rate, Ignition Override wrote about an attacking mountain lion being discouraged by someone punching it in its face with their fist. Therefore, I figure I might be able to discourage one by jabbing and whacking it with my big ol' hiking staff. That said, I'd try bear spray first.
