Mountain Lion Attacks

[Art Eatman]

Enough with the sharks and gators.

house stark, your understanding parallels what I've read from wildlife biologists.

I've read that if deer are available, a lion will kill one every week to ten days.

 

[Milt1]

So what is your conspiracy theory on this one Milt?

Here is a far more detailed piece from the survivor himself.

https://www.outsideonline.com/2390274/meet-colorado-runner-who-strangled-mountain-lion

I think the word "conspiracy" is out of place. I do know from having cats and dogs that they are very strong for their size and a house cat isn't anywhere close to the size of a young mountain lion. Cats also have the strength and ability to twist their bodies and provide one hell of a fight. This story has drawn huge attention because it's so unbelievable that a human could kill a mountain lion so I'm sure that I'm not the only one that stands in disbelief. You can believe what ever you want!

 

[rodwha]

I think the word "conspiracy" is out of place. I do know from having cats and dogs that they are very strong for their size and a house cat isn't anywhere close to the size of a young mountain lion. Cats also have the strength and ability to twist their bodies and provide one hell of a fight. This story has drawn huge attention because it's so unbelievable that a human could kill a mountain lion so I'm sure that I'm not the only one that stands in disbelief. You can believe what ever you want!

What got me questioning how on earth he killed it was that he claimed to use one leg to pin down the back legs knowing that, like his house cat, it will rake you with them when on their back. One hand was in its jaws, and so he did the splits and somehow suffocated the cougar using his opposite foot on its neck. Maybe the guy could do the splits, but can he apply the pressure necessary with a struggling mountain lion? I’m skeptical of his account for sure.

 

[H&Hhunter]

What got me questioning how on earth he killed it was that he claimed to use one leg to pin down the back legs knowing that, like his house cat, it will rake you with them when on their back. One hand was in its jaws, and so he did the splits and somehow suffocated the cougar using his opposite foot on its neck. Maybe the guy could do the splits, but can he apply the pressure necessary with a struggling mountain lion? I’m skeptical of his account for sure.

Considering that it was a 40 to 50lb cat, it was a pretty small lion. I’m just not sure what you guys think the real story was?

He had puncture wounds in his arms, bites and cuts on his legs face and neck. So what do you think the scam was, and for what purpose?

I’m not saying right or wrong here, I’m just curious as to what your thoughts on why, and what he could possibly gain from scratching himself, somehow staging getting bitten all the way through the wrist and then supplying a dead lion for evidence?

 

[H&Hhunter]

I think the word "conspiracy" is out of place. I do know from having cats and dogs that they are very strong for their size and a house cat isn't anywhere close to the size of a young mountain lion. Cats also have the strength and ability to twist their bodies and provide one hell of a fight. This story has drawn huge attention because it's so unbelievable that a human could kill a mountain lion so I'm sure that I'm not the only one that stands in disbelief. You can believe what ever you want!

It’s a pretty unbelievable story no doubt. I’ll ask again, what in your opinion does the guy have to gain from a fabrication? How did he “fake” his injuries? And how did he produce a dead cat for evidence?

 

[alsaqr]

The OK game department were very protective of their cougars. The stud horse belonging to a horse breeder was torn up by a cougar. He called the OK game department and said he would kill the cougar. He was threatened with prosecution and told the cougars had tracking collars. Result: The OK legislature passed a law allowing the killing of cougars that pose a threat to humans or livestock.

i was tracking a wounded hog in a wide gully when something caught my attention. Sitting on the bank about 20-25 yards away was a big male cougar switching his tail and licking his face. Shot that cougar square in the chest with my muzzleloader. i simply saw a potential danger and acted swiftly.

 

[rodwha]

Considering that it was a 40 to 50lb cat, it was a pretty small lion. I’m just not sure what you guys think the real story was?

He had puncture wounds in his arms, bites and cuts on his legs face and neck. So what do you think the scam was, and for what purpose?

I’m not saying right or wrong here, I’m just curious as to what your thoughts on why, and what he could possibly gain from scratching himself, somehow staging getting bitten all the way through the wrist and then supplying a dead lion for evidence?

I don’t think it was any sort of a scam, and I believe the fellow was attacked and killed it, but his story just sounds quite hard to believe. Again, having to do the splits to manage the back legs, use the other foot to somehow choke it, all while it’s right hand was in its mouth just sounds a bit too fanatastic is what I’m saying. Everything else is more than believable. And maybe I’m just looking at it from the wrong angle...

 

[harrygunner]

Always good to consider the possibility of being hunted while hunting.

I've seen two mountain lions in my life. The first, a large male, was about 200 yards away while hiking with a group. The second was also a large male raising from the grass about 10 yards away as I hiked alone. I immediately drew my 10mm and covered him as I continued down the trail. He laid back down into the grass, not moving toward me.

Several other occasions of evidence like tracks, cool signs of marking territory or hiding food. Saw snow tracks down the side of a hill while hiking with my daughter in the Coconino National Forest near Flagstaff. We were even more diligent after seeing those fresh tracks.

 

[Milt1]

Why would someone do this and what would he gain from a fabrication? Just look at the media response to this story and the fame, if you will, that this guys now has. For example when I heard about the TV guy that was beaten up and had a noose put around his neck, I was damn that's terrible that this guy was treated like that. But then when I saw his face that had just a tiny scratch on it I told my wife that something was wrong with this picture. Well, now the police are saying he isn't a victim anymore and they want him to come in to clarify his side of what happened. It's also being reported that he paid the two guys that the cops talked with to "rough" him up. You could ask the same question of why did he do that? Who knows because people do weird things to get attention and possibly some money out of their story.

 

[H&Hhunter]

Why would someone do this and what would he gain from a fabrication? Just look at the media response to this story and the fame, if you will, that this guys now has. For example when I heard about the TV guy that was beaten up and had a noose put around his neck, I was damn that's terrible that this guy was treated like that. But then when I saw his face that had just a tiny scratch on it I told my wife that something was wrong with this picture. Well, now the police are saying he isn't a victim anymore and they want him to come in to clarify his side of what happened. It's also being reported that he paid the two guys that the cops talked with to "rough" him up. You could ask the same question of why did he do that? Who knows because people do weird things to get attention and possibly some money out of their story.

If it was a fabrication the bare knuckle cougar fighter did one heck of a good job setting it up. He found, strangled, and hauled a dead juvenile Mt Lion to the scene, used the teeth to puncture his wrist, scratched and bite himself in the face and neck.

But yeah if it was a set up the only reason would be for fame and attention. My money says it happened as reported. Quite a different set of circumstances than the fake race baiter actor. Of course I guess there’s always a chance.

 

[redneck]

His description of how he killed it may not be 100% accurate, as he was a in a fight for his life and may not remember every step exactly as it happened. I have no doubt after reading the article and seeing his picture that he killed it after being attacked, but the actual mechanics of where his feet and hands were may be a bit fuzzy. I wouldn't take it so much as "how to kill a cougar" as "this is what I remember".

 

[LRDGCO]

Well, you're all.missing two key parts of the story that explain the quite reasonable skepticism.

First, the dude that was attacked is 1/1024 Honduran. Second, he claimed that what caught his attention about the lion was that it was wearing a MAGA hat...

 

[horsey300]

I've chased a mountain lion out of my cows, neighbor just popped a bobcat a week ago (we won't start on that topic right now) ando neither are right for the terrain, between territory shrinking, turf wars, and migration, I WOULD call the Colorado incidents rare, honestly, in this region there are diseased yotes, coons, and ticked off deer/elk/moose that I find more worrisome. In Nebraska alone, I believe a 3 year period yielded 3 vehicle vs moose deaths, better watch out that we keep the camry safe!!

 

[burrhead]

This link is of a security camera catching a vid of a lion in Leander Texas, which is part of the greater Austin area. Just plain old suburbs.

http://www.kut.org/post/mountain-li...nder-neighborhood-caught-camera-rare-sighting

 

[Choctaw]

What got me questioning how on earth he killed it was that he claimed to use one leg to pin down the back legs knowing that, like his house cat, it will rake you with them when on their back. One hand was in its jaws, and so he did the splits and somehow suffocated the cougar using his opposite foot on its neck. Maybe the guy could do the splits, but can he apply the pressure necessary with a struggling mountain lion? I’m skeptical of his account for sure.

Well, something ripped his face to shreds.

http://sportingclassicsdaily.com/su...-69391873&mc_cid=0482a95ed0&mc_eid=f05fd5433b

 

[rodwha]

Well, something ripped his face to shreds.

http://sportingclassicsdaily.com/su...-69391873&mc_cid=0482a95ed0&mc_eid=f05fd5433b

Yep. A mountain lion. I have never disputed that the attack and defense happened. It’s just what he explained that seems a bit hard to swallow. And like I said maybe I’m just viewing it in the wrong light (the splits to suffocate it) or in the heat of a life and death situation he didn’t recall it accurately, which is common.

 

[Choctaw]

Oh, I agree that the story is...strange. Cats are hard to handle, especially the big ones. While making an arrest in a crack house years ago I had a house cat clamp down on my hand. I’m trying to sling the dang thing off while the doper is yelling for me not to hurt Susan (the cat). The freaking thing was chomping on my hand like a fat kid on a pork chop and the other entry team members were hee-hawing. Susan finally let go and took off. That was thirty years ago and my hand still pops when I make a fist. And this was just a little cracked out house cat. Trying to not only fight that mountain lion but to actually kill it is nothing short of amazing.

 

[MaxP]

They are strong beyond their weight. I have hunted mountain lion exactly one time (with hounds) and before I got the opportunity to introduce the cat to my .454 Casull, the 175-lb feline dragged one of the dogs up into the tree with him by the head. I wouldn’t want to get into a scuffle with one.

 

[Art Eatman]

A female cougar weighing no more than 100 pounds killed a 600-pound cow elk and dragged it about 50 feet to a brush pile. My friend who killed the cat worked it out from blood and drag marks.

 

[Milt1]

Choctaw listed the encounter from the Sporting Classics Daily (above) and within that story this was stated: "He eventually picked up a large rock and tried to hit the cat in the head with it". My opinion is that this is what happened! He actually hit the cat in the head with that rock hard enough to kill it. The rest of "killing it with my bare hands by choking it to death" is boastful and untrue.

 

[WrongHanded]

What got me questioning how on earth he killed it was that he claimed to use one leg to pin down the back legs knowing that, like his house cat, it will rake you with them when on their back. One hand was in its jaws, and so he did the splits and somehow suffocated the cougar using his opposite foot on its neck. Maybe the guy could do the splits, but can he apply the pressure necessary with a struggling mountain lion? I’m skeptical of his account for sure.

With a hand in it's mouth applying apposing pressure, and a knee at the other end of the body doing likewise, I'm sure a foot could crush a trachea. They're not exactly made to be stepped on. I've never done Brazilian Jiu Jitsu on a cat, but what you describe sounds entirely feasible to me, provided the choker can retain body control of the chokee. This is particularly true if the guy had previous training in that type of martial art.

 

[Patocazador]

,

I wouldn't take it so much as "how to kill a cougar" as "this is what I remember".

I totally agree with this comment.

I don't find it strange that a fit relatively young male could kill a small ~50 lb. cougar bare-handed. It's a situation that would flood the body with adrenaline which would tip the balance in favor of the young man in good shape. BTW, the article said he was out running. How many unbelievers here run/jog regularly? I would guess it is not many because if we were out running, we wouldn't be wasting our time "surmising" on this forum.

 

[MaxP]

,

I totally agree with this comment.

I don't find it strange that a fit relatively young male could kill a small ~50 lb. cougar bare-handed. It's a situation that would flood the body with adrenaline which would tip the balance in favor of the young man in good shape. BTW, the article said he was out running. How many unbelievers here run/jog regularly? I would guess it is not many because if we were out running, we wouldn't be wasting our time "surmising" on this forum.

I ran about two hours ago, does that count?

 

[Patocazador]

I ran about two hours ago, does that count?

Of course it does. However, I'll bet you and a few others here are in the minority. The majority of us are out-of-shape, overweight, and/or over the hill. I score -3 out of 3 on that scale.

 

[Jeff Flannery]

There are still jaguarundis in NW Florida and southern Alabama. Friends have caught them on trail cams and my neighbor who works for a power company saw one cross an access road while working in the early AM. FWC will claim they are all gone. There is no mention of them in the hunting regs. But if you shoot one of these non-existent things and get caught, you will probably be in some serious trouble.

Same here in Pa. Game gurus say they don't exist here, but it's illegal to shoot one! I saw one several years ago and watched it with a 30 power spotting scope for about an hour in a cut hay field. I called the game gurus and they as much told me I was seeing things!