Posted on 03/24/2024 12:13:03 PM PDT by BenLurkin
One event in how many hours afield?
One event yes, but would you roll the dice and go into the wild unarmed if there was even a remote chance of being eaten alive?
??
Large trout, could see them in the clear water!. Never encountered a lion, nor foot prints. Likely there were more scarce then, and more afraid.
Later years, due to increased development, had to park at the Cool bridge,(whole 'nother story) and walk upstream to hike and fish. Always armed, always paired or more, never saw a cat. Walked noisily and with purpose, no sneaking through the underbrush.
They are no longer afraid due to no hunting, and getting bold.
They come down the dry river bed into the south east parts of the county and kill/steal livestock.
Nowadays always armed, cocked and locked, chest holster when fishing the streams and rivers in the foothills.
I used to go back into some ravines at night and the Mountain Lions would scream at me the whole time I was there. I never saw them, but I saw their paw prints and they sounded like they were very close.
You could also hear them from my parent’s house at night.
Good idea! I recall reading that somewhere in Africa they paint eyes on the rear of some animals to protect them from attack by lions.
There are more two-legged dangers out in the wilderness these days, too. I trust them less than mountain lions or bears. None of these animals speak much English. Staying armed with one in the chamber may just save your life.
My commander on the USAF base in Alaska (1958) did not allow us to leave the base unarmed. Minimum requirement was an M1 carbine and it had better be loaded.
Let’s not give them any ideas now.
That has been used for tigers in India.
I walk through potential lion country all the time. If I (or anyone) got jumped before I/they could react with a firearm, it could be lights out. Shed hunters spend countless man-hours in lion country, and attacks are very rare. Hunters around here spend countless hours in the woods. I know of few that have seen lions. Some have been watching friends push through brush, with cats following them, unseen. I know of one guy that had a problem with an old, very hungry cat. He shot it.
Add bear country to that, magnum firearms.
Was that a no or a yes?
If I can’t be armed, I ain’t goin’!
I agree. If one gets between a momma bear and her cubs anywhere it’s a deadly situation.
21 and 18, eh? What’d they do, try to feed it catnip?
Well, California was in need of Mountain Lions so they banned the hunting of Mountain Lions years ago because suddenly those who do not raise livestock were in need of mountain lions.
Recently, I decided I had better get good on bear defense. So I put my .357 revolver in a chest rig, ran around the parking lot to get my heart rate up, came back to the firing line at 15 yards, spun around until I was dizzy ... and missed 6 for 6 on small plate sized targets. Not good.
It took three outings, but now I can run, spin, hit 2 for 3, reholster, spin again until dizzy, draw, and 2 for 3 again at 25 yards.
I think I’m now competent for Mr. Griz.
The Law of Unintended Consequences rears its ugly head. As usual.
“In California, mountain lions are a specially protected non-game species; following the passage of the California Wildlife Protection Act of 1990 (Proposition 117). Mountain lions have not been hunted in California since 1972.”
Also see:
I was sighting my muzzleloader years ago and a neighbor stopped by to tell me they had numerous sightings of two young mountain lions traveling together. After that, I always had my .40 with me for the walk to and from my deer stand and this was west Iowa. Just north of where I hunted on the outskirts of town, a guy went to the back of his outbuilding and was surprised when a mountain lion had taken off from under a junked car. It had cleared out & made a den. Now they’re catching them in West Omaha on Ring cameras.
“If someone wants to go into the wild unarmed...”
Let them. They’re probably Democrats.
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