[waterstraat]

In all honesty, I'm not sure a gun would have helped that much. The lion leaped on a woman's back, then got a hold of her face.

So, if you were wearing a gun, and a lion grabbed your face, you wouldnt unholster and shoot it while it was dragging you into the woods ?

[SoCal Pubbie]

I would try yes. On the other hand, this particular cat jumped the woman from behind (cats hunt by stealth) first, so with the animal's forelegs wrapped around your arms it might be difficult to reach your weapon. On top of that, pointing the gun behind you and trying to shoot something feverishly trying to kill you might result in a nice clean bullet hole in your back.

I didn't say that having a gun was of no use whatsoever, simply that it may not be of much good by the time a cougar attacks.