Posted on 04/14/2005 11:06:09 AM PDT by neverdem
CALGARY -- Peter Bysterveld is alive to tell his tale of survival from a terrifying cougar attack, thanks to sharp instincts and sheer strength. The 23-year-old SAIT student wrestled the feline and flung it through the air after a failed attempt to escape from it in Kananaskis Country Saturday.
"I hit a muddy patch and fell on my stomach, and then I turned around and grabbed its feet, gave it a toss and picked up a stick and started yelling at it," Bysterveld said yesterday.
Bysterveld and his girlfriend were on the last leg of a long hike in K-Country's Sheep River Wildlife Sanctuary when they came face-to-face with two young-looking cougars.
The animals were sitting among trees some seven metres ahead on the popular hiking trail about 20 km west of Turner Valley. One cat turned around, looked his way and lunged in his direction.
With nothing to fight with, Bysterveld felt his only option was to run, which would also distract the cougar from his girlfriend, who watched in horror from behind a tree.
Then Bysterveld fell.
The cat, about the size of a large domestic dog, bit into his calf. Bysterveld responded by taking the cat by its legs and tossing it about five metres.
It got up to come back at him, but Bysterveld had grabbed a stick and yelled at it.
The cat then sauntered off into a gully and the injured Bysterveld - covered in scratches on his arms and a bite to his leg - made it back to safety.
"I think being bigger helped, and I think he was shocked that I picked him up and threw him," said Bysterveld.
Fish and wildlife crews were looking for the offending cat yesterday.
She's not equal. She's a girl.
I use here "equal" in the sense of "interchangeable." A man should protect his woman. Yes, there are things a woman can sometimes do in such situations, but often enough staying out of the way (or dialing 911, or screaming) is about what she should do.
When I have had to check out risky things, I've asked my wife (a *formidably* capable woman, but my wife, and mine to protect) firmly to stay in a particular place with the phone. Then anything that moves is mine. If she doesn't work with me on that, I'm distracted at best, split and unintentionally sabotaged at worse.
Dan
Advance. Make lots of noise. Two large humans would have most likely scared him off a lot sooner. If the cougar turns toward her, the man should advance, also. The cougar will leave for easier prey.
Your Husband bought you a lawnmower for your birthday?
I got my wife one of those very same mowers Its the Lawn Bot 17 hp, a little hard to start <I have to do that for her,but does a great job once she gets it going.LOL
Why did Mr. Bysterveld take a baby cow on a hike through "Sheep River Wildlife Sanctuary"? (I know, calf/leg. :-) )
and
Five metres is 16.25 feet. A large sized domestic dog could weigh as much as 70 pounds or more.
Mr. Bysterveld threw at least a 70 pounds hungry wild animal 16 feet from a "turned around" prone position while lying in the mud. Someone should enter Mr. Bysterveld in the Olympics.
Maybe it would be better if they sent Mr. Bysterveld. :-)
Great blog...Added it to my favorites. Had a good laugh at the pictures of Steve trying to get that axle nut off. The right nut on the '69 I'm building now was so tight I had to split it to get it off!
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I'll let you know when I update it, if you like...
We only work on it on the weekends, so I usually update it on Sunday evening, Monday or Tuesday.
Obviously none of you know how many cougars are in BC and Alberta, where I lived it had the highest density of cougars in North America. These cats are starving and they are bold, they have no problem taking on a person if that's all they can get.
We never went into the forest without a firearm.
I personally think the least she could have done would have been to find a stout stick and bring it to him. That is what I would have done rather than cowering behind a tree.
I got that impression too. It reminds me of that joke:
Two buddies go camping. During the night, they hear rustling, and they see a bear approaching. One of them starts putting on his sneakers as fast as he can.
His buddy says, "What are you doing? You know you can't outrun a bear!"
The runner replies, "I don't have to outrun the bear, I have to outrun you."
Same thing here. He wasn't going to outrun the cougar - just his girlfriend. (joke)
Thanks, I love to watch the progress of other Bug builders!
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Do you have any sisters like you?
Um.... I think my sisters like me.
Wait, what was the question?
/c8|
Mark
Yeah for bugs! Just got a '74(not super beetle)type one about 4 months ago and I am restoring it..maybe I will do the Baja thing with it though! I have owned a lot of them over the years.
When I was a puppy pusher we used to "airplane" our dogs that got out of line as an attention getter. I have seen 150 pound men grab a leash on a large 90 pound healthy german sheppard and swing it around and up into the air and slam it into the ground to "spank" the bad doggy per se........it's done . Add fear to the mix and this guy being chewed on by the mountain kitty could have tossed a oldsmobile a few feet IMHO had he wanted......
Calipornia may have firearm laws that drop humans down the food chain but a good hiking staff/pole/stick with a metal spear like point will piss kitty off if ya have time and see him coming. Better than feet. But then this guy only had to run faster than his "cow" ?
So I take it you don't go into the forest anymore because you can't be armed (legally) in Canada now?
I send my wife down with a bat and tell her, "Handle it. I'm watchin' my show."
I did a little investigation, and found that the 2 most attacked groups are boys under age 12, and women over 40. I'm not a boy under 12, but I am a woman over 40.
I don't want to be lunch, nor do I want to give up walking behind my home each morning. I think there are enough deer and other tender vittles roaming around that I don't have to worry, but am quite vigilant.
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