How to avoid a Mountain Lion Attack
Filed under
Safety, Wilderness
The likelihood of ever having an encounter with a mountain lion is pretty low, but in case you ever come across one in the wild you should know what to do. With the growing popularity of outdoor sports like mountain biking and hiking, wild animal encounters are on the rise.
So what should you do if you encounter a Mountain Lion?
- To avoid attack, always keep children and teenagers close by. Mountain Lions are attracted to children so don’t let them wonder to far away. Mountain lions see children as a small prey animal and are sometimes tempted to attack.
- Make noise when your hiking, this will help to ensure that you don’t walk up on a unsuspecting lions. If a Mountain Lion hears you approaching, more often than not it will slip away into the brush to avoid a confrontation.
- If you come upon a lion give it plenty of space so it can escape. Make your self look Big and DO NOT RUN. The lion will more than likely leave without any kind of confrontation.
- If you are attacked FIGHT LIKE HELL! Unlike bear attacks, experts say that you should fight back when attacked by a Mountain Lion. Kick, Gouge its eyes, Hit it in the face, do anything you can to make the lion rethink its attack. If you try to pretend you are dead a lion will more than likely keep attacking.
- Try to use Large sticks, rocks or any other weapon you can find to defend yourself.
- Stand your ground, stand tall, and pick up any children that are with you. Don’t ever try to run, doing so will kick in the animals natural hunting response. If you run it will chase!
- Bear Pepper Spray is also useful against mountain lions. If you have some it can be sprayed at the lions nose and eyes.
- Never squat or bend over, research shows that when a human bends over that mountain lions can mistake a person for a four legged prey.
Good advice – I always make sure the kids are making plenty of noise (not hard to do) on our hikes, and keep them from getting too far out in front (much harder to do!). I also keep an eye out for sign.
very great advice! i hate hurting animals but it shouldn’t hurt the lion too bad
yeah because youd rather die… dumbass.
After coming across this topic I just have to comment on the subject. I work and play, sometimes for extended periods, in the Rocky Mountains of Canada.
Item 1; no brainer.
Item 2; um, good idea I guess, mostly for bears though. Trust me, cougar doesn’t need bear bells and human vocals to know you are there!
Item 3; If you see a cougar close up count yourself lucky! really? ya. Cats are ambush predators. You have likely been stalked on several occasions with out knowing. They don’t let you see them until it is to late. OR they present themselves to you to gauge your reaction. Run=Prey.
Item 4; Fight like hell? You bet! Cats are mother natures calculators. If they are attacking they have decided that the gain of a meal outweighs the risk of injury to themselves. There for, they intend to eat you. Other reasons for attack may also be territorial. Especially if you take THEIR food, like hunting for game in their territory, makes you their competition and they may try to take you out for that reason. If you have to fight one I suggest a large (see Rambo) knife with a good grip, and NEVER GO DOWN! It may be the teeth and fore claws that scare us but cougars kill most often by tackling prey to the ground and disemboweling with very powerful hind legs/claws. Stay on your feet and you have a chance. NOTE: A long gun is useless, unless you carry military style (cocked locked and ready in hand) you just don’t have enough time in most attack cases. A handgun may be quick enough but here in Canada it requires a special permit to carry a handgun in the woods. Not everyone can get it, also not easy to get even if you qualify.
I won’t add anything to the rest of the talking points cause it is common sense. But a few things have been overlooked. Travel in groups, NEVER ALONE. Minimum 2 but 3 or more is best. Cat won’t take you all on, bad math. Dog, unless trained to hunt cougar, is of no help. In fact even the largest most aggressive dogs are a nice snack. Seen it, not pretty. When in deep cat territory (150 to 250lb cats) we leave dogs at home now. And no your super stud mut won’t hear or smell the cat coming. For the ever more common (50 to 100lb)”urban cougar” however dog is a decent partner to have and highly recommended for joggers. Especially if you jog/walk the same route routinely.
If you bleed, clean it up and take all blood with you. To a cat blood=injured prey. If you vomit same thing, might get away with burning it though. vomit=sickly prey. If you limp, try to hide it. They are keen to that too. Avoid crying, seems like a weird thing but have you ever heard a wounded rabbit or other small game? Sounds like lunch to a cat. That last one is more for children than say a full grown man. Don’t park your tent on the treeline. So many people do for wind/sun shelter, convenience of firewood or privacy for when nature calls. But if you are in cougar territory keep in mind cats keep to tree cover etc. If you are asleep 20ft from where they have been patiently waiting…..it has been known to happen. Camp in open area with good lines of sight. Avoid being alone, fetching wood/water should always be done in pairs. And yes, even bathroom breaks! You should be able to observe your partner from at least the shoulder up while they do their business. Seems odd I know but imagine that curious cat is waiting for such a prime opportunity like catching you with your pants down. Don’t be shy, you may live longer.
Situational awareness is your best defense though. Are the birds chirping/squirrels chattering? Why not? Haven’t seen bear scat in a while/berries untouched? If not bear who is top predator in the area? Clear fresh cougar tracks cross your path? Chances are the cat has been following and is watching your reaction to his tracks at that very moment.
Want to know more? Just watch a farm cat hunting. Now imagine that he is 20 times the size and 3 times as smart. Keep your head up and stay safe.
Cheers
Wow, thank you to Prospector Joe for taking the time to share your extensive experience! It is the best advice I’ve found yet, and I am most grateful for it! I hope never to need it, but since I’ve just moved into their territory, it is good for me to know. Stay safe & Enjoy!
First I urge every one to remember that you are in their world!