I haven't read that much about the Mountain Lion attacks in
California. Just heard about them second hand from some folks at work.
I think the theory is that the fires have forced them out of their
normal hunting areas.
Just another something to worry about on the trail!
-Amanda from Seattle
(basking in 50 degree weather after our snow/ice storm of last
weekend)
Mountain Lion attacks
7 messages in this thread |
Started on 2004-01-11
Mountain Lion attacks
From: samanark (samanark@yahoo.com) |
Date: 2004-01-11 22:37:47 UTC
Re: [LbNCA] Mountain Lion attacks
From: Gwen and Don Jackson (foxsecurity@earthlink.net) |
Date: 2004-01-11 15:45:27 UTC-08:00
Here is my two cents on the Mountain Lion situation . Mountain Lions have been protected by some folks that "feel" as though they are wonderful predators that should be protected. There was never a good survey completed to ascertain Cougar numbers. It was very difficult to count numbers as Mountain Lions are by their normal behavior very stealthy, secretive and would have a healthy fear of man in those areas that they are hunted.The law was passed just because it seemed like the "right" thing to do. Numbers of Cougars killed each year could be regulated by Fish & Game Dept. by limiting tags ,but instead city folks in California voted to totally ban Cougar hunting. Over the last few years Deer numbers have dwindled in California primarily because they are the main food source for Cougars. Deer move into areas populated by people, and Cougars will follow their food source .When that food source is reduced they will turn to alternate food sources - cats, dogs and people. If Cougars are not hunted then they will tend to lose their fear of man. When that happens the neighborhoods in rural areas suffer. "Neighborhoods" as in our neighborhood in Kernville. I find it interesting when the chat list discussions are centered around "What do you carry in your letterboxing bag?" No one mentions the first thing I pack nor the appropriate caliber.
Don (who just returned from a quick trip to 79 degree Corona)
----- Original Message -----
From: samanark
To: LbNCA@yahoogroups.com
Sent: Sunday, January 11, 2004 2:37 PM
Subject: [LbNCA] Mountain Lion attacks
I haven't read that much about the Mountain Lion attacks in
California. Just heard about them second hand from some folks at work.
I think the theory is that the fires have forced them out of their
normal hunting areas.
Just another something to worry about on the trail!
-Amanda from Seattle
(basking in 50 degree weather after our snow/ice storm of last
weekend)
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[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Don (who just returned from a quick trip to 79 degree Corona)
----- Original Message -----
From: samanark
To: LbNCA@yahoogroups.com
Sent: Sunday, January 11, 2004 2:37 PM
Subject: [LbNCA] Mountain Lion attacks
I haven't read that much about the Mountain Lion attacks in
California. Just heard about them second hand from some folks at work.
I think the theory is that the fires have forced them out of their
normal hunting areas.
Just another something to worry about on the trail!
-Amanda from Seattle
(basking in 50 degree weather after our snow/ice storm of last
weekend)
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[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Re: Mountain Lion attacks
From: rscarpen (RiskyNil@pocketmail.com) |
Date: 2004-01-12 03:27:48 UTC
> I find it interesting when the chat list discussions are centered
> around "What do you carry in your letterboxing bag?" No one
> mentions the first thing I pack nor the appropriate caliber.
Oh, boy, remind me not to sneak up on you while on the trail!
Growl! ;o)
-- Ryan
> around "What do you carry in your letterboxing bag?" No one
> mentions the first thing I pack nor the appropriate caliber.
Oh, boy, remind me not to sneak up on you while on the trail!
Growl! ;o)
-- Ryan
Re: [LbNCA] Mountain Lion attacks
From: (californiabear@comcast.net) |
Date: 2004-01-12 21:04:32 UTC
Don wrote:
> I find it interesting when the chat list discussions are centered around
> "What do you carry in your letterboxing bag?" No one mentions the first thing
> I pack nor the appropriate caliber.
My mom owns a taser (one of those hand-held devices that generates a stong electrical current for purposes of self defence) and showed me that it is very effective in deterring animals. You don't even have to touch the animal.
Our two cats were sitting across the room when she triggered it. Both of them took off like the devil himself was after them. Through the window, I could see the dog next door jump up and lay his ears back. The dog must have been 50-60' away and it still bothered him.
I wonder how effective it would be against a larger predator like a mountain lion? You might be able to scare one away without even having to touch it.
Unfortunately, in most mountain lion attacks, by the time you know the mountain lion is there, you or whoever you are with is already down. If you are the one who gets hit first, the caliber of your letterbox toolkit won't matter. ;)
___________________________________
California Bear
> I find it interesting when the chat list discussions are centered around
> "What do you carry in your letterboxing bag?" No one mentions the first thing
> I pack nor the appropriate caliber.
My mom owns a taser (one of those hand-held devices that generates a stong electrical current for purposes of self defence) and showed me that it is very effective in deterring animals. You don't even have to touch the animal.
Our two cats were sitting across the room when she triggered it. Both of them took off like the devil himself was after them. Through the window, I could see the dog next door jump up and lay his ears back. The dog must have been 50-60' away and it still bothered him.
I wonder how effective it would be against a larger predator like a mountain lion? You might be able to scare one away without even having to touch it.
Unfortunately, in most mountain lion attacks, by the time you know the mountain lion is there, you or whoever you are with is already down. If you are the one who gets hit first, the caliber of your letterbox toolkit won't matter. ;)
___________________________________
California Bear
Re: [LbNCA] Mountain Lion attacks
From: Gwen & Don Jackson (foxsecurity@earthlink.net) |
Date: 2004-01-12 17:05:59 UTC-08:00
Hi Ca. Bear,
Generally we are hiking with Maggie my bird dog and her nose is pretty good. Normally a big cat will go after a dog first, thus there should be time to fire a couple into the ground to scare it off before you would have to use the final deterrent. Actually I am less concerned about wild critters than wild humans (it is hard to change my out look after 40 years of security and investigation work) and I never actually carry a firearm in my letterboxing bag ,it is handier. I'm not sure the unit your mom has is a Taser as Tasers are considered firearms. Tasers shoot out little harpoon like things with wires attached and the current can be increased and decreased. Most Police Depts. only have Sgts and above authorised to carry and use Tasers. She probably has a stun gun and that would certainly be better than nothing , but it needs direct contact and that is something I would rather avoid. I would think a more effective item would be the Bear Spray sold in Grizzly areas. While expensive($50) the concentration of pepper spray should stop a Cougar unless of course it is rabid. In all cases whether it be in the woods or in the city you best protection is to be observent of your surroundings and always hike with another person.
Don
To: LbNCA@yahoogroups.com
Sent: Monday, January 12, 2004 1:04 PM
Subject: Re: [LbNCA] Mountain Lion attacks
Don wrote:
> I find it interesting when the chat list discussions are centered around
> "What do you carry in your letterboxing bag?" No one mentions the first thing
> I pack nor the appropriate caliber.
My mom owns a taser (one of those hand-held devices that generates a stong electrical current for purposes of self defence) and showed me that it is very effective in deterring animals. You don't even have to touch the animal.
Our two cats were sitting across the room when she triggered it. Both of them took off like the devil himself was after them. Through the window, I could see the dog next door jump up and lay his ears back. The dog must have been 50-60' away and it still bothered him.
I wonder how effective it would be against a larger predator like a mountain lion? You might be able to scare one away without even having to touch it.
Unfortunately, in most mountain lion attacks, by the time you know the mountain lion is there, you or whoever you are with is already down. If you are the one who gets hit first, the caliber of your letterbox toolkit won't matter. ;)
___________________________________
California Bear
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[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Generally we are hiking with Maggie my bird dog and her nose is pretty good. Normally a big cat will go after a dog first, thus there should be time to fire a couple into the ground to scare it off before you would have to use the final deterrent. Actually I am less concerned about wild critters than wild humans (it is hard to change my out look after 40 years of security and investigation work) and I never actually carry a firearm in my letterboxing bag ,it is handier. I'm not sure the unit your mom has is a Taser as Tasers are considered firearms. Tasers shoot out little harpoon like things with wires attached and the current can be increased and decreased. Most Police Depts. only have Sgts and above authorised to carry and use Tasers. She probably has a stun gun and that would certainly be better than nothing , but it needs direct contact and that is something I would rather avoid. I would think a more effective item would be the Bear Spray sold in Grizzly areas. While expensive($50) the concentration of pepper spray should stop a Cougar unless of course it is rabid. In all cases whether it be in the woods or in the city you best protection is to be observent of your surroundings and always hike with another person.
Don
To: LbNCA@yahoogroups.com
Sent: Monday, January 12, 2004 1:04 PM
Subject: Re: [LbNCA] Mountain Lion attacks
Don wrote:
> I find it interesting when the chat list discussions are centered around
> "What do you carry in your letterboxing bag?" No one mentions the first thing
> I pack nor the appropriate caliber.
My mom owns a taser (one of those hand-held devices that generates a stong electrical current for purposes of self defence) and showed me that it is very effective in deterring animals. You don't even have to touch the animal.
Our two cats were sitting across the room when she triggered it. Both of them took off like the devil himself was after them. Through the window, I could see the dog next door jump up and lay his ears back. The dog must have been 50-60' away and it still bothered him.
I wonder how effective it would be against a larger predator like a mountain lion? You might be able to scare one away without even having to touch it.
Unfortunately, in most mountain lion attacks, by the time you know the mountain lion is there, you or whoever you are with is already down. If you are the one who gets hit first, the caliber of your letterbox toolkit won't matter. ;)
___________________________________
California Bear
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[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Re: [LbNCA] Mountain Lion attacks
From: California Bear (californiabear@comcast.net) |
Date: 2004-01-12 18:39:03 UTC-08:00
----- Original Message -----
From: Gwen & Don Jackson
To: LbNCA@yahoogroups.com
Sent: Monday, January 12, 2004 5:05 PM
Subject: Re: [LbNCA] Mountain Lion attacks
Hi Ca. Bear,
In all cases whether it be in the woods or in the city you best protection is to be observent of your surroundings and always hike with another person.
Don
Oh great! You would remind me to hike with someone else the week before I go out to Joshua Tree by myself!! : )
Your comment about Bear Spray reminds me of a joke I heard:
Mike is about to head into the woods for a backpacking trip and stops at a local outfitter for last minute supplies.
Old Jones runs the store and has lived in the area for most of his. He notices that Mike has all brand new equipment and asks "New to backpacking in these parts?"
Mike replies "Yup! I had to get away from the city for a while."
Old Jones looks over the stuff Mike has and says "Can I make a suggestion? We have a lot of bears in these parts and I recommend getting a bear bell before you head out."
Mike looks puzzled, having never heard of a bear bell before.
Jones notices the look and explains "A bear bell is just a bell that you hang from your backpack that rings as you walk, making a lot of sound so you don't walk around a corner and surprise a bear."
Mike, previously unaware that there were bears in the area asks, "What kind of bears do you have around here?"
"Oh! We have brown bears, black bears and a handful of grizzlies. They tend to be territorial and you can tell what kind of bear's territory you are in by their droppings. Brown bears are mostly nuts and berries. Black bears have nuts, berries and skeletons of small animals."
Mike asks "What about grizzlies? What do they have in their droppings?"
"Bear bells."
___________________________
California Bear
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
From: Gwen & Don Jackson
To: LbNCA@yahoogroups.com
Sent: Monday, January 12, 2004 5:05 PM
Subject: Re: [LbNCA] Mountain Lion attacks
Hi Ca. Bear,
In all cases whether it be in the woods or in the city you best protection is to be observent of your surroundings and always hike with another person.
Don
Oh great! You would remind me to hike with someone else the week before I go out to Joshua Tree by myself!! : )
Your comment about Bear Spray reminds me of a joke I heard:
Mike is about to head into the woods for a backpacking trip and stops at a local outfitter for last minute supplies.
Old Jones runs the store and has lived in the area for most of his. He notices that Mike has all brand new equipment and asks "New to backpacking in these parts?"
Mike replies "Yup! I had to get away from the city for a while."
Old Jones looks over the stuff Mike has and says "Can I make a suggestion? We have a lot of bears in these parts and I recommend getting a bear bell before you head out."
Mike looks puzzled, having never heard of a bear bell before.
Jones notices the look and explains "A bear bell is just a bell that you hang from your backpack that rings as you walk, making a lot of sound so you don't walk around a corner and surprise a bear."
Mike, previously unaware that there were bears in the area asks, "What kind of bears do you have around here?"
"Oh! We have brown bears, black bears and a handful of grizzlies. They tend to be territorial and you can tell what kind of bear's territory you are in by their droppings. Brown bears are mostly nuts and berries. Black bears have nuts, berries and skeletons of small animals."
Mike asks "What about grizzlies? What do they have in their droppings?"
"Bear bells."
___________________________
California Bear
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Re: Mountain Lion attacks
From: samanark (samanark@yahoo.com) |
Date: 2004-01-13 21:32:35 UTC
In all cases whether it be in the woods or in the city your best
protection is to be observent of your surroundings and always hike
with another person.
Now that is good advice! Of course, it helps when the other person is
armed :-)
-Amanda from Seattle
By the way, we had a cougar sighting in the Seattle area this week
also!!
protection is to be observent of your surroundings and always hike
with another person.
Now that is good advice! Of course, it helps when the other person is
armed :-)
-Amanda from Seattle
By the way, we had a cougar sighting in the Seattle area this week
also!!