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There are at least two cougars here on the mountain - a female and her cub. when was the last cougar attack in Orygun?

I am not particularly threatened by them - if they attack at all, it is either in self-defense when cornered, or when stalking a small child. At 6'6" and 260#, no thing would mistake me for a small child.

Just the same, I do carry a 329 PD in the woods. Sometimes you do surprise wild animals at a kill, and then there is the real threats: humans and feral dogs.

The 329PD is light enough you don't regret bringing it along, has a 4" barrel, and can handle most anything on the continent if you do your job.
 
I just carry a couple pockets full of beef jerky...The cheap stuff
If your jumped by a cougar you wont have much chance to go for your pistol anyhow...so hopefully they will go for the beef jerky:eek:

Anyhow I have been tracking wounded elk and ended up being tracked myself by size large cat. Came face to face with him at about 15'. He was shocked I wasn't the wounded elk, and I was shocked I was that close to a big cat. That cat moved like lightning!
I honestly think the only thing I could have possibly hit him with would have been a scattergun!
nd even with that I doubt...Like I said they move like lightning when they want to..:)

Even tho I have been stalked by a big cat like that, I still only carry my hunting rifle. And a pocket full of jerky!
 
Why worry about it.
List of fatal cougar attacks in North America
2000s
Name, age, gender Date Location, comments
Frances Frost, 30, female January 2, 2001 This Canmore, Alberta resident was killed by a cougar while skiing on Cascade Fire Road just north of Banff National Park in Alberta

Mark Jeffrey Reynolds, 35, male January 8, 2004 Attacked and killed while mountain biking at Whiting Ranch Wilderness Park in southern Orange County, California. It is believed his chain fell off & the cougar attacked when he bent down to repair his bicycle.

Robert Nawojski, 55, male June 24, 2008 Searchers found his body on this date near his mobile home in Pinos Altos, New Mexico. Investigators concluded that he had been attacked and killed by a cougar several days earlier.

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct...FqQcHdRhKHZ8nWTBFQb_Dw&bvm=bv.116274245,d.cGc
 
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Although attacks are rare cougars often pounce from behind the best protection when jumped on unexpectedly is trojan brand condoms since they are the strongest and the cougar has likely been around the block a few times... "Ive heard" that in many cases if you play dead they have their way with you for a bit but then get bored easily and move on as they like the resistance... in that case a pack of cigs might be a good idea to go with the condoms.

ht_cougar_kb_121121_wg.jpg
 
My woods gun is a Blackhawk in 45 Colt with a 5 1/2" barrel. Pretty easy to carry and it will do the job on anything you will encounter in the lower 48. Bump up to a 300 gr hard cast or better you can include Alaska.
 
Not to be a jerk, but I've felt the hairs on the back of my neck go up when elk hunting with cougar around and a .30-06 in my hands at dusk. Fully clothed and well armed and I felt nekkid!

Cougars are pretty smart. You might never see the one that gets you so a good pistol IMHO is just to make one feel better, like you've got a bit of a chance.

If I was to do a lot of hunting in cougar country I'd suggest .357, or 38 super, or 10 mm AND a good hunting dog. Thats me personally.

There was a big, strong, wiley cougar that was using NORTHWEST Trek about 20 years ago as his personal hunting preserve. I mean he picked and chose nice elk and deer for months and months....and it took forever for DF&W to trank him and relocate him. Seems he was using the tall fences to pen his quarry in and then he'd just use the trees to leave.

I also saw one clear a state 2 lane highway with good sized shoulders in one bound from the center line. He came out of the brush flying as I rounded a corner, he landed almost exactly on the centerline and landed the second time somewhere in the timber. I am guessing he was chasing a deer. Broad daylight in the summer in the S curves on Highway 7 near Divide, WA.

YMMV
Brutus Out
Saw almost the exact same thing on Hwy 18 near the tiger mountain summit in Wa. 3 lanes, first leap landed him on the barrier, 2nd in the brush and out of sight. It only took a few seconds.
 
Why worry about it.
List of fatal cougar attacks in North America
2000s
Name, age, gender Date Location, comments
Frances Frost, 30, female January 2, 2001 This Canmore, Alberta resident was killed by a cougar while skiing on Cascade Fire Road just north of Banff National Park in Alberta

Mark Jeffrey Reynolds, 35, male January 8, 2004 Attacked and killed while mountain biking at Whiting Ranch Wilderness Park in southern Orange County, California. It is believed his chain fell off & the cougar attacked when he bent down to repair his bicycle.

Robert Nawojski, 55, male June 24, 2008 Searchers found his body on this date near his mobile home in Pinos Altos, New Mexico. Investigators concluded that he had been attacked and killed by a cougar several days earlier.


These are only the bodies or remains they actually found....:eek:

Brutus Out
 
Cougar experiences?

The feline kind - not human. :rolleyes:

I've actually touched one - petted it. A female about one year old - smallish compared to the males. When it moved a little too suddenly for me I pulled my hand back and it wanted to play some so it grabbed my hand with its paw. Left a good bruise. I was surprised a little by how strong it was.

I have a friend I used to work with that had three or four of them. This one was one he raised from a cub and it had fairly free reign of the house. The others were too wild even for him to be inside their pen with them - rescues from someone who could not take care of them anymore.

He has about 20 acres up north where he keep a few wild animals like that.
 
The feline kind - not human.

wait.... you mean this whole time were talking about mountainlions...! How embarrasing, nevermind what I said back there :p


outdoors Id use a 10mm. Ive head that mountainlions are "thin skinned" (as opposed to say a bear) so supposedly any common self defense round will work but Im not buying that Id want something that I know is going to penetrate deep enough.

I agree that statistically the threat is too low to worry about it, and if it ever did happen bear spray would be more effective in most situations.
 
Google documented cougar attacks-your going to be surprised how many there actually have been in North America.
If someone believes being big makes a difference to Mr. cougar, keep in mind that they regularly kill 8' long 700 lb. elk.
They are THE apex preditor here in most of the lower. 48.

Cats break fairly easy, that said I still carry a stainless S&W .357 and have had to use it on them. The last run in I had was on the last trip in to pack out the remaining bag of elk that was hanging in a tree next to the boned out Elk.
When I approached, surprise!
The damned cat had ducked into the chest cavity for a snack and when he came out he decided it was all his and went into that cat (I'm getting ready to pounce) profile.
That day I had the .357 on me and am glad I did, the cat not so much.
The first 158 JHP hit him center chest and that did the job although I fired a second, trust me you probably would have too. Seconds was all it lasted start to finish.
This was the second 'surprise' encounter with a cougar I've had, that other ended up meeting an -06, overkill? I don't think there's any such thing as overkill when it comes down to it.
 
A handy revolver and a heightened sense of awareness. I have spent a lot of time in the woods and I have come across a lot more cougar sign than I have seen cougars themselves. Nothing like humping up a logging trail on pristine snow, then back tracking several hours later to see those big paw prints crossing your tracks. If you think you are going to run into kitty, there is a likelihood of stumbling on a bear as well.
 
Cats can get big but..... they don't seem to have the will to stay in the fight if it's not entirely in their favor like a momma bear might. If cornered they just want a way out, if it's through you, then bummer you. If you hit them w/a big stick they'll probably run away, if you 'get big' and yell a whole bunch, they'll probably run away.
My dad grew up around cats, had been followed a few times. I've had 2 encounters myself. It's definitely an adrenaline rush. Honestly as a family we've had more trouble w/elk than carnivorous/omnivorous animals. They get downright mean.
That being said, I carry a 10mm. I like semi-autos better for carry, shoot them a lot and am comfortable with them. 185gr expander @ 1350 fps will be plenty if I can get a shot into one. If it came down to a close range aggressive situation cats are FAST and not that big of a target all stretched out. Your shot will probably be after it hits you the 1st time while it's on top of you on the ground. You'll be doing everything you can to keep it's teeth off your face or neck. You won't see one before it sees you unless you're REAL lucky and if it's close it's probably ready to jump.
I never even think about cats when I'm out in the woods. I know there out there and can see me, follow me around if they want but it's not something I'm going to worry about. We aren't targets of opportunity, little kids, cats, dogs, sheep, chickens, bunnies those are more up their alley. It'll be really hard to walk up on one and startle it. Consider yourself one of the lucky few if you do happen to see one.
 
There are bear, cougars, coyotes, and bobcats (saw one about a month ago) up here. Periodically I come home to find deer in my yard. More than once I have sat here in my living room and watched deer aand rabbits munching on my landscaping not ten feet away.

This despite a rather nosey neighborhood dog or two making patrols of the area 24/7 when they are outside (i've got up at 2 AM once when one setoff my motion sensor porch light - fed her a biscuit for being a good guard dog). One will bark at anything or anyone that is a stranger.

I don't fear the wildlife here much - they mostly avoid humans at all cost.

In over 6 decades, some of it spent in parts of Idaho, Montana, WA and Alaska where there are brown bear, I've never had a bad encounter with wildlife. Wild predators mostly go after wild prey - deer and such. Although they are not above making a snack out kitty cats and little foo foo dogs when they are let outside.

Domestic dogs on the other hand - I've had them chase me, snap at me, growl at me. Pet dogs and feral dogs are not afraid of humans, and can be a real danger. More people are attacked, injured and even killed by domesticated dogs than all wildlife put together.

For that reason alone, I will carry a handgun when in the woods - probably not a bad idea in the city too. People come out here and dump their cats and dogs all the time. My neighbor's dog - the one that barks at everybody it doesn't know - was a dumped dog - also an abused dog (it is afraid of you if you pick up a stick or rock or make a sudden move).

A cougar, like almost any animal, will take your size into account. Will it defend a meal it has found? Sure - that is survival. Will it stalk a human? Possibly. Doesn't hurt to have a means of defense - at least a stout stick. Would I kill one on sight (like my neighbor has said he would because they kill deer)? No. They are part of the wildlife and I like living where things are wild.
 

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