Real world animal threats

[OldBroad44]

Here's one my mother experienced. It was just after the end of WWII. My dad was a young Air Force officer stationed in Anchorage. He was usually away on assignments. Mother and her two young daughters, me a baby, my sister a six-year-old, were living in a log cabin as close as possible to Anchorage, but pretty far out. Family photos show a tiny cabin covered with snow with an outhouse and a huge raised outdoor cache designed to keep frozen game meat away from the bears. The only neighbor was an old woman who lived about a mile away. Her contribution was to tell Mother that there had been a horrible murder in our cabin, and it was haunted.

One night during one of those periods when Dad was away, Mother heard footsteps in the attic. Sort of bumbling footsteps as if someone was injured or drunk. With her trusty Colt Woodsman Target .22 in hand, Mother positioned herself at the bottom of the stairs to the attic, between the danger and her sleeping children. The footsteps approached the top of the stairs. But the stairs were mostly dark. Mother could see nothing. The footsteps started coming down the stairs, whatever made them still invisible, still in darkness. The footsteps approached a spot where a beam of light crossed the stairs...and kept coming right past the beam of light. AND THERE WAS NOTHING THERE!

The footsteps kept coming. They were almost on top of Mother. And then she saw...well, it was a raccoon. A very large groggy sleepy raccoon. It had walked right under the beam of light across the stairs. Mother opened the front door, and let the raccoon out. The raccoon had found its way into the attic, presumably intending to hibernate. But the attic was too warm, and the coon woke up.

 

[Geardo]

 

[Certaindeaf]

Reminds me of my snow camping in MT and a grizzly bear (uncle Bob snoring) when I was a kid with an AR.

 

[308]

While Fly fishing with my Brother WAY the hell up the south side of Mount Saint Helens, My brother got attacked and Mauled badly by a humongous Cougar! That cat took most of a 15 round mag of 147 gr 9 mm from my brothers Beretta, before I could get close enough and a clear enough shot for a head shot from a .308

I's like to hear more about this one, like was it densely brushed/treed and was their any warning the cat was near? How far away were you or the person with the .308 and how did you manage to have a rifle while fly fishing?

 

[teflon6string]

I haven't used them, but my understanding is that the CCI shot shells in .38 or bigger are effective at the ten or twelve foot range, but not much more. Traditionally, in some areas of the South with lots of poisonous snakes, many carry revolvers with the first two cylinder holes loaded with the CCI shotshells.

When I was a kid I spent a lot of time (alone and unarmed) in swamps in Florida and Georgia. I ran across cottonmouths and rattlers pretty regularly, and learned to see them first and just politely go around. (Though there was one huge cottonmouth on the path with water and probably quicksand on both sides I couldn't get around. And it wouldn't get off the path, either. I had to backtrack and find another way out. I was only about ten, and of course wasn't supposed to be in the swamp.)

Once I became a "gun totin' young broad", I still took the same approach to poisonous snakes. Say a few polite words and go around. However, part of my "woodswoman gun practice routine" was and is practicing to shoot a snake in the brain at distances of about ten to twelve feet, as sometimes one might need to kill the snake. Such as if it turns up in your camp after you have made it or it is somewhere where it is going to endanger people, livestock, or your dogs. (If you surprise the snake closer than ten feet you're jumping backward, not drawing.)

A big snake's brain is roughly dime size. To practice I make dime size circles on a paper plate. I shoot SA. The skill is in learning the proper holdover to use with the specific gun and load. Usually for a revolver sighted in at 25 yards, holding up half the sight would be dead on at 6 feet and holding up one fourth the front sight would be dead on at ten to twelve feet--snake range. And holding up just a touch of the front sight would be dead on at fifty feet. It's now been decades since I've hiked anywhere with poisonous snakes, but my Florida and Georgia trained brain still sees the local garter snakes way ahead of time.

Mrs. Teflon and I recently took a few days off for a relaxing drive around Central and Eastern Oregon. We stopped frequently to snap pictures of natural scenery, ramshackle houses, derelict trucks and so on. Exploring amid brush, rocks and rubble made my "spidey senses" tingle in a way they hadn't since my mountain biking days in SoCal last century. Posted trailhead reports of rattler sightings tickled my alertness as well. My wife wanted to see one (at a safe distance of course) and so did I, but alas, we never did, returning home where all the snakes tend to reside in Salem.

 

[Medic!]

This guy rose up 2-1/2' or so. And I knew that if he bit me it wasn't gona be in my calf!
Anyways when there head is big enough to expand a 9mm +p golden saber they gota go.

 

[Ura-Ki]

I's like to hear more about this one, like was it densely brushed/treed and was their any warning the cat was near? How far away were you or the person with the .308 and how did you manage to have a rifle while fly fishing?

I carry a rifle pretty much every time I venture out in the woods, when I'm fishing, the rifle is ether still slung, or within easy reach. This time it was on the ground on my pack roll with my fly boxes and other gear. The ground cover/bush was dense down to about 80 feet or so from the water with a few trees right up to the edge. Neither of us heard the cat at all, when it sprung was the first sound ether of heard. I dropped my fly rod and grabbed up the rifle and started hot stepping it toward my brother about 50 feet away, got about half way, took a knee, drew a bead and waited, partly because brother was fireing his pistol Into the cat ( and I didn't wanna take a stray or two) and also to get ready to shoot should the pistol fail to end things which is how it happened, so as soon as the car went to shift it's self for the next round, BANG, .308 through the Gob, dead cat!
We have talked a few times about a shot gun, both have decided it wouldn't have mattered or made any difference, in fact, the rifles presision is what saved my bros life when his pistol failed to stop the cat. We also agreed that while a pistol is still an awesome tool, 9mm isn't! Lots of lessons learned!

 

[308]

I carry a rifle pretty much every time I venture out in the woods, when I'm fishing, the rifle is ether still slung, or within easy reach. This time it was on the ground on my pack roll with my fly boxes and other gear. The ground cover/bush was dense down to about 80 feet or so from the water with a few trees right up to the edge. Neither of us heard the cat at all, when it sprung was the first sound ether of heard. I dropped my fly rod and grabbed up the rifle and started hot stepping it toward my brother about 50 feet away, got about half way, took a knee, drew a bead and waited, partly because brother was fireing his pistol Into the cat ( and I didn't wanna take a stray or two) and also to get ready to shoot should the pistol fail to end things which is how it happened, so as soon as the car went to shift it's self for the next round, BANG, .308 through the Gob, dead cat!
We have talked a few times about a shot gun, both have decided it wouldn't have mattered or made any difference, in fact, the rifles presision is what saved my bros life when his pistol failed to stop the cat. We also agreed that while a pistol is still an awesome tool, 9mm isn't! Lots of lessons learned!

Do you think the 10mm would have made a difference for your bro in the heat of the moment? I can imagine it would be hard as heck to hit something when it is in full attack though.

 

[Ura-Ki]

Do you think the 10mm would have made a difference for your bro in the heat of the moment? I can imagine it would be hard as heck to hit something when it is in full attack though.

I carry a 10mm, was even carrying my G-20 that day, honestly, I didn't even think of my pistol when this all went down, I went right to the rifle! It's hard to answer your question honestly, but I will say the 10mm with the right ammo would have at least had a better chance given it's performance on other predators I have see it take down. I think a .45 with fast expanding 180 and bigger would probably work just as well against a cat! My brother thought the night 9mm with hps would have done better, but it didn't, Partially because of the point blank shooting and missing the vitals, and partially the ammo failure to expand much if any! And while were being honest here, I don't think a wheel gun in .44 mag or .45 COLT would have done any better, so the question is, what would give a better chance of surviving a situation like that, I think a decent size knife would have been the best tool that day!

 

[CountryGent]

This thread reminds me of some words of wisdom my almost-five year old daughter said the other day while we saw bees in the flowers: "Bees have spikes on their butts. You have to be nice to them." I don't know if she picked that up from another child or it was her own observation.

 

[OldBroad44]

I carry a 10mm, was even carrying my G-20 that day, honestly, I didn't even think of my pistol when this all went down, I went right to the rifle! It's hard to answer your question honestly, but I will say the 10mm with the right ammo would have at least had a better chance given it's performance on other predators I have see it take down. I think a .45 with fast expanding 180 and bigger would probably work just as well against a cat! My brother thought the night 9mm with hps would have done better, but it didn't, Partially because of the point blank shooting and missing the vitals, and partially the ammo failure to expand much if any! And while were being honest here, I don't think a wheel gun in .44 mag or .45 COLT would have done any better, so the question is, what would give a better chance of surviving a situation like that, I think a decent size knife would have been the best tool that day!

If the cat had attacked you without warning instead of your brother, you would probably have been unable to deploy the rifle. With the cat right on top of you, you would be likely to have at best just one hand free, and needed your 10mm. The rifle was the ideal tool to save your brother because you had both hands free and the cat and problem was way over there, not right on top of you chewing on your head or neck or one of your arms.

Even a deer can run a hundred yards after taking a heart shot from a rifle. I think the only thing that can reliably instantly stop the attack of a cougar or bear that is already on you is a head or central nervous system shot. If you are the attackee that is going to be difficult, but probably much easier with a handgun than a rifle. If you are rescuing the attackee from a distance, or firing to stop the attack before the animal is on you, obviously the rifle is better. Kudos to you for the head shot.

 

[Ura-Ki]

Good post! I have often relived that in my mind and asked my self the exact same questions, what if it had been me, and would I have had any better chances with my Glock? It's impossable to answer that question subjectively, the weapon, the bullets, shot placement, every thing, it could have all been very different for me! I still believe in the 10 MM semi auto over all other choices, but I still carry a rifle as well! As we experienced, the worst possable threat was realised and became the ultimate test of equipment and luck! I don't really have any definitive answers, I don't think there really can be, so we plan for the worst and hope for the best, just as we were both taught as Scouts, and both later in the Military!

 

[johnny bob]

A long trip up to the city for emergency care and later the acquisition of EpiPens followed.

I've have a 2000 FXDX with a small headlight faring. It seems to deflect the wasps just enough to hit me in the neck. In a short time a lump about the size of a half golf ball appears where the wasp hits. I used to carry Adolphs meat tenderizer or baking soda but now I carry "Mitigator sting & bite Treatment" a product I got from ebay. The meat tenderizer or baking soda has reduced the swelling quite well in the past but I was just looking for something perhaps a bit better. I have not had occasion to use the new stuff but it is in my kit. Yeah I know get a windshield...but, but the faring looks better. 250 mile ride Saturday. I had forgotten how much I like the wind in my face. I am glad I dont have a severe reaction to wasps to require emergency care.

 

[OldBroad44]

Good post! I have often relived that in my mind and asked my self the exact same questions, what if it had been me, and would I have had any better chances with my Glock? It's impossable to answer that question subjectively, the weapon, the bullets, shot placement, every thing, it could have all been very different for me! I still believe in the 10 MM semi auto over all other choices, but I still carry a rifle as well! As we experienced, the worst possable threat was realised and became the ultimate test of equipment and luck! I don't really have any definitive answers, I don't think there really can be, so we plan for the worst and hope for the best, just as we were both taught as Scouts, and both later in the Military!

Ura-Ki, it isn't luck when you're carrying a .308 rifle AND a 10mm Glock and know how to use them. Well done!

 

[Ura-Ki]

What I find truly amazing, my Poor Brother had the presence of mind to draw his M92, and only fire upwards into the cat, despite the vorasity of the attack and maintain enough control over him self despite the pain and shock of the event. Even more, after it was over, he sat there bleeding all over and asked Me if I was ok! Damn, that's hard core!
Actually it was shock, and the first aid was almost beyond the two of us! Thank the God's I was trained as a Combat Medic with 12 years experience at the time, and my brother had some basics as part of his MOS in the Corps!

 

[NW Backpacker]

At least we don't have alligators here:

 

[Flymph]

At least we don't have alligators here:

All the more reason to recreate this prank!