Mountain Lion Attacks

[BlueTJCO]

Reading this story brought me back to a time I was walking up along the South Platte river one early evening on my way to do some fishing on a little trail I hike to get to "my spot"..........

I had my two dogs with me, my nephew, and his friend (both were 13 years old) ....Now my dogs, Shiloh and Akkan, really dont get scared by much. About 3/4 the way down the trail my dogs started to get really aggitated. The hair on the back of my German Sheps back was standing up like a razor, and all of the sudden we noticed that something was definately following us. After about 5 more minutes of walking and some really wild growl like sounds that were obviously around us I took my large flashlight out and let Shiloh (my German Shep) off her leash. She immediately took off up the hill a few feet and I followed her with the light.

After I'd say about 15 feet she came to a DEAD stop........and ran the **** away and started circling around us kinda scared. It was at this moment I noticed a Mountain Lion..........that son of a was as froze as my dog was (did not run) and was for sure following us. I was lucky and glad it didn't tear into my dog but letting the dog off the lease to go and check it out I'm pretty sure saved my ass or my little nephews.......Shiloh continued to bark, and I contined to shine the light around the area that the Mountain Lion was at. By this time I was ****ting my pants and could not locate it anymore................

we dropped all our **** and really quickly jogged the 3/4 back to the car. Came back the next day and all of my fishing stuff was still there.....


OH, heres the story......

Mountain lion snatches child, family fights back

http://www.9news.com/news/article.aspx?storyid=70286

BOULDER - The Feldmans never heard the mountain lion before she struck. A wildlife official estimated the 83-pound cat tracked them for 45 minutes as they hiked near Artist's Point on Flagstaff Mountain.

This is the story of how then 7-year-old Shir Feldman survived a mountain lion attack, how his family fought to save him, and how the ordeal changed them all.

While rare, studies show that mountain lion attacks have increased in recent decades, likely due to habitat reduction, increased human recreation and human encroachment.

According to a report by the Colorado Division of Wildlife, since 2003 there have been seven fatal and 38 non-fatal attacks of humans by mountain lions in the United States and Canada. Sightings and interactions with mountain lions have increased on the Front Range and a DOW pilot plan for a long-term study of cougars has been proposed and is now being considered by the City of Boulder.

For their part, the Feldmans say they hold no grudges against mountain lions in general. They say they now look at the attack on their child as a gift of a deeper appreciation for life and told their story to 9NEWS in hopes it would help educate, and possibly inspire, others.

"You can't really plan everything," said Anat Feldman, Shir's mother. "When things come and they're not always such good surprises, you should always focus on what good it can teach you or how you can grow from it, become stronger from it and affect other people from it."

In April 2006 the Feldmans were visiting Boulder and their 19-year-old son, Tal, a student at the University of Colorado.

They were enjoying a hike on a clear spring afternoon and at about 5:30 p.m., the family began heading back to their car. Anat walked about 40 yards ahead with Tal and one of the twins, 7-year-old Gaul. The other twin, Shir, ambled behind holding the hand of his dad, Zur, and pausing from time to time to collect pine cones.

Even as he felt his son's hand push away from his, Zur Feldman said he was not alarmed ? he thought Shir had stopped to inspect another potential treasure.

Then he heard Shir scream and Zur whirled around.

"It took me probably a few seconds to understand what I'm seeing," he recalled. "I saw Shir's head in the mountain lion's jaws."

In an instant, carrying his 46-pound son by the head in her mouth, the mountain lion was gone, running down the mountain.

Following the sound of his son's screams, 47-year-old Zur sprinted after the mountain lion. Born in Israel, he had served three years in the Israeli defense force before moving to the U.S., and had kept in shape, running five miles several times a week.

However, this animal was fast. Scrambling down the side of the rocky and heavily treed mountain, also screaming and roaring as he ran, Zur tripped and fell, losing sight of the lion and snatching up rocks in his hands as he leapt back on his feet.

Glimpsing her again, he says he does not remember when he threw the rocks, but he knows they did not reach the animal. He tripped a second time, again losing sight of the lion, and this time picked up handfuls of sticks before frantically resuming his run.

He would later recall that his thoughts were racing at what felt like a thousand miles a second. Memories of Shir's life, from the time he was a baby, flashed through his mind.

"I didn't care what happened to me," Zur said. "I really wanted him to be in my hands again."

Suddenly, Zur came upon the lion, who stood 20 feet in front of him. She had stopped running and was still holding Shir in her mouth. She dropped the now motionless boy on the forest floor and turned to face Feldman, who threw his sticks at the lion as he ran toward her.

"I remember her eyes, and she's posing, and he's on the leaves,' he said. "I thought, 'She's going to jump and attack me,' and I was ready to engage."

At that moment, Tal arrived. Crashing through the woods, waving his arms and screaming, the 19-year-old ran toward his father, brother and the lion.

The lion hesitated, Zur said, still looking at him. Then she turned and ran, leaving Shir, who was still.

"I thought Shir was gone," Zur said.

He ran to the boy and as he picked him up and saw his son covered in blood, he felt his emotions welling up, and he remembers struggling to stay in control.

Then he saw Shir's eyes, open and very much alive.

"His eyes said so much," Zur recalled.

Carrying Shir, Zur and Tal began running back up the mountain, with Zur talking to his son in both English and Hebrew.

"I asked him, 'Stay with me, Shir. Stay with me,'" he said, and Shir signaled with his eyes in response.

At they neared the top of the trail, Zur saw his wife, Anat, who had been waiting with Gaul, the other twin.

[MarineHawk]

My solution = Glock 27 w/ 155 grain Federal Hydra Shock rounds - or something similar.

[BlueTJCO]

Originally Posted by MarineHawk

My solution = Glock 27 w/ 155 grain Federal Hydra Shock rounds - or something similar.

I was young at the time, not as familiar with the "outdoors" as I am now, and did not own a firearm at the time...........

[f5fstop]

Originally Posted by Mooncricket

I was young at the time, not as familiar with the "outdoors" as I am now, and did not own a firearm at the time...........

Now I see why the "Shotgun recommendation thread."

[Sewie]

You hear of mountain lion attacks around here about once or year or so. Usually going after a kid or someone's pet.

I actually saw a cub at Hollister last summer. It cruising on one of the trails as I came around a turn. It must have been pretty young - not much bigger than a housecat. I was able to follow it for a couple seconds, then it darted off into the brush.

[frenzy1]

No problem where I live. Closest thing to a mountain lion is this :





Frenzy
Belgium

[dеiтайожни]

Originally Posted by frenzy1

No problem where I live. Closest thing to a mountain lion is this :





Frenzy
Belgium

And you're not a scared of that?? Here's a clip of what one of those gets for trying to rip some guys face off here. They can't be trusted.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=OR7n2E5bXDs

[h2co-pilot]

Here is a list of attacks (with links and pictures) since 2001.

http://cougarinfo.com/attacks3.htm

Pretty interesting/scary, I have been looking through it this morning.

[lotus4s]

The best one is the 61 yr old guy who killed the attacking cat with his pocket knife. Tough old dude....

Mountain lion killed a baby dear in backyard of house 2 blocks from my house last year. Local ranchers have lost sheep and goats, but keeping llamas in herd tends to keep mountain lions away.

[Agriv8r]

reminds me of a story when i was young....no it dont, i just wanted to have a cool story too...