1 dead 1 injured in Cougar attack near Seattle

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Nov 7, 2012
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Sounds like a couple good friends. As tragic as this is who leaves their friend like that? I honestly don't know what I would do in this situation but, I believe I would fight along side my friend and not leave him.
 

boom

WKR
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Sep 11, 2013
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RIP. my mtn bike would be like numchucks if i was being attacked by a big cat. i dont think i could leave my buddy. it would be go time.

where i ride, i ride solo. i was looking at a dead turkey. a park ranger said..yea ,looks like our resident cougar took out that turkey. i was like, "whoa...wait WHAT?!!!"

that is my nightmare.
 
Joined
Oct 30, 2014
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Canyon Ferry, MT
Liberal press....

Every article says to fight back if attacked, but none suggest a firearm or large knife.

The choice of words...The lion was 'euthanized'. I guess if the lion had been 'shot and killed' that would have validated a sensible reason to carry a firearm in the woods.
 

NDGuy

WKR
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Man I hope my buddies wouldn't run away while I'm being drug off by a predator into the woods, that is horrific.
 

AustinL911

Lil-Rokslider
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May 24, 2016
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Liberal press....

Every article says to fight back if attacked, but none suggest a firearm or large knife.

The choice of words...The lion was 'euthanized'. I guess if the lion had been 'shot and killed' that would have validated a sensible reason to carry a firearm in the woods.

I love it. Hates guns. Gets in trouble? Better call somebody with a gun.
 
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Chico, California
So i recently had a pretty sketchy mountain lion experience. I was hiking up out of creek near my home in Chico California. Actually i was about 15 miles east up in the foothills. I got up to the trail that runs parallel to the creek and about 15 feet from me was a large male lion, crouched, and ready to pounce. I was carrying my glock 27. I unholstered, made myself BIG..(raised hands and screamed at him) and prepared for the next possible action. The cat at first looked like he was coming for me and at that point if my trigger was set at 7 lbs i had about 6.9 lbs on it.....that cat was about to die. The cat made a quick leap up hill so I did not have to shoot it. I had about a mile walk back to my truck along a the trail and the cat shadowed me about 75 yards uphill from me for about half of that distance. Anyway, lack of hunting, expanding human population, expanding cat population. I think we are going to see a lot more of this. At least one wildlife officer I know told me I would have done everyone a favor by pulling the trigger. This cat was way too comfortable around people I am lucky I am a big guy. A smaller individual may not have been as lucky as I was.
 

Vandal 44

WKR
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Jun 3, 2012
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Washington
That's a bad way to die, being eaten alive. It doesn't sound like those two guys where very close friends. Buddy #1 sees buddy #2 getting attacked and starts to take off, the cougar notices buddy #1 riding off on his bike and mauls and kills him; buddy #2 doesn't try and help just rides like hell to get help . Who the hell leaves their friend to get mauled.

After reading the article and seeing the picture of the cougar (if that truly was the cat) it looked like a juvenile cougar. Washington Fish and Game a long with Washington state biologist say that there are about 2100 cougars, I am not buying it. How can they be so sure about those numbers.

I feel bad for the two guys and their families.
 

FlyGuy

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The Woodlands, TX
I think you guys are being a bit harsh on this kid. The cat had his HEAD in it's MOUTH. It dropped him and he beat-feet. Fair to say it was all out survival at that point and his actions were instinctual - create distance. Like someone said before, it's not likely that either of these two were taught many of the skills that most on this forum have. Maybe I would have acted differently with my background, or maybe I would have shit my pants. I'd like to think that I would have stood right back up after that killer cat let go of me then jumped right back into the fight, but until I've actually had MY head in a cat's mouth I'm not going to pass judgement on his actions.

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Joined
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I think you guys are being a bit harsh on this kid. The cat had his HEAD in it's MOUTH. It dropped him and he beat-feet. Fair to say it was all out survival at that point and his actions were instinctual - create distance. Like someone said before, it's not likely that either of these two were taught many of the skills that most on this forum have. Maybe I would have acted differently with my background, or maybe I would have shit my pants. I'd like to think that I would have stood right back up after that killer cat let go of me then jumped right back into the fight, but until I've actually had MY head in a cat's mouth I'm not going to pass judgement on his actions.

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I can't argue with that one bit. Having survived a night time cougar stalking unscalthed while suffering an injury that resulted in bursitis in my knees, making it impossible for me to lift my feet off the ground. I can say that it is only my experience and knowledge as a hunter that accounted for my survival. I simply was unable to run (which would have resulted in an attack, as I was very aware of at the time). If I keep shuffling my feet across the ground, kicking up dust, it would have resulted in the very big cat continuing it's stalk (from 1 maybe 1-1/2 leaps away, for the cat, based on real data) and an eventual attack. Nope, I chose to give it everything I had, grunt and moan as loudly as I could, and turn toward the cat, and proceed forward toward it, literally in slow motion (as fast as I could move at the time), and take my chances. Simply put, no predator want to take a frontal attack. It was the last I ever saw the big cat, and based on numerous cats I have seen, this one was the largest.

I can only imagine the survivors guild the poor guy will endure throughout his lifetime.
 
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Everyone always jokes about how you only have to outrun your friend. Tis' true.

As far as the word "euthanized" being some liberal conspiracy.. It's a word created for a reason, it's not new to use it it's what the word is for. A predator being extinguished is almost always going to say "euthanized" or "put down"


Very sad, but can't have a knee jerk reaction about it. Predators attack prey. In general understanding each predator and being *prepared* keeps you alive in most situations. But you have to follow through, when the adrenaline starts pumping your brain goes to soup!


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sneaky

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Those things occurred to me too, but I was doing my very best to remain civil.....grin.

I often read over on the Backpacking Light forum. It is surprising the kind of responses that come when someone asks a question about carrying a firearm on the trail. Many feel it is totally useless added weight.
Totally useless added weight..... is having to carry your buddy's body out after neither one of you had a way to defend yourself. Semper fi

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sneaky

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There was a similar situation with a grizzly up near glacier s couple years back. Guy rode off and left his buddy to get help
Sounds like a couple good friends. As tragic as this is who leaves their friend like that? I honestly don't know what I would do in this situation but, I believe I would fight along side my friend and not leave him.

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sneaky

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It would appear that cougars do not discriminate. They kill everyone equally.

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