The Firing Line Forums - View Single Post

Paul B. · October 13, 2022, 03:01 PM

"I think he handled it very well.

As soon as the cat showed more than curiosity by starting to close the gap and move faster toward him, he shot. The cat stopped, reassessed and then when he shot again, the cat remembered an appointment elsewhere.

Of course, if the cat started charging, it would be "Center of Mass" time. Glad that didn't happen. I also hope that was a substantial caliber he was carrying while hiking in Mountain Lion of Bear country."

I had a similar incident back in IIRC, 1978. I was hiking up a canyon when I got the feeling I was being watched, I saw nothing in front of me but when I looked behind mw, there was a mountain lion looking at me. I yelled and threw a few small rocks and she ran off. As I continued up the canyon the feeling came back and when I looked, there she was only a few yards away. I threw a few rocks and she took off again, slowly. The next time I looked she was about ten feet from me and I shot her with my .243. I reported the kill to Game & Fish and we went back out to pick up the cat. Fish and Game did an autopsy on her and her stomach was totally empty. She hadn't eaten for some time. Guess I looked tasty. Where this gets interesting, about a week or so prior to me shooting the cat, a bow hunter was also stalked by a lion and had to kill his cat. That cat also had a completely empty stomach. Either momma kicked them out of the "nest" or something happened to her, These were very young lions. This also told me to not bother hunting for deer in that particular canyon.
Paul B.

October 13, 2022, 03:01 PM	#4
Paul B. Senior Member Join Date: March 28, 1999 Location: Tucson, AZ Posts: 3,807	"I think he handled it very well. As soon as the cat showed more than curiosity by starting to close the gap and move faster toward him, he shot. The cat stopped, reassessed and then when he shot again, the cat remembered an appointment elsewhere. Of course, if the cat started charging, it would be "Center of Mass" time. Glad that didn't happen. I also hope that was a substantial caliber he was carrying while hiking in Mountain Lion of Bear country." I had a similar incident back in IIRC, 1978. I was hiking up a canyon when I got the feeling I was being watched, I saw nothing in front of me but when I looked behind mw, there was a mountain lion looking at me. I yelled and threw a few small rocks and she ran off. As I continued up the canyon the feeling came back and when I looked, there she was only a few yards away. I threw a few rocks and she took off again, slowly. The next time I looked she was about ten feet from me and I shot her with my .243. I reported the kill to Game & Fish and we went back out to pick up the cat. Fish and Game did an autopsy on her and her stomach was totally empty. She hadn't eaten for some time. Guess I looked tasty. Where this gets interesting, about a week or so prior to me shooting the cat, a bow hunter was also stalked by a lion and had to kill his cat. That cat also had a completely empty stomach. Either momma kicked them out of the "nest" or something happened to her, These were very young lions. This also told me to not bother hunting for deer in that particular canyon. Paul B. __________________ COMPROMISE IS NOT AN OPTION!