Mountain Lion Attack Near Baily, CO

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09-07-2019, 18:09
McPick

Mountain Lion Attack Near Baily, CO

A 65-pound mountain lion bit Pike Carlson in the head and dragged him down a hill near his Bailey home. The 8-year-old knew he had to fight back.
“I was just punching, trying to grab anything that I can, like a stick,” Pike said. “I did find a stick and I tried to get it in the eye but soon the stick snapped.”

See the story here or elsewhere. He was VERY lucky...

https://www.9news.com/article/news/l...7-397b4935a7af

In 2010, I was on the CT, way east above Breckenridge high on a ridge. I looked down and saw a large mountain lion paw print in the dust. WHOA! Then I saw a guy on a mountain bike riding towards me. I yelled, "Hey, look at THIS!" pointing down. He stopped and said, "Man, that's a big one!" I said, "Yeah... I'll trade you my pack for your bike." He said, "No way," jumped on the bike and sped away. I felt eyes on me all the rest of the day. I did not make it to Breck that night and ended up camping on one of the numerous switchbacks. I awoke suddenly in the middle of the night to the sound of a stick snapping, nearby. Adrenaline raced through my body like lightening. I yelled, banged my cook pot and kept my Swiss Army knife blade pointing up, just in case the mountain lion (that I was sure was hungrily lurking) decided to jump on my tent. No more sleep that night!!
09-07-2019, 19:09
TNhiker

That's one of my former cowormers who did the story.....
09-08-2019, 10:45
Coffee

If they want to take a human, they can and will and you’ll never see it coming. So there’s little point to worry. I think that children and smaller females are at higher risk but the incidents are so rare still.
09-08-2019, 17:22
TwistedCF

Quote:

Originally Posted by Coffee

If they want to take a human, they can and will and you’ll never see it coming. So there’s little point to worry. I think that children and smaller females are at higher risk but the incidents are so rare still.

In the last hundred years there have been 26 confirmed fatal attacks by cougars on humans. Ten of the victims were female, sixteen were male. Age ranges of the victims from five to fifty-six years. Not nearly as many deaths from cougars as lightning strikes or bee stings. Just as in this most recent attack of the boy in Co., fighting back will stop the attack. Cougar aren't accustomed to their prey fighting back and they do not like to be swatted in the face. Any impact to their noses or eyes is usually enough to send them running. Attacks are known to have been stopped by slapping a cougar in the face with a ball cap. That's not to say it wouldn't be scary and you can certainly be seriously injured, but most victims of cougar encounters live to tell the tale.
09-08-2019, 21:10
TNhiker

Quote:

Any impact to their noses or eyes is usually enough to send them running

so i can tell then the age old joke---"how do you make a venetian blind?"

"doink" ((as one pretends to poke the eyes out of the joke recipient))
09-09-2019, 07:39
TwistedCF

Quote:

Originally Posted by TNhiker

so i can tell then the age old joke---"how do you make a venetian blind?"

"doink" ((as one pretends to poke the eyes out of the joke recipient))

Precisely;)
09-09-2019, 08:28
garlic08

And this may be anecdotal, but it seems many victims are mountain bikers and runners--acting more like the lions' prey and running away. IF that's true, I would not have swapped my pack for a bike.
09-09-2019, 13:23
HeartFire

I saw 2 mountain lions in the Cow****opa hills on the CT in 2013.
09-09-2019, 14:11
SawnieRobertson

Please share details, Heartfire. The population has doubtlessly grown since 2013. Will you bring your wares (wears?) to the Gathering?
09-09-2019, 15:48
SawnieRobertson

Hats off to whoever taught young Pike how to combat a mountain lion. He obviously listened carefully and remembered! No panic in that mountain boy!
09-10-2019, 00:30
RockDoc

I've known outdoors people who wore hats with big eyes attached to the back. Apparently cougars are scardy cats who will attack from behind when no-one is watching. They open their mouth wide enough to consume your whole head, then shake violently to break your neck. Seems like a fast, but particularly unpleasant way to go...
Yes, hats with eyes on the back for me.
09-10-2019, 06:50
grubbster

Quote:

Originally Posted by RockDoc

I've known outdoors people who wore hats with big eyes attached to the back. Apparently cougars are scardy cats who will attack from behind when no-one is watching. They open their mouth wide enough to consume your whole head, then shake violently to break your neck. Seems like a fast, but particularly unpleasant way to go...
Yes, hats with eyes on the back for me.

I have heard this also. I wonder if it would work to get one of the flashing strobe lights that runners use and put two of those on the back of a hat. Anyone want to be a guinea pig to try that and go for a run in cougar country? :eek:
09-27-2019, 20:42
saltysack

Another reason to hike with a k9!!!! Unfortunately my pace was lik fast for my pup we o my did Durango to Lake city on CT this fall....rocks took a toll even with booties. Here kitty kitty, seriously I’d love to see a cougar, only o e I’ve seen in Forth Florida is at the bar...https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...cd1baf6d38.jpg

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
09-27-2019, 20:43
saltysack

Wow I can’t type!!!!

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
10-03-2019, 12:41
JPritch

Quote:

Originally Posted by RockDoc

I've known outdoors people who wore hats with big eyes attached to the back. Apparently cougars are scardy cats who will attack from behind when no-one is watching. They open their mouth wide enough to consume your whole head, then shake violently to break your neck. Seems like a fast, but particularly unpleasant way to go...
Yes, hats with eyes on the back for me.

They were doing this somewhere in Asia for Tigers, who last I read have wised up to the tactic. So if you're gonna do this, no better time than now!
10-03-2019, 20:24
zelph

The big cats are fast:

https://youtu.be/yda-WF_BlyQ
10-04-2019, 22:24
RockDoc

I once said something similar to an older, experienced veterinarian. I said that bears in Yosemite had learned how to open zippers to get food out of packs. He replied "How do they tell each other about the tactic?"
I though about that for a while and it made so much sense .. that I no longer say things like that.

Quote:

Originally Posted by JPritch

They were doing this somewhere in Asia for Tigers, who last I read have wised up to the tactic. So if you're gonna do this, no better time than now!