How to Avoid A Mountain Lion Attack

Every week in the news we learn about someone who has been badly injured or killed in a confrontation with a mountain lion. The gradual reduction in the mountain lion's natural habitat combined with our desire to explore more of our wilderness will continue to fuel more untimely confrontations. Mountain lions are reclusive cats and prefer to avoid humans; nevertheless, they have attacked humans without provocation. There are still a number of ways you can avoid a mountain lion attack; and if attacked, there are things you can do to increase your chances of surviving a mountain lion attack. The key is being prepared.

Difficulty: Challenging

Instructions

1. Be prepared for uncertainty. Have fun and enjoy yourself but always remain alert for danger. Check with park rangers about whether there have been any recent mountain lion sightings locally. Carry a walking stick that can double as a defensive weapon. Hike on popular well known trails.

2. 
   How To Avoid A Mountain Lion Attack

   Carry a fully charged cell phone or portable GPS device. Notify a friend or family member about your plans and when you expect to return.

3. Do not hike at dusk or dawn when mountain lions are most active. Avoid hiking alone. Groups offer greater deterrent against attack.

4. 
   How To Avoid A Mountain Lion Attack

   If you have medium or large dogs bring them along. They probably need the exercise and it's an excellent chance to spend time together. More than a few families have been saved from a mountain lion attack by the loyal family dog. A mountain lion is likely to avoid a group that includes a large dog or two.

5. A mountain lion's acute natural senses likely have detected you long before you've detected him. Do not run. Do not crouch. Hold your ground and act unafraid. Without taking your eyes away from the mountain lion gradually back away from the mountain lion. Report the confrontation to authorities as soon as possible.

6. 
   How To Avoid A Mountain Lion Attack

   Should the mountain lion begin acting aggressively than make yourself look and sound as intimidating as possible. The mountain lion may bypass you if it perceives you to be a threat rather than prey. Flap your arms. Scream at the mountain lion. If wearing a coat use it to make yourself appear larger since studies have shown mountain lions less likely to attack larger animals.

7. If you're unfortunately attacked by a mountain lion then do not play dead! Fighting back fiercely with whatever means available including your hands and feet may cause the mountain lion to reconsider and retreat. When hitting the mountain lion aim for it's eyes and snout. It's typical method of attack involves using it's weight and powerful jaws to deliver a fatal bite to the victim's neck.

Tips & Warnings

• Mountain lion attacks on humans are most common in the spring and summer.
• Between 1990 and 2004 there were 35 documented attacks on humans with 10 deaths in North America.
• Almost 66 percent of victims were children. Nearly 90 percent of fatalities involved children.
• California has the most documented attacks.

[mattlawson]

on 9/21/2009 So, just to confirm, I need to do the following when I inevitably get attacked by a mountain lion:

1)Find a small enough stick for me to break off of a tree as it's .5" diameter clearly offers me the protection I need in order to avoid impending mountain lion disaster.

2)Carry a GPS or Cell phone so after I get eaten, TJ Owens can find the poop and finally validate the pictures he speculates to be genuine mountain lion poop.

3)Bring a group of friends to record my untimely demise, and promptly share with everyone on facebook.

4)Bring a small to medium sized pet to offer up as a snack in hopes that it distracts it long enough for me to bonk it on the nads with the killer stick I found in step 1.

5)Act like I see mountain lions all the time while I'm evacuating my bowels. Chuck a pup-sized snack over, while it's distracted, blind it with my feces, chimp style, THEN bonk it on the ...