Blades For Animal Defense?

DocPyres said:
A guy in my area killed a mountain lion that was attacking his wife. He used a Cold Steel boar spear that he had bought from our local knife dealer a few weeks before the attack.
Click to expand...

Now I sure hope that guy's wife quits browbeating him for buying stuff from the BFC Exchange every month.
 
My dog Spikey likes a knife with handles that he can get a grip on.
2iar2j9.jpg
 
Before firearms the most common setup was a sturdy spear combined with a long knife, can't really go wrong with that. An axe would do in a pinch too.
 
mycough said:
Glock 29 with 200gr hard cast. Be real people...
Russ
Click to expand...
OF COURSE a firearm would be a better defense against dog, wolf, bear attack than a spear....and a carbine/short rifle better than a Glock in the hands of most for that matter.

But this being BLADEforums, the OP first and foremost asked for bladed suggestions.



A while ago, I was attacked by two dogs (setting; rural US. Dogs; medium sized. One clearly a pit mix).

After a little dance, I managed to connect a solid kick with my MIL boot under the jaw of the pit mix snapping at me and moving about trying to bite my leg.

I still remember the resounding 'CLACK' of its lower jaw meeting the upper jaw. For those not having been in such a situation, its a most satisfactory sound.

The pit being the leader of the 'mini pack' lost a bit of spirit after that and the two mutts departed from whence they came.

Having actually been in that situation and after my verbal commands and elegant footwork (in reality incoherent shouting and frantic moonwalking in a Benny Hill-like tempo) saved me from bitten that day, I feel a staff/spear a valid suggestion (in that situation. YMMV).

Had I had a staff, the encounter would have been decided far earlier and had I had a hog spear, I would have used that....and I happen to like dogs - just not the ones hell-bent on taking a bite out of me.

mycough said:
Be real people...
Click to expand...

Ohh, it felt quite real to me alright.
 
You will want something that puts distance between you and the animal. Running from a attacking animal would be a bad choice as they could easily out run you.
 
Allot of dogs are let out without fences or leashes where I live, generally "charging" towards the animal and yelling will be enough to get a dog to back off. If that does not work I have had really good luck with Kimber Pepper Blasters there is less risk of it blowing back into your face and the gel really sticks. If that does not work I always carry a Dan Wesson VBOB Commander 1911 loaded with 230gr HST and an Emerson Super Karambit in my back pocket.
 
JDX said:
Bear spray seems the most logical.
Click to expand...

This seems to be what is recommended. I have seen it recommended as even better than a gun-not going to argue it one way or the other, but that is what I have read.
Chances are I won't have a spear on me, so walking stick and then knife as my last resort.
 
Bill Siegle said:
I have known people who were successful with walking sticks and one guy who hit a bear with a club sized limb. Both worked well although everyone agreed a firearm would have been a better choice in the moment. I've read a few news reports of kitchen knives and Buck 110 style folders working but you have to be close and in the reports I read, the people suffered some degree of injury themselves. Distance weapons are your best bet.
Click to expand...

That part made me think of Gene Moe up in AL.
I've seen him on a couple of shows, and the last was Wild West Alaska. He has gotten to old to hunt, and some of the fellows from WWA offered to use his tags for him that year. He told the whole story, and showed his scars. One tough old man, and very lucky to be alive !

....http://www.outdoorlife.com/articles/larry-mueller-and-marguerite-reiss/2007/09/last-stand
 
Nell Hamm fought off a mountain lion that was attacking her husband. She used an ink pen and a log. I don't think it was even a tactical log.
 
I don't know about historical precedent but my favorite "hiking" trail goes within 50 feet of a fairly well populated Coyote den. Not that I expect the Coyotes to view me as dinner any time soon, but you never know.
My favorite knives to carry on the trail are large Tri-Ad lock Cold Steel folders, the G-10 versions are quite light and come in a lot of pointy designs, it actually seems like they're designed to kill things.

Really I should have a shotgun, and honestly it probably doesn't make much difference how big your knife is as long as you have a good grip, but if an animal decides I'm worth messing with I just want to err on the side of killing it faster rather than slower.
 
What about clothing/body armour. The bear article suggested thick wool helped decrease bight damage. I'm thinking motocross armour for bushwalkers.
 
Is a woods ninja in any way related to a mall ninja?

On a related note, I've taken my XL Espada backpacking to use as a folding machete. It would probably do as well as any other folder against an animal. It has a strong lock and good reach for a folder.

Sent from my Nexus 6 using Tapatalk
 
We walk the dogs daily through black bear habitat & will occasionally see one or two trying to get as far away from us as possible. In fact, we've had them cross our back yard several times. I carry a handgun almost all the time & a folder. If a bear is mad enough to get within knife range of me, then it's likely that I've already emptied at least one magazine into him & if I go poking around him with a knife, it'll probably really upset him. That doesn't mean I won't put up a fight, but still.....

Realistically, it's much more likely that I'll have to use my gun (or knife) for self defense on our weekly trip in town to the grocery store, or at the gas station getting gas.
 
Last edited:
In any situation involving an animal, and when your only means of defence is a knife, the key is where to stab, and staying calm enough to get that opportunity.

It will usually mean that you may suffer an injury, but done correctly, you will in almost all situations be able to save your life.

Staying calm so that your brain can function is always the tricky part....
 
DocPyres said:
I think the spear has been a popular choice for defence against animals for thousands of years. It gives the user that all-important standoff distance that some other weapons would lack.

A guy in my area killed a mountain lion that was attacking his wife. He used a Cold Steel boar spear that he had bought from our local knife dealer a few weeks before the attack.

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/cougar-attack-thwarted-by-man-with-spear-1.1701427
Click to expand...

Oh what more than a few guys must be thinking when they read this.....I am not gonna go there.....
 
woodster said:
best bang for the buck - cold steel assegai spear.
Click to expand...

The problem with long things like spears is that you better know what you're doing, because you generally will have one shot at it.....

I will take a something that doesn't work from distances, but gives me multiple chances from up close despite the fact that I will be injured.
 
Esav Benyamin said:
Depending on the animal you're defending against, a spear without a blade might be enough. (A hiking stick!) A heavy cane, or shillelagh is usually effective against dogs.
Click to expand...
When the day comes I need help walking , a shillelagh will be by my side. ;):thumbup:
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top