hiker's sd

I think he means he's not legally allowed to carry a firearm, anywhere. But, maybe I'm wrong.

Gibby
 
gibbyx said:
I think he means he's not legally allowed to carry a firearm, anywhere. But, maybe I'm wrong.

Gibby
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Like so:

IMG_2643.jpg
 
gine said:
I can't carry a gun and don't like bear sprays,so what knife would be ideal to deffend myself and others against a wild aggressive animal.
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Just a few comments before getting into recomendation.

First, even in mountain lion habitat you are very unlikely to even see a lion, much less be attacked by one. Statistically, its not something that I would even worry about in most situations. The one exception might be an area known to be the site of previous attacks, where a specific lion may have become habituated to viewing humans as prey animals. To be perfectly frank, I would simply avoid such an area until the animal is caught or killed. If I simply had to go there, I would bring bear spray or simply ignore the firearms prohibition and bring a .357 mag revovler. Another good preventative is simply not to hike alone. Two or more humans are much less likely to be viewed as prey than one by any predator.

Second, you may be creating a false sense of security by bringing a knife. I know people have fought off large predators with nothing more, but IMO your chances are slim at best if you have to wait to get into knife range (which is also tooth and claw range) before you can defend yourself. A knife might save your life, but it probably won't save you from being mauled. :(

Finally, if you are determined to bring a knife for self defence, I would probably pick a fairly long one with a stabbing point. Given that many animals carry their vital arteries deeper in their body than humans do, I am not sure you could rely on disabling a lion quickly with just slashes, you would probably need to use thrusts that could reach his vital organs.

Now, I've never fought off a large predator and I make no claims to be an expert on either knife fighting or big cat anatomy, so take all that for what it's worth. ;)
 
Kaizen1 said:
Just notice this post. Could you tell us what specifically is illegal about the staff in CA?
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I'm going to go beyond this item and point out a few others too. Penal Code §12020 prohibits importing into the state or possessing, among other things:

any belt buckle knife, any lipstick case knife, any cane sword, any air gauge knife, or any writing pen knife.

A "belt buckle knife" is a knife which is made an integral part of a belt buckle and consists of a blade with a length of at least 2-1/2 inches; a "lipstick case knife" means a knife enclosed within and made an integral part of a lipstick case; a "cane sword" means a cane, swagger stick, stick, staff, rod, pole, umbrella, or similar device, having concealed within it a blade that may be used as a sword or stiletto; an "air gauge knife" means a device that appears to be an air gauge but has concealed within it a pointed, metallic shaft that is designed to be a stabbing instrument which is exposed by mechanical action or gravity which locks into place when extended; a "writing pen knife" means a device that appears to be a writing pen but has concealed within it a pointed, metallic shaft that is designed to be a stabbing instrument which is exposed by mechanical action or gravity which locks into place when extended or the pointed, metallic shaft is exposed by the removal of the cap or cover on the device.

FWIW, leaded canes, black jacks, and billy clubs are also illegal.

The staff appeared to contain a blowgun. Also illegal to possess in CA except as noted below.

12580. "Blowgun," as used in this article, means a hollow tube
designed and intended to be used as a tube through which a dart is
propelled by the force of the breath of the user.

12581. "Blowgun ammunition," as used in this article, means a dart
designed and intended for use in a blowgun.

12582. Any person who knowingly manufactures, sells, offers for
sale, possesses, or uses a blowgun or blowgun ammunition in this state is guilty of a misdemeanor.

12583. Nothing in this article shall prohibit the sale to, purchase
by, possession of, or use of blowguns or blowgun ammunition by
zookeepers, animal control officers, Department of Fish and Game
personnel, humane officers whose names are maintained in the county
record of humane officers pursuant to Section 14502 of the
Corporations Code, or veterinarians in the course and scope of their
business in order to administer medicine to animals.
 
If you cant carry a gun your best defense is to bring someone else. And not the whole "I dont have to outrun the lion, just the slowest guy" reason. Mountain lions are very stealthy, your unlikely to see them until its almost ontop of you. They go for the back of the neck, pounce and tear. They'll be less likely to attack if there are 2 of you, and if they do whoever it pounces is going to be out of commission, the friend is going to have to be the one fighting it for you.

This isn't first hand knowledge, but it seems to make perfect sence. The Left 4 Dead mentality applied to real life :D
 
consider an aerosol boat alarm. They make enough noise to scare most animals away.

As to the knife. It would have to be a truly heavy duty blade with an 8-10 inch blade length. Like the Busse's. Swamprat's or in a pinch perhaps a Trailmaster.

Your best hope in such a situation is to preven the attack in the first place, So follow the standard advice on making noise while you walk etc, I would reconsider your opinion of bear spray's as well.

While there are accounts of individuals killing lions and bears with knives. In most of the cases the defender was horribly mauled and in others died as a result of their wounds.
 
iam fairly new here, but i am going to go ahead and start an arguement , as a pro guide and outfitter ican speak from alot of killin experience here. i have personally put around 20 head of elk and at least 30 or more deer sized big game to sleep with a knife , that were wounded and for the most part down , spinal hits etc.,some not really mortaly wounded . i grew up handling livestock and cowboyin, rodeoin , and huntin all my life so it does not bother me to step on a bull elks horn grab aleg and give him a finishin blow with aknife. we also hunt and kill bear and lion on aregular basis. with that said i find myself in big big country with just my knife quite often , ican tell you that if you get that close it is going to hurt , that is a given , but your knife can save you . when i started guiding and hunting more and more 20 years ago i still thought that all black bears and lions ran, now i know i was wrong . if you get in asituation by not paying attn. , and they dont bluff charge like they will , if you get hit by alarge predator , you can flat turn the lights out if you sink an 8or 9 inch thin (good cutting )blade on abear or a6or7 inch blade on alion somewhere on or over the top of the heart , ideally you would like to get both lungs and with a good sisaw back and forth jerk cut the arteries off the top of the heart. this is always tight to the shoulder and about athird of the way up on the body, my favarite knives are to small on an elk but good on deer for this , i have finished alot with a4 inch blade but you usuaaly have to go way pst the guard to kill an elk like this , you need a good flesh cutter for steel , hi carbon ,s30v ,s6ov , my favorite knife is aspyderco military s90v it is bad news and when you stab and wiggle it stuff dies fast. if i had to pick for strickly this purpose a boar hunter type knife like koa wuold be perfect and thier d2 is bad ass, these big ol combat knives are almost worthless for this kind of stuff , you need slim thinner blade , and asteel that cuts flesh and almost grabs at it , as a archery guide and hunter i can tell you what sorry or barely dull blades at 300 fps wont due and thats cut and , here comes one arguement ,busses infi sucks at cutting flesh, the flesh grabbing edge leaves it faster than a 20 dollar peice of 8a, read these lbs cutting force charts here and pick the ones that use the least force after some use , that and along thin blade could save your life
 
Why not an extended-length mountaineering axe? I use mine regularly at this time of year(just a regular length version-around 50cm) while out hiking and snowshoeing instead of a regular hiking pole. There are actually models that have extendable shafts to do double duty as both axe and pole. I'm more worried about coy dogs and moose around my parts, but I'd take the axe over my knife anyday with regards to self defense. Just a thought.
 
gine said:
Yep canadian laws,to range and home only:o
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Gine, thanks for that bit of info. Now, how is range defined up there? Is it public land that's not a "public park" or is it private land. Just tryin' to understand.

Gibby
 
i think they are ignoring me? [/QUOTE
First of all, welcome to Bladeforums.
Secondly, if you want to be read, capital letters are your friend. It's hard to read a paragraph typed with no caps.
As to hiker's SD, maybe a good machete. I've heard Tramontina makes decent one, and Ontario darned fine ones. You could hit it with a belt grinder, dremel, or the like, and make it more pointy. Make a sheath for it and strap it at the most convenient to access place (I would say over-the-shoulder, but I have this fear of decapitating myself.)
With that, a stout stick, and a good can of bear spray (why don't you like it?) should get you through most situations involving predators, be they 2-or-4 legged. I'd worry more about the 2 legged type, and their "pets", for which the stout stick should be fine.
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Lion's, tigers, and bears..oh my..
I've been using a BK&T brute or a Kershaw D2 tactical,
reminds me of a story a guide on Kodiak told us when we asked if a .44 mag was ok,
his response was sure, just file off the front sight, hurts less when the bear stuffs it up your nose. He carries a benelli auto filled with slugs, and a custom bowie 16" blade, 3" wide and .25" thick, he said he would still die using the blade, but the critter was going to bleed... G.
 
elkpro1 said:
here comes one arguement ,busses infi sucks at cutting flesh, the flesh grabbing edge leaves it faster than a 20 dollar peice of 8a
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You must have tougher skinned game where your at.

I have found INFI to work quite well on field dressing and skinning Whitetail deer for me. I don't use the factory edge though.

And for the OP, Over the years I've seen articles where people have had to kill cougars and bear in self defense. They always seemed to have a Buck knife, 110's and 119's come to mind.
 
i apologize for my typing ,but i have probably spent more time in the wood s last year than you have in your life, i wont apologize for having seen or expereiced more situations than you can dream up from your desk , though i have never killed a unwounded big game animal with a knife , i have seen them dispatched every way possible , and usuaally i can predict that happens next in those situations , thanks
 
i apologize for my typing ,but i have probably spent more time in the wood s last year than you have in your life, i wont apologize for having seen or expereiced more situations than you can dream up from your desk , though i have never killed a unwounded big game animal with a knife , i have seen them dispatched every way possible , and usuaally i can predict that happens next in those situations , thanks mr galen sir
 
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