Surprisingly, Crooked, there are few accidents given So Ca's huge population. I don't have the stats at hand the way I used to when I lived there. Think about this though, Car jacking started in Ca, a place with unarmed motorists.
There are laws in place about shooting within 400 yards of an occupied dwelling, so a bloodbath in suburbia as visualized is not forthcoming. The odds of hunting a MT lion in Ca chapperal without dogs or guide are a huge challenge. I'd think licensed and regulated would go hand in hand there.
That said, one of the worst hunting incidents in my life occured in So Cal. A man pointed his rifle at me from about 100 yards away. He did not lower the weapon. After about 45 seconds, I took the safety off my M1 Garand and pointed the rifle at him. Soon after he left the deer woods, after shooting into a bush ahead of him.
Though you cannot carry a loaded weapon in cities and towns, you can carry a loaded, in sight weapon in many National forests and BLM tracts within Ca. You can even carry in a wilderness area. Ca. has a camp site law that allows the camp as home, accepting the Castle clause as have most States. I once shook up the San Bernardino Forest office with this, until the top dog called me personally to tell me I was right and one of his Rangers wrong.
You haven't lived until you come out of the bush onto a trail of Sierra Clubbers packing a Ruger Bisely hogleg.
Hey- another 'factoid" from my reading; cat experts agree the lions can tell the armed from unarmed in areas that hunt. Don't ask me how. (The lions told the Sierra club who then told the rest of us.)
The local plumber has a couple stuffed cats in display in his shop. Both of them weigh in excess of 160 pounds. You can't appreciate what that means until you see one that size. Seeing them is what led yours truly to the conclusion only a Khukuri stands a chance amongst blades to defend from a Mt lion.
Army fighting knives aren't big enough.
munk
