mountain lions.....poke or slash?

I had a friend fend off a mountain lion that attacked his girlfriend.
I know he used a sheath knife of some sort. Not sure if he stabbed or slashed.
Oh, and he did 'win' the fight but the girlfriend was pretty messed up.
Maybe one day I'll get the details but I feel like a dork asking him if
he stabbed or slashed and what brand of knife he used.
 
I'm familiar with two stories in which a man saved himself from a big cat with a knife.

I saw the first story on cable TV. I scoured the net and found the following written description:

VANCOUVER. David Parker's frustration over his slow recovery from a cougar attack is eased these days by satisfaction that he stabbed the 41-kilogram cat to death after it jumped him. "I would say I had a hate on for that cat," the retired mill worker says, recalling events in early August that riveted residents of a province that has seen eight fatal cougar attacks in the last century. Fifty-three were not fatal. "I was desperate to survive and determined to get that cat" In an exclusive interview with the National Post - his first comments to the media since the stunning attack - the 62-year-old man said he is angry "I focus it on the cat and on cougars in general, right now~" Mr. Parker said from his home in Port Alice, about 500 kilometres north of Victoria on Vancouver Island.
After being jumped while on an evening walk - and bitten so severely that one eye socket was wrenched loose - Mr. Parker used a pocket knife with a three-inch blade to kill the cat The father of two grown children spoke of fighting for his life with the howling cat, struggling to get an edge so he could end a torment that caused him the worst pain he has ever felt After he won, he left the cougar dead by the side of the road be-fore walking a kilometre to get help from a logging operation where a worker rushed him to hospital.
Mr. Parker is not a hunter. He says he was acting on instinct. "I wanted to kill. I wanted to do him some damage, at least, for what he had done to me."
Mr. Parker will be living with that damage for a while. He figures he faces at least two years of surgery "It could even go beyond that;' he says.
"I am frustrated at my lack of progress. The healing process is going to be along time."
At the time of the attack Mr. Parker's six-foot frame easily carried 170 pounds. He has since lost 25 pounds - "all muscle." A routine one-kilometre round-trip walk to the post office that used to be a snap now leaves him exhausted. He is too tired to continue his former passions of playing old-timers hockey and curling, suggesting he has turned into a "couch potato."
He lists his injuries. One of his ears was torn loose in the attack. His right eye socket was ripped loose along with the tear ducts and sinuses in both eyes. The cat took a small bit out of his skull, removing a layer of bone. His right-ear canal swelled shut. If it does not naturally correct itself, that will mean surgery Mr. Parker faces operations to realign his right eye, which is patched shut, and repair the eye-lid muscles of his left eye. Some plates of metal and screws in his face that he compares to a mechanno set" may be removed; some will remain.
"It's going to be a long haul;' he says.
Until Mr. Parker was attacked on Aug. 1, he said he had only seen a cougar once. That was in about 1981 when he, his wife and children saw a cougar run across a logging road near Port Alice.
Cougar sightings have recently become routine in the isolated forestry community of about
1,300 people. The last cougar attack before Mr. Parker's experience was in February, 2001. A mill worker used a lunch pail, bicycle and his fists to fight off a cat attacking another man.
Mr. Parker's nightmare began when he went out on a walk to work out leg cramps that developed while he was working on the roof of his house. During the walk, it started to rain. Mr. Parker took shelter under a rock outcropping by the side of a logging road . "That's when the cat managed to creep down beside me," recalls Mr. Parker. "He came up beside me. He came right along a ledge to my shoulder. I heard a very soft sound. It must have been it's pads touching down. I happened to glance over. And there he was a foot from my shoulder. Mr. Parker tried to flee. "It didn't work."
The cat jumped on his back What came next remains blurred, but Mr. Parker ended up in a ditch about a half-metre deep by the side of the road. The cat was on top' of him. The fall had broken his jaw, he believes. The cat bit the right side of his face, breaking loose his cheek bone.
The next thing Mr. Parker remembers was a feeling of pain as the cougar bit off his scalp, which flapped loose and dropped in front of his eyes. "That was quite some pain;' he said.
Then the cat took a bite out of Mr. Parker's skull.
Throughout, the cat was howling. "He was ferocious. He just kept coming at me:' Mr. Parker tried to go for his knife, which was in a pouch on his belt. Mr. Parker routinely carried the knife for protection from wildlife such as bears or "some mad 'dog or whatever" or to make himself a crutch if he got injured while on a walk. When he went for it, the cougar bit him in the face.
Mr. Parker knew he needed his 'knife. The cat "had all his weapons out, his fangs and everything wrapped into me. I thought I had better get some-thing going:' Mr. Parker said the pain was excruciating, especially when the cougar bit his face, loosening his eye socket.
"That was the worst pain I have ever felt in my life. You could also hear it. You could hear the muscles and sinew and whatever 'else snapping and popping as he bit in;' he said. "It was a horrific feeling:' Mr. Parker thought he was going to die. "[The cougar] thought he had a meal right there. I thought he was right after that first attack, because I didn't think I was going to survive. The cougar was on him, its paws on his shoulders. Mr. Parker reared back, and pushed with his feet pinning the cat on the road and creating friction as the unruly tangle of man and feline moved along the pavement. At one point, Mr. Parker had the cougar in a scissors-grip. He tried twisting its forearm. He got the cat in a half nelson wrestling hold, but it twisted free. Eventually, Mr. Parker gripped the cougar in a bear hug, figuring that was the only way to control it while he went for his knife. While hugging the cat, Mr. Parker withdrew the knife and unfolded it. He stabbed out, accidentally stabbing himself in his shoulder.

Finally Mr. Parker - his vision clouded by blood and dirt - thought he saw an opening at the cat's shoulder and neck. He slashed out, sticking his knife into the animal. He ripped down as far as he could. "I think I hit his jugular because he didn't last too long after that" Mr. Parker continued his embrace then let go. The cat went limp. "Some muscles twitched. I grabbed back on to the cat again. The muscles rippled through the whole body:' Mr. Parker got up. "I didn't feel too good;' he said.
He felt weak. So he lay down briefly. Then he got up. It was getting cold. He knew a logging operation was nearby. Before he left for the one-kilometre walk there, he threw his knife back at the cat.
He is not sure why.
When Mr. Parker reached the logging operation, a worker there rushed him to hospital. Eventually, Mr. Parker was flown, by air ambulance to Victoria. His first few days in intensive care were a blur due to drugs given him. He worried about losing his sight. "As I told my wife at the hospital, 'If I didn't at least have my eyes, I didn't care. They could pull the plug:" Eventually, he knew he would be ok. "Everyone was telling me I would have a good chance;' he said.
He used to dream vividly and often about the attack. Those' dreams have ended.
As he recovers, he says he has been aided by his family. "I have a patient wife Helen who happens to be a registered nurse, which helps a lot:' Port Alice residents have also been terrific. Residents took care of his home while he was in hospital. A neighbor now takes care of his lawn. Another man offered to drive Mr. Parker to Victoria for medical appointments - a seven-hour road trip.
"Just the other day, I got a new knife in the mail. It said, 'From your friends in Port Alice:" Recently, Mr. Parker spoke to' the conservation officer who reviewed the situation. The man said, based on an autopsy of the cat, that it was a healthy three-to-four-year-old with fat that suggested it was in good shape.
It had eaten 10 to 12 hours before the attack.
"I just wonder why it attacked me;' says Mr. Parker.


Ref: http://www3.telus.net/airedales/newsletters/jan2003.htm


In the second story, a man kills an African lion with a 6" hunting knife. Here's the story:

In 1904, most people around the world had never heard of the Sabie Game Reserve, which would later be part of the Kruger National Park. Something extraordinary happened on 26 August 1904 that would make this part of the African continent and Ranger Harry Wolhuter very famous. Ranger Wolhuter was returning to his camp, Metzi Metz, when his dog began barking at something in the tall grass. Ranger Wolhuter was weary at this stage because it was dusk and the camp was still a few miles away. The animals, as he would soon learn, were not reedbuck. As he whistled for the dog, he noticed a lion on the flank of his horse. He quickly turned the horse and kicked it in the belly with his spurs. By the time the lion sprang to the occasion, the horse had moved forward. The lion missed Ranger Wolhuter but ripped the horse's back end with its heinous claws. During this clash, Ranger Wolhuter fell from his horse and before making contact with the ground found himself in the jaws of the second, ravenous beast. Before he knew it, his right shoulder was being held by the razor-sharp teeth while the rest of his body was dragging underneath the body of the beast. His chances of survival were slim because he had lost his rifle during the skirmish. Many thoughts rushed through his head, but his experience in the bush proved to be invaluable. He suddenly remembered that his knife, which only had a six-inch blade was his only hope of survival. As the right side of his body was disabled, he had to use his left hand to locate the knife on the backside of his belt. Luckily, the "old faithful" was still lodged in his belt. At this stage, the lion had located the spot where Ranger Wolhuter would soon become the lion's next meal. Ranger Wolhuter wasted no time and stuck the knife into what he believed was the lion's heart twice. This attempt caused the lion to drop him and allowed the ranger to issue the third and final stab to the lion's main artery. As the lion leaped, the blood covered the body of the ranger. The lion stood a few feet from him and was certainly prepared to finish the ranger's life. At this moment, Ranger Wolhuter challenged the lion by screaming at the top of his lungs. This primal scream obviously worked because the injured lion ran into the darkness of the bush. This lion would not travel far into the bush because Ranger Wolhuter fatally injured him on the third stab with his knife. At this stage, the ranger realized that his survival would not last unless he climbed the nearby tree. By the time he climbed into the tree, the other lion returned to the site where his mate once held Ranger Wolhuter in his mouth. Bull, the fearless dog, continued its harassment of the lion which wanted so eagerly to devour the ranger. After a while, the lion decided to depart the scene and disappeared into the bush. Soon after this confrontation, Ranger Wolhuter's men rescued him from the tree, gathered his goods and completed the remaining distance to the Metzi Metz camp. After extensive medical treatment, Ranger Wolhuter faithfully returned to his job.

If you are interested in Ranger's Wolhuter's story, then you should visit the Stevenson-Hamilton Memorial Library at Skukuza camp. Here you can see the knife which he used to fatally wound the first lion, including the skin of the beast. In addition, visitors driving on the S35 near the Tshokwane picnic site will be able to see the plaque by the famous tree where Ranger Wolhuter escaped certain death. The plaque reads "Into this tree Ranger Wolhuter, badly wounded, climbed after having killed the first lion in order to avoid an attack by a second which remained near by until assistance arrived."

Ref: http://www.ecoafrica.com/KRUGERPARK/bushtale.htm


It's still against the law to carry a gun in Bandelier National Monument where I take hikes frequently. My favorite carry knife for the area is a SOG Daggert 1. This knife has a 5.65" double sided blade. The kydex sheath is non-symmetrical, so it is not obvious that the knife is, in fact, a dagger. The larger Daggert 2 has a 6.75" blade, but I prefer the smaller version for belt wear.

Obviously, I believe that a thrusting knife is your best defense short of a firearm.
 
I bought a Spyderco Temperance with the thought of using it to defend myself against Cougars etc in my mind as that was what the blade was designed for, however since I bought a Swamprat ChopWeiler I know I would feel a lot more confident wielding that !!!!

Check out the Temperance(4th on the right ) and the ChopWeiler (1st on the left ) and tell me which you would pick !!!
PICT5077.jpg
 
Thank God we don't have such creatures here in Spain. Wolves and very very few bears are the only dangerous things I might came across (apart from bulls I mean, but those don't bite and weight like 500kg so you are pretty much screwed anyway if they charge at you... lol).
Mikel
 
1. Boy it'd be nice to have a .308 with you huh?

2. Mace would probably work 2nd best.

3. Before I'd plan to use a knife, I'd fashion a spear. (without lashing my knife to it)

4. Probably won't matter, because he's going to grab you from behind anyway.
 
Lycosa said:
You'll be hit by lightning before the Great Cat attacks you!
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Man, that would really stink. "First, I got struck down by a bolt of lightning and then, as I lay there steaming, a freaking cougar walks up and starts eating me."

I guess they perfer cooked meat.
 
It is unresponsible to assume you won't be hit by lightning, or that you won't be attacked by a cougar. Don't be quelled into unpreparedness by the numbers. If a thing can happen, it will happen. And it does happen too. Mother Government isn't going to save you from either. Be prepared for the slightest eventuality, and live to tell the story.
 
Ottoshot said:
Just get one of those knives that shoots co2 out the tip. :D (See practac)
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A big +1 on that! This is the knife I believe he is referring to. Booyah!

http://www.waspknife.com/

This is only if fire support from an orbiting AC-130 is unavailable, however. 105 mm howitzer fire (preferably white phosphorous incindiary) pwns all cougars. Yay Spooky!
 
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moonwilson said:
A big +1 on that! This is the knife I believe he is referring to. Booyah!

http://www.waspknife.com/

This is only if fire support from an orbiting AC-130 is unavailable, however. 105 mm howitzer fire (preferably white phosphorous incindiary) pwns all cougars. Yay Spooky!
Click to expand...

Is anybody here really considering the PURCHASE and worse, the USE of one of this WASP knives? If any, they need to have it checked out... seriously.

Mikel
 
Fiddleback said:
It is unresponsible to assume you won't be hit by lightning, or that you won't be attacked by a cougar. Don't be quelled into unpreparedness by the numbers. If a thing can happen, it will happen. And it does happen too. Mother Government isn't going to save you from either. Be prepared for the slightest eventuality, and live to tell the story.
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That is the smartest thing ive read all day.......:thumbup:
 
Fiddleback said:
It is unresponsible to assume you won't be hit by lightning...
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What kind of knife should we use for lightning?!? :D

Seriously, though, to Fiddleback's point--

The numbers *do* help establish priority, but cannot be used as an escape clause unless the odds are way, way, way out there (does anyone in North America worry about being trampled by a giraffe?).

For example, you can and should worry about a cougar attack--even where I'm at in Chicago, evidently!--but have you also worried about drinking cryptosporidium-contaminated water? That's an animal much more likely to hurt you than a cougar!

I agree that you should know your odds--buts don't rule anything out...they just help you prioritize your list!
 
How about fitting a 12 Gauge or CO2 bang stick head on a walking stick? 1) It would already be in your hand, 2) you would have some length to keep the predator at bay, and 3) the shotgun blast or CO2 needle charge would give it something other than you to think about!

-- FLIX
 
Watchful said:
What kind of knife should we use for lightning?!? :D
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All Fiddleback knives are guaranteed to thwart lightning. The warranty only applies to the original buyer unfortunately.;):D

This can be tested. First, tape your Fiddleback knife to a good long lightning rod. Then, go outside, and hammer any old steakknife into a tree so you can stand on it. Then, when there is a real downpour, get up on that knife and hold that lightning rod into the air as high as you can. The test works best if you wear a silly hat, or dress in a costume. If your Fiddleback knife fails to thwart the lightning, and you live through the ordeal, then I will replace your knife free of charge. Provided, of course, you can proove with a news clipping that your knife failed the test and don't mind me posting it on my website....:D
 
If it came down to it, stabbing would probably be easier to do and more effective. Obviously not getting in that situation is the best alternative, but an attack could be completely unprovoked. Then stab, poke, gouge and yell until you can get free.
 
Most lion attacks will be "unprovoked". Watch your household cat. They kill and eat things because they're cats.

My cat, all two pounds of him, attacks me.

Only by hurting it or startling it enough will you be able to break off the attack. The knife doesn't matter much as long as it has some blade on it. A rock would suffice as well.

The point it, 90% of the time the cat will be on you before you know it. Then the fight begins. This is where a pistol shines. Which would you rather do: be failing around with a blade and a bunch of teeth and claws, (and your sharp knife) or pull a trigger you can press into the body of the animal?
 
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