What Size Knife?

J

jermicah

Joined
Oct 6, 2007
Messages
3
Any suggestions for a good size and/or make knife for giving me a fighting chance against a mountain lion? I hike areas where attacks are not common but have happened and firearms are prohibited.
 
I am sure that a bigger blade would be the better choice given the option. there has been an account of a man killing a cougar with a swiss army knife while the blade repetedly closed on his fingers (ouch!). I think your will to live has a lot to do with surviving an attack. from most accounts attack victims do not see the cougar untill it is too late so whatever blade you decide to carry most importantly make sure it is easily accessable while in distress.
 
I didnt read the thread about how to fight a mountain lion. So if i repet anything dont get mad at me. The realy Q is how lucky do you feel punk????????? Mostly they attack from the back they weight about 150lb and its a CAT. So unless you carry the knife at the ready in your hand all the time got some heavy coat on and just damn plain lucky. You are cat food. Yea people killed bears with a knife too. How many fingers do you need to count the dead bears?? When out in the woods pay attention where you go. Stop look around just use common sence and you would be fine. If i did have to carry anything it would be one of those loud horns. Cats dont like the loud noise, most wild animals dont. You have a better chance to scare him away then fight it. If you have any cats in your area just watch them when a dog trys to attack. Most of the time when a cat stop and fight most dogs get a bloody nose and back off. Where i live we have them and i seen a couple if you make loud noise and actualy i walk right at them making noise he\she just ran away. The second one was too far so i just watched him\her. Go out there and enjoy no reason to be paranoid.

sasha
 
How big a knife can you reasonably carry???

An Emerson CQC-12 (4") is about all I can reasonably carry in the pocket of a pair of running shorts. It is waved and deploys very quickly and easily.

I wouldn't mind carrying a 14" BKT Patrol Machete, but it just isn't practical and would also upset other trail users.
 
Interesting question, and something only of academic interest to someone from New Zealand where there are no big predators. Some of us do hunt pigs using dogs and knives though (although I haven't done it for years).

I'd definitely go for the fixed blade. I find the best place to carry one for quick access is horizontal on my belt under my pot belly. I have the handle on my right side because I'm right-handed, but I can get it with either hand if I have to. It is frustrating to have one hand fully occupied with something important and not being able to reach your knife with the other.

But I guess it would be more frustrating trying to find the fingernail groove on your SAK while you had a snarling animal with sharp claws chewing your neck.
 
Since cats usually hit from behind, 1 good piece of advice I have heard is wear a backpack :) Might give you a chance to survive the first hit. After that a good walking staff is a great weapon. Anything that give distance is valuable. As to knives....fixed blades or at least a 1 handed opening lock blade of as large a blade as you can get away with. I wouldn't want to try it but something 3-4inches in blade would get into vitals. Try for the face and neck areas on the cat. Of course me being me, I wouldn't go there if I had to abandon my firearm to go. I have a helluva time going to the airport for sure but I see no reason to be neutered when everything else is fully armed. Try finding new digs to hike or try some of the bear sprays out there. Best advice really is to make yourself NOT a target. Make some noise as you hike but not loud screeching(such as children and distressed rabbits). Also don't smell like food. If you should spot a dead animal, clear out. It may be the cat's previous kill and they will defend it. When I was vacationing in Alaska a couple folks were killed when they stopped to take pics of a dead moose. Mamma Grizz stocked her fridge with tourists taking pics! If you see a cat make yourself look as big as possible and remember food runs. Don't run!
 
First thing, is I generally hike with a backpack. Either a medium or large ALICE pack, depending on what I'm doing and what season it is.
Somy first action, assuming I'm hit from behind would be to pul the quick release and sling the pack off of me, hopefully to the front. Next would depend on what I'm doing in the woods. If I'm hunting (feral hog hunting is year-round), then I'll prabably have my rifle (a Mosin Nagant M44) in hand, and the cat can run, face the bullet or face the bayonet, its choice.
If I'm just milling about, then I'd try and draw a handgun ('bout as fast as unsheathing any knife).
If you want to confine it to knives, this being a knife forum and all, then I'll have a RAT-7 or kukri on me.

The main thing is to get it off my back and turn it into a standup fight, which I'm told cats will usually run from unless protecting something. Otherwise, predators, including us two-legged ones, have a better chance going at it face-to-face.
 
We have had a number of mountain lion attacks here in Calif. (since the voters decided in their wisdom to end lion hunting!), and the injuries are always to the head and neck. These guys grab you up high and from behind!!!

I actually carry one CQC-12 in each pocket so if one of my arms is pinned, I can deploy the knife with the other.
 
Bill Siegle said:
Since cats usually hit from behind, 1 good piece of advice I have heard is wear a backpack :) Might give you a chance to survive the first hit. After that a good walking staff is a great weapon. Anything that give distance is valuable. As to knives....fixed blades or at least a 1 handed opening lock blade of as large a blade as you can get away with. I wouldn't want to try it but something 3-4inches in blade would get into vitals. Try for the face and neck areas on the cat. Of course me being me, I wouldn't go there if I had to abandon my firearm to go. I have a helluva time going to the airport for sure but I see no reason to be neutered when everything else is fully armed. Try finding new digs to hike or try some of the bear sprays out there. Best advice really is to make yourself NOT a target. Make some noise as you hike but not loud screeching(such as children and distressed rabbits). Also don't smell like food. If you should spot a dead animal, clear out. It may be the cat's previous kill and they will defend it. When I was vacationing in Alaska a couple folks were killed when they stopped to take pics of a dead moose. Mamma Grizz stocked her fridge with tourists taking pics! If you see a cat make yourself look as big as possible and remember food runs. Don't run!
Click to expand...

Great Advice!:thumbup: Listen to Bill!
 
If a cat is grappling with you, a staff or machete could be too big and cumbersome. I think the air horn plus a 5"-6" fixed blade would be the way to go.
 
Yep, listen to Bill Siegle. Wear the pack so that it covers the neck area, as that is where the cat would hit you. Then, as Bill suggested, have a short fixed blade and keep it within easy reach of right or left hands for the close in counter attack. Once free, have a hiking staff with you. The more distance you can keep between you and the cat, the better.

I was told at an early age, that when walking alone in bush, check your back trail often and if you are lower than the immediate surrounding terrain, eyeball not only your back trail, but the area above you, behind and up ahead. Since they like to hang out in trees in forested areas, keeping an eye on the trees is also a good idea.
 
LongBow i would agree with you. I always stop and watch my back look up the rocks too. Its better to prevent the attack then try and fight my way out. I rather not tangle with a mountain lion in the first place. Bill gives a great advice what to do when you are fighting a mountain lion. The problem is when we do fight a wild animal it comes down to the fight for our own lifes, if we are lucky we get to keep it !!!!!
Sasha
 
A helmet and neck brace as they attack from behind to the head and neck. A good pig hunting knife - 8-12 " blade, strong point, substantial guard.
 
well in that case in india they have sort of an armor the HUGE spikes, on the back of the helmet they have eyes painted. I read that some Tigers learned to grab the legs after they landed on the spikes a few times.
Take the dog to the mountains and leave him for a month when you be back it would be a dead dog. Take a year old kitten to the mountains come back in a month and it would be a FAT 13 month old cat.
 
Cold Steel Bushman on a stick, rear view mirror on your sunglasses, and a kid goat on a string 100 yards behind you :)

You're in more danger on the way to the trailhead. Get a dog.

"Lions and tigers and bears, OH MY!"
 
i remember from another thread a story of an old lady fighting and surviving a mountain lion with an umbrella :D
 
I love knives as much as anyone here...and while 1 person I've heard of in recent years has fought off a mnt lion with a knife He also paid a heavy price.... I thinkl I knife is about the worst defensive weapon for fighting man or beast.... (and I have several years of formal knife training) a knife is more of a thinkingmans weapon as he can use it to devise more effective defensive tools... a spear (carve tip) gives you a little more distance to keep the beasties at bay.. but if mnt lions are a legitimate coincern to you I'd get some bear spray... or a fire arm (as legalities permit in your area) but I'm no expert that's my opinion YMV
 
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