Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire mountain lions.......

Amen..Especially Wolves..

Jayco

We had one in a suburb of Colorado Springs 2 weeks ago. It went through a backyard where kids had just been playing. The guy that found it in his hedge thought it was a racoon to start with, and poked it with a broom. A rather loud growl quickly changed his mind on what he was dealing with.
The DOW eventually had to shoot it.

http://dnr.state.co.us/news/press.asp?pressid=3501

JohnDog

Ken,

I am not completely sure, but I think killing a lion w/o cause is a felony. Actually the felony attaches when wasting of the carcus occurs, I believe. That means should a hunter follow the 3 "S" rule and is caught, s/he will never hunt again and forever be barred from owning a gun.

When I fish in the backcountry, I have committed to carrying a handgun. I will never kill anything just to kill it, but should any animal cause me to fear for my son's safety, I will defend him. A game warden, a friend of mine, told me that I can kill a lion if it threatens my son or me. I winked at him and told him that applies to two-legged vermin as well. Just a couple ol' cops talking shop...

BTW, I think I read recently that killing a lion in Utah w/o a permit or w/o fear is a felony. I believe this is true in Colorado as well.

My motto while fishing is live and let live.


Good huntin',

Leon

Lawdog,

I believe the prohibition of taking mountain lions was enacted via the initiative process thereby making it part of our state's constitution. I believe Morgan Fairchild was behind both the original initiative and the follow-up initiative that intended to repeal the first one. As it now stands, lions are protected by our state's constitution. But that law does not preclude our RIGHT to protect ourselves from danger!


Take care,

Leon

BirdDawg,




Once that cat assumed a stalking position and moved toward me, I would have perceived imminent danger and killed it! Remember that a man armed with a knife can cover twenty-one feet and kill a cop before s/he can unholster her/his weapon. Since a cat is many times faster than a human, reaction time is diminished. And no one can expect anyone to surrender a tactical advantage where one's life is in jeopardy!

You gotta do what you gotta do, but I do not think a lion that I detect in a threatening posture in close proximity to me is long for this world, the lion being in charge of that choice!

BirdDawg, the game warden of that beat should have been dispatched to kill the cat that stalked you. The next hunter might not fare as well!


Good huntin',

Leon

I was ready to shoot.......and would have if it took one more step.....but I also know that if I did I would probably still be paying a lawyer and trying to get my hunting privlages back....when you hunt at hunter ligget you have to sign in on the area you hunt.........and they only allow so many in...so the 3 S rule would be out of the question..and if I shot that cat I would have had to prove I was in imidiate danger and with no witnesses most likely the courts would have had a field day with me........but on the lighter side I would have become famous.......probably even made the FBI's 10 most wanted list.......just look at all the fuss was like when that cat in san diego killed that jogger and then they killed the cat.......people had a fit.......now me being alive still and a dead cat..........(shiver).........I'd be on death row for sure.

It's not natural lion behavior to take that stance with a human. I had one do the same when I walked up to a lion kill only to find the cat still there! At only 20 feet! Lions are well known wimps and will NOT defend a kill, but rather abandon it. In places where there are a lot of dogs around to disturb kills, lions kill waaaaaay more deer than the typical 1/week.

Anyway, mine didn't run either rather it growled when we made eye contact. Fortunately for me and unfortunately for him: 1) it was lion season 2) I had a tag <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> 3) it was daylight shooting hours and 4) I had permission to hunt the property (my own -- big <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />). Oh yeah, and 5) I'd grabbed my 30-30 on the way out the door that particular day.

He's now a rug (BOSEG)! And yes, the meat is delicious and it would be a crying shame to bury it!

BTW, the DOW was thrilled. Said "that is the kind of cat we LIKE seeing killed." Not to say they don't like them killed, you know what I mean...

BirdDawg,

Yeah, I know what you mean. If it ever were to occur, make sure you can demonstrate you were in fear for your safety/life. I do think the responding game warden will side with you as will any prosecutor. Remember, the last thing you want to do is turn your back and run, and cops and prosecutors know this as well.


Stay safe,

Leon

Leon,

Go to Mountain Lion Foundation website and you can see how the banning of Mountain Lion hunting progressed from Governor Reagan's signing a bill banning their hunting for a five year period. It's just progressed on and on. We tried to get Prop. 197 passed but fell short of the needed 2/3's needed. We are planning on trying again and again until we get, at the very least, trophy status for Mountain Lions. Mountain Lions are doing more damage to the big game herds in California then hunters do. Lawdog
<img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif" alt="" />