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Official Statement from the Brooks/Welsh Family and Wyatt Brooks
Date: March 25, 2024
From the family:
We would like to express our sincere thanks for the outpouring of support and prayers from family, friends and the community. We are all devastated by the tragic loss of Taylen yet thankful Wyatt is still with us and are well- aware the outcome could have been even worse.
Taylen and Wyatt grew up in Southern El Dorado County where they enjoyed hunting and fishing together, almost daily. These two young men being as close as any two brothers could be, lived a full energetic life enjoying the outdoors.
Wyatt Jay Charles Brooks, age 18
Wyatt has been in the Mt. Adams Fire Academy since last September, he aspires to be hired with Cal Fire. He is an avid baseball player and an ardent bow hunting enthusiast.
Taylen Robert Claude Brooks, age 21
Taylen worked with his father, Aaron painting houses and cutting firewood and loved being outdoors. He truly enjoyed fishing and was an extremely talented guitar player. He was a very kind and gentle soul and will be deeply missed by all who knew him.
A brother is a friend given by nature. These two brothers were driven by nature.
For everyone that wants to know the “What” of this tragedy, the El Dorado
County Sheriff’s Office’s release of the facts accurately reflects the tragedy.
We all are thankful for everyone respecting our privacy and space during this difficult time. Plans for a memorial for Taylen are being worked on and details will be released as soon as they are finalized.
Support:
To donate in memory of Taylen and support for Wyatt - please see the official site at El Dorado Community Foundation and donate to the Brooks Brothers Support Fund.
Donations are tax deductible. https://bit.ly/BrooksBrothersSupportFund
What happened:
On Saturday, March 23 around 1:00 pm, Taylen and Wyatt were walking along Skid Road in the area of Kelcey, California which is near the town of Georgetown. They had gone to the area in search of deer antler sheds. A pastime they did together frequently this time of year before the spring grasses became too tall to see the shed antlers in the wild. Saturday was also opening day of junior turkey hunting season so they did not take any firearms with them so as not to draw any attention from the California Department of Fish and Wildlife. Wyatt carried a small backpack to carry the antlers they were hoping to find.
While walking along the dirt roadway, looking to the edges and woodlands along the roadway for shed antlers, they observed a mountain lion walk up to the road from the lower side. The lion saw and approached the two. Both Taylen and Wyatt did what they had always learned, they raised their hands in the air to appear larger, yelled at the lion and Wyatt even threw his backpack at the lion, all in an attempt to scare the lion away.
Instead of retreat, the lion immediately charged Wyatt, bit down on his face and took Wyatt to the ground. While Taylen beat on and yelled at the lion, Wyatt was able to wrestle the lion to the ground with him on top of the lion. The lion began clawing at Wyatts midsection causing Wyatt to release his grip. At that point, the lion released Wyatt, got up and charged Taylen, biting Taylen in the throat and taking Taylen to the ground.
Wyatt, with severe lacerations to his face, beat on and grabbed the lion in an attempt to get him to release Taylen. After some time trying to get the lion off Taylen, Wyatt tried to call 911 for help. With limited cell service in the area, Wyatt ran back toward where they had parked his vehicle where he eventually obtained cell service and called 911.
After calling 911, Wyatt quickly got into his vehicle and drove to where he had left Taylen and the lion in hopes the presence of his vehicle would scare the lion off but when he arrived, Taylen and the lion were gone.
Wyatt drove back to the intersection of Darling Ridge and Skid Road where he met with El Dorado County Deputies who rendered first aid until medics arrived. The medics then transported Wyatt to Marshall Medical Hospital in Placerville where he was evaluated and then transported to UC Davis Health in Sacramento for reconstructive surgery of the major lacerations to his face and neck.
Wyatt is home recuperating from the tragic ordeal.
After leaving Wyatt in the care of the medics, the Deputies responded to the area described by Wyatt where the attack took place and began searching the area. Nearby, away from the roadway, they observed a mountain lion crouching near the body of a male subject later determined to be Taylen. They did not know at that time if Taylen was still alive or not and due to the close proximity of the lion, could not fire their weapons directly at the lion so rather fired them in a safe direction in hopes of scaring the lion away so they could render medical aid to Taylen.
They lion did run away and upon reaching Taylen, found he had succumbed to the lions attack and was already deceased. Instead of tracking the lion at that point, knowing it could and probably would travel a great distance if chased, they stayed with Taylen until the investigation could be concluded and his body retrieved from the area.
The California Department of Fish and Wildlife, along with an El Dorado County Trapper, arrived in the area and tracked the lion for approximately 100 yards where it was found treed. It was there the lion was dispatched.
https://edcf.fcsuite.com/erp/donate/create/fund...

Damn.

Regrettably, they were unarmed. Could have easily had a pistol. Concealed carry is for that purpose.

Sad for both of those young men.

And those members here who assumed they were undecated man-bun-wearing preppies should be ashamed of themselves.

OPEN carry is for that purpose. Concealed carry is for when you don't want to draw attention to yourself when amongst people, not animals.

Commiefornia. One was 21, the other was younger.

California will never come to the logical conclusion these creatures , lions and bears, need to be put in big game management system , hunted , bag limits established and etc. not on a protected status that encourages them to stop fearing man. The North American model of big game management should supersede any illogical anti hunting , save the Bambies , tree hugging , return to nature insanity that , apparently most urban California, espouses .

Except they could easily have carried a firearm for hunting purposes as jackrabbits and coyotes are open all year long.

If you read the story it explains they made the decision not to because they didn't want to attract the attention of the wardens, on the first day of Junior turkey season.

.

We can argue forever the wisdom of that decision but it really has nothing to do with "Commiefornia". Should they have chosen to, given the statements from the family, either or both could have been armed, legally under CA law. The 21 year old could even have carried concealed with a permit if he had one.

That is true as well, part and parcel of the whole,

He abandoned his brother, who was in a life and death fight with the lion, so that he could call 911.
Didn't carry a Buck knife into the woods, but he had his cell phone.

The man bun (twat knot) crowd is probably cheering the lion that killed the hunter.

Just had his stomach clawed pretty bad. Might have been in shock and thinking getting help was most important.

Whaaattt? Jeeez! Mount Lions can recognize open carry? Open vs concealed in this situation both would be fine. I personally would prefer concealed anywhere in California.

I'm doing Monday Morning Quarterbacking, but he could have popped the lion's eye out. I know you can do it to a human in about 2 seconds, using one finger, probably could do it to a lion.

Article says he beat on the lion but it wouldn’t release.
I don’t get the sense from the article he was in a rush to abandon his brother and save himself; but none of us were there. I’d like to think he would’ve been looking for sticks or rocks to assault the lion with - maybe there were none readily available.

I'm doing Monday Morning Quarterbacking, but he could have popped the lion's eye out. I know you can do it to a human in about 2 seconds, using one finger, probably could do it to a lion.[/quote). Sometimes it's just better to say nothing!

A lot of folks don't know about not fighting traditionally (in other words "fair").

One could probably have looked around and found a thumb sized stick and shoved it up the cat's azz too.

I'm guessing, as others point out, after beating on the thing with his hands he decided it was time to get help.

How big was the lion? Those guys take down full grown elk. The older brother was probably dead within seconds from the throat bite. Have any of you quarterbacks ever wrestled a 350lb calf? I have and have gotten my butt kicked. A lion will kill that calf with one swipe and bite. Poor decisions were made that day for not bringing some sort of weapon but popping eyeballs out....come on.

Yeah …

https://wildlife.ca.gov/News/Archiv...ion-attack-in-el-dorado-county#gsc.tab=0

But, you know those F&W departments...........they lie all the time.

Article clearly states they went unarmed so as to not draw attention from the game wardens.

t

Yeah I kept waiting to read about the armed part.

Well I apologize for my earlier insensitive remarks. They were both young, probably no experience in fighting for their lives. Seems odd not to carry a gun during an open season, we don't know if they were wearing orange.

They weren't hunting anything and were not aware of the advisability of being armed with something. A pistol, a belt knife, or even a shillelagh. This and an attitude of preparedness. Stuff can happen. GD

Thought that as well. Article said they weren’t armed because they did not want to draw attention of F&W? That is completely nonsensical. I do not go into the woods unarmed. Period.

I guarantee you a 90 cat can kick your ass, you'd have to be extremely lucky to beat one off much less kill it. In my late teens, I worked for a guy with two female lions and one three-legged male. He would sell the cubs, he said the cougar in the mercury/ford commercial was one he sold. Anyway, I wrestled and played around with those cubs till they were old enough to sell. A 30 lb cat's strength is really surprising.

stx….you ever had a house cat go postal on you? I had a female in heat get out of the house in a rainstorm and made the mistake of dragging her crazy self out from under a shrub barehanded. I was bloody from fingers to elbow in seconds. Those 30# kittens were just playing with you. Pretty sure a serious bobcatish sized 30 pounder could kill many here if dedicated to that end. So much for those making left handed remarks about the 18 year old with holes in his face, neck and abdomen for not being able to save his brother from a 90 pounder.

Just don't understand why they had no gun.....very tough deal none the less

I hike very often in local deer/elk winter range with my wife

Carry a Hellcat with 16 rd mag always

Have learned to always be aware and watch your back

Lions are quick & built to kill

Here's an incident in northern Utah 3 yrs ago on video

Don't remember if he had a weapon

It makes sense to some, as if you are obviously not a "Junior" turkey hunter, and are out in the woods with a firearm showing, F&W Wardens will come check you out to find out what you're doing out there. Too many of our wardens have a guilty until proven innocent attitude when it comes to stuff like that.

As I mentioned, there's an easy work around in our State. Have a license and tell them you're hunting jackrabbits and coyotes. Year round.

Believe me, it's not just here. Go near a salmon or steelhead river, especially in a vehicle with out of state plates, and expect to be questioned about what you were fishing for.

I know one thing for sure Roger.

I'm not willingly fighting a 90 lb cat of any species!

No mountain lions around here, but I carry a handgun at all times. If I lived in a place where there was a threat fron a wild animal attack, I would not sit foot outside unless I was armed. This is a tragic case, and I feel for that family, but it could have been prevented with a little common sense.

Actually know a local guy (retired LEO now)

Shed hunting with wife/kids

Saw a lion following them through the brush

Ended up killing the cat...had to answer to the DWR then

Ended ok...now lions have much less protection than yrs ago

Now anyone with a small game tag can drop a cat...

Before it was a draw system like the rest of Utah tags

No tags limits or seasons on them, and can kill them year-round and are considered a varmint/ predator.

Mountain Lion attacks are extremely rare. Of all the possible dangers in the woods, it is way down there. I've never thought, "I better be prepared for a mountain lion attack." And yes, I do live in an area with a healthy mountain lion population and I have personally been within 15 feet of one in the woods (unarmed).

A while back (as in decades) the Colorado Parks and Wildlife folks tagged a female lion to see what she was eating. She was a relatively small cat, well under 100#, and they found that she specialized in preying on bull elk. They had no idea how she stalked or killed them but she seemed to enjoy eating them. I wouldn't want to take that cat on with bare knuckles. Before we got horses to hunt elk, we always had to backpack the meat out and I always had my Model 60 tucked way. Talked to the wardens a few times and never had any troubles and never got searched for concealed weapons. The kids should have had a weapon of some sort. A cheap .22 revolver is going to be a lot more effective than trying scare the cat off with a backpack or trying to go at him with your hands. Sad situation.

We should give you a trophy or a cookie for your bravery

Pics

local winter range

Deer & Elk a plenty

Cats are smart......stay above the draws/washes & have the advantage

Jump down high from above

I have been in touch with a family member, Wyatt is at UC Davis medical center, his face was pretty much crushed by the lions bite. Probably hard for him to even see very well to get help, and being in shock also . Im not sure why they were not armed, but I can state that the Ca,. Game wardens are a bunch of gestapo jerks. Have many personal stories of my own I could share . They are not there to help, but intimidate and harass people. Same goes for the enforcement end of USFS.!
This could be the reason they were not armed. Ive also been told the gun laws in Ca . have become more restricted since I left 4 yrs ago .
Anyway, hoping for a successful and speedy recovery for Wyatt , and may Talen RIP.

Thx for your post

Tough deal for all involved

Go Fund me set up ????

Sorry to hear about the young fellow's injuries.

I'll just add that it's not just in this State, most States I've lived in the wardens can be real pains in the ass. Those kids probably knew the local one(s) and decided it would be best to just not have a run in with them.

The gun laws do suck, but there are work arounds if you're walking around out in the woods. Just make sure you're loaded with the CA Approved ammo.

I'm not particularly brave. Just not some dumbfuk cracker from Arkansas that's scared of his own shadow.

What round for lion 357, 41 or 45LC?

Carbine ?

Handy to carry ?

16" 45 Colt

Drop any cat on the planet

Western shed hunters most likely hike all day.....

Handgun would be my choice

What ever you can shoot best

9 em em & up

Yep, of all the things that can go wrong out and about, fretting about a mtn lion attack is way down on the list of things I worry about around here. But our lions are hunted and that to me makes a difference.

unfuckingbelievable comments, grown men scart of the outdoors,
Ya'll better watchout them yotes and lions gonna get ya

Ken, Thanks for the update.

I sure hope the young man can heal up completely.

I used to hike unarmed in areas that lions roam. But that was in the days when they could be hunted with hounds.
Now there are more cats and more bears and I tend to pack heat when I'm in their neighborhood.

I do believe that to be true Lonny. Especially for a lion that's had the experience of being chased or shot at.

It certainly does for the coyotes around these parts. See one in a field 50 or so yards away, stop the vehicle, and usually before the door is open the 'yote is off and running.

Down in SoCal the suburban ones probably come up to the car to see if you have anything to eat.

Only takes one hungry stray cat

Local game trail with cat tracks near by

Or take a dog along. The right dog can be helpful at times. My GSD ran a lion off at six months old. Wife was brushing him out in the yard, he noticed the cat first and went after it. It was approaching her from behind, in daylight, with music on her phone and the dog right there. Dog chased it until it went under the electric fence into the pasture, and it stopped to look back before it went into the woods. Dog hates that electric fence, wont go near it. But he was running back and forth at the gate, wanting in there. No dice. I’d be short a dog if he caught that cat. But tha cat wasn’t risking it, and if the dog dies buying my wife time to react, so be it. That’s what he is here for. And a 120 lb. all black GSD with a strong protection background and drive makes a lot of things think twice. Maybe buy me or the wife time to deal with whatever it is.

Funny thing, that dog will follow my lead if I am present. He waits to see how I am going to act and then follows my lead. But if its just he and the wife, he will listen to her, but he is vastly more protective than when I am there. Probably fight to the death between her and whatever, but hide behind me if godzilla comes at us.🤣 That’s ok, got him for her anyway. He has a job here, and he likes it that way.

Conservation only recently admitted there were lions here. Took one getting hit on the interstate for them to fess up. Cats were here well before that.

Several years ago there was a woman in BC horseback riding with her kids—12 and 8 years old—boy and a girl. Mountain lion attacked the boy—woman fought cat with her bare hands while the kids ran for help. She fought that cat for over an hour till help arrived—after findin out her kids were okay she died.
Cat was killed—it weighed 63lbs.

I posted before that I became friends with a professional bear and lion guide in Cal., years ago. He lived in Glennville, a tiny town in northern Kern County just a mile or two from the Sequoia Nat'l Forest. He carried a Ruger Single Six .22 Magnum. He told me that .22 Magnum worked very effectively on Mountain Lions. He carried an old Win. 94 Trapper .30-30 when out running bears.

My wife and I owned a vacation cabin up on the western slope of the Sierra in Tulare County, for 35 years. It was surrounded by the Sequoia Nat.l Forest. There were plenty of Black bears and Mountain lions in that forest. I saw three lions over the years we owned that cabin and property. When my wife and I took walks in the forest, she carried her Ruger Security Six .357 Mag., and I carried my Colt's L.W. Commander .45 ACP. I'd also either take my Ruger 10/22, or my Marlin 336 .30-30.

We used the .22 for some plinking in the forest, but never needed the guns for protection from animals. I knew the Game Warden for that district and we got along fine, plus I knew the Tulare Deputy Sheriff who sometimes came up there ... but that was seldom on his patrol. We both carried Cal. Hunting licenses, although my wife did not hunt. We were never without those firearms. It was legal to carry firearms if you were hunting, no matter what game you were hunting. I do not know the law now.

L.W.

No big cats around here but if there were it would be a 357 with 180 gr. hard cast fodder. I've come across black bears before but they just seem to want to avoid me. I now carry the 357 in an area with occasional bears but so far have never seen one while armed. Bet I could ruin a mountain lions day even with the Glock 19 in 9mm if need be.