OK you all know how loony my life is at times. This one will have you rolling on the floor! :)
So, I was forbidden to go camping alone. Well, fine! So a friend and I went out to take pictures and we went into the wilderness of Southern Washington. The day was wonderful and beautiful and after seeing a 100 head herd of very pretty Elk, and lots of mountains, and snow and streams and a darling covered bridge, we stopped for lunch at a little restaurant.
One thing led to another and I talked to the waitress about camping in the woods round about, and she said that I would be fine. On the way out, I asked the woman who was checking us out if she knew of any cabins for rent.
So to avoid typing two pages of narrative, I rented a cabin up there for a week !!!! The last thing the woman said to me when we were done was, "Do you own a gun?"
"Yes, I do."
"Can you shoot it?"
"I can probably out shoot most men."
"Well, bring it and when you leave the cabin, wear it. There has not been a problem recently, but we have Cougars here, so you need to be ready."
Comments
I did warn you about the bears girl.
I never dreamt about the cougars but they are becoming a pest in some parts of encroaching America. There's gonna have to be a cull of urban expansionists and cougars are the ideal weapon.
And by the way!
Who 'Stopped you' from going camping. Your a single adult and beholden to nobody.
xx Bevs.
A cougar is the largest cat in the western hemisphere.
You will need to be a VERY good shot to stop one with a handgun, lol.
I qualified expert with both the M1911 Colt, as well as with a 9mm. I have used both in combat - much preferring the .45, although I carried the H&K as it has a bigger mag. But I still have a special place in my heart for my venerable Colt.
Having said that, and having demonstrated the stopping power of the .45 on a charging human body, I still don't feel that a handgun is sufficient against a cougar.
Make plenty of noise when you go out Hon, and don't leave trash or food out where it's scent will travel.
Dallas
D. Eden
“Hier stehe ich; ich kann nicht anders. Gott helfe mir.”
Dum Vivimus, Vivamus
If I'm going to carry a handgun...
If I'm going to carry a hand gun to protect myself from predators (non-human variety) I'd want nothing less than a .44 Magnum. Even then, if I'm concerned about cougars, I do think that any kind of gun would have to be used at close quarters and wearing it holstered would defeat the purpose as you wouldn't have sufficient warning to be able to draw it.
While bears attack head on, cougars stalk you as prey and attack silently from behind.
Hugs
Patricia
Happiness is being all dressed up and HAVING some place to go.
Semper in femineo gerunt
Ich bin ein femininer Mann
Wait a second here.
.44's and 45's... 9MM's all to stop some oversexed MILF's? Seems like overkill to me. I mean, okay, a Cougar on the prowl CAN be dangerous, but they wear those high heels all the time and you can easily outrun them, right? As far as sneaking up behind one, they wear enough perfume that you can smell them coming... unless of course they are downwind of you.
Well, whatever, but DO be careful, Gwen. Hmmm... a nymphomaniac, lesbian cougar? Now that WOULD be dangerous! Pack along ammo and condoms,Gwen.
Have a great time and enjoy the solitude, peace and quiet.
One thing I just thought of. Make sure the Rangers, Cops, whatever, know where you are, and keep your cel phone fully charged.
huggles,
Cathy
As a T-woman, I do have a Y chromosome... it's just in cursive, pink script.
Yes well.
The other day someone asked me my sexual orientation. I replied, "What?"
There is no cell phone service out there.
I own a .38. I am not buying another.
I am not who you think I am.
Shooting
WOW!!!!! A whole lot of good info from a lot of well meaning folks. Me,well I already gave you my thoughts on what to have when you are camping, but I got to add this ... back in the late eighties I had a good friend in Arizona who ran a guide service for bear and mountain lions with even dogs whom I helped occasionaly. To make a long story short, I saw a cougar killed with one shot from a .223 rifle. this is a .22 cal. bullet 55 grains, in short not much of a real big game round, but cougars are actually fragile inside. So please let me offer this Carry what you are comfy with. I taught with the NRA for many years on rifle & pistol shooting . I also shot combat pistol for years and at the tender age of 45 I qualified to shoot in the national championships of said sport(nope didn't win a thing) Anyway what I am saying is, I do know what I speak of ,am not some mook shooting off his mouth> anyway go have a good week and just be careful, we need you here
To add a short comment. The
To add a short comment.
The best calibre of weapon is the one that you will actually carry. Period.
You can kill just about anything with a .22LR (Most things with a .22 short), as long as you're willing to empty the magazine into whatever you're shooting.
The problem is the whole "single shot" kill routine. That was what you did when you needed/wanted the meat and skin - it's not so important when all you want to do is make whatever it is go away.
I'll get a life when it's proven and substantiated to be better than what I'm currently experiencing.
Taking Deer
I would not care to guess how many deer have been slaughtered with .22 short. You have to be close, and shoot right in forehead. Not much noise and no damage to meat. When I was growing up, there were many deer used by families that would have no meat with out them. Mostly the Sheriff ignored this.
G
Catch 22
Meets Groundhog day. This is so bazaar I am at a loss for words, because I am laughing so hard.
Huggles
Michele
With those with open eyes the world reads like a book
No pictures of the elk?
No pictures of the elk? Boohoo.
Pictures of elk?
Ooooh, kinky.
It takes all kinds. ;-)
Annie
"You can always sleep through work tomorrow.
Tomorrow's just a future yesterday."
(Very, very slightly different lyric than Craig Ferguson's)
I think you'll find
people with guns are far more dangerous than big cats.
Angharad
Here in the Colonial West
West of the Mississippi River, there are vast areas where the wild animals outnumber the humans. There are strategies one can use to avoid the big cats. They can weigh up to 150lbs and are quite strong. I will follow the usual protocols to avoid trouble, and admittedly if a cat stalks and attacks me, the likelihood of my survival is not the best. However, I will not allow fear to rule me.
This is a very different situation than one might find in rural UK. I normally would not worry about big cats but when the owner of the property warns me not to sit out on the deck at night without gun, well it made me sit up and take notice.
I am not a creature of violence, but one must address the reality of the situation. Besides, I think I have a body guard coming. :)
Gwen
Especially ...
... if you are inclined toward predatory behaviors, to which the gun owner might reasonably object.
Hiking in the woods.
The Forest Service recommends that you make noise to keep cougars away. They suggest sewing small bells on your clothes, they also recommend that you carry pepper spray.
Also, keep an eye out for cougar scat, it is easily identifiable, it has bells in it and smells like pepper.
Lived through sufficent terror ...
I've spent a lot of time in the wilderness, though not in the last 10 years. It took a while to work this business of no longer having a hosepipe out. I am still lot attracted to the idea of weeing on my pants. Ungh ! That reminds me to find one of those girly funnels. :)
I do appreciate that some of you are protective of me, thank you. Should I run into something big, furry and hungry, we shall find out who the real predator is. Has anyone eaten large cat? It does not sound too appetizing. Though, I think we ate road kill dog in Kenya, perhaps.
Gwen
Most predators and scavengers
Most predators and scavengers taste bad. That's why we grow and eat herbivores.
Bear and pig apparently changes in flavour depending on if it's been eating vegetation or catching smaller animals.
I'll get a life when it's proven and substantiated to be better than what I'm currently experiencing.
Gwen Said...
I can outshoot most men.
YEAH! Is that a positive view of herself or WHAT!!
Thanks Gwen!
Beth