I always assumed that pepper spray would work against mountain lions, but someone recently suggested ... not.

What do you animal experts out there think ?

My understanding is that mountain lions generally attack from behind (they aim first for the back of the neck so they can paralyze their pray). I doubt that pepper spray will do you much good if a mountain lion jumps you from behind.

yes, living in mountain lion country, I understand their methods.
but should the opportunity arise would the spray work ?

Read this.

Maybe it will work on Santorum and Romney too.

thanks Ben, good info.
although I had the smaller, wimpier, more urban container in mind.
carrying bear spray on a run is a bit heavy,
but good to know it at least can work.

Awww, guys, you wouldn't shoot pepper spray at a nice pussycat like this, would you?

--B.G.--

.

Edited by RogerDodger on 03/14/2012 09:51:30 MDT.

Art- I replied in our training log thread, but yes it appears to be effective for lions. Our lion biologist was tagging kittens when mama came back and didn't appreciate the hounds there- she came in twice, each time she got a blast of pepper spray, she didn't come in a third time :)

Mike

vs. a stabbing tool.

Whsn I vist my daungter in Boulder I do training hikes in the Flatirons & I always carry holstered BEAR pepper spray becuse there are also bear in that area.

There have been lion attacks around the Flatirons area so for me it's just prudent to carry it. Better than nothing.

There was a write up where it was successfully tested against big African cat species, so doubt american felines are that different. Still kind if dicey. Glad someone else is playing tasty human to bring us this data.

better than nothing ... of course BPL positive thinking means that youll never run into a bear or kitty cat that wont run away first ... cause we all know that those cute critters would never make you carry a few extra ozs to ruin yr SUL base weight ;)

carry it in your hand, it's not base weight :)

Keyboard commando here.

A few have fought off cougar by poking or hitting them with an object.

Pen
Water bottle
Forceps

It would appear that if they don't kill their prey with a quick bite to the neck,
they don't have a lot of interest in getting hurt. Pepper spray should work for that.

Often it is a fellow outdoors person that dissuades the lion with some sort of object.

Around here where their are lions and bears and wolves, oh my, people carry
pepper spray, sheath knives or firearms.

I know of 4 people that killed lions that charged them while they were stand hunting
for deer or turkey while using a call.

Sorry to thread-jack...

HK, trying to get a hold of you to to chat about a Santa Fe hike next week but you don't have an email or private message enabled.

If you have time to chat pls email me at bster13 at yahoo dot com.

Thanks!

Last time a lion came after me, I just ignored him, and he went away :-) The key is to not realize its a lion on the other side of the that silnylon, makes it much easier to ignore them.

I spoke with some wildlife biologists in Wyoming that had successfully used pepper spray on lions, sounds pretty effective.

But if you only have a small can of the spray, just spray yourself with it. Then hope that the cat doesn't like spicy food! LOL

Pepper Spray? It's what seasons my dinner.

Edited by reacttocontact on 03/24/2012 23:22:06 MDT.

Personally, these work quite well. They reside in my hip belt pocket.