Civil Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
highly experienced and expert marksman. Although a magnum handgun may be
the only weapon available, a large bore rifle will certainly provide a greater margin
of safety, with less chance of inadvertently wounding the animal.
When dealing with a charging brown bear, some experts believe the use of a
firearm may be more dangerous than not using one. As most charges are false
charges, use of a gun may unnecessarily kill or wound a bear that would not have
done harm. During a close range charge, the shooter may only have time for a
single shot. Wounding a bear is likely to aggravate the situation, making the bear
even more intent on neutralizing the threat. Trying to stop a bear charge has been
compared to trying to stop a small car heading toward you at 35 MPH. This is
not to say that firearms should not be relied upon to save a person from an attack
from a bear. However, the person using the firearm must be experienced and cool
headed under pressure. Some claim that, with an inexperienced shooter dealing
with such a large and dangerous predator, a firearm may provide a false sense of
security, and do more harm than good.
Trying to stop a bear charge has been compared to trying to stop a small car
heading toward you at 35 MPH.
The use of firearms, by the average person, is likely to be more effective when
dealing with an 80-200 pound mountain lion as compared to a 1,000 pound bear.
There is one report of a person being attacked by a mountain lion while a compan-
ion tried to beat the creature off the victim with a stick. The victim suffered sub-
stantial injury before the mountain lion finally decided to leave. In another case,
when a person was attacked by a mountain lion, two companions threw stones at it
until it finally released the victim and ran off. The victim was severely injured but
survived. In both of these instances, authorities subsequently tracked the mountain
lions and killed them. In both circumstances, the people involved did not expect
an attack and so were not prepared to defend themselves. This is precisely why
the stealth of a mountain lion is so effective, because it catches its prey off guard.
In cases like these, an ordinary 38-45 caliber self-defense handgun would clearly
be preferable to sticks and stones, particularly when used at point blank range. As
it is probable the offending creature will be hunted down and killed anyway, every
effort should be made to kill an attacking mountain lion as quickly and painlessly
as possible in order to minimize injury to the victim and to eliminate the possibil-
ity of injury to another potential victim who may inadvertently encounter the lion.
Unlike a brown bear's defensive tactics and the chance it will stop the attack once
it believes there is no longer a threat; a mountain lion will continue the attack until
the victim has been killed. If a firearm is not available, pepper spray may be a
viable alternative. Even considering its unknown effectiveness, it would seem to
be preferable to no defense at all.
The decision whether or not to carry a firearm when working in areas where
dangerous creatures are known to exist, ultimately rests with each member of the
survey crew. The survey company may have rules prohibiting carrying firearms or
