Trail safety?
 

So I’m sure some of y’all have seen that video where the fella in Utah was stalked by a mountain lion for 6 minutes after he encountered her cubs on the trail.

I can only imagine being in that situation, it was rather terrifying just to watch. You can hear him at one point asking himself where his gun is. Got me thinking about my own trail safety and wanted to start a discussion here to see what you all do and if there are any best practices or tips people have worth sharing. Never know when it could help someone.

So first, here’s the encounter im referring to. Language warning. https://www.instagram.com/tv/CGNM6qU...=1vjgnfkaeerce

Second, what are y’all doing to protect yourselves on the trail?

Other than trying for a safety in numbers thing here, I’ll carry some Benadryl or similar allergy medicine as I’ve read that can help with various bites and possibly buy some additional time to get proper treatment. I have a machete in the trunk of my car but that’s not going to help me on the trail so I’m also looking at effective but light and compact pocket knives to bring along on the trail.

Re: Trail safety?
 

Only thing down here are gators..... just gotta pay attention


Hang up and Drive

Re: Trail safety?
 

I have a concealed weapons permit and whenever I leave the house I always carry a Smith & Wesson 9mm with a spare magazine in my pocket, even when out on the trail. I would rather have it and not need it than vice versa. It's saved my bacon a few times already.

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Re: Trail safety?
 

Bear spray.

In that situation with the mountain lion, the hiker could have just put a wall of bear spray between himself and the cat. When she hit it, she would have gone the other way. Watching the video, you could tell that she was in warning mode, and really was just trying to run the hiker away from her cubs.

Re: Trail safety?
 

Good call on the bear spray! Need to a suggest that to the fam in Colorado too.

Agreed, thag she seemed to be in warning mode and could have messed that guy up if she wanted to.

Re: Trail safety?
 

I carry concealed fists :)


My dad and brother live in bear/mountain lion country and have had spooky close calls but no run-ins. They carry bear spray but I don't think either have ever used it. There's bad luck but common sense goes a long way too.


I came across a very large cottonmouth the other day, they are fairly aggressive so I ran like a little girl.

Trail safety?
 

Only thing you have to watch out for here are Wild boars. Scott has the idea with bear spray, but Boars will most likely stay out of your way if you are out of theirs.

Now there are scorpions and centipedes, those are the worst!

I really couldn’t imagine how terrifying it would be having a mount ion lion stalking you. Just have to be careful, and always prepare for the worst!

I think at the end he through a rock at it? He had the right idea.


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Re: Trail safety?
 

One of the guys I trail with on occasion is always carrying too and it makes me feel better. I’ve been meaning to look into this for myself but haven’t yet.


I was wondering at what point he’d start chucking those big sharp rocks at it. Probably didn’t want to instigate I’d imagine.

Re: Trail safety?
 

Yeah, I feel like the hissing he did was instigating, I would’ve started launching rocks pretty soon[emoji106]


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Re: Trail safety?
 

On the trails I'll typically be with my son (in fact, i can't think of a time I'd be out by myself), so Benadryl, bandages, epi pen and various other items in a small kit.
Kit goes in my back pack along with snacks, water and a few fire starters (matches, lighter and usually a ferro rod, just cuz).
Always carry a knife and a secondary cutting tool, usually another knife or a box cutter.
And last but not least...my Glock 30 chambered in .45 apc.
"thumbsup"

Re: Trail safety?
 

[QUOTE=Topher Builds;6048494]One of the guys I trail with on occasion is always carrying too and it makes me feel better. I’ve been meaning to look into this for myself but haven’t yet.
QUOTE]

Quite a few of the guys where I go know that I carry and they said they're glad that I do. I'm the only one there that does but like yourself , they said it makes them feel a little safer.

I would apply for the permit and get the ball rolling. The waitlist for guns is getting longer. I've been waiting for almost 5 months now for two new handguns to come in.

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Re: Trail safety?
 

Well this is timely, I just went out on Sunday with a friend and later that night he sent me a link to a news story warning that Mountain lions had been spotted at the beach we were just at. They mentioned that signs had just been put up but I dont recall seeing any of them. There's one path we had taken that is so overgrown with trees and brush that its litteraly dark, letting very little light through. I think we'll avoid that path in the future.

We make awefully easy targets though with our heads down focus on our little trucks. I'm gonna try to be more attentive from now on.

If you're not prepared just stand tall and never neal down or turn your back, slowy walk away and as the news story put it if you have to fight it fight with all your might.

I think bear mace will be the simplest thing to pack around on outing, I'll have to go pick some up soon.


EDIT: and on the subject of picking up rocks and throwing them DONT EVEN TRY. The second you bend down the Mountain lion will see this as a weakness/opening and may attack. Stand tall and back away slowly.

Re: Trail safety?
 

I pack everywhere i go. Never know when youll run up on a rattler, mtn lion, coyotes are gettin brave here too. Ive always got my sccy 9mm or berretta 40 on me. Cant b to safe out on the trail fellas. Never know when somethin or someone (dang crazys now a days) is goina strike

Re: Trail safety?
 

Normal EDC (CCW, Spyderco PM2, Streamlight Protac 1L-1AA, Lighter, and sometimes a Leatherman Rebar or Wave)

When crawling/trailing away from home I will have a small backpack with a decent first aid and trauma kit. I have one that i made for when I go to the range, tourniquet, compression bandages, compressed gauze, gauze pads, quick clot, chest seals, trauma shears, etc etc, and a small plastic case for the basic boo boos like band aids and some Advil, Aspirin and Allergy pills. Its made from a Maxpedition Aftermath Toiletry pouch that Woot.com had on clearance for really really cheap. I would recommend everyone find a cheap pouch, Amazon has them for as low as 10 bucks. And look into building your own Individual First Aid Kit, that also has supplies for more serious wounds, and have it ready to quickly throw in a backpack for when you are out. Most importantly, gain the knowledge on how to use those items. North American Rescue is a great place to get supplies from and they run sales frequently. They even have pre built, vacuum sealed kits too.

I also have, a box of matches and a fire starter like a ferro rod, Solar powered Battery bank for charging phones. (Charge it from the wall charger before leaving, The solar works but it takes a long time. Still could be enough to get a couple % battery on your phone to make a call) extra batteries for the transmitter (AA and My Streamlight can run AA as a back up if the CR123 dies, just not as bright) Extra Cr123, Snacks and food if its a long hike/trail/crawl session (Chef boy R Dee is cheap and pop top can, Tuna packs are thin and weigh less if you'd prefer), bottles of Water, You could also even throw in something like a life straw for water filtration. It all depends on how far and how long you will be away from your vehicle and how much you want to be prepared.

Then, maybe a larger Leatherman like a Surge or Super Tool 300, and maybe a backup light like the Protac 2aa, maybe another magazine for the CCW. Cheap radio like the Baofeng UV-5R, Stuff like this would be determined on where and how long we would be gone.

Lastly strap a light jacket to the pack.

All this stuff sounds like a lot, and it is a lot of stuff, but its not very heavy.

Re: Trail safety?
 

Fact of the matter is, this guy got HELLA lucky.

I ride mountain bikes in colorado. Newbies in those forums are always asking if they need to worry about wild animals. Generally the advice goes:

Snakes: Keep riding
Bears: Look big and back away
Mtn Lions: Don't worry about them. You'll never see it coming.

Re: Trail safety?
 

Have to agree with both of these sentiments. The way that lion was a advancing at times in that video was frightening. She could have clearly torn that guy to shreds.

We apparently have cougars here, can’t say I have ever seen one but can only imagine how many have seen me over the years. I figure Running into any wild predator with cubs is going to put your life at risk

We definitely have black bear and moose. I see both semi-regularly. I usually Carry spray if I am hiking deep into the woods. Never had issues with either over the years.

Might have to be more conscientious about carrying spray

Re: Trail safety?
 

Kind of along the same lines (but not really) I picked up a decent sized log that I was going to use to fill a gap while out on the trail. Unbeknownst to all of us, the log was currently being used as a large beehive for a few thousand usually docile bees.

Realizing that all of a sudden we had a lot of very all of a sudden pissed off bees stinging everything in sight, somebody shouted "RUN! BEES!" .....or something to that effect, I'm not 100% sure, I was hauling ass to the top of the hill. I get to the top and somehow my buddy, who was about 10 feet behind me, is already 10 feet ahead of me on the other side of the hill. I asked "How the hell did you get up here so fast?"

He said "I'm from the city, when someone yells RUN, you RUN. I thought it was funny..

I carry nothing BTW, we saw a bear maybe at the G6 run but around here, it's mostly stoned hippies wandering in the woods or yuppies summering on their horses depending on where you go.

Re: Trail safety?
 

Park rangers out @ BBNP West Texas said that I was very likely stalked by a large female mtn lion some years ago when I was hiking in Grapevine Hills. This was according to Park Rangers as I never saw her. Area is very remote... no cell phone towers, no hospitals... just 800,000 acres of desert and mountains.

I had started the trek up to Grapevine Hills shortly before daybreak ( 2.2 miles total). By the time that I was finally getting back to my Jeep at the trailhead, there were some Park Rangers there documenting a sighting by another group of hikers. As in many cases, I likely would've never been able to get to a firearm had I been carrying. They are notoriously silent when stalking prey. I was also charged by a male boar when I happened upon a sounder on that same trip so those bastards can be aggressive but as stated already, not typically.

I generally carry a first-aid kit in my Jeep but on the trail I seldom have anything more than a cell-phone and a Leatherman. Where we play around here, fortunately venomous snakes are the worst danger so no need for much protection or extensive first-aid. Of course now that I've said that, I'll probably need it next time I'm out lol.

Okay... I've posted this on RCC before but I'm gonna post it again for anyone that hasn't seen it or that wants to watch it again. This is an absolutely riveting story of a guy that was attacked twice by the same mother Grizzly and lived to tell about it. I appreciate it because the guy doesn't embellish nor sensationalize anything... just a straight-up honest and humble account of what transpired that day. If you haven't seen it before, grab the popcorn... It's a good one!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SOQAhKrOOww

Re: Trail safety?
 

I carry these in the truck: https://servoxy.ca/products/canadian...gn=sag_organic

https://www.canadiansafetysupplies.c...-p/G5A-90C.htm

I volunteer at the local fire department, I’m also a certified first responder, so I thought it was a good idea have this stuff around, I luck out and get restocked, and serviced every time the fire department services their stuff.

For cutting tools: I have hatchets, a dull axe, branch nippers (they have long handles, I have yet to use it...it’s more than a year old), a buck saw, and a quick cut folding saw.

Hammers: 2 sledgehammers, 2 mallets, a framing hammer.

I have stuff like mechanics wire, canvas tarps, and a couple blankets.

I never take the cutting tools, hammers, or blankets/tarps out of the truck.

I also have a 7mm rifle, and a 12 gauge in the truck, we’re not allowed to carry handguns in Canada...I don’t think. I forget these more often than not.

I have this small pouch with bear bangers, signal flares, and bear mace, but I usually stay close to the truck when I’m RCing, there are too many bears, and cougars in my area for me to go on an extended hike unless it’s a group.

Re: Trail safety?
 

Clickbait story.
The furry just made sure that it's cubs are safe.

You are more likely to be hit by a lightning or win $10mil in a lottery than being attacked by wild animal.
Stop spreading fear.

You know how many people die when they slip in the shower, hundreds every hour worldwide.
Don't go near showers!