If the
cat frequents the area you ride in, find some one with hounds to run it a bit
and it might leave the area for more peaceful surroundings.
My
grandson who has hounds treed 29 cats last year and never went more than 30
miles from home.
By the
way they are good eating. Cat, the other white meat.
Bob
Bob Morris Morris Endurance Enterprises Boise, ID
-----Original Message----- From:
ridecamp-owner@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:ridecamp-owner@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx]
On Behalf Of Sisu West Ranch Sent: Tuesday, January 31, 2006
11:43 AM To: Marmite1191@xxxxxxx;
ridecamp@xxxxxxxxxxxxx Subject: Re: [RC] Mountain
lions
Pepper spray (the kind that is used on bears)
will certainly work if you hit the cat in the face, and the wind does not
bring it back to the horse.
The usual advice is to be big and act agressive
to scare the cat off. It usually works, but there was an 13 year
old deer hunter in Missoula areal that had to shoot one last
November.
Cats are ambush hunters, as such if they are
after big game usually lie quietly on a ledge or rock or whatever to jump on
the prey. Your best defence is to watch such areas and see the cat first
and leave.
By the way, while a cat is fast for a short
distance, a horse can easily outrun a cat that does not catch in say 100
yds.
In general adult horses are bigger prey than cats
go for. In one wild horse range, the cats have learned to prey on
horses, and attack the foals. This band is one that does not need to be
thinned by the BLM.
If I were to rate the danger I would give Polar
Bears a 10, Griz an 8, Big cats a 5, and Black Bears a 3. One could
argue with the exact numbers, but I think the ranking is proper.
ps. I'm glad that my area does not have
Polar Bears (they have been known to actively stalk people), unofficial Griz
are problem enough.
PPS. I prefer a large caliber semi automatic, but
that is personal preference. Those not comfortable with firearms, have
no business with them.
Ed
Ed & Wendy Hauser 2994 Mittower
Road Victor, MT 59875
