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Charged by a cougar

The second slap shot was worse. Does no good to carry a handgun if you can’t shoot it. And, you can’t shoot it while you’re preoccupied with filing your end of life encounter.
Note his breathing. I don't think this guy was preoccupied with anything. He was nearly panicking and on autopilot. The mistake was going to his phone for a video in the first place. Yeah, it's cool to see a big cat or grizzly in the wild and cooler to be able to share it. But unless you're sitting in a safari tour bus or the animal is a hundred yards away, get ready to defend yourself or choose an escape plan. No time to be a video producer.

The second shot was worse because the first one didn't phase that cat. Clearly that was a shock. I mean, it shocked me. Cougars just don't behave that way. Grizz maybe, but cats are normally very cautious. The guy was in panic mode after that first near miss didn't deter the cat.
 
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Note his breathing. I don't think this guy was preoccupied with anything. He was nearly panicking and on autopilot. The mistake was going to his phone for a video in the first place. Yeah, it's cool to see a big cat or grizzly in the wild and cooler to be able to share it. But unless you're sitting in a safari tour bus or the animal is a hundred yards away, get ready to defend yourself or choose an escape plan. No time to be a video producer.
You can argue this all you want. Yes, I heard his breathing. My point is, the guy should drop the phone and focus on his trigger press. End. Stop.

Panicking and going on autopilot is why people miss in the first place. He was preoccupied with something OTHER than the most important task at hand.
 
You can argue this all you want. Yes, I heard his breathing. My point is, the guy should drop the phone and focus on his trigger press. End. Stop.

Panicking and going on autopilot is why people miss in the first place. He was preoccupied with something OTHER than the most important task at hand.
It's what you or I might have done. But then neither of us would have had a phone in our hand to start with if a cat was that close. This guy made the wrong decision to attempt filming a cat following him at close quarters because he's obviously inexperienced. Inexperience explains his behavior: it doesn't condone it. Once the cat's intentions became clear he panicked, that is evident from his breathing. Being in a panic or nearly a panic almost invariably produces bad decisions. At that point he's not thinking about making an exciting marketable video ... because he's no longer thinking at all. He doesn't think to drop the phone because his thought processing has been overtaken by adrenalin. It happens.
 
There's only one reason a lion will get that close... They're hunting
 
So Here’s a question, by backing up are you showing the lion you are afraid of it? Should a person stand their ground Instead?
 
The cat's behavior appears to be defensive rather than predatory. If it was predatory behavior the guy would not of had a chance to get his phone ready. The cat would have sneaked within bounding distance and been on the guy before he could have got his phone out.

Instead the cat makes itself known, and at one point slaps the ground and takes a few quick steps toward the guy, trying to scare him away from the area. I agree, probably protecting kittens.

ClearCreek
 
So Here’s a question, by backing up are you showing the lion you are afraid of it? Should a person stand their ground Instead?
If he was truly afraid IMO he should have just stood still and put both hands on the pistol and made one good shot.

Well actually he should have made one good shot with his rifle but then he doesn’t get to pull out his pistol and be manly
 
I would have shot that cat well before pulling my phone out. Defending kittens or not, it was a little close for comfort. Not a chance I'm personally willing to take.
 
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