Author Topic: Lion Attack, California June 26, 2004 (Read 1051 times)

Siskiyou · « **on:** June 29, 2004, 07:42:56 AM »

News reports state that Shannon Parker, 27 received deep lacerations and damage to both eyes from a Mountain Lion Attack. A later news report states that she lost her right eye.( Does anyone think the Mtn. Lion Foundation will pay her medical bills?) She has under gone reconstructive surgery at the UCLA Medical Center in Los Angeles.

The Lion attack occurred in the Southern Sierra's on the Sequoia National Forest. The attacking lion was driven off from the victim by her boyfriend Mathias Maciejewski who stabbed the lion twice with a knife, and Jason Quirino, and Ben Aaron Marsh who threw rocks at the Lion.

The Lion was described as a two year old in emaciated condition. It weight only 58 pounds. Normal weight would have been around 90 pounds.

The Lion was located by Game Wardens and Forest Service employees. They killed the Lion.
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News story try and make it sound like the lion was starving because of a large forest fire in the area two years ago. I have not been on the ground in that area for thirty years but it is hard to believe. I have spent a life time hunting burns in California. Normally deer move right back in. California brush types sprout from the roots provide nice tender shots for the deer to eat. Normally a burn will have rapid increase in deer population. Could the problem be to many mountain lions eating the deer. When you consider one lion killing a deer every three days that has a major impact on an area with a growing lion population.

It has been determined that Mt. Lions are the biggest factor in the failure of Mt. Sheep recovery in the Sierra's.

Based on the successful use of a knife in fighting off the Lion I may have to reconsider the type of knife I carry when out hiking. I own a fair number on fixed blade and folding knifes. But do I own the right knife? It is like choosing between a .270 Win. and a .280 Rem. Darn!

Lawdog · « **Reply #1 on:** June 29, 2004, 03:51:43 PM »

Siskiyou,

Quote

Does anyone think the Mtn. Lion Foundation will pay her medical bills?

GREAT IDEA. CAPITOL IDEA.

Further reports by the Rangers that tracked down the wounded lion(stabbed twice with a 4" blade knife) and killed it, stated that there is considerable wildlife(rabbits and deer) in the area. They were surprised at the condition of the lion due to the availability of game in the area. Tests on whether or not the lion was sick(rabies) have yet to come back. Shannon Parker also received many deep lacerations to her thighs and buttocks. All this was done in a very short period of time as the lion attacked landing on Shannons back knocking her to the ground(normal attack pattern for a Mountain Lion). Thankfully she covered the back of her neck and head or things may have ended up much, much worse. She is also lucky that she had two friends that kept their heads and helped her. Lawdog

Sigma · « **Reply #2 on:** August 15, 2004, 05:55:25 PM »

On the knife thing. Take a look at the swedish knives from Fallkniven.com. I always carry a Fallkniven S1. Excellent Knife, VG2 laminated stainless with awsome edge-holding capability. Thermorun handle. The best there is for the money, I think. If you'd like a bit more go for the A1. You won't be dissapointed.

Regards

Siskiyou · « **Reply #3 on:** August 16, 2004, 08:10:39 PM »

Sigma:

Years ago I bought a Swedish knife with a laminated steel blade up in Canada. A great blade. I almost bleed as much as the first deer I gutted with it. I keep it in a bag with my deer skinning equipment. The blade is about 4 or five inchs long. As a teenager I was always testing the blade by shaving some hair off my arm. I do not recall the brand name.

Lawdog · « **Reply #4 on:** August 17, 2004, 10:18:33 AM »

Siskiyou,

Quote

As a teenager I was always testing the blade by shaving some hair off my arm.

Isn't that what the hair on your arm is for? As far as a carry knife I found a floding knife at a yard sale that has a heavy 4.5" lock back, bowie style blade, finger groved bone handle and not a mark on it to say where it came from or who made it. Takes a bit of effort to get it sharp but it holds an edge even better than any of the Buck knifes I have. This goes with me everywhere. Lawdog

Siskiyou · « **Reply #5 on:** August 17, 2004, 03:47:09 PM »

Lawdog you are right. After I got married my wife would get after me because she said it looked like I had mange. It is clear she was not raised in my little cowtown where it was a sign of manhood. Because you surely had to leave some hair in place to test your blade the next time around.

Back to Mt. Lions. Two or three weeks ago I caught a news blurb regarding Mt. Lion concerns along the American River between Folsom and Sacramento. It is surrounded by a million or so people. The park area is heavily used on a daily bases by joggers, and bikers. Then there are the numerous homeless that live in the parkway. During the summer the area is crowded with swimmers, in the fall and winter with fishermen. Heavy human activity along the parkway really started after the discovery of gold.(1849) Sutter's Fort of course pre-dated the gold discovery. The freeways near the parkway are jammed with traffic as the surface streets. Oh yes, the State Captial is only a few blocks away. I am sure that man invaded the Lion habitat but the invasion started 150 years ago. Are the lions taking it back, and at the same time resolving the homeless problem. Will the consumption of those full of drugs and alcohol have a negative effect on the Lions?

Sigma · « **Reply #6 on:** August 17, 2004, 08:47:51 PM »

Siskiyou,

I think that while mountain biking or pursuing anything else in the outdoors, a person should have a better alternative than throwing rocks at a lion, such as was the case with Anne Helle in Southern California, who's friend engaged her in a game of tug-of-war with the cat. She appeared on Larry King's show a few weeks ago.

A Fallkniven A1 or S1 rammed home would've helped end the pitiful situation a bit earlier. Another good alternative is the Cold Steel SRK, but the Fallknivens with the VG2 laminated stainless are exceptional in edge-holding and withstand a huge amount of torque. :grin:

Regards

Siskiyou · « **Reply #7 on:** August 18, 2004, 07:40:12 AM »

I have to agree with you. There are times I carry a bayonet for an AR-15 in my daypack when geocaching with my grandkids. One of the areas we visit was the scene of a lion killing a jogger about ten years ago. This is on top of a folding Buck or Case knife. Then their is the pepper spray, and.......... Frankly I prefer to hike in areas in which carry my .357 is not an issue.

Lawdog · « **Reply #8 on:** August 18, 2004, 09:18:23 AM »

Siskiyou,

Quote

Frankly I prefer to hike in areas in which carry my .357 is not an issue.

We think alike. Along with my ever present folding knife I also carry a good belt knife. I got an old Buck General(40 years it's been with me) that goes on my belt anytime I head into the woods even when I'm carrying my .357/.44 friend. Got a question? Have you been seeing very many rattlesnakes this year? So far I have killed 27 from about 15" to one sucker just over 65". Lawdog

Siskiyou · « **Reply #9 on:** August 18, 2004, 11:00:09 AM »

Lawdog:

I have not seen a snake this year. But I have kept out of that Mendo, and S. Cal brush this year. The other place I found to be nasty for snakes is the lower slopes around Salmon, Id.

One of my deer hunting areas has a couple of snake dens, but that is out this year because of logging.

I understand that French Gulch area where the big fire is has more then it's share of fires.

What is the highest altitude that you have found a rattlesnake in? I would have to check on a map, but around 6000 feet is about the highest I have seen them in N. Cal. and about 7000 feet on the Northside of Pacifico in S. Cal.

Lawdog · « **Reply #10 on:** August 20, 2004, 09:39:52 AM »

Siskiyou,

The highest elevation I ever killed a 'rattler' was 6,900+ feet in 1964 just shy of the crest of Snow Mountain(7,200+ feet) in the Elk Mountain National Forrest. We were camping/hunting the southeast slopes when I darned near stepped on it. I realize their are a reported 7,000(+/-) snake bites every year from venomous snakes in the United States and that only about 2% of them die. Most of those deaths through are from rattlesnakes. Makes a person keep their eyes open.

Yesterday on the news their was another sighting of a Mountain Lion in the American River bike trail near Sacramento. This one was spotted by a man riding his mountain bike as it was following two female joggers. Tracks at the scene prove it was a good size lion and not a Bobcat. Two others(a female and her half grown cub) were sighted just behind a housing tract in San Jose. A woman got pictures(they showed them on the news) of the two lions as they were drinking at a little stream. This stream borders a playground where kids play all the time and kids come and play in the stream according to the people that live around there. Now all we need is to have another California Grizzly make an appearance. Lawdog

crow_feather · « **Reply #11 on:** September 18, 2004, 02:12:21 PM »

Heck with the Grizz, we'll send you some of our wolves. We got more en we need. Your lion lovers can give em names like Santa's Deer. You can mane em Fang, Slash, Cutter, Slicer, Mincer, and Dicer. Heck, you can even make up a song about em and give the royalties to the "Wolves are my Friends" Foundation.

As far as knives, I carry a homemade knife sheath that has three knives in it. One is my fighten knife, a big long Smith and Wesson Kit Knife I traded fer in the 80's, the next is my skinnin knife, and the third is a small Western "for everything else" knife, which really saved me several times when I was overseas.