Protection From Dangerous Wildlife

(Source)

I had recently posted about a couple articles concerning defense against bears. I've since come across another article on defense against aggressive bears, as well as information on dealing with mountain lions (aka, puma, cougars, panthers) and wild snakes.

      But first, the original articles for those that may have missed those:

       First up, "Update: Handgun or Pistol Against Bear Attack: 93 cases, 97% Effective" by Dean Weingarten at Ammo Land.  Weingarten has been tracking down and compiling instances where people have used handguns to defend against bear attacks, and whether that use was successful or not. He has updated his results over time as he learns of new incidents. As of late March 2020, he had found 93 cases, demonstrating a 97% effectiveness--even when using smaller or weaker handgun rounds such as .22 LR. It should be noted that "effectiveness" was defined by Weingarten as stopping the aggression, whether by convincing the bear to leave or killing it. Thus, he records 6 instances where a .22 LR weapon was used, with 5 successes and 1 failure. Of those 5 successes, the bear left without any apparent mortal wounds, while the other 3 resulted in the death of the bear. Of those 3, in one case the bear moved off and died of its wounds later, while the remaining two cases apparently were close up shots that killed the bear in the midst of the attack. This is not a recommendation of the .22 LR as a bear defense round, but to demonstrate that even seemingly weak firearms can be effective. Unfortunately, the number of incidents that Weingarten has per caliber is too low to draw any statistically significant conclusions--ranging from one to 8 or 9 incidents--except for .44 Magnum, for which he has 28 incidents, all of which where employment of the handgun was effective. I would also note that 13 of the cases, the caliber of handgun was unknown, but in all cases that employment of the handgun was effective.

       The second article I had previously mentioned was "Does Bear Spray Work?" by Wes Siler at Outdoor Magazine. Siler dug into the data of studies author by Tom Smith titled the “Efficacy of Bear Deterrent Spray in Alaska” and “Efficacy of Firearms for Bear Deterrence in Alaska” which are often cited for the proposition that bear spray is an effective deterrent while handguns are useless. Siler discovered that not only was comparing the studies like comparing apples and oranges, but the firearms study omitted a substantial set of data from Alaska’s own Defense of Life and Property (DLP) records. (Alaska allows people to kill bears in defense of life and property (DLP), but persons doing so must report the incident to state authorities; I would also note that Smith's study on firearm effectiveness did not actually say that firearms were useless, but that "only those proficient in firearms use should rely on them for protection in bear country."). 

       The basic issues Siler found was that the bear spray article included all uses of bear spray on brown bears, not just bear attacks (e.g., if a bear was just curious and got too close), whereas the firearms paper looked at only bear attacks. Another flaw with comparing the two studies was that "incidents in which users were unable to access their bear spray in time were excluded from samples, while users who experienced malfunctions with, or were otherwise unable to employ, their firearms were included[.]" When corrected for, Siler noted that bear spray was only effective 1/3 of the time versus 95% for firearms.  

       Another factor to consider is that the efficacy of bear spray may vary according to species. For instance, Siler noted that the foregoing studies only examined brown bears. He located a study that only looked at the use of bear spray on black bears, and found that "methods like chasing, rock throwing, or shooting black bears with nonlethal rubber shotgun slugs were as effective as, if not more effective than, pepper spray." 

     Now, moving on to additional articles, those of you interested in a less-than-lethal approach to using a firearm to discourage a bear might be interested in Dave Hardy's "In Defense of Life or Property: Do Bears Warrant a Warning Shot?" at American Hunter. Hardy points out:

      This article is based on 41 detailed interviews, about that many partials (informally collected, less-detailed stories) and personal experience. I put together a page-and-a-half questionnaire for the interviews. Although this is a pile of stories, it is a small scientific sample given the complicated variables involved. Ultimately, of course, deterrent outcomes depend on the bear, unless the potential victim switches to lethal firearm mode. The biggest challenge was collecting accurate, complete information, which often meant follow-up questions after reviewing my notes. I enjoyed collecting the old timers’ bear stories.

      I live in Sitka, so many stories involve rainforest brown bears. Coastal brownies are well fed and behave differently than black, polar or north-slope grizzly bears.

The bulk of the article are anecdotes, albeit interesting tales in their own right, where warning shots or cracker shells were used in attempt to drive off bear. However, there are some general takeaways from his article: (1) "Shots that pass near a bear’s head or kick up gravel or rock splinters work best, but may injure the bear," (2) "Warning shots expend ammunition and reloading takes time," and if manually having to cycle the action, such as with a bolt action rifle, the stress of the situation may result in a user induced failure, and (3), finally:

Black and brown bear responses varied from no visible reaction to crashing off in panic. About one quarter showed little or no response. Bears displaying visible signs of stress were more apt to panic. Warning shots successfully derailed most charges, including some that seriously intended harm. But as I said before, warning shots carry no guarantees.

    The next article, "USFWS Clarifies Rules on Bear Deterrents," is most relevant to farmers and ranchers in Montana. But in recognition of the increasing grizzly bear population in and around Yellowstone National Park and in the Rockies, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has expanded the number and use of deterrents for bears:

Acceptable hazing techniques now include: paintballs; shotgun "banger" and "cracker" shells; up to golf-ball-sized projectiles shot from a slingshot; air horns; flashing lights; and motor vehicles, among a few other things. Some ordinance, such as rubber bullets and batons, and shotgun shells loaded with bean bags, are still off limits. 

    Now we move on to the biggest of the small cats: the mountain lion (aka, puma, cougar, panther, catamount). In "What to Do If a Mountain Lion Invites You to Lunch" by Mike Willis, the author advises:

      Mountain lions, also known as pumas or cougars, are amazing creatures. Mature male lions are known to reach 8 feet in length and weigh between 130 and 150 pounds. Lions are masterful hunters, and humans rarely notice their presence until they’re unbelievably close. If you are ever hiking through the woods and find what appears to be a lion’s kill site, remember to look up! Upon hearing humans, lions will typically climb into a nearby tree.

      Hikers are always reminded to give lions plenty of space. Never attempt to get close, especially if the lion is accompanied by kittens or is on a kill site. If you ever encounter a mountain lion, stay calm, and don’t make any sudden movements. Slowly and confidently ease backward away from the cat. A panic-induced sprint could cause the lion to begin chasing you. Do not make yourself appear smaller by crouching down. If your efforts to avoid the lion fail, get loud and get big. While holding your hands in the air, begin yelling loudly. In the unlikely event that you are attacked by the lion, fight back with everything you have.

At a 130 to 150 pounds, I would think that most any pistol/bullet combination suitable for self-defense against a human would likely work against a mountain lion. Another article gives the following advice:

1. First of all, know that the mountain lions use their stealth and leaping ability in attacking. Stand your ground and avoid your reflex to run.
2. Make as much noise as possible by screaming, yelling, stomping your feet and making yourself appear as big as possible by jumping up and down and waving your arms over your head.
3. If a mountain lion does attack, fight with every ounce of energy you have. That is the last thing it will expect. Prevent the cougar from getting at your neck or face by rolling up into a ball onto your back and bring your legs up as though in a fetal position.
4. Yell as loudly as you can for help and fight dirty-gouging the eyes if possible.
5. When in the backcountry, periodically look behind you because mountain lions use ambush tactics. They can also see in the dark six times better than humans.

The Mountain Lion Foundation recommends:

• Seem as large as possible.

Make yourself appear larger by picking up children, leashing pets in, and standing close to other people. Open your jacket. Raise your arms. Wave your raised arms slowly.

• Make noise.

Yell, shout, bang your walking stick or water bottle. Make any loud sound that cannot be confused by the lion as the sound of prey. Speak slowly and loudly to disrupt and discourage the lion's hunting instincts.

• Act defiant, not afraid.

Maintain eye contact. Never run past or away from a mountain lion. Don't bend over or crouch down. Aggressively wave your arms, throw stones or branches, do not turn away.

• Slowly create distance.

Assess the situation. Consider whether you may be between the lion and its kittens, prey or cache. Back away slowly to give the mountain lion a path to retreat, never turning your back. Give the lion the time and ability to get away.

• Protect yourself.

If attacked, fight back. Protect your neck and throat. People have used rocks, jackets, garden tools, tree branches, walking sticks, fanny packs and even bare hands to turn away mountain lions.

Unfortunately, as another article points out, "[i]f a mountain lion really wants to attack you, you probably won’t see it coming. Ideally they’ll ambush you and try and crush the back of your neck with their bite." 

      Fortunately, mountain lions are generally solitary hunters. Nevertheless, I am reminded of a story I heard from co-worker. Although it is second hand, the source was credible. In any event, her undergraduate degree was in biology, and she had a friend from that time who also was a biologist and gotten a job working in Oregon to study the Northern Spotted Owl population, which involved his hiking back into the woods to perform surveys. One evening, he was late getting back to camp and had to do some of the hike in the dark. This was before the energy efficient headlamps of today, so he was conserving his batteries when possible by shutting off the lamp.  After some time of this, he began having images in his mind of mountain lions and finally was spooked enough that he turned on his lamp and saw, looking around, the reflection from the eyes of several mountain lions pacing parallel to him on either side as he was moving down the trail. They didn't attack and he was safely able to get back to his camp. But what struck him (and my co-worker) was the fact that they appeared to be cooperatively hunting.

     Finally, there is the article, "How To Deal With Venomous Snakes" by Wendy LaFever. This is a broad topic as there are several venomous snake species in North America living in widely different environments with different behaviors. The article discusses the "crotalids," (rattlesnakes), the "agkistrodons," (copperheads and cottonmouths) and the coral snakes (Eastern and Western). Fortunately, the only one in Idaho is the rattlesnake, and even that has much weaker venom than its brethren to the south. After providing a physical description of the snakes, she provides some general advice:

You should understand that none of North America's venomous snakes has a particular desire to bite you. You are far too large for them to swallow, so they can't eat you-therefore, to bite you is to waste venom. They are most likely to strike if they feel threatened. Here's how to avoid dangerous misunderstandings:

1. If you see a snake, leave it alone. Don't try to kill it or pick it up. If you need to get by it, give it a 6-foot berth.

2. Stay alert when you're climbing rocks or hiking over broken, rocky terrain. Snakes are cold-blooded and like to warm themselves on rocks when it is cool outside.

3. Don't put your hands or feet anywhere you can't see. When it's hot, snakes will cool themselves down by hiding out in cool, shady spots.

4. If you can't avoid walking through tall grass or rocky terrain, wear thick leather boots and/or snake gaiters.

 I would also add wearing thick leather gloves if you are climbing in rattlesnake country where you are having to use rocks or rocky ledges as handholds. And if you get bit?

... You might be surprised to learn that many first-aid specialists are now saying you should not do any cutting around the bite, nor should you attempt to use your mouth to extract the venom. (This can cause infections that might wind up complicating treatment for the bite.) Instead, the American Red Cross recommends you do the following:

1. Wash the bite with soap and water.
2. Immobilize the bitten area and keep it lower than the heart.
3. Get medical assistance as soon as possible.

If you're unable to get to medical care within 30 minutes, wrap a bandage 2 to 4 inches above the bite. Don't make it tight as a tourniquet: It should be loose enough to slip a finger underneath. If you have a commercial snakebite kit, you can use a suction device to help draw venom out of the wound. (Again, it's not recommended that you make any cuts around the bite to do this.)

 And keep calm (i.e., keep your heart rate and blood pressure down). I am reminded of this old joke:

        Two hunters were out in the field, and one of them thought he'd go take a dump. He squats down by a bush, and a rattlesnake was there and bites him on the ass [some variants involve other private body parts].

        "I've been bitten on the ass," he screams to his friend. He friend says, "I'll run to the truck and call it in and find out what to do." And he goes back to the truck and calls and gets the hospital on the radio. After explaining the situation, he asks the doctor, "Whatdaya want me to do?"

          And the doctor said, "What you want to do is go back down there and take your pocketknife and cut a little cross and go down there and suck all the poison out." The friend then asked, "What happens if I don't?"

          "Well, if you don't, he's going to DIE."

           So the friend returns to his buddy, and man asks: "What did the doctor say?"

           "He said you're going to DIE!" 

Related articles:

• "How to Survive a Deer or Moose Attack"--Life Hacker. 
• "You are way more likely to be killed by deer than by sharks, bears, and gators combined"--Vox. Deer are the deadliest animal on the list; bees and wasps come in second. But the article observes that while deer are the deadliest animal in the United States, deer-related fatalities most often stem from accidents, not attacks. However, the Life Hacker article, above, notes that deer, elk, and moose account for about 52 non-collision related deaths every year. 
• "Mountain Lions: Attack Man, Eat Human, Attack Dogs, Unafraid"--Ammo Land. 
• "Boy, 5, is bitten on the head and man is cut on the buttocks in separate attacks by COYOTES in Chicago"--Daily Mail. 
• "Are Predator Attacks Increasing in the United States?"--Grandview Outdoors.
• "‘Claws, Teeth Seemed To Stay’: Travis Kauffman Describes Fighting Mountain Lion In Attack"--CBS Denver. 
• "Oregon woman finds mountain lion napping in her home: 'This is wild'"--Fox News. 
• "8 CRAZY ATTACKS THAT SHOW DEER ARE FAR FROM BEING HARMLESS"--Wide Open Spaces. 
• "Crazed deer attacks woman at mailbox in Tennessee, goring repeatedly with its antlers"--WBTV.
• "Arkansas hunter dies after deer he shot got back up and attacked him, officials say"--USA Today.