Before the recent predatory killing of a woman in Colorado by a mountain lion, there were a number of warning events. Kristen Marie Kovatch was killed by a mountain lion on January 1 in Larimer County. According to the Denver Gazette, there were five confrontations with lions in the area from October 28 through December 23. Only one of the incidents involved the killing of a lion that was attacking a dog in the owner’s yard.
The Denver Gazette article gleans three lessons from the series of events. The third is a set of recommendations about what to do if confronted by a lion in the wild.
And third – if a mountain lion is encountered in the wild, hazing it away is the proper approach opposed to attempting to run. Running can trigger a chase response, while hazing it away by throwing objects in its direction can get it to leave an area or back off. Loud noises can work, too. It’s important not to crouch down and to keep your eyes on the mountain lion while retreating, as well. Mountain lion attacks are extremely rare, but it’s important to know what to do if you happen to spot one in the area.
What is blatantly missing is advice to carry a weapon for defense when walking or hiking in lion country.
Mountain lions are not known to absorb large amounts of lead or to continue attacking when wounded. Colorado is an open carry state. No license is required to carry in nearly all outdoor areas, except in Denver. Counties may have the ability to regulate open carry, it does not appear to be utilized outside of Denver. In a vehicle, if you do not have a concealed carry permit, firearms are prohibited from having a round in the chamber.
Handguns are now so inexpensive, effective, and light, it is easy to obtain one and carry it. Lightweight semi-automatics are commonly available for under $200. Lightweight revolvers run a bit more. The KelTec P17 weighs 14 ounces loaded with 16 LR cartridges. It has recently been on sale for $159. The Smith & Wesson 351 PD revolver only weighs 15.4 ounces loaded with 7 rounds of .22 magnum cartridges. It can be had for about $700. The Ruger LCRX revolver weighs about 15 ounces and is available in .38 special, .357 magnum, .22 LR and .22 magnum for about $500.
Any handgun carried for self-defense could work well against a mountain lion.
There does not appear to be any incidents where mountain lions killed or severely injured people who were armed with any firearm. Conversely, there have been several incidents where people who were armed with firearms killed and/or drove off aggressive mountain lions.
The most recent successful defense was near Buckeye, Arizona. In 2023, an archery hunter shot and killed a mountain lion in self-defense in rural Wisconsin, using a bow and arrow! An attacking mountain lion was driven off with a Glock pistol in a video appearing in 2022. There are other documented examples, including 12-year-old Alyssa Caldwell, who killed a big Mountain Lion that was stalking her in October of 2014. A 12-year-old girl would not ordinarily be a match for a mountain lion. Alyssa’s rifle and skill made all the difference.
It appears there were four different incidents where mountain lions approached people, killed dogs, or had to be driven off in the three months in the area before Kristen Marie Kovatch was killed. It is likely that if any of the people in the four incidents were armed, they could have killed or severely wounded a lion, preventing it from killing Kovatch.
Mountain lion attacks have increased as mountain lion populations have expanded over the last 50 years. Being armed is insurance against these rare events as much as against more common attacks by dogs or human predators.
About Dean Weingarten:
Dean Weingarten has been a peace officer, a military officer, was on the University of Wisconsin Pistol Team for four years, and was first certified to teach firearms safety in 1973. He taught the Arizona concealed carry course for fifteen years until the goal of Constitutional Carry was attained. He has degrees in meteorology and mining engineering, and retired from the Department of Defense after a 30 year career in Army Research, Development, Testing, and Evaluation.
If you act like prey you will become prey. Always be carrying, that way you can defend yourself and others if needed. Stay aware of your surroundings. Keep your head out of your phone. Discretion is always the better part of valor. If the predator shows consistent interest in you do what you have to do to survive. You can’t out run a cat. The woman might have lived had she or someone else been armed and willing to use it. This works for all types of predators. A 22lr will work on large cats but, I think that Ole… Read more »
I live in one of OK’s largest cities. I’ve encountered mountain lions several times while hunting in the area; haven’t had to shoot one, yet. I also spotted one within a mile from my house and a major university, crossing a sidewalk used by many jogging college students. Like many wild animals, cougars are adapting to human expansion, and are learning to survive in suburbia. I’m generally always carrying anyway, but especially in the woods. Better safe than sorry. Besides my hunting prey, I have had to shoot aggressive domestic dogs that had gone feral, coyotes, and one rabid rabbit.… Read more »
The granola crowd can’t seem to understand that a Mountain Lion can & WILL carry a grown adult off once they’ve killed them with surprising ease. Hell, I’m 6’4″ & go around 250lbs. A mature tom would carry me off like I was a paper napkin! That’s why “murder kitties” scare me the most!
Sure, a bear will kill you just as easily. A pack of wolves as well. But you’ll hear them coming. You’ll never hear a Mountain Lion until it’s too late & THAT’S the REALLY scary part!
I’ve had three encounters with pumas in my yard. On two occasions they retreated, but in the third incident the cat crouched as though ready to pounce. I fired one shot and he flipped and fled. I never did find out if I actually hit him.
There are many reasons one would only be armed with a 22 pistol.
Predators that approach to close to humans should be shot as a matter course.
Not sure I would suggest a .22 in the backwoods but would rather choose a larger caliber.
Hunting buddy watched a mountain lion run across our pasture in SE Putnam County….Northcentral MO….in 2005 Nov rifle deer season. NO, it was not a bobcat. One was killed south of Kirksville near La Plata later. One was captured on trail cam on a jogging trail in West St. Louis County about 20 miles due west of the St. Louis Mississippi River front, as confirmed by MO Dept of Conservation. Thankfully, someone was NOT jogging at the wrong time. We NEVER go out of the lodge on our property without a firearm that will do the job. BREAKING NEWS!!! Mountain… Read more »
Did anyone ever wonder why so many women are attacked by mountain lions, black bears and grizzly bears? Could these women be having their monthly period? And the scent attracts predators? Just read a article that said a bill introduced in Colorado legislation would require gun barrels to have serial numbers, the buyer would have to go through a background check to purchase a gun barrel, fill out forms. This is another step to keep track of gun parts. Next on the gun banning politicians list is to have serial numbers on magazines and have buyers fill out forms, get… Read more »
Cats like these are rare in my neck of the woods (mostly bears), but I have seen them. That’s why I carry nothing less than 10MM, and when practical, my AR-10!
While participating in the Land Navigation Course at the Marine Corps Mountain Warfare Training Center, Bridgeport Ca. our team came upon lion tracks while trekking to our check point grid coordinates just before dark. Didn’t see the cat but it made for an uneasy night.