Lions in Utah

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We're in northeastern Utah, near the Wyoming and Colorado borders. We definitely live in lion country. The hills just above our house where we ride horseback are rocky, with caves and outcroppings. I always ride armed.

A few years back a Utah ranchhand was attacked by a lion while he was on horseback. Reader's Digest printed the story, if any of you happen to recall. My husband talked to him a few days after the attack. The Digest version was a little off, but close enough. Donnie had carried a gun for 40 years, but had quit carrying a couple of years before the attack. He's carrying again.

On May 19 of this year a Quarterhorse foal was killed just 3 miles north of us. I have graphic photos of the aftermath. If any dogooder enviros want to see them, I'd be glad to share. They're quite gruesome. One mare in the pasture happened to have shoes on. We think she chased the lion away after it killed & partially consumed another mare's foal. The mare with shoes was very pregnant and had claw marks on her rump and face. She foaled the next morning.

About 5 years ago a full grown female was seen crossing the fence next to our house and headed off through a cornfield across the road. We were calving in corrals near the house. I do night checks and I did them all with a rifle or a pistol in my hand for the rest of the season.

Coyotes are a problem here, too, and I hear them every night. Livestock owners pretty well keep them in check, especially when they start getting too numerous and attacking calves and sheep.

Wolves are now moving down from Wyoming. We are essentially in the foothills of the east-west range of mountains between us and Wyoming. Wolves have been seen for some time in those mountains, but DNR always claims they must be wolf hybrids. Only this year did they finally admit one of the wolves from a Yellowstone pack had been near Logan, UT. We're 5 hours from there by road, but they are in our mountains, too.

I don't advocate jumping out of your car and randomly shooting at a lion, but I do plan and am prepared when out where I might encounter one.

When I lived in Montana, I was in the mountains for a drive one day and came across a cougar drinking from a rock waterhole. It was the most magnificent sight I've ever had the privilege to behold. But, then I was safely in my vehicle . . .
 
Fear ,Hype and hysteria, you are more likely to hurt youself with your gun than a lion hurting you..I am not a dogooder,tree hugger, or enviro, just a real person that believes everything has a place on this planet. I do not know the total number of dead cows, horses,or people attacked and/or killed by Lions,Bears, wolves,or coyota, but would bet more are killed by Dogs than the above listed animals... I would also bet 100 if not a 1000 times more people are killed and/or hurt by hand guns. I am not wanting to do away with guns, I just fine it funny that we always side step the big picture...Alf...

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Were you speaking specifically to me about hurting myself with my gun, Alf? If so, then you obviously don't anything about me.

If I were living in fear I wouldn't be riding in the hills now, would I? Hysterical is about the last description those who know me would use to describe me. Hype? Come on now! Let's be real. Which city do you live in, anyway?

Riding armed in lion country is only using common sense. I would not shoot a lion that was not threatening me, but I definitely would rather shoot a lion than be eaten.

Lions are here and they definitely have a history of attacks on humans in our area.

Donnie definitely would disagree with you.

I would bet if a lion were chewing on your head, or landed on your back, as did the lion that attacked Donnie, you would be singing a different song.

> Fear ,Hype and hysteria, you are
> more likely to hurt youself with
> your gun than a lion hurting
> you..I am not a dogooder,tree
> hugger, or enviro, just a real
> person that believes everything
> has a place on this planet. I do
> not know the total number of dead
> cows, horses,or people attacked
> and/or killed by Lions,Bears,
> wolves,or coyota, but would bet
> more are killed by Dogs than the
> above listed animals... I would
> also bet 100 if not a 1000 times
> more people are killed and/or hurt
> by hand guns. I am not wanting to
> do away with guns, I just fine it
> funny that we always side step the
> big picture...Alf...
 
Lets see, frist I was talking to everyone, second prehaps I do not care to know you, and third if you had read the other post, prerhaps you would have cought on to the fact these people were talking about jumping out of there cars on a public road to take pop shots a cats and things they precieve to be cats.. But as a fact I do not know you or your habits, I do not know you , your Personally likes or dislikes , your abilities with guns or your knowledge about the outdoors. I also know that you know nothing of me, or my abilites,training,education,only prehaps a few of my opions. I know you should not assume that I live in a city, or on a large ranch, or anything else. Because you do not know, and you emotions about lions, and guns , are just you emotions. ...Alf... > Were you speaking specifically to
> me about hurting myself with my
> gun, Alf? If so, then you
> obviously don't anything about me.

> If I were living in fear I
> wouldn't be riding in the hills
> now, would I? Hysterical is about
> the last description those who
> know me would use to describe me.
> Hype? Come on now! Let's be real.
> Which city do you live in, anyway?

> Riding armed in lion country is
> only using common sense. I would
> not shoot a lion that was not
> threatening me, but I definitely
> would rather shoot a lion than be
> eaten.

> Lions are here and they definitely
> have a history of attacks on
> humans in our area.

> Donnie definitely would disagree
> with you.

> I would bet if a lion were chewing
> on your head, or landed on your
> back, as did the lion that
> attacked Donnie, you would be
> singing a different song.



[email protected]
 
Just checking, Alf. You really should have clarified your comments in your previous post, but thank you for doing so belatedly.

I still don't agree with you and I think you are talking through your hat, but let's agree to disagree.

> Lets see, frist I was talking to
> everyone, second prehaps I do not
> care to know you, and third if you
> had read the other post, prerhaps
> you would have cought on to the
> fact these people were talking
> about jumping out of there cars on
> a public road to take pop shots a
> cats and things they precieve to
> be cats.. But as a fact I do not
> know you or your habits, I do not
> know you , your Personally likes
> or dislikes , your abilities with
> guns or your knowledge about the
> outdoors. I also know that you
> know nothing of me, or my
> abilites,training,education,only
> prehaps a few of my opions. I know
> you should not assume that I live
> in a city, or on a large ranch, or
> anything else. Because you do not
> know, and you emotions about
> lions, and guns , are just you
> emotions. ...Alf... > Were you
> speaking specifically to
 
Frankly I don not care if you agree with me or not. I do see, that any animal that is to friendly or acustom to people can be a threat, espically large predators,that needs lots of room to exist. I also know of more than one person that has been killed or injured by bucket raised Bull calves. I do not think that this is reason enought to destory every bottle calf in the world, although.A.L.F....

[email protected]
 
There has been reports of lion spottings throughout eastern Oregon. Where I am at is serious ranch country! The ranchers are on edge with the lions and increased number of coyotes this winter! When I was in California there were lion sightings as near as Sacramento as anyone have seen them in years! So far there has been no one been killed but heard livestock has been killed by lions.

> We're in northeastern Utah, near
> the Wyoming and Colorado borders.
> We definitely live in lion
> country. The hills just above our
> house where we ride horseback are
> rocky, with caves and
> outcroppings. I always ride armed.

> A few years back a Utah ranchhand
> was attacked by a lion while he
> was on horseback. Reader's Digest
> printed the story, if any of you
> happen to recall. My husband
> talked to him a few days after the
> attack. The Digest version was a
> little off, but close enough.
> Donnie had carried a gun for 40
> years, but had quit carrying a
> couple of years before the attack.
> He's carrying again.

> On May 19 of this year a
> Quarterhorse foal was killed just
> 3 miles north of us. I have
> graphic photos of the aftermath.
> If any dogooder enviros want to
> see them, I'd be glad to share.
> They're quite gruesome. One mare
> in the pasture happened to have
> shoes on. We think she chased the
> lion away after it killed &
> partially consumed another mare's
> foal. The mare with shoes was very
> pregnant and had claw marks on her
> rump and face. She foaled the next
> morning.

> About 5 years ago a full grown
> female was seen crossing the fence
> next to our house and headed off
> through a cornfield across the
> road. We were calving in corrals
> near the house. I do night checks
> and I did them all with a rifle or
> a pistol in my hand for the rest
> of the season.

> Coyotes are a problem here, too,
> and I hear them every night.
> Livestock owners pretty well keep
> them in check, especially when
> they start getting too numerous
> and attacking calves and sheep.

> Wolves are now moving down from
> Wyoming. We are essentially in the
> foothills of the east-west range
> of mountains between us and
> Wyoming. Wolves have been seen for
> some time in those mountains, but
> DNR always claims they must be
> wolf hybrids. Only this year did
> they finally admit one of the
> wolves from a Yellowstone pack had
> been near Logan, UT. We're 5 hours
> from there by road, but they are
> in our mountains, too.

> I don't advocate jumping out of
> your car and randomly shooting at
> a lion, but I do plan and am
> prepared when out where I might
> encounter one.

> When I lived in Montana, I was in
> the mountains for a drive one day
> and came across a cougar drinking
> from a rock waterhole. It was the
> most magnificent sight I've ever
> had the privilege to behold. But,
> then I was safely in my vehicle .
> . .
 

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