personal safety while running

meganjcallaghan

Lots of cougars out and about in the wooded areas where I run. And bears. They've never given me any trouble, but the last time I saw one I was about twice the size and probably looked like too big a meal. They didn't want anything to go to waste.

comrade_questions

We have bear spray up here in AK. Maybe some kind of thing like that?

iggyboo93

Not sure about cougars but we have bears where I live but have heard of very few encounters with them. I heard on the radio that you can tell the type of bears in the area by their poop. If it has nuts and berries in it - it's typically a brown bear pooh. If it has bells in it and smells like pepper spray, it's grizzly bear pooh.

I don't know... if you live in an area with critters, you generally understand the risks. However, that doesn't mean you don't acknowledge the risks. I would probably take the wise advice of the posters here and walk/run with a friend, carry bear spray and not use headphones.

CraziiMaddii

I can relate to this. Being hassled by dogs all the time. It sucks.

SingingSingleTracker

I have little concern over creepers or personal attacks of that nature. I'm worried about animals. More importantly, I'm worried about Mountain Lions. There have been numerous reports in the surrounding area lately of Mountain Lion attacks - none on people yet but they have been getting dogs - big dogs, like 200 lb great Danes.

Your real worry should be cars, trucks, and dogs. A mountain lion attack on a human is very, very rare.

From the Mountain Lion Foundation...

ARE MOUNTAIN LIONS DANGEROUS?

To deer, yes! To people, not so much. Human encounters with mountain lions are rare and the risk of an attack is infinitely small. You are more likely to drown in your bathtub, be killed by a pet dog, or hit by lightning. If lions had any natural urge to hunt people, there would be attacks every single day. Instead, they avoid us.

But if you live, work, or play in cat country, be alert! Avoid walking alone between dusk and dawn when lions are most active. Keep your children and pets close to you. Never approach or corner a mountain lion (or any wild animal). If you do encounter a mountain lion, STOP. DO NOT RUN. Unlike safety advice for encountering bears, do not act timid or play dead in front of a cat.

Instead: Maintain eye contact. Stand tall. Look bigger by opening your coat or raising your arms. Slowly wave your arms and speak firmly. Throw items at the lion if necessary. Give the cat room and time to move on.

In the rare event of an attack, fight back. Most people succeed in driving the mountain lion away.

sjohnny

I open carry a 357 Magnum revolver with a 4" barrel when I'm hiking. I've ran with it before too and didn't find it too uncomfortable. I think it's all what you get used to carrying. I think a 357 magnum or 10 mm is the bare minimum for protection though. If you shoot a predatory animal with a .380 caliber, you might scratch his itch but you're not going to stop it.

I only jog in full kit with a 7.62 mm rifle. Everyone else is zombie/bear/mountain lion food . . .

pfft. .375 H&H double rifle or GTFO. I like to have a PH run with me. He carries a .416 Rigby. And he brews a great cup of coffee.

sjohnny

I have little concern over creepers or personal attacks of that nature. I'm worried about animals. More importantly, I'm worried about Mountain Lions. There have been numerous reports in the surrounding area lately of Mountain Lion attacks - none on people yet but they have been getting dogs - big dogs, like 200 lb great Danes.

Your real worry should be cars, trucks, and dogs. A mountain lion attack on a human is very, very rare.

From the Mountain Lion Foundation...

ARE MOUNTAIN LIONS DANGEROUS?

To deer, yes! To people, not so much. Human encounters with mountain lions are rare and the risk of an attack is infinitely small. You are more likely to drown in your bathtub, be killed by a pet dog, or hit by lightning. If lions had any natural urge to hunt people, there would be attacks every single day. Instead, they avoid us.

But if you live, work, or play in cat country, be alert! Avoid walking alone between dusk and dawn when lions are most active. Keep your children and pets close to you. Never approach or corner a mountain lion (or any wild animal). If you do encounter a mountain lion, STOP. DO NOT RUN. Unlike safety advice for encountering bears, do not act timid or play dead in front of a cat.

Instead: Maintain eye contact. Stand tall. Look bigger by opening your coat or raising your arms. Slowly wave your arms and speak firmly. Throw items at the lion if necessary. Give the cat room and time to move on.

In the rare event of an attack, fight back. Most people succeed in driving the mountain lion away.

I'm glad I read this. I'm getting rid of my pet dogs and never bathing again.

Thank you.


And now back to coffee.

RINat612

My recommendation is based on what your perceived threat is. I carry a .380 Auto as my every day carry. You will always run into some gun enthusiasts who insist on carrying large calibers. Both of my parents carry 22LR. Either of these can kill a human easily. But then again that is the threat I am carrying to protect against.

You say Mountain Lions are the threat in your area? I would say a 9mm, 38 Special, or 357 would also do just fine. Anything larger would be overkill and would most likely bother you while running.

Most importantly, please only carry if you are competent in the safe handling of your firearm. Practice, practice, practice! Go to a range or appropriate area on your property. Take a NRA gun class. And make sure you have your CCL (if required where you live) if you plan on not open carrying.

Stay safe.

EDIT: I see some here talking about bears. My brother who lived in Alaska for 14 years said locals carried nothing smaller than a 45, but typically 44mag. Bears are an entirely different animal. Their skulls are thick enough to stop many mid range calibers. And I am against using many forms of pepper spray. The back spray is just too unpredictable. Especially if the area you run in is windy.

mreichard

I'm replying to this thread in case my experience might be helpful.

Years ago when my wife and I were hiking in the Osa Peninsula in Costa Rica, we encountered and photographed a puma. He had apparently been sleeping in a tree and was disturbed by a troupe of howler monkeys passing through. He fell from the tree about 15 feet from us, walked around the tree a couple of times, looked at us, then jumped and climbed up out of sight. The encounter lasted probably about a minute, although it seemed much longer.

Some observations:

1. It did not occur to us to be consciously afraid of the puma until after he was gone. We were so excited to see him that we stepped closer to get a better look. Even so, the pictures I took were crap --- my hands were shaking so much that he was only partially in frame in all of them. I have only rarely fired a gun, but I've taken a ton of animal photos and been around lots of big potentially dangerous animals in the wild (bears, coyotes, moose, -- even orcas while kayaking). Never had that kind of adrenaline before (except maybe during a bar fight I got into in my 20s), and this was a puma acting sleepy, lazy and like a big housecat. I could never have hit him with a gun or bear spray.

2. We got pretty scared after he left, and the insane racket of the howler monkeys did not help. We would have felt much better with a gun or a can of bear spray.

So, based on that experience, I would say

1. I think it's really, really unlikely that a gun would be any help at all in protecting you against a puma.

2. I think it would be very likely to make you feel better. As long as you know how to carry it safely and don't accidentally shoot someone else (a real danger, per the warden's comments above), I'd say have at it.

HTH.

h7463

Hi there! I live WAY out in the woods with a variety of hungry critters around. When I make my rounds on the farm and through the woods (my case, it's all private property, careful about the laws when passing through private property or state parks, and especially school property), walking or jogging, I always carry (yes, also got a permit...). For the dusty and/or sweaty environment, I can recommend S&W 642 Airweight 38 Spl. Relatively light, easy to clean, and it will still fire after having been on a dirty hay truck all day. Also, I can recommend a Weimaraner dog as companion. They were originally bred for hunting large game, they can run forever, and they are outstanding as family dog and personal bodyguard without the bad image of breeds like Rottweilers, e.g. They bark a bit, can be quite clingy, but they are fiercely loyal. If you are running across an area with snakes, a dog will sniff those out, and he will clear a path for you.
It has been my experience. that my canine companions will be aware of anything unusual much faster than a jogger with headphones. I'd rather have my dog hold off an attack, until I catch my breath and get a clean shot. That's probably applicable for any predator, 2- or 4-legged alike.
Pepper spray isn't a good idea, IMO, in any case outdoors. The wind is too unpredictable, and I would hate to just spice myself up with it before becoming cougar lunch....
Another idea: Consider another human running buddy! 2 people make a lot more noise than one silent runner. Some predators might not even be interested in dining options with multiple choices...
Have fun and stay safe!

sjohnny

I'm replying to this thread in case my experience might be helpful.

Years ago when my wife and I were hiking in the Osa Peninsula in Costa Rica, we encountered and photographed a puma. He had apparently been sleeping in a tree and was disturbed by a troupe of howler monkeys passing through. He fell from the tree about 15 feet from us, walked around the tree a couple of times, looked at us, then jumped and climbed up out of sight. The encounter lasted probably about a minute, although it seemed much longer.

Some observations:

1. It did not occur to us to be consciously afraid of the puma until after he was gone. We were so excited to see him that we stepped closer to get a better look. Even so, the pictures I took were crap --- my hands were shaking so much that he was only partially in frame in all of them. I have only rarely fired a gun, but I've taken a ton of animal photos and been around lots of big potentially dangerous animals in the wild (bears, coyotes, moose, -- even orcas while kayaking). Never had that kind of adrenaline before (except maybe during a bar fight I got into in my 20s), and this was a puma acting sleepy, lazy and like a big housecat. I could never have hit him with a gun or bear spray.

2. We got pretty scared after he left, and the insane racket of the howler monkeys did not help. We would have felt much better with a gun or a can of bear spray.

So, based on that experience, I would say

1. I think it's really, really unlikely that a gun would be any help at all in protecting you against a puma.

2. I think it would be very likely to make you feel better. As long as you know how to carry it safely and don't accidentally shoot someone else (a real danger, per the warden's comments above), I'd say have at it.

HTH.

So the adrenaline had you shaking so much you don't think you could have hit the animal if you'd shot at it but you still recommend carrying a gun. :huh:

I don't think I've had enough coffee.

jeepyj93

Here in the Canadian Rockies carrying a handgun is not an option we carry bear spray. I run and hike with it all the time. You soon get so used to it you don't notice it on your belt anymore than a water bottle.

shunggie

I would carry one of those VERY LOUD noise makers like they have at sporting events. I think that would scare the crap out of a cougar and not be lethal or dangerous to you or the animal.

RINat612

Hi there! I live WAY out in the woods with a variety of hungry critters around. When I make my rounds on the farm and through the woods (my case, it's all private property, careful about the laws when passing through private property or state parks, and especially school property), walking or jogging, I always carry (yes, also got a permit...). For the dusty and/or sweaty environment, I can recommend S&W 642 Airweight 38 Spl. Relatively light, easy to clean, and it will still fire after having been on a dirty hay truck all day. Also, I can recommend a Weimaraner dog as companion. They were originally bred for hunting large game, they can run forever, and they are outstanding as family dog and personal bodyguard without the bad image of breeds like Rottweilers, e.g. They bark a bit, can be quite clingy, but they are fiercely loyal. If you are running across an area with snakes, a dog will sniff those out, and he will clear a path for you.
It has been my experience. that my canine companions will be aware of anything unusual much faster than a jogger with headphones. I'd rather have my dog hold off an attack, until I catch my breath and get a clean shot. That's probably applicable for any predator, 2- or 4-legged alike.
Pepper spray isn't a good idea, IMO, in any case outdoors. The wind is too unpredictable, and I would hate to just spice myself up with it before becoming cougar lunch....
Another idea: Consider another human running buddy! 2 people make a lot more noise than one silent runner. Some predators might not even be interested in dining options with multiple choices...
Have fun and stay safe!

QFT

38SPC + A good dog. Dogs bred specially can sniff out trouble waaaaay faster than a human.