personal safety while running

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  • spirytwynd
    spirytwynd Posts: 141 Member
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    I would suggest bear spray or mace. Mind you, cougars prefer to attack from behind and for a defensive option to be effective you have to see them coming. Tazer is good if you can hit them, same restriction on a gun. However, you already know that you are responsible for wherever that bullet goes and what it does until it stops. I also suggest a very loud whistle or air horn. They are lightweight, easy to carry and many wild animals don't like loud noises - they have sensitive ears. Of course, if you can run in a safer area or direction, that is better. If you don't get into a tight spot to begin with, you don't have to work yourself out of it. You can also run with your own personal SWAT team. I hear cougars hate those and will avoid them. :-) Though, for the most part, the majority of critters will avoid you if they know you are coming. Most critters prefer to avoid humans when they can.
  • spirytwynd
    spirytwynd Posts: 141 Member
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    Oh, and a little weight survival knife in a leg or arm sheath would be a good thing to carry as well. :-)
  • fleetzz
    fleetzz Posts: 962 Member
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    How about one of those 130 decibel alarms? It might scare them away without endangering you and could be loud enough to get the neighbors awake at the same time.
  • MeanderingMammal
    MeanderingMammal Posts: 7,866 Member
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    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 . . .

    You forgot the underslung grenade launcher, got to remember to lay down smoke. Also carry some claymores in case there's a need for a toilet stop and you need to set up a secure harbour area :)
  • MeanderingMammal
    MeanderingMammal Posts: 7,866 Member
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    So, if you are concerned about animals while on your workout, what do you do to protect yourself? Do you pack heat? If so, what caliber? Are there other non-lethal self protection tools that would be effective in this situation?

    As upthread, to identify the best mechanism to defend yourself you need to think about the attack profile of the threat.

    Given that the attack profile that you're concerned about is an attack from the rear with a bite to the neck then you're not going to get any notice until you've got 100-140lbs of big cat on your back with it's jaws round your neck I'm not convinced that anything is going to help except some form of body armour.
  • wannaBrunnner81
    wannaBrunnner81 Posts: 107 Member
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    I respect everyone's opinion but as part of my job i deal with wildlife attacks. In 98% of bear attacks in Alaska where bear spray was used, the person was able to stop the bear attack and was not injured. When a fire arm was used, 50% the human was injured or they shot another human not the bear, and in those case the bear was stopped only 50% of the time. So statistically you are just as likely to shoot yourself as the animal. The upside to spray v bullet is spray wont kill you.

    In my job i have personally investigated 7 wildlife / human attacks where fire arms were used to attempt to stop the attack. In 0% of the cases did the person hit / kill the attacking animal. And in one instance, a human was shot and killed by his partner.

    I am a gun advocate for personal protection against people, but with a charging animal you will only get one chance to not only hit the animal, but to protect yourself form injury your shot will have to instantly drop and kill the animal. It is my professional opinion that a gun for use on a wild animal just isnt sufficient in a close quarters charge / attack. Good luck to everyone. Sorry for this little rant but i do have first had experience.
  • chard_muncher
    chard_muncher Posts: 75 Member
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    Jesus don't bring a gun. Bring bear spray. It's easier to carry, easier to use, far more effective, and you're not going to kill yourself, someone else, or the dog you mistake for a mountain lion at 5am.
  • MyChocolateDiet
    MyChocolateDiet Posts: 22,281 Member
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    Lions and Tiguers and Coyotes...OH MY!

    I think if those were dangers I'd stay inside. Heck I don't even go outside anyways and my only danger around here are squirrels, prairie dogs and b-list celebrities.
  • Sovi_
    Sovi_ Posts: 575 Member
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    Where I ran, there were lots of cougars. They were mostly lonely and looking for young male companionship while their husbands were toiling away at the office with younger secretaries. I would never think of harming one.

    I've been attacked by one of those.
  • SexiLexi1989
    SexiLexi1989 Posts: 31 Member
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    I would carry a loaded, ready to use gun.. If that is not an option, how bout some pepper spray--the good stuff?

    A knife would be useless.
  • kelly_e_montana
    kelly_e_montana Posts: 1,999 Member
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    Try to run where's it's safer. Less traffic, less animals, less obstacles to run into.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal/Group FitnessTrainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

    That's hilarious. You can tell you live in a city.
  • kelly_e_montana
    kelly_e_montana Posts: 1,999 Member
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    For some of us, this is a real issue. There are mountain lion postings on most of the trails I run and they are in CITY PARKS. I do know how to protect myself in a bear attack (and that's also quite possible on many of my hikes), but I appreciate this post because mountain lions are huge issue in the rural/urban interfaces of the mountain west. I appreciate anyone's advice on this subject. Mountain lions routinely come into town where I live, and meeting a bear is total possibility once you get a few miles out of town (and wolves!).
  • Donald_Dozier_50
    Donald_Dozier_50 Posts: 395 Member
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    First off Montana is an open carry state and open carry would be a bit challenging while running. In order to concealed carry whether on your person, in a fanny pack or anything else, a Concealed Carry Permit is required there.
    I walk (since I am physically disabled and unable to run) late at night often and am in an area with all kinds of wild critters and always carry a firearm, then and the rest of the day everywhere legally can.
  • Platform_Heels
    Platform_Heels Posts: 388 Member
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    Try to run where's it's safer. Less traffic, less animals, less obstacles to run into.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal/Group FitnessTrainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

    That's hilarious. You can tell you live in a city.

    :laugh:

    Gotta love it don't ya?
  • DavPul
    DavPul Posts: 61,406 Member
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    IN to find out how i can learn to shoot a charging, attacking, leaping at my neck from behind mountain lion in the face with a handgun! Oh wait, I can kill attacking bears with a pistol too? In, so IN. Where do I sign up for this training?
  • SonicDeathMonkey80
    SonicDeathMonkey80 Posts: 4,489 Member
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    Screw it, just run with a shopping cart full of various weaponry. Some knives and brass knucks for close combat, a few handguns, some rifles, yes a sword, and maybe some flashbangs. Can't be too careful y'all.
  • Oi_Sunshine
    Oi_Sunshine Posts: 819 Member
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    Double post.
  • Oi_Sunshine
    Oi_Sunshine Posts: 819 Member
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    Someone I know scared off a cougar with a small air horn. No training necessary; no potential harm to you.

    They prefer to attack from above and behind, so steer clear of roads with trees on both sides, and look around a lot. Run with a friend or a dog, as they prefer lone prey. If you see one, make lots of low pitched loud noise and try to look bigger. Unzip your jacket and spread it out above your head. Running means you're prey. Screaming sounds like an injured rabbit, which would be easy prey.
  • jofjltncb6
    jofjltncb6 Posts: 34,415 Member
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    I'm not specifically knowledgeable about this, but I suspect that a caliber sufficient to deal with a mountain lion would be problematic to carry on a run...

    ...but it bothers me to carry my keys in my pocket on a run (so I tie just the one key I need to the string on my shorts). I suspect even the smallest carry would drive me insane. Possibly SOB would work, but doubtful.

    Best of luck.
  • Carrieendar
    Carrieendar Posts: 493 Member
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    I remember back when a friend and I were running up Pike's Peak in Colorado, it was recommended that we put a small bell on our packs if we weren't too afraid it would drive us insane. I did wear the bell. We had no animal issues. When we got to the camp at 10,000 ft, the guy working there told us he lost his dogs the day before to mountain lions. There were two other couples who saw mountain lions on their way up. We saw nothing....due to the bell? I have no idea. But, I would use it again :)

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