Customer Reviews

Cougar Attacks: Encounters of the Worst Kind

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Don't be confused when you see those lazy cougars in zoos, well fed swatting at flies with their tails. Kathy Etling paints a different picture of a skillful hunting and killing machine which kills with the same remorse we use when we down a Big Mac.These are not housepets you call 'kitty, kitty ' at when you see them. Chances are if you do see one its because you may be the main course tonight. This book is the ultimate authority on how surviviors escaped these predators in the past right up to today. It gives insight on the instincts of these large carnivores and is invaluable for anyone considering hiking, fishing, hunting, canoeing, or backpacking in remote areas. Not just in the mountains, cougars have been seen recently even in my home state of Missouri. Kathy Etling has done an excellent job compiling accounts and dispensing information on how you can most likely avoid one of these encounters of the worst kind. Even though she admits even if a person does all the right things still an attack may occur, it gives the outdoorman the knowledge what should be and more important, what definitely should not be done. Knowledge is power and as our two species encrouch more and more on each other attacks will occur more frequently. Like the deer, cougar populations are growing and man is destroying more and more of their habitat, forcing them to live closer to people. As they lose their natural fear of humans we all need to know how best to handle future encounter with these Jaws on Paws.

It's hard to put this book down -- the author has done a terrific job of compiling an amazing array of details on cougar attacks, and each incident is more compelling to read about than the last. With development encroaching on wilderness areas at an increasingly rapid rate, this book is a must-read for more than the "outdoorsy" sorts who hike and camp in cougar country. Indeed, as many of the accounts demonstrate, a good number of attacks occur in semi-suburban areas that most would consider completely safe. I learned a gret deal about cougar behavior (Etling interviews expert biologists in the field) and have developed a new respect for and interest in these fascinating, beautiful animals. On the practical side, you'll also learn what to do if you find yourself being stalked -- useful information that makes this book more than worth the purchase price.

I didn't know much about cougars before I read this book but I know enough to keep myself and my family reasonably safe after reading it. Yes, I was worried about the western vacation we had scheduled. Hiking in the backcountry of Montana had me fairly fearful. But by using common sense precautions, I now realize that we can have fun without worry.

The author did a lot of research on cougars and attacks and it shows. Some attacks were related in detail and others weren't, but after reading through a number of different attacks you can get a feel for what placed the victim in peril -- at least usually -- and what might have been done to defuse the situation, or, perhaps, even to have kept the attack from happening at all. I know that even when every precaution has been taken, an attack may still occur. But being attacked by a cougar is, according to a quote in this book, much less likely than being struck by lightning or being stung to death by bees, wasps or hornets. I sure don't let lightning or bees keep me from enjoying the outdoors. I just use common sense.

I would recommend this book to anyone thinking of venturing into cougar country. I would even recommend it to someone who just wanted to learn more about mountain lions and how and why they attack.

I live on Vancouver Island, the cougar capital of North America and this book was a real eye-opener for me. It is well-written and thoroughly researched and should be read by anyone who spends time in areas frequented by these magnificent cats. It not only gives a complete history of North American cougar attacks but gives solid useful advice if this ever happens to you. Highly recommended.

Kathy Etling has finally given the public a true picture of what can & does happen when mt. lions & people occupy the same space. Unfortunately there has been a lot of misinformation published on this subject. Lions are opportunistic killing machines. Put yourself in the right place at the wrong time & you may find yourself on the dinner menu. I am a hunting Outfitter here in Montana, I have spent almost 30 years tracking & being tracked by mt. lions. An adult lion is quite capable of killing an adult moose, I have seen where this has happened. Lions do not just feed on the weak & the disabled, as some would have you believe. A lion will kill at least 1 deer sized animal per week besides the smaller animals that it can catch. They do not always return to a kill to finish eating it & sometimes just kill for the pleasure of it. I have personally tracked lions that have made multiple kills in one night, the most being 7 adult whitetails. 4 of these were antlered bucks.

This book should be required reading for all Fish & Game personell who are involved in the setting of seasons for hunting mt lions. Our mt lion population is continueing to rise, more encounters are going to happen & more people will find themselves examining the digestive system of these cats from the inside. Kathy has done an excellent job with her research in compiling the most complete collection of lion attacks that I have ever seen. She links these reports together with her honest writing ability. No frills & no warm & fuzzy feelings, just truthfull advise on how to keep yourself alive & in one piece if & when you find yourself on a lower link of the food chain than you are accostomed to.

Kathy Etling puts the increasing cougar concerns in a readable prospective that is a must read for every outdoorsman and woman. Etling covers various cougar attacks on humans, both fatal and non-fatal attacks, from as far back as the 1700s. But she covers them two ways: First comes the account of the attack, as it happened, which also serves as a lesson for modern-day outdoorsmen to study. Second, Kathy uses the appendix to list the attacks again as a quick reference. As interesting as these accounts are, the meat of the book comes from the chapters about the biology of a cougar and the anatomy of an attack. Here Kathy helps readers understand why cougars do what they do. Readers can carry that information forward to deal with mountain lion encounters. And Kathy goes into detail about what to do should that possibility occur. Anyone interested in the animals that inhabit our nation will find this an interesting book. If you and your family enjoy camping, fishing, mountain biking, hiking or hunting, this book is a necessity.

In reference to another reviewer in this listing, this specific book does a fine job of giving the reader a realistic view of the true nature of the cougar and it's interactions with humans in the present day. I live in a section of central coastal Oregon where the season is extended past the normal dates due to the amount of activity and damage from Cougars. We have to close down school yards, drive kids to school and essentially alter our daily routines (running,biking,walking pets etc..) to protect ourselves. There are "Cougar Drills" in our classrooms. While I understand the image folks have of "the bad hunters", were it not not for legislation limiting hunting these magnificent animals, we would in all probability, not be forced to deal with the current resurgence and growing numbers of mountain lions in such a negative way.

Several compelling and hard-to-put-down books have been written about this subject. This isn't one of them. It can't be faulted on facts, but the writing is dry; it creates no atmosphere and never makes the people involved in these tragedies seem like real people and so evokes no compassion at all. "(VICTIM'S NAME)was attacked by a (MALE/FEMALE) cougar while he was (CAMPING/HIKING/PICKING HIS NOSE) in (LOCATION) on (DATE). (NUMBER) stitches were required. The cougar (WAS SHOT/GOT AWAY/IS SITTING ON YOUR DOORSTEP AS YOU READ THIS)."
For people interested in facts, compassion and good writing on this subject, I recommend TRUE STORIES AND HARD LESSONS FROM COUGAR COUNTRY and THE BEAST IN THE GARDEN. They are almost impossible to put down, without being sensationalist.

As a resident of the foothills of the San Gabriel Mountains in SoCal, news of cougar sightings within blocks of home is not unusual. However, the info I had about these animals came from Disney wildlife movies of my childhood...major changes in wildlife habitat since then.

This book should be required reading for anyone living in or near cougar habitat, especially for those who run, hike or bike wilderness trails. It could insure that a chance encounter or sighting of this predator be an exciting memory, not another grisly news story.

And it is an excellent read...ample facts, professional observations and insights, compassion and common sense about the animals as well as the humans involved.

This book is not just for those who camp, fish, hunt, or visit state or national parks. On the contrary, it is for all adults living in the U.S. because cougars are moving into areas they've never been seen in before, mostly due to their hunting grounds being overrun by never-ending commercial development. Attacks are somewhat rare but are definitely on the rise and are not always reported in the mainstream media. Most likely you won't finish this book quickly, but it should be left by your reading chair and completed eventually as it chock full of ideas and lists of things to consider that may one day save your life or that of your child or beloved pet. Of course you will read about people being killed by cougars and the circumstances but also about people thwarting attacks due to quick, intelligent action. You will learn when not to hike, especially where big cats are protected (hint: during a drought when deer are not plentiful), what terrain cougars prefer, etc. What you don't want to do is wait until you notice a frightening flash of movement in the brush before learning about cougars and what actions you'll take or what weapon(s) you'll need. We can all still enjoy the great outdoors; we just need to be smart about it instead of tra-la-la-ing through the experience like so many of us are inclined to do.