"Mountain Lion on the driveway Daddy!"

[winnre]

Those words got me hopping out of bed rather fast this morning. We know we have a mountain lion around but it helps keep the coyote population down.

I hopped out of bed, opened the safe, grabbed the 30-30 and ears, and ran out the front door. The driveway was clear, well what I could see of it. The light morning breeze rutled the leaves enough for me to not have an advantage in hearing any animal sounds. Then I saw movement.

The tail looked like the mountain lion. It went behind a tree. A moment later more movement through the brush about 30 feet away. That's about the closest I want to get to anything unfriendly. I wait, hoping it will leave on its own and not come to the house. I hear fast movement through the brush, and chamber a round.

Coyote at fifteen feet.

Now do I have only a coyote, or do I have prey, with the cat nearby? Not something I want to find out if I do not have to. But this is only feet from my house and I want the critters to play nicely elsewhere. Or eat one another elsewhere, I don't care.

The coyote has his head down and his eyes up, looking at me through the trees. I shoulder the Winchester. We wait.

He turns his head and I see a gold flash under his chin. It's a tag. It's one mangey family pet. Uglier than a coyote actually. I hear people approaching and disarm. A little girl runs into the bushes, grabs the dog, and pulls it back into the group.

I go inside, unload, and put the gun and ears away.

I am posting this because any time I pull out a firearm I run an after action report on myself. I have had a few incidents which I had posted here, from something on my roof to the wife shooting at an animal coming over a fence. I just want to learn from mistakes and maybe pass any info on to folks here.

1. I got into the safe fast. Keypad, not dial. Worth the $100 right there. So I know I can do it. I do not even recall pressing the numbers.

2. First three long guns are 30-30, shotgun, and 22. I selected the 30-30 over the shotgun due to the proximity and type of animal. A mountain lion is serious. Would a 20ga be a better choice, looking back?

3. Ears were in the safe too. Not my favorite ones so I had no mic for sound, but they were ears nonetheless. So happy they were easy to find. What idiot made them black? Now I want white ones.

4. Got the family safe before checking on anything.

5. Knew my backstop. Checked that first actually.

6. Locked and loaded only when I felt it absolutely necessary.

7. Confirmed my target, or in this case the lack thereof.

8. Disarmed at first sign of a safe environment.

9. Stayed close to the house the entire time. I'm not on the hunt to find it, I just want it to not hang out on the driveway.

10. Unchambered the firearm and put everything back where I found it.

11. Checked with family, the had locked the door in case it came in.

Mountain lion still at large,
Coyotes still roaming about,
One more stupid dog living nearby.

So how was YOUR morning?

[S.A.]

Oh no! Wait till this forums "trained operators" see this. They will point out all the things you did wrong! LOL. Seriously, glad nothing went wrong.

[crackerman]

On phone so I assume you live in the wilds or urban wilderness interface.

All is good except for having gone so far as to bring a gun to the fight it should have been a locked and loaded gun. What if it was a mt lion and you just we t click. Also why the hell would you leave the safety of 4 solid walls to play on its turf? Tactically bad idea( subject to change if you had family or livestock to protect).

[Rockit]

You should never have gone outside! Round the family up in an inner room and lock the doors.... and call animal control.....leave that commando stuff to the pros!!!!

I prob would have skipped the ears. I would want 100% of my hearing while checking it out.

[Eldraque]

seems like you did a great job protecting your turf. both the rifle and shotgun were good choices. However like others mentioned, chamber a round before you even leave the house, if you feel you need a gun, then make sure its ready to fire.

[winnre]

With time to think about this, yes I think going out hot is a good idea. There is no safety on the gun other than not touching the trigger, and I am adept enough with it so as to load a round while raising to my shoulder. Which makes me think hey go out with it already on my shoulder.

I wonder why my AR is at the back of the safe now. I carried it for the war so I know the platform, oh wait, bullet button, that's right. It's not of much use that way. That irks me.

Stay inside? Yes, but the cat has been trouble up here, plenty of us are on the watch for it. It ate a German Shepherd not long ago.

[Eldraque]

Which makes me think hey go out with it already on my shoulder.

I wonder why my AR is at the back of the safe now. I carried it for the war so I know the platform, oh wait, bullet button, that's right. It's not of much use that way. That irks me.

I would've had it on my shoulder..big cats are nothing to mess with.

and that's the point lol. it doesn't make sense for civilians to have fully functioning "combat weapons". when would you ever need to use a combat weapon? cmon now

[uhlan1]

Well...firstly, you can't just whack a mountain lion cutting through your yard if it isn't endangering family or property (dogs, livestock). You're going to have some legal issues I think had you. I believe they are still protected. They are also extremely fast, quiet, powerful and like to ambush. They're pro's at ambush. Could easily walk right by or under it and not know until too late. Much rather deal with a human.
I'm assuming your family and pets were inside. I think you should have done the same, taken some cool pics if it were indeed a mountain lion. Regardless, I wouldn't have used ears. Your senses have to be fully functional.
I have mountain lions around and we have livestock. I keep handy a tricked out 870 with some nasty rounds. Thankfully, horses are rather dangerous prey for a lion so in our area, they stick to mostly deer in the area which are plentiful with the occasional chicken or goat thrown in for variety.
And no, I'm not a bloody "operator", just my 2 cents.

[redcliff]

Ear muffs... really?

[StratORcaster]

Did you do combat rolls on the way out the front door?? Dude.... Poor form, IMO. Cougars are protected. Time to go on an out of state hunt?

[winnre]

I'm too old for cougars. But they ask if I have a son. :-)

As for pets, I was not 100% aware of where they were and was not about to turn my back to find out.

I'd not shoot unless it was a threat to me. I hope it got a wiff of my scent and left the area.

[winnre]

I'm too old for cougars. But they ask if I have a son. :-)

As for pets, I was not 100% aware of where they were and was not about to turn my back to find out.

I'd not shoot unless it was a threat to me. I hope it got a wiff of my scent and left the area.

[uhlan1]

"A moment later more movement through the brush about 30 feet away"

Do you have any concept how fast a cougar can cover 30 feet? You'll get the gun maybe halfway to your shoulder. Or it's a juvenile and mom is off to the left, or in the tree above you.
Man, stay in the house. No one was in danger. Why go look for it.
Winnre...it's what's for breakfast.

[uhlan1]

Up to a year in jail and a 10k fine.

4800. Mountain lion as specially protected mammal; Prohibition against taking; Punishment for violation

(a) The mountain lion (genus Felis) is a specially protected mammal under the laws of this state.

(b) It is unlawful to take, injure, possess, transport, import, or sell any mountain lion or any part or product thereof, except as specifically provided in this chapter or in Chapter 2 (commencing with Section 2116) of Division 3. This chapter does not prohibit the sale or possession of any mountain lion or any part or product thereof, when the owner can demonstrate that the mountain lion, part or product thereof, was in the person's possession on June 6, 1990.

(c) Any violation of this section is a misdemeanor punishable by imprisonment in the county jail for not more than one year, or a fine of not more than ten thousand dollars ($ 10,000), or by both that fine and imprisonment. An individual is not guilty of a violation of this section if it is demonstrated that, in taking or injuring a mountain lion, the individual was acting in self-defense or in defense of others.

[winnre]

Yes 30 feet is nothing for them. I also know my three foot gate is nothing for them.