Should You Run From a Mountain Lion?

April 18, 2009 By John Soares 26 Comments

Hikers rarely encounter mountain lions on the trail. But should they stand tall or run? — Mountain lion photo courtesy of Stephen Lea and Wikimedia Commons.

Many hikers are justifiably concerned about encountering a mountain lion on or near the trail. Accepted wisdom says you should stand your ground and appear threatening to the mountain lion.

But a new study from UC Davis (Go Aggies!) researchers says you may be better off to turn tail and run like hell.

Hiker – Mountain Lion Encounter: Traditional Advice

In the Introduction to 100 Classic Hikes: Northern California, I say:

You’ll probably never see a mountain lion; however, they are definitely around and they will see you. General safety guidelines include keeping children and pets close to you. Also be aware that lions are attracted to four-legged prey such as deer; when you bend over or squat, you look more like food to them. If you do see a mountain lion, first pick up any small children. Then shout and extend your arms in a threatening manner, and also throw rocks. In complete contrast to what you should do in a bear attack, you should fight for your life if attacked by a lion. Note that dogs can attract mountain lions, which is a consideration if you want to take your pooch with you.

This is the traditional advice accepted by many authorities.

Should You Run From a Mountain Lion???

Well, those learned professors from UC Davis (got my bachelor’s and master’s degrees there) beg to differ. Here’s what the UC Davis researches say about mountain lion encounters in a recent press release:

A new UC Davis study of 110 years of mountain-lion attacks on people suggests the conventional wisdom of standing your ground may not always be the right course.

“Even though we found evidence that pumas will indeed chase, and capture, people who run, we also found that people who stand still are possibly more endangered,” said the study’s lead author, psychology professor Richard Coss, an expert on the evolution of predator-prey relationships.

“Immobility may be interpreted by the mountain lion as a sign that you are vulnerable prey, either because you are unaware of its presence, or because you are disabled and not capable of escaping.”

Thus, running might be the smartest move, Coss concluded, if you are in a situation that allows you to run in a surefooted fashion with even strides — for instance, on dry, flat ground rather than uneven, rocky terrain or deep snow.

Most state and federal wildlife agencies advise against running. The California Department of Fish and Game says on its Web site, in part: “Do not run from a lion. Running may stimulate a mountain lion’s instinct to chase. Instead, stand and face the animal.”

Coss said the new study reviewed personal accounts, news reports and wildlife agency reports of attacks by pumas on 185 people in the U.S. and Canada from 1890 to 2000. His goal was to identify what kinds of activities people were doing during a mountain-lion attack and determine whether these activities predicted the severity of their injuries.

“An understanding of how large cats select humans as prey and the situations that promote the greatest likelihood of attack is an important component of wildlife management,” he wrote.

Coss’ co-authors are E. Lee Fitzhugh, a University of California Cooperative Extension specialist; Sabine Schmid-Holmes, a UC Davis postdoctoral researcher; Marc Kenyon, a UC Davis undergraduate researcher; and Kathy Etling, a wildlife specialist and author of the 2004 book “Cougar Attacks: Encounters of the Worst Kind.”

The study, “The Effects of Human Age, Group Composition, and Behavior on the Likelihood of Being Injured by Attacking Pumas,” is published in the current issue (volume 22, issue 1) of the quarterly journal Anthrozoos: A Multidisciplinary Journal of the Interactions of People & Animals.

Your Take on Running From a Mountain Lion or Standing Your Ground

What are your thoughts on this? Have you had an encounter with a mountain lion — what did you do? What do you think you will do in the future?

Personally, I’m sticking with what I said in the book. I’d rather face a potential foe and be ready to fight than be running and get dragged down from behind with little chance to defend myself.

Camp for Free in California National Forests

California’s national forests and BLM lands have thousands of miles of dirt roads with lots of spots for dispersed camping (boondocking). My book provides all the info you need to get started (but is not a guide to specific sites):

Researching the best locations
Finding the best camping spots
Backcountry safety and ethics
What to take

Buy it on Amazon
Buy it on Apple, Kobo, and Nook

Subscribe to the Northern California Hiking Trails Blog

Share on Facebook

Comments

Eric the Great says
April 18, 2009 at 10:20 pm
I’m with you, John. Stand your ground. Don’t act like prey, act like a big thing. If the lion has cubs, back away, facing it. If it doesn’t, act big and tough.
They say the same about sharks. if you don’t move, they think you are prey and get you. But you can’t outswim a shark, so swimming away real fast won’t get rid of them. So act strong and swim away smoothly, is my advice.
e
Reply
John Soares says
April 19, 2009 at 6:36 am
I’ve read that lions want to bite the back of the neck. If you’re running from the lion, it’ll be much easier for him to do that.
Plus, if you do need to physically fight a lion, you’re in a very bad situation if he’s behind you with those sharp teeth sunk into the back of your neck.
I think of grappling/wrestling, as in jujitsu, judo, and mixed martial arts. You never want to be on your stomach with your opponent behind you.
Reply
Gambolin' Man says
April 20, 2009 at 11:10 am
Pray tell I never find myself in such a situation! But if I ever am forced to physically fight off a lion, I would do what I once did to fend off and subdue – instantly! – a semi-vicious German Shepherd whose “play” got out of hand and started snapping and nipping at me aggressively – I (yes I did!) grabbed him by the balls! He immediately sank to the ground and rolled over and that was that. Well, I don’t know what I’d do if it were a lioness, though!
If you’re of a mind, check out the opening paragraphs of this blog post – describing my only encounter – and it was a great distance – with a mountain lion in nature:
http://gambolinman.blogspot.com/2007/01/briones-regional-park-and-reservoir.html
Gambolin’ Man
Reply
John Soares says
April 20, 2009 at 12:03 pm
That technique may work well on a male dog who still has his family jewels. However, with a mountain lion attack, I’d focus my hands and arms on keeping the lion’s jaws off me, especially my neck. I’d also be working attacks with my knees and trying to gouge its eyes.
Quickly finding a lion’s genitalia during an attack will likely not be easy, and as you say, it could be a lady lion.
Reply
tom says
April 20, 2009 at 3:45 pm
Hiking poles come to mind here: on one hand you could use them to make yourself look larger once confronted, but I wonder if they give you the look of a four-legged creature.
I guess we’re lucky mountain lions don’t consider humans food. Otherwise there’d be a lot less walking in the wilderness (or a lot fewer mountain lions).
Reply
John Soares says
April 20, 2009 at 4:45 pm
Tom, I think you will still look like an upright creature, even with poles.
Are you thinking about using poles to fend off an attack?
I agree we’re very fortunate our North American lions are not man-eaters (usually). It would definitely put an extra edge on life if we were always on the alert for sudden attacks from large predators.
Reply
Gambolin' Man says
April 22, 2009 at 4:05 pm
You know, it WOULD be a HORRIBLE way to go, but when I read every day in the papers and see on the news the awful way people die at the hands of others, by hurtling metal, falling objects, why, if I had to choose – I would take my chances with a lion and go out nobly that way. Don’t you think that we would, like the gazelle or wildebeest, or like the soldier wounded grievously or dying on the battlefield, release copious amounts of adrenaline and other opiate substances to render the moment less painful and horrifying? Just a (bizarre, morbid…) thought!
Reply
- A. Pedrinha says
  November 10, 2014 at 10:15 am
  I think it was sir Livingstone who was attacked by a real lion, mind you , not one of those tiny Umerican wild cats. I think he reported feeling no pain. He survived because the lion turned to other preys .
  Reply
John Soares says
April 23, 2009 at 6:13 am
Well, I can definitely think of worse ways to die. And I’d be in nature and part of the food chain.
Reply
Lon says
May 3, 2009 at 2:46 pm
I’ve been considering hammock camping for some time now, considering whether a hammock with myself a small dog inside would simply attract a mountain lion to come bite our heads off in the night. I’m currently considering hanging the hammock within a fairy ring, and stringing fishing line with bells on it around the ring to alert us if one is coming near to eat us, and then spraying some ammonia or something around to fend it off if it is. The thing is, if you’re sleeping, thats easy prey, it seems like. Just some thoughts, i’m no expert. Enough of this ‘i can think of worse ways to die nonsense’, no offense.
Reply
mg says
July 17, 2010 at 1:07 am
i have been within 30 feet of a rather large Mountain lion. i was walking at night in the rain on a dirt road in the blue oak grasslands about 30 miles east of redding Ca. when i walk at night, i use a powerful flashlight to strobe the surrounding terrain looking for two forward glowing eyes. i saw the glow several hundred feet away and when i strobed again further down i could still see the glow. i knew it was a lion. i continued walking for a another mile but could not see any more glow. when i reached the bottom of the road and crossed the bridge over roaring creek and turned around, there it was standing sideways and looking right at me in the glow of of a kerosene lantern light resting on the bridge rail. i pulled my large knife from my belt and hoisted my axe–the two tools i am never with out. i kept talking at it in a forceful deep voice. it just stood there tail flickering for five minutes then it then slowly walked down to the creek which was roaring loudly. . it just disappeared under into the landscape, i could not hear or see anything. i moved to the center of the bridge and kept scanning the surround landscape looking for it. but i never saw it again. the next day i went back and followed the trail that parallels the road. i realized that it had been able to stalk me from a ridge line for several miles. based on the game trail exit on the road and the way the lion was standing leads me to believe that the lion had taken a route which intersected the road at the bridge. a route from behind a outcropping. this would, from my opinion, given the lion a serious position which to pounce from behind, to the left and from higher ground. interesting experience it was to say the least. i stood my ground and made myself appear larger, noisier, and unafraid.
enjoy
Reply
- John Soares says
  July 18, 2010 at 4:48 pm
  Quite the story! Thanks for sharing it.
  One evening I was walking with my two golden retrievers on a dirt road in the forest near the Trinity Alps. I had this odd sense I was being stalked, and my dogs were quite wary and stuck right beside me. I never did see a lion, but I was suspicious.
  Reply
Kevin Mendez says
July 19, 2010 at 1:35 pm
My son and I were leaving Butte Lake (Lassen) very early in the morning in July 2010. We were planning in ending our trip by backpacking 10 miles to Summit Lake where our car was parked. Amazingly, near Cinder Cone (of all places) we saw movement ahead on the trail about 180 feet away. Pulled out binoculars, it was an adult mountain lion. Seconds after, the lion noticed our presence and just stood there looking towards us. We had been backpacking for days, sleeping near lakes in bear country, bitten by mosquitoes and ants, we were grumpy and tired and we were not planning in standing around in the heat until the lion decided to leave or attack. We decided to aggressively walk shoulder to shoulder towards the lion, bear spray and machete ready. It worked, the lion slowly moved out of our way once we were about 80 feet from it. We stood over its M-tracks and continued. The only time you will ever see a mountain lion is if you see it first. But if you ever have an encounter, never, ever, run away from the lion. Depending on the circumstances, withdraw very slowly, stand your ground, or fight back.
Reply
- John Soares says
  July 19, 2010 at 2:25 pm
  Kevin, I know that area very well. You’re so right that you’ll only see a mountain lion if you see it first (at least in nearly all circumstances).
  I admire your determination to force the mountain lion to move, motivated no doubt by your desire to get back to the trailhead after several days in the wilderness.
  Thanks for sharing this story!
  Reply
Taj says
August 2, 2010 at 4:47 pm
Does anyone carry a gun? I live in the Plumas National Forest and frequently hike solo in remote trail less areas. This weekend while in a place with very difficult access and no signs of human activity, my sixth sense sparked an intense feeling of dread. That hasn’t happened in quite a while. Being a bit rattled by a near encounter with a rattler earlier that day didn’t help. When I ran across predator tracks and scat I became unnerved and had to leave the area. I don’t get easily frightened and so I tend to listen to my sixth sense. I don’t carry a gun, but am considering holstering my .357. Any comments / recommendations?
Reply
- John Soares says
  August 2, 2010 at 6:22 pm
  Taj, I’m not an expert on the rules, but I think you can carry a gun on national forests and BLM land as long as it’s not concealed (assuming you don’t have a concealed weapons permit, of course).
  The upside: you’ll feel safer, and you’ll likely be safer.
  The downside: you have to unload it for transport, etc, and it could get stolen from your vehicle. And a few people may be mildly spooked when they see you’re carrying a gun.
  More specifically, a .357 has a lot of stopping power, as I’m sure you know.
  Reply
Taj says
August 2, 2010 at 9:58 pm
You hit the nail on the head. My main concern is about giving people an uneasy vibe. I go to the wilderness to get peace and enjoy the sights and sounds of nature. Carrying a gun is a big responsibility and the last thing I want to do is ruin somebody else’s peace. I suppose it wouldn’t hurt if I’m off the beaten track where I never see others anyway. Thanks for being a sounding board for me. By the way. Great discussions here. I am enjoying it a lot.
Reply
- John Soares says
  August 3, 2010 at 6:33 am
  Taj, I really like your attitude about guns when hiking, especially your concern to not alarm others.
  If you live in a rural county it might be fairly easy to get a concealed weapons permit. You can call the Sheriff’s office and ask about the process.
  Reply
Moulton Avery says
March 7, 2011 at 1:02 pm
I’ll take a can of bear spray over any firearm any day of the week. If a bear or big cat is running toward you, a handgun is a particularly iffy option. There are lots of incidents in which the target predator was missed with a firearm, with unfortunate results. Also lots of reports in which a grizzly has been stopped in its tracks with a cone-shaped blast from the large pepper-spray can.
These creatures are sentient and exquisitely tuned to their environment in a way that we “civilized” monkeys are not. They know exactly what they’re looking at when they see a human being. As far as running from a predator is concerned, I’m with John – it’s a really bad idea. There’s no way in hell you’re going to outrun it, so unless a monkey-friendly tree is steps away…
No too many years ago, I read a gripping account of a guy who was riding his bike – on a paved road after dark – when he was attacked from behind by a mountain lion. He survived for at least one, possibly two reasons:
1) he was wearing a day-pack with a rolled up closed-cell foam pad protruding from the top – exactly where his neck was. The lion bit deeply into that pad the moment it hit him. No pad – dead duck.
2) he fought hard on the ground – keeping his bike in between them. The lion only stopped when a car came along, headlights blazing, and honked like crazy – before that it showed no sign of breaking off the attack, so who knows…
Reply
John Soares says
March 8, 2011 at 8:59 pm
Mouton, I definitely like the bear spray plan. I haven’t carried it myself, but I think I would if I went to Canada or Alaska.
I’ve also heard that same story about the mountain lion attack. The guy was lucky to survive.
Reply
Chris says
March 17, 2014 at 7:47 pm
Yup. That attack happened here on Vancouver Island.
Reply
Mark says
December 30, 2018 at 8:18 pm
I wonder what time of day lions move and hunt. That would be a useful piece of information for hikers.
Reply
Mark says
December 30, 2018 at 8:22 pm
Here is some useful information on the habits and instincts of mountain lions.
http://www.mountainlion.org/portalprotectstaysafe.asp
Reply