#91
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#92
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Cougars rarely kill Elk which are about the same size as horses. Wild horses are protected by a 1971 law that prohibits the federal government from killing them even though most everyone will admit that there are way too many wild horses. No matter what, humans are always changing the balance of nature.
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Life is short-enjoy every day. |
#93
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This sounds like we need more government involvement- that’ll show us.
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#94
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The only cougar I'm afraid of wears a tube top and hangs out at my local brew pub on Thursday nights
20 North American fatalities since 1890, I'll take my chances. Going for a ride is rarely like The Revenant https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/List..._North_America |
#95
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Just for reference, the article I was thinking of: https://www.nytimes.com/2018/05/12/s...at-horses.html |
#96
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I didn't even see it. |
#97
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“According to the Consumer Product Safety Commission, these heavy food dispensers have been responsible for “at least 37 deaths and 113 injuries since 1978." Averages out to something like 2.1 deaths per year. |
#98
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And once a vending machine loses its fear of humans...
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#99
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Check out the stats for dogs
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fata..._United_States Quote:
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#100
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http://tchester.org/sgm/lists/lion_attacks.html#stats
Deaths are not the only metric when discussing the dangers of a wild animal. Attacks are rare but they do happen.
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Old'n'Slow |
#101
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From the experts: two carnivore biologists in Washington in contact with the Washington Fish and Game team.
1. Very unusual aberational incident. 2. Cougar was emaciated but not starving; similar condition to many young toms who are dispersing and chased out of territories by older males and who manage to survive without attacking humans. 3. Cougar is being tested for all concievable disease etc. 4. What bikers did right: stop, confront. 5. What bikers could have done better: After initial confrontation and cougar left, apparently bikers hung out for a little while (probably going holy sh8T!!!, etc. and then started to remount bikes). What they perhaps could have done: rapidly backed out of the area, facing the cougar and direction it departed then when cougar out of sight hopping on bikes and sprinting out of the region. 6. Murky part: what happened when cougar returned. Injured biker attacked and grabbed by head. Second biker, either panicking (probably) or altruistic (who knows) runs off screaming towards the woods. Cougar drops biker one, pursues biker 2 and attacks. Biker 1 gets on bike and rides off. Biker 2 dragged into the woods and dies at some point. 7. Expert speculation: If biker 1, who was probably in shock at this point had ridden towards cougar and biker 2 could the cougar have been runoff and biker 2 saved? Who knows, and talk about asking a lot of biker 1. 8. Biggest take home: If you are going to ride or be out in cougar and bear country, take bear spray. Of all factors, bear spray likely would have changed the outcome here. 9. Next biggest take home: you recreate in wild country and you are taking risks. Be smart, own the risk or stay out of the woods. This part of Washington is, I learned today, the best cougar and bear habitat in the state! One other interesting story: They talked about the mountain biker killed by sow grizzly outside Glacier Park about a year ago. I had assumed that biker surprised mom with 2 cubs and mom attacked. Actually the biker apparently physically ran right into the bear on the trail. Biker died of broken neck but they don't know whether it was blunt force trauma on impact or bear reacting to being hit by the bike. I don't remember if they killed that bear. I hope not. As to the killing of the cougar: ethical right and wrongs go out the window; the amount of pressure the public would assert on Fish and Game if it didn't kill the cougar is too great for an agency that is already right leaning and predisposed based on antiquated approaches to wildlife management to not react by killing the cougar. Strike back mentality rules. As sad and perhaps wrong for this individual, not killing it would probably be worse for cougars in general as there would be calls for increased take by hunting etc., etc. No winners here, not humans, not cougars. |
#102
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Thanks Kirk pal.
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#103
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Thanks for the info Greg. I don’t see how biker 1 could have mentally kept it together enough to chase after the cougar.
Of course, if you include the sodas in vending machines, the machines kill way more individuals yearly.
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Life is short-enjoy every day. |
#104
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And don't get me started on the killer deer; far away the most lethal wild animal in the United States (deer-vehicular collisions - eg. today reported in NC that 2 dead, twelve injured when church van collides with deer).
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#105
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I suspect the origins of the legislation are economic-driven and have nothing to do with biologic justification - can't say for sure, wasn't part of the process. I do know that many years ago my relatives in CO who were ranchers killed predators on sight to protect their investment in livestock. Had noting to do with killing animals for sport or trophies over the fireplace - purely economic. It's only logical that at some point such a practice leads to a conflict of constituencies and legislative efforts to address the concerns of all sides. For good or bad, the killing of Cats is now "controlled" by law. Some people follow laws and some people don't. Some people find ways to exploit laws for personal or commercial gain... |
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