By Dave Hurteau

Sometimes hunting has little to do with sport. Sometimes it’s about defending yourself and those around you.

It’s usually not as dramatic as the hunting stories pieced together by the famous Jim Corbett, who despite trying hard to preserve big cats, took down man-eating tigers and leopards in India in the early 1900s. They are tales of protection nonetheless, and defensive hunting most certainly still exists today.

Take Stewart Loew for example, a man on the outskirts of Tucson, Ariz., who recently relied on the help of a mountain lion hunter to save his farm animals (what was left of them, anyway) and the farm’s visitors, not to mention his 12-year-old son and 14-year-old daughter.

From the Arizona Daily Star:

A depredation permit—permission to kill an animal that has been eating or mauling people’s livestock— was acquired from Arizona Game and Fish and the male lion was taken down.

This case wasn’t a rarity. Last year 42 mountain lions were killed to save livestock, according to Arizona Game and Fish statistics. One of them was a rabid cat that attacked a 10-year-old boy on his birthday.

Have you ever had to hunt out of defense?

Comments (7)

from Mark-1 wrote 2 years 30 weeks ago

Rabid foxes and coyotes. ...Once for a rouge grizzly with a gourmet appetite for veal and lamb, and a hatred of horses.

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from idahooutdoors wrote 2 years 30 weeks ago

I have been involved in many hunts around our town for problem predators, part of living in Rural Idaho. We usually have at least one or two cats make their way into town each winter, and wolves are just starting to.

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from shane wrote 2 years 30 weeks ago

Had to blast a big rabid dog that showed up in the neighborhood with kids around. Dropped him all heroic like, a la Atticus Finch in Tequila Mockingbird.

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from FloridaHunter1226 wrote 2 years 30 weeks ago

I once had to shoot a charging wild boar... he picked up my scent and then stared at me and before I knew it, he was making a mad dash towards me. I am still suprised today on how I made the shot with my .270. I guess I can say that my guardian angel was working overtime.

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from Clay Cooper wrote 2 years 30 weeks ago

I knew a fella in Alaska shot a Grizz in self defense so he says.

Funny thing, he shot it 4 times, all in the butt!

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from Del in KS wrote 2 years 30 weeks ago

"When it comes to shootin', guess I've always been lucky" William Munny in The Unforgiven.
Once had to shoot a chargin' bull cottontail. Took him down with five shots from my .22.

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from Don Mitchell wrote 2 years 30 weeks ago

Del, you just made my day,

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from Del in KS wrote 2 years 30 weeks ago

"When it comes to shootin', guess I've always been lucky" William Munny in The Unforgiven.
Once had to shoot a chargin' bull cottontail. Took him down with five shots from my .22.

+4 Good Comment? Yes | No | Report

from Mark-1 wrote 2 years 30 weeks ago

Rabid foxes and coyotes. ...Once for a rouge grizzly with a gourmet appetite for veal and lamb, and a hatred of horses.

+1 Good Comment? Yes | No | Report

from idahooutdoors wrote 2 years 30 weeks ago

I have been involved in many hunts around our town for problem predators, part of living in Rural Idaho. We usually have at least one or two cats make their way into town each winter, and wolves are just starting to.

+1 Good Comment? Yes | No | Report

from shane wrote 2 years 30 weeks ago

Had to blast a big rabid dog that showed up in the neighborhood with kids around. Dropped him all heroic like, a la Atticus Finch in Tequila Mockingbird.

+1 Good Comment? Yes | No | Report

from FloridaHunter1226 wrote 2 years 30 weeks ago

I once had to shoot a charging wild boar... he picked up my scent and then stared at me and before I knew it, he was making a mad dash towards me. I am still suprised today on how I made the shot with my .270. I guess I can say that my guardian angel was working overtime.

+1 Good Comment? Yes | No | Report

from Clay Cooper wrote 2 years 30 weeks ago

I knew a fella in Alaska shot a Grizz in self defense so he says.

Funny thing, he shot it 4 times, all in the butt!

+1 Good Comment? Yes | No | Report

from Don Mitchell wrote 2 years 30 weeks ago

Del, you just made my day,

+1 Good Comment? Yes | No | Report

Post a Comment

 

All submitted comments are subject to the rules set forth in our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.