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Bear spray works on Lions!!

With all the discussions on Grizz attacks recently and whether bear spray works or not I wanted to share a story from our hunt last week. We were elk hunting NW of Helena, MT in an area we had never hunted before. We knew there were some Grizzlies seen in the area and were all carrying spray. On my drive down the mountain after dark 2 nights earlier I had a female and 2 cubs cross the road right in front the truck. It came right out of a block of BLM we had hunted the day before. 2 days later about 1.5 miles away my father in law and buddy went out for morning hunt. They decided to split up in the dark each working around opposite sides of a ridge. My father in law was laying down on sidehill glassing just after first light when he heard a pine cone crunch not far behind him. Slowly turned his head expecting to see a deer or elk and a large cat was crouched with tail out 15 feet away. He immediately jumped up yelled very loud and pulled out the spray in one motion. The Lion was not deterred and scurried a few feet closer and now was at 8 feet crouched ready to jump. The first shot of spray wind took just wide of his face and came back into my father in laws eyes a bit. Second shot he got the lion right in the face covering his entire mouth. Cat went ballistic back flips and pawing his mouth coughing and sneezing...it ran off 20 yards and stayed for 4 or 5 minutes coughing and he was able to snap a few cell phone pics. Its pretty much no hassle to carry and make sure its right on your belt where you can grab it quickly...no way of knowing for sure but without it probably would have been reading about this one in the papers

Wow! Good story. Glad it ended the way it did. I guess we're not the only ones that hate hunting on dry pine cones.

Dang, thats nuts! Thats weird a cat would react that way knowing he was a human. Do you if your father in law was using an elk call or had any estrus on his boots?

Good to know. I carry bear spray everywhere for moose and cats after having close calls with both.

Wasnt calling at all and had no estrus or elk scent ....very fortunate

Did you read the label? lol

Bear spray is wicked, wicked stuff.

If it was Cali., I wouldn't be surprised that a cat responded to humans in that manner. In NW Montana, I figured hunting pressure would instill some respect for bipeds. Glad your story ended well.

Have had a few run ins like that with cats - bear bangers work really well at getting a cat out of their trance.

Good story! I had a cat a little small than that one watch me for ten minutes at 60 yds while I was elk hunting in CO a few years ago. It is an eerie feeling!

Lion season is open !!! No Cubs I would have flung a arrow

Need to manage our lions as well

Brings up a good question...I know Montana FWP states that its legal to shoot without a tag if your under attack. After the spray was used and Lion was standing at 20 yards broadside if he was to shoot it would that have been legal and would you guys have shot?

Hard to argue that you are "under attack" when the cat you just sprayed is 'standing there at 20 yards, coughing'.

The fact that he may have scared the crap out of you a minute earlier and your heart is still pounding probably doesn't count.

That was a heck of an experience for him

Kinda gets ya thinking

Good Luck, Robb

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