Texas boy, 6, snatched by mountain lion

By Hum
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Grand Master

Hum

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Taking all the recommended precautions wasn't enough to keep a mountain lion from snatching a 6-year-old Leander boy from his mother's hand and clamping its jaws on his face at Big Bend National Park on Sunday night.

About 8 p.m., Kristi Harris, her husband and their two boys were leaving the restaurant at Chisos Mountains Lodge after dinner on the first day of their vacation. Each parent was gripping one boy's hands, and they headed to their room, Harris said.

Harris and her husband, Jason Hobbs, had heard about a mountain lion that tried to attack a family on a park trail earlier in the day before it was scared off when a backpack was thrown at it. The parents then decided to have the boys sleep indoors with mom rather than camp outside with dad, and throughout the day, they made sure to keep the boys close by, Harris said.

"This attack did not happen on a trail. We were not hiking," Harris said. "We were on a paved walkway in between a restaurant and a hotel, and this cat grabbed my child from me."

The lion dragged Rivers Hobbs into a bush next to the walkway, Harris said. Jason Hobbs jumped on top of the lion and was hitting it while Harris gripped its hind legs; Hobbs eventually stabbed the lion's chest with his pocketknife, Harris said.

The lion dropped the boy and ran away, Harris said.

"All the precautions people are told to take, we did everything ? and it didn't matter," Harris said. "It didn't slow this cat down one bit."

Rivers was hospitalized overnight with puncture wounds and cuts. The family was still in a hotel in Alpine on Tuesday night and plans on returning to Leander today, Harris said. She said her son is doing well, despite the scare.

Park spokesman David Elkowitz said it is very unusual for a mountain lion to attack someone so close to a building. The lion, which is believed to be an injured young male, will be killed if found, he said.

Elkowitz said it is believed that the same mountain lion was involved in the earlier attack that was thwarted with a backpack.

Park rangers began evacuating nearby trails and campsites early Monday. The Chisos Basin area, along with the Window, Pinnacles, Boulder Meadow and Juniper Flats trails, is still closed, officials said.

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IceBreakerG

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Maybe instead of killing the cat, if they find it, they can just capture it alive and then send it to go live with the PETA people :shiftyninja:

  • jnelsoninjax, Open Minded, Charisma and 1 other
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Grand Master

_neutrino Veteran

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It is a scary thought that a mountain lion would not be frightened away by being in a lightly populated area normally if there are people around they would not be in the area for fear of their own.

Grand Master

DocM

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One thing about wild animals is that they're totally unpredictable, and any predator even more so. Even deer can be extreamly dangerous as I found out over 40 years ago. My best friend and I were in the woods hunting small game when this spike-horned** buck came out of nowhere and jammed his antlers into my friends thigh. Fortunately we were still close to our vehicle and a ranger station.

** short, straight, often pointed antlers - usually 6+ inches long.

Grand Master

Charisma Veteran

Posted
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It is a scary thought that a mountain lion would not be frightened away by being in a lightly populated area normally if there are people around they would not be in the area for fear of their own.

If they are injured or were raised nearby, they may not have the same fear that they normally would if they were totally wild.

Grand Master

shakey

Posted
Posted

One thing about wild animals is that they're totally unpredictable, and any predator even more so. Even deer can be extreamly dangerous as I found out over 40 years ago. My best friend and I were in the woods hunting small game when this spike-horned** buck came out of nowhere and jammed his antlers into my friends thigh. Fortunately we were still close to our vehicle and a ranger station.

** short, straight, often pointed antlers - usually 6+ inches long.

This.

When watching videos online of people who are in the woods and see a buck or even just a deer, and go up to it... I just cringe and get all tense expecting it to attack. A lot of people just don't realise how dangerous even the most timid of animals can be. If it is near your size, it can give you plenty of reason to fear it lol. Especially a wild animal that you can not even attempt to gauge its behavior.

Grand Master

DocM

Posted
Posted

Thank you Mr. Disney. . .

Absolutely! I've seen people in our state parks drive up a fire trail during deer season, get out of their car and march kids off the trail to get closer to bears - BEARS!! WTF!?! Trust me - I had the bear closest to them in my 'scope until they left.

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