Woman, 65, saves husband from mountain lion

[PatMarlin]

SAN FRANCISCO, California (AP) -- Wildlife officials on Thursday credited a woman with saving her husband's life by clubbing a mountain lion that attacked him while the couple hiked in a California state park.

Jim and Nell Hamm, who will celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary next month, were hiking Wednesday in Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park, 60 miles south of the Oregon state line, when the lion pounced.

"He didn't scream. It was a different, horrible plea for help, and I turned around, and by then the cat had wrestled Jim to the ground," Nell Hamm said in an interview from the hospital.

Jim Hamm was recovering from a torn scalp, puncture wounds and other injuries.

After the attack, game wardens closed the park and released hounds to track the lion. They later shot and killed two lions found near the trail where the attack happened.

The carcasses were flown to a state forensics lab to determine if either animal had mauled the man.

Although the Hamms are experienced hikers, neither had seen a mountain lion before Jim Hamm was mauled, his wife said.

Nell Hamm said she grabbed a 4-inch-diameter log and beat the animal with it, but it would not release its hold on her husband's head.

"Jim was talking to me all through this, and he said, 'I've got a pen in my pocket and get the pen and jab him in the eye,"' she said.

"So I got the pen and tried to put it in his eye, but it didn't want to go in as easy as I thought it would."

When the pen bent and became useless, Nell Hamm went back to using the log. The lion eventually let go and, with blood on its snout, stood staring at the woman. She screamed and waved the log until the animal walked away.

"She saved his life, there is no doubt about it," said Steve Martarano, a spokesman for the Department of Fish and Game.

Nell Hamm, 65, said she was afraid to leave her dazed, bleeding husband alone, so the couple walked a quarter-mile to a trail head, where she gathered branches to protect them if more lions came around. They waited until a ranger came by and summoned help.

"My concern was to get Jim out of there," she said. "I told him, 'Get up, get up, walk,' and he did."

Jim Hamm, 70, was in fair condition Thursday. He had to have his lips stitched and underwent surgery for other lacerations on his head and body.

He told his wife he still wants to make the trip to New Zealand they planned for their anniversary, she said.

Nell Hamm warned people never to hike in the backcountry alone. Park rangers told the couple if Jim Hamm had been alone, he probably would not have survived.

"We fought harder than we ever have to save his life, and we fought together," she said.

[SharpsShooter]

Brave woman, cool thinker too. It does illustrate the need for a packing handgun when trail walking. His injuries might possibly have been far less if she had been able to apply 250gr of PB tranquilizer right in the puss...so to speak.


SS

[44man]

And what would they do if they found you packing on a state park?

[Bass Ackward]

I don't know. Maybe CSI aught to get involved in this. He looks no different than I do after I have a run in with my wife.

Blamed it on a cat huh? :grin:

[Scrounger]

I don't know. Maybe CSI aught to get involved in this. He looks no different than I do after I have a run in with my wife.

Blamed it on a cat huh? :grin:

Only answer is to bring CarpetMan in with his trap and pellet rifle to end the cat problems in the park. I don't know about you guys but I'd pay to see him go after a real cat instead of just harassing the neighborhood kitties.

[piwo]

His injuries might possibly have been far less if she had been able to apply 250gr of PB tranquilizer right in the puss...so to speak.
SS

Truer words never spoken!

44MAN wrote:
And what would they do if they found you packing on a state park?

I'm sure that depends on the state park: in MO, nothing. In CA, well, probably something.

We disculled this story last night on the CHAT. SNAPS to her for saving her man. That took some real serious stones. Bully for her!
:drinks:

The dude gets no high such praise: if you're taking your lady into an environment that is potentially dangerous, you need to be prepared for that. Colonel Cooper probably rolling over in his grave. Hell, I never took my kids for a walk in the woods without something to dissuade a wild dog, or person, or whatever. And mountain lion attacks in CA are not a rare occurrence. The pall point pen in his pocket doesn't count unless he was going to write the attacker a check. No firearm, no pepper spray, no nothing. I guess he wasn't too much into scouting, except maybe for young girls. As the father of only daughters, he doesn't rank highly with me on that count either. I know Jerry Lee Lewis would approve though. I should get off the soap box... But I digress........

[Freightman]

And what would they do if they found you packing on a state park?
"Better to be judged by 12 than carried by six"

[Dale53]

I was treed in a three walled shelter in the Smokies by a momma bear and two cubs. She started on me at dusk and would leave and come back from time to time until 1:00 A.M. I had no firearm (National Park does not allow it:confused: ). All I had was a tear gas pen (I later learned that bears and dogs don't have tear ducts and are not susceptible to tear gas). I promised the "Man Above" that if I survived this I would NEVER go hiking again without a firearm regardless of where I was. I kept that promise. Back paking was a big thing for me for many, many years. Mostly, I hiked alone (not necessarily from choice - most did not want to commit for as much as nine days at a time). I even hiked, armed, one whole weekend with an FBI agent. He never knew I had a gun with me...

After my little episode, I learned that Black Bears that are people wise are some of the most dangerous animals out there. There are many maulings that never get reported to the press (bad publicity for the parks). It is STILL the law that makes it illegal to carry.

First and foremost, a person MUST take care of HIM or HER SELF. If you have companions along, then it is EVERYONE'S responsibility to take care of them.

Dale53

[NVcurmudgeon]

Freightman, while scrolling through this thread, I thought of your post, but you beat me to it!

According to this mornings Yahoo news, Mr. Hamm has taken a turn for the worse. The docs are worried about his scalp wounds getting infected, and there is talk of maybe moving him to a bigger hospital. Isn't it wonderful how California has protected mountain lions the last thirty-odd years? When will CA law allow for protecting humans?

[wills]

Is there a shortage of Californians? I was not aware they were an endangered species.

http://www.nndb.com/people/231/000030141/nancy-pelosi.jpg
With the exception of the members of the instant congregation, California would probably be better served with more lions and fewer Californians.

[Mallard57]

Maybe she wants to go for a walk in the park?

[wills]

We could hope, but presumably there are some things a lion wont do.

[PatMarlin]

My take on it is, the more this happens the more these passive mentally disordered lib's will wake up. Just plain dumb. They don't think.. :roll:

My take on carrying in the park is I would, do, and don't hesitate in California, and if I was ever to have to shoot a critter to save my families, or my life and those SOB's tried to come after me, I would get the meanest commie lib New York attorney I could find and sue that crap out of them for putting our lives at danger, and traumatizing my family for the rest of our lives.

Use there own freakin medicine against them. Hell a childhood freind of mine is about the biggest enviromental attorney in the state of California. I'd hire him... His daughter was the girl in the recent national headlines on myspace.com, that got pulled out of school by the FBI for threatening Bush on her website. Ha, ha., LOL.

THe guy that got mauled looks like Michael Savage.. :mrgreen:

[TDB9901]

The darned cats are spreading too. Even showing up with some regularity here in the more open plains areas.

And of course they are protected here, unless they are endangering lives or livestock....................Which in my view would be on any and every occasion.........

Tom

[piwo]

We have them in Missouri as well. Mostly southern part of the state which is heavy timber, but they have been seen on the Meremec River valley, which is one of the most "floated" rivers in Missouri. Have not heard of any maulings, and last year two were hit by motorists, at night.

[montana_charlie]

My take on it is, the more this happens the more these passive mentally disordered lib's will wake up.
True, they may wake up enough to try to find a means to continue to protect their beloved creatures, and protect themselves at the same time.

I expect that may take the form of a new/old religious practice in which conservatives and Christians are thrown to the lions...to appease them.

This might be strongly opposed by the secular progressives, since they have worked so hard to ban religious practice of all kinds. But, if the rules of the 'new religion' are sufficiently permissive to be acceptable by the ACLU, the SP's will probably go along with the program.

It will be interesting to see how the California Lib's will handle the hidden dilemma. That being the fact that most of their illegal aliens are Christians.
CM

[9.3X62AL]

That news article is a reminder that every time you venture into the back country--swim in the ocean--or stroll down an urban sidewalk--you are entering the food chain, and not necessarily at the top of same. Prepare accordingly.

[piwo]

That news article is a reminder that every time you venture into the back country--swim in the ocean--or stroll down an urban sidewalk--you are entering the food chain, and not necessarily at the top of same. Prepare accordingly.

I tell my girls when they step out of our doors, they are walking around in Jurassic Park, and as they are females between the ages of 13-25, are the most preyed after creature on this planet. The movie scared them when they were little, and now that they are older, the analogy is a one they understand completely.

Condition "white" won't cut it!

[Nueces]

I sorta doubt that the rabid libs are going to change their minds. Do you recall the story several years ago, when a female jogger was killed by a cat in Cali? The papers quoted a woman who 'regretted' the death, but said we have lots of joggers, while those big cats are very hard to replace. These folks are on the other team.

[leftiye]

You sure that wasn't PatMarlin's kitty?

[PatMarlin]

PatMarlin has left for the day, but I can speak for him...

No his cat "Scooter" is not that big. She is a tame 16yr old calico... :Fire:

[SharpsShooter]

And what would they do if they found you packing on a state park?

Here is where I am not permitted to carry...never seen anything bigger than a house cat in these locations, so I am not too concerned.........

Court Houses.
Family Law Masters Office.
Magistrates Office.
Primary and Secondary School Property including School buses.
Any facility that is being used for a Primary or Secondary School Function while that function is going on.
Any where a sign is posted saying no Firearms Allowed. The signs do not have to be of any set size or design.
All Federal restrictions apply. Federal Buildings, Post Offices, Military Compounds, Federal Courthouses. Etc.




As per WV 61-7-11a.....no mention of state parks, hiking trails, campgrounds etc.


SS

[hydraulic]

I work in a National Forest in Wyoming, summers, and all the locals carry openly. None of the rangers care because we go by state law . Sometimes we get easterners who get excited because they saw someone with a gun. Makes for some laughs around the campfire. I used to hike in Yellowstone and I always carried concealed, and will do so if I ever go there again. Doubtful. We have had numerous sighting of lions here in Nebraska. One was shot in Yankton, S.D., one in Sioux City, Ia. and another in a suburb of Omaha and one in a schoolyard in St. Paul, Ne. We finally passed a concealed carry law in this state, but I'm not going to apply. Always did carry concealed and will continue to do so, law or no law.

[montana_charlie]

Do you recall the story several years ago, when a female jogger was killed by a cat in Cali?
Yep. It was reported that, "The lion bit her neck and crushed her skull. Then it dragged her three hundred feet down a hill and ate her face, upper back, lungs, spleen, pancreas, kidneys, stomach, liver, and small intestines."

The story is on this page (http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m1282/is_n24_v46/ai_16218229)...along with the observation that it is becoming a 'religion' out there.
CM

[piwo]

I used to hike in Yellowstone and I always carried concealed, and will do so if I ever go there again. Doubtful.

In Wyoming, I hunted deer management area F General up on Chief Joseph Hwy (above 2 dot ranch) for many years. I've quite hunting there because the Grizzly's have moved there in number (way outside Yellowstone) and nothing makes you "pucker" quite the same as seeing grizzly tracks in the snow, right over your footprints from the previous evening. And those footprints didn't just intersect yours, they sort of followed em for awhile. Came to the conclusion that my flinter and patched ball might eventually do the trick, but I'd be in too many pieces to know for certain! Then I talk to the folks up in Clark, and a lone male made his way there as well. Same as Cali... there are more hunters then bears. Local taxidermist in Cody told us if you have to shoot a bear, make sure you followed the protocol for wilderness area, and be prepared to lose much of your worldly possessions: they're protected and you certainly are not. And these bears have no natural fear of man, and they equate gunshots to dinner bells. We're told they are staying out of dens several weeks later then normal now, and when a hunter drops an animal, he's advised to make as quick work of it and clear the area. Returning to a downed animal with help or equipment is a prime time for bear encounters...

These grizzlies are testament to the welfare state: hand fed in the parks, no fear of man, and know man better then they should because of their "park" experience. When you are protected, the world is your oyster.

These cats apparently have nothing to fear as well. :(

[montana_charlie]

That one reminds me…I have a bear story, too!

I have had a number of hunting rifles as time has gone by, but my favorite is a Browning Model 78 single-shot in 7mm Remington Magnum. It’s a falling block design where you push the lever down, slide a cartridge into the chamber, pull the lever back up and drop the hammer down to half-cock until you are ready to shoot something. This rifle, with my handloads, will keep it’s hits within a three-inch group at 200 yards…if I pay attention.

During the winter of ’79, I knew this would be my last hunting season in Montana because I was being transferred to Keesler Air Force Base, Mississippi in the spring.
I hunted alone that season for nostalgia reasons, I guess. I was trying to ‘absorb enough of Montana’ to see me through four years in Mississippi…and I could do that better without company.

On the next-to-the-last weekend of the season, I was in the mountains over near Lincoln where I had found a little thicket of pines in the middle of a large meadow. Deer sign was everywhere you looked in that thicket and the trails were so heavily used that they were bare of snow even though it was fairly deep everywhere else.
This was to be my last hunt because, on the following weekend, I had some things to do which would preclude spending more than one day in the field…and I don’t like those hurry-up one-day hunts.

I spent most of three days in a natural cleft in a rock formation, watching those trees….and daydreaming. The rock formed a perfect bench-rest and it sat two hundred yards downwind from the edge of the thicket. Anything that showed up would be dead meat if it was a decent specimen…and with all the traffic, it was about like watching a whitetail fashion show.
My daydreaming caused me to miss out on several ‘good ones’ who walked out of sight before I realized what I was looking at.
So, it was about 3 PM on the last day of my last hunt when a real nice head stopped broadside to me just outside of the trees…and I happened to be ‘awake’ at the time.

With my rifle resting on a rolled-up blanket and the crosshairs rock-solid on the target, I spent a few moments wondering if I actually wanted to shoot this buck.
It was late in the day with only about an hour till sundown. It would take at least two hours to get this buck to my camp…and vehicle. I still needed to break camp and drive back to Great Falls. And, I had to be at work early next morning.
On the other hand, this was my last hunt…and that was a good buck.
I decided on a slow ten count. If Ol’ Buck changed position so that he no longer presented a perfect shot, he could walk away. But, he never moved…

With time running short, I hurried over with my knife, tag, and twenty feet of nylon rope.
After the tagging and field dressing was done, I used the rope to hoist the carcass into a pine tree.
My plan was to leave him there, and beg for a day off, to come back with time to haul him out. The winter weather would keep the meat frozen and in good condition, and my tag on the antlers would keep anyone from ‘stealing’ my game…I thought.
As many of you will know, hanging a large buck is no easy task for a person working alone. I got him high enough that the hind feet were about a foot from the ground and quit.
I figured that if some coyotes found it, they could only chew on the lower legs a little…leaving the choice portions intact.

Back at work the next morning, everybody told their hunting story for the week, and I told mine. Then I hustled into Captain Lipscomb's office to ask for that day off.
Our radio shop was divided into two sections and while I was the boss of the ‘missile maintenance’ side, Tsgt. Jim Akins was my ‘co-superviser’ and ran the ‘base radio’ half.
Jim asked me if I thought I could use some help in getting that buck out, and I gladly accepted his offer.
Jim was not a hunter, but had probably fished in every stream in the western half of Montana…and was very capable in the great outdoors.
To make it more fun, I borrowed a trailer and two saddle horses from a rancher friend and we set out early Wednesday morning.

When we reached my campsite, we unloaded and saddled the horses. We wouldn’t need any gear, but I did have my rifle along ‘just in case’. After all, the season was still open, I had an elk tag in my pocket, and you just never know…
We rode the mile or so to reach my ‘benchrest’ and just as the thicket came in sight, I saw something large, round, and dark disappear around the side of that stand of trees. On top of that, since we were downwind of the thicket, the horses were starting to act up.
Jim hadn’t been looking in the right direction at the moment, so he had not seen what I saw…therefore he couldn’t confirm or deny the possible presence of a bear.
We dismounted, tied up the horses, and had a smoke while we watched the area and discussed our options.
Some camp jays landed in the trees nearest us as we watched and they didn’t seem to be upset. So we decided to amble over on foot and survey the situation. As Jim watched, I took down my rifle and loaded it. He was unfamiliar with single-shot guns, so he was interested in it’s operation and somewhat incredulous that I liked such a 'primitive' weapon.

Approaching the thicket, we could smell the strong odor that the horses had picked up and there were bear tracks, and scat, easily visible as we moved into the trees. We felt lucky that we didn’t have to go in very far to reach ‘what was left' of my pretty buck.
The head and half of the neck were still hanging, but the rest was obviously ‘left-overs’ that the camp jays and magpies would feast on. I guess bears just don’t care whose tag is on the antlers…but I still ‘owned’ that head.

I handed Jim my rifle saying ‘keep an eye out for bears...you’ll need to cock the hammer to fire’ as I set about retrieving my trophy and rope. I carved off the ragged part of the neck, leaving enough hide for a decent wall mount and we headed out…me carrying the trophy and Jim ‘covering our retreat’ in case any local residents wanted to contest our departure with the prize.

We reached the horses and I tied the rack behind my saddle while Jim ‘stood guard’ with the rifle. Knowing that he was well-endowed with good sense and fully alert, I was not the least bit worried that we would be surprised by anything.
Finally ready to ride out, I turned to take my gun from Jim.
He had been carrying it for thirty minutes or more and remarked about how nicely balanced it felt in his hands.
He asked if it would shoot as nice as it felt and I told him to give it a try. He picked a target about a hundred yards away and knelt down to steady his shot.
Having watched me load it, he was familiar with the action, and knew it needed to be ‘cocked’…so he sighted through the scope, worked the lever smartly, and pulled the trigger. John Wayne couldn't have done it better...but this wasn't a Winchester.
He was visibly stunned when the hammer fell on the now empty chamber…of the gun he had just unloaded when he worked the lever.

I gave him a wink and a smile as I picked up the round he had ejected, and wiped off the snow. You could see the gears turning as, with very wide eyes, he slowly scanned back toward the thicket where any threat would have come from…but didn’t.
CM

[ron brooks]

Montana Charlie,

Great story.

Ron