Shooting an animal in self-defense is a very different experience from going hunting. Of course, in these situations there has to be a real and present danger that the animal is going to harm you or someone else you are with. This can be from an animal out in the wild, like a bear, or with an aggressive dog breed right in your own neighborhood.
To survive these situations, many times the person was lucky enough to have their concealed carry weapon on them. Here are a few wild instances of defensive animal shootings in which having a firearm definitely saved a life.
A Man Survives a Grizzly Attack
Montana is known for having a large bear population. In April of 2020, Ken Ledeau rented a cabin in a remote area in the northern part of the state. He was aware that bears were present around there so when he took a daily walk he made sure to take bear spray and his Smith & Wesson .44 magnum. Out of nowhere in the early evening one night, he encountered a grizzly bear who came up behind him. The bear got close enough to grab Ken’s thigh and bite down before he could pull his gun out of his jacket pocket. Luckily, Ken was able to free his gun from his clothing and shot at the back of the bear. The first shot hurt the bear enough that she let go of Ken. He was able to stagger back and save his life with a few more shots into the bear.
Saving a Family From a Mountain Lion
In California, a family of four with two young children and their dogs were hiking along a paved trail in January of this year. They had been walking for a little while before they noticed a mountain lion following them at a pretty close range. Since there are a lot of mountain lions out in California, the family thought that by making some noise, it would scurry off and leave them alone. That wasn’t the case as the predator just kept following them. They called emergency services, and a police officer from the El Dorado Sheriff’s department got there within minutes. He carried a Colt AR-15. First, he tried to yell at the animal to scare it away before it started advancing towards him. Even a warning shot did nothing to deter the aggressive cat. So, the officer had to shoot it until it was put down about 10 feet away from him. The family was very lucky that the officer was able to come to their rescue so quickly.
A Pitbull Attack in Boston
A little boy was playing in his yard when he was attacked by two pitbulls. Neither of the dogs were on a leash, and had the boy down on the ground before an off-duty police officer came to take charge of the situation. The officer heard the boy screaming, ran to him, and with his department-issued gun, shot the attacking dog at close range. The boy had to have emergency surgery, but survived the incident because of the quick actions of the hero officer.
Great stories of how firearms save lives in responsible hands, keep them coming !