Earlier this month, a Wyoming man found himself in a situation no dog owner ever wants to imagine.
His Labrador was being attacked by a mountain lion.
So he did the only thing he could think to do. He kicked the big cat in the face.
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Adam Borkhus, a 33-year-old amateur wildlife photographer, was out looking for elk near Cody, Wyo., on Sept. 19 when he stopped along a remote road to change camera lenses and let his 2-year-old Lab, Diesel, out of the vehicle.
Seconds later, he heard his dog yelp.
Borkhus ran into the brush and found a mountain lion on top of Diesel. He had both a firearm and bear spray with him, but with his dog tangled up with the cat, he didn’t want to risk hitting Diesel with either.
So Borkhus went with Plan C: his foot.
A swift kick square in the mountain lion’s face successfully got the cat off Diesel. Unfortunately, it also got the cat’s attention.
“The lion spun around and looked at me,” Borkhus told Outside. “Then it pounced and hit me in the chest.”
Borkhus — who stands 6-foot-3 and weighs roughly 300 pounds — was knocked onto his back by the approximately 70-pound cat. He said he tried to keep its teeth away from his face and neck while punching it with his free hand before eventually grabbing its ear and wrenching it hard enough that the lion took off.
The whole thing lasted somewhere around 20 to 30 seconds.
Borkhus escaped with scratches to his hands, arm and face. Diesel somehow came out of the ordeal without any injuries. And, while his owner was busy throwing hands with a mountain lion, he retreated to the vehicle.
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He was waiting for Borkhus at the tailgate.
Not much of a protective instinct there, but we’re sure Diesel is still a good boy anyway.
What should you actually do if you encounter a mountain lion?
Kicking a mountain lion in the face worked out remarkably well for Borkhus. But it probably shouldn’t be your first line of defense.
Wyoming Game and Fish says conflicts between humans and mountain lions are rare, but there are several things people should know when recreating in lion country.
For starters, don’t approach one — which should be obvious. Give the animal room to escape and remain calm if you encounter one. The department recommends speaking calmly and firmly rather than running away. Traveling in groups can also reduce the chances of surprising a mountain lion in the first place.
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And if things go sideways? Fight back.
That’s the official advice from Wyoming Game and Fish: “If a mountain lion attacks you, fight back and defend yourself.”
Outside also spoke with Mountain Lion Foundation researcher Joshua Lisbon, who recommended keeping dogs leashed or under strong voice control while in the wilderness. If a lion does grab your dog, Lisbon recommends using bear spray rather than physically jumping into the fight — even if your dog gets sprayed in the process.
Obviously, that’s much easier advice to process while sitting safely at home than when your best friend is underneath a mountain lion.
But thank goodness for Borkhus and Diesel, it worked out this time.
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