MAN WHO SUFFOCATED MOUNTAIN LION SPEAKS OUT

Travis Kauffman was attacked by a mountain lion while running a trail. All the headlines w2ere that Kauffman had choked the mountain lion to death.

In a public press conference Kauffman spoke of his attack. At some point during his jog, he “heard some pine needles rustle behind”  He turned and he said “One of my worst fears was confirmed” — it was a mountain lion that was about 10 feet away.

As the lion attacked it latched its jaw onto Kauffman’s right wrist. Kauffman said he was doing his “barbarian yell as best I could,”.

“From there it was just like a wrestling match. it was thrashing and it still had my wrist locked in its jaws,” Kauffman said. He pinned that cats back legs down using his knee.

He tried to hit the mountain lion with sticks but they were rotten. He then hit the the lion on the head with a large rock. Eventually, he was able to shift his weight on top of the cat and get his foot on his neck suffocating the cat.

Kauffman said he was on a “Crazy high” and ran back toward civilization. He eventually ran into someone that transported him to a hospital. He received 19 stitches along his left cheek, another six stitches on the bridge of his nose and three stitches on his wrist (where the lion’s mouth was). Kauffman said he has several puncture wounds from the cat’s teeth and claws, but otherwise feels “great.”

Mountain lions are more common than people realize. They are all around but rarely seen. Always be aware of where you are hiking and have a plan to deal with the wildlife we share this land with.

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