Ripp:

Maybe the problem with conceptualizing the whole thing for some people is that hunters tend to think in terms of a mental "movie", SEEING the animal in an almost slow-motion, special-effects sort of way, with a mental picture of mounting the rifle/shotgun and sighting down the barrels and breaking the trigger and seeing the hit or miss of the shot etc. and wondering how they will react as they react.

This of course is nonsense. No "charge" of any animal is dictated by the hunter and such an occurence may not even register in the mind of the hunter till after the fight is over. This is why discussions of this sort while entertaining and interesting can be self-defeating from a mental aspect IF the hunter thinks that while chatting about it he will be able to predict how this or that will unfold.

The best preparation for all gun work is lots of practice from FIELD POSITIONS, combined with good physical fitness. Building as much instinctive reaction as possible is the answer to any attack. There is simply no time to "think about it" when a fight starts. I learned that when I woke up on the mat when I used to box and while recovering from injuries caused by livestock. I have been attacked by several head of cattle, a few horses, an old, mean Hampshire ram {yup, sheep!} and a bear over the years and though they are not leopard, I can say without doubt all those critters caught me totally offguard and admittedly flatfooted. A couple were stopped with guns and one mean stallion quite literally with my fist. Much of this is simple stock work and farmboy stuff if you like, but many animals can kill a guy. Maybe modern people are so fascinated with "mean animals" because they rarely interact with animals?

Anyway, the point is animals have brains, too and they don't wait to ask permission to go sour. For example, the little 200 lb foal that kicked me in the face didn't "get that look" or "have an evil eye" or present some such dramatic warning. It just kicked me in the face.

I have read reports and seen video testimony and witness of cougar attacks and in all of the cases the persons involved had essentially no time to react even had they been armed. My buddy's situation was different as the animal had not yet made its rush. It came off a cutbank, landed in deep snow, took a step or two toward him, crouched and as he heard the slight squish of the snow he had already turned with his gun in his hand. Maybe it wasn't even going to attack him. He shot it anyway.

Your description of the leopard in the cage is a good one for those who think they might have time to quote a paragraph from "Death in the Long Grass" before mashing the trigger. For those that have never seen a big cat move I suggest they watch Muffy the Mouse Catcher jump in one leap from the floor to the top of the china cabinet some time. That should be enough to convince them that an 8-stone Muffy must be an impressive performer.

That's why as I mentioned leopard gave me the creeps at night while strolling unarmed in their environs.