Paul Beier's Table for Mountain Lion Attacks
in the United States and Canada
Click HERE to return to Wildlife Society Bulletin 19:403-412. 1991
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Table 1.   Attacks by cougars on humans in the United States and Canada, 1890 -1990

Fatal Attacks

Date and Place

Victim

Cougar

Source

Hr.a

Day

Month

Year

Vicinity

Stateb

Surname

Sex

Agec

Groupd

Pree

Postf

Shotg

Sexh

Agei

Cond.j

Referencesk

16

19

Jun

1890

Quartz Valley

Calif.

Dangle

M

  7

10.1

 

 

S

FC

 

 

Howard 1915, Storer 1923

  D

  6

Jul

1909

Morgan Hill

Calif.

Wilson
Kennedy

M
F

10
Ad

13
22

1
5

1
1

S

 

 

6

Storer 1923, Anon 1909

12

17

Dec

1924

Olema

Wash.

Fehlhaber

M

13

10

3

 

S

M

  3

1

Hall 1925, Finley 1925, Anon 1925

  D

19

Jun

1949

Kyuquot

V.I.

Taylor

M

  7

11

 

 

S

 

 

3

T-C 06/21/1949, Prov 06/21/1949

  D

  3

Jan

1971

Lytton

B.C.

Wells

M

12

12

1

 

S

M

12

5

Prov 01/04/1971, VSun 01/04/1971, WB files

11

20

Jan

1974

Arroyo Seco

N.M.

Nolan

M

  8

12.1

1

1

S

F

  3

4

Hibben 1975

15

14

Jul

1976

Gold River

V.I.

Samuel

F

  7

12

 

 

S

M

  2

1

VSun 07/15/1976 and 07/20/1976

16

16

May

1988

Tofino

V.I.

Bergman

M

  9

10.1

 

 

S

M

  4

1

T-C 05/19/1988, VSun 05/18-19/1988

16

10

Sep

1989

Evaro

Mont.

Gardipe

M

  5

10.1

 

 

S

F

  1.5

2

Spokane Spokesman-Review 09/14/1989,
Montana DFWP files

Nonfatal Attacks

Date and Place

Victim

Cougar

Source

Hr.a

Day

Month

Year

Vicinity

Stateb

Surname

Sex

Agec

Groupd

Pree

Postf

Shotg

Sexh

Agei

Cond.j

Referencesk

13

23

Sep

1916

Cowichan Lake

B.C.

Farrer
Ashburnham

M
F

  8
11

12
12

1
1

1
1

S

 

  2.5

7

Anon 1917, London (U.K.) Field 12/23/1916

 

  4

May

1934

Holberg

V.I.

Jensen

M

Ad

20

1

1

S

 

 

 

WB files

 

 

May

1935

Quatsino

V.I.

Johnson

M

Ad

21

1

1

S

 

 

 

WB files

21

25

Jan

1951

Kelsey Bay

V.I.

McLean

M

63

20.1

1

1

S

F

  1.5

4

T-C 01/27/1951, VSun 01/27/1951

 

  3

Jul

1951

Squamish

B.C.

Wyssen

M

29

20

3

5

S

FC

 

5

VSun 07/04/1951, WB files

 

  2

Mar

1953

Port Alice

V.I.

Walters

M

43

22

 

1

S

 

  2

2

VSun 03/03/1953, WB files

16

14

Apr

1953

Big Bend NP

Tex.

 

M

Ad

 

 

 

S

 

 

 

Big Bend NP files

  9

10

Jun

1953

Inglewood

V.I.

Coon

F

24

21.1

1

1

S

F

 

5

Prov 06/12/1953, T-C 06/12/1953, WB files

 

16

Mar

1962

Hinton

Alta.

Kilbreath

M

  6

12.1

 

3

S

 

  1.5

5

VSun 03/17/62, EJ 03/17/1962 and 03/19/1962

 

15

Jun

1963

Prince George

B.C.

Moore

M

  6

12

1

3

S

M

Ad

5

VSun 06/18/1963, WB files

 

  5

Mar

1965

Clinton

B.C.

Simpkins

M

15

13

1

1

S

F

Ad

5

VSun 03/06/1965 and 03/09/1965, WB files

 

 

Oct

1966

Chilcotin

B.C.

 

M

Ad

 

 

 

S

M

Ad

5

WB files

18

12

Sep

1969

Port Alberni

V.I.

Zimmerman

M

13

10

2

1

S

 

 

 

T-C 09/14/1969

  D

  2

Jun

1970

Lewis

Colo.

Imel

M

  2

11.1

 

1

S

M

Ad

2

Rocky Mountain News 06/03/1970

  D

15

Jun

1970

Kootenay NP

B.C.

Smith

F

50

20

2

4

NS

 

 

 

VSun 06/16/1970, Prov 06/16/1970

  8

22

Dec

1970

Harrison Lake

B.C.

Collie

M

29

20.1

1

1

S

F

  2

3

VSun 12/23/1970

  D

  8

Jul

1971

Eureka County

Nev.

Bird

M

Ad

21

1

  

S

F

Ad

3

Nevada Department of Wildlife files

 

 

Jun

1972

Strathcona Park

V.I.

 

 

  1

13

 

 

NS

 

 

 

WB files

  N

 

Jun

1972

Strathcona Park

V.I.

Hurford

M

25

22

1

1

NS

 

 

 

WB files, VSun 07/28/1972

14

26

Jul

1972

Campbell Lake

V.I.

Kelly

M

  8

14

1

2

NS

 

 

 

Prov 07/27/1972, VSun 07/27/1972

  D

16

Oct

1972

Cheshire

OR

Brewer

M

10

12

1

 

S

 

 

 

OR D.F.G Wildl Biologist William Castillo 02/13/01

10

  1

Jun

1975

Coquitlam

B.C.

Jones

M

  8

12

 

 

S

M

  2

1

VSun 06/02/1975, Prov 06/02/1975, WB files

12

22

Dec

1976

Rye

Colo.

Morgan

M

14

10

 

1

S

F

  1.5

 

Denver Post 12/23/1976

15

25

Jun

1977

Enumclaw

Wash.

O'Neal
O'Neal

F
F

28
  4

22
13

2
 

1
 

S

M

  1.7

4

Seattle Times 06/27/1977,
Washington Department of Wildlife files

  N

22

Nov

1978

Big Bend NP

Tex.

 

 

  C

13

1

 

NS

 

 

 

Big Bend National Park files

17

19

Feb

1979

Boston Bar

B.C.

Fife

F

  9

12.1

1

1

S

F

  5

4

Hope Standard 02/21/1979

18

  7

Aug

1979

Port Hardy

V.I.

Walkus

F

  4

14.1

 

 

S

F

 

5

VSun 08/10/1979, WB files

11

27

May

1981

Waterton Lakes NP

Alta.

Orchard

M

  C

11

 

 

NS

FC

 

 

WLNP files

 

 

 

1981

Oyster River

V.I.

 

M

Ad

 

 

 

S

F

  1.5

 

WB files

  7

20

Aug

1982

Waterton Lakes NP

Alta.

Bisby

M

  9

11

 

 

S

M

  0.5

2

WLNP files

 

 

 

1983

Esperanza

V.I.

 

M

Ad

 

 

 

S

 

 

 

WB files

15

24

Apr

1983

Port Alice

V.I.

Shanks
Wing

M
M

10
  9

12
12

3

 

S

 

 

 

WB files

 

 

 

1983

Holberg

V.I.

 

M

16

10

 

 

S

M

  3

 

WB files

19

  4

Apr

1984

Big Bend NP

Tex.

Roe

F

Ad

20

1

6

NS

 

  1

 

Big Bend NP files

18

  2

Aug

1984

Big Bend NP

Tex.

Vaught
Brown

M
M

  9
Ad

13
22

1
5

 
1

S

M

  1.8

4

Big Bend NP files

19

28

May

1985

Pacific Rim NP

V.I.

Wilson

M

12

11

1

1

NS

 

 

 

VSun 05/29/1985, T-C 05/30/1985

19

  3

Aug

1985

Sooke

V.I.

Parker

F

10

14.1

3

3

S

M

  1.5

2

Prov 08/06/1985, VSun 08/06-07/1985

14

23

Mar

1986

Orange County

Calif.

Small

F

  5

13

1

1

S

M

  2

1

OCR 03/24-25/1986, LAT 03/25/1986

12

19

Oct

1986

Orange County

Calif.

Mellon

M

  6

11

1

1

NS

 

 

 

OCR 10/20-22/1986

12

19

Apr

1987

Big Bend NP

Tex.

Burt

F

31

22

3

1

S

M

  1.2

4

Big Bend NP files

 

28

May

1988

Payson

Ariz.

Fuller

F

  6

14.1

 

1

S

F

  1.5

4

Arizona Republic 06/09/1988

22

11

Jan

1989

Tofino

V.I.

Lucas

M

28

21.1

1

1

S

F

  2

4

Prov 01/13/1989

19

29

Apr

1989

Canyon Lake

Ariz.

Walsh

M

  5

13

 

3

NS

 

 

 

Phoenix Gaxette 05/01/1989

18

  2

Jun

1990

Boulder

Colo.

Walters

F

28

20

6

1

NS

FC

 

 

Colorado Division of Wildlife files

12

23

Jun

1990

Glacier NP

Mont.

O'Hare

M

  9

14.1

1

2

S

M

  1.3

4

Glacier National Park files

aNearest hour on 24 hour clock, except D = daylight hours and N = dark hours
bState or Province or V.I. = Vancouver Island (B.C.)
cAge in years except C = child of unknown age and Ad = adult of unknown age
dGroups: 10 = child victim alone and out of earshot of other humans; 11 = child alone but within earshot of an adult; 12 = child in group of children;
13 = child in group with adult; 14 = child in child group within earshot of adult; 20 = adult alone and out of earshot of others; 21 = adult alone but within earshot of others; 22 = adult in group.  A "1" suffix indicates attack occurred within view of a human dwelling or of a motor home in a developed recreation area.
ePre-attack behavior of the victim after seeing the cougar approach:  1 = no time to react; 2 = watched quietly; 3 = ran away; 4 = stood ground and shouted or threw rocks, etc.; 5 = pulled cougar off first victim; 6 = shouted and stood ground, and then climbed tree.
fPost-attack behavior of the victim:  1 = fought back; 2 = played dead; 3 = victim's head was held in cougar's mouth, perhaps in shock; 4 = talked quietly to cougar; 5 = drove away on bulldozer; 6 = cougar fled at once.
gS = cougar was shot; NS = cougar was not shot.
hFC = female with cub.
iAge in years; Ad = adult of unknown age.
jCondition of cougar:  1 = good health and normal body mass; 2 = mass (measured) was normal for age; 3= mass (estimated) was normal for age; 4 = mass (measured) was below normal for age; 5 = mass (estimated) was below normal for age; 6 = rabid; 7 = cataracts.
kDFWP = Dep. Fish Wildlife and Parks; EJ = Edmonton Journal; LAT = Los Angeles Times; NP = National Park; OCR = Orange County Register; Prov = The Vancouver Province; T-C = Victoria Times-Colonist (Daily Colonist until 1976); VSun = The Vancouver Sun; WB = Wildlife Branch of the Province of British Columbia; WLNP = Waterton Lakes National Park.

This Table created for:
Wildlife Society Bulletin 19:403-412. 1991
COUGAR ATTACKS ON HUMANS IN THE UNITED STATES AND CANADA

*Additions greyed out are from e-mail/phone information subsequent to the publication of the table.
 Example:

  D

16

Oct

1972

Cheshire

OR

Brewer

M

10

12

1

 

S

 

 

 

    This Information Added/Corrected After Publication


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