OT= Dogs attacked by Cougar

[Bigahh]

I got an unbelievable email today from my brother in Montana. It seems a Rancher and his wife ride their Mules quite often out there, and on one ordinary night they took a ride while their 2 dogs followed as they always do. After riding awhile the rancher looked back, and discovered a Cougar sneaking up behind the dogs. He had a camera with him. He stopped his Mule, and jumped off to try and scare away the cat. The cat attacked the dogs, before he could do anything his Mule came in to help the dogs. Look at the outcome..Note the dog in the back ground. After the Mule killed the cat he walked back over to the other Mule as if to say"Lets finish our ride"

[piller]

Remind me to never tick off a mule.

[Old Ironsights]

I hate doing this to a "I wish it were true" story, but...

http://www.snopes.com/photos/animals/mulelion.asp

"Status: Real Pictures, Innacurate Discription"

[piller]

Even so, that mule had some strength to pick something that weighs about what I weigh and swing it around. I'm not going to make one mad.

[Old Ironsights]

Oh yah... mules are tough. I tend to not argue with critters that can take a 2x4 to the noggin and still give you grief...

But the fact remains... Live Cougar + Live Mule = Draw... at best (for the mule).

[Otto]

This story was on the old forum in late 2004 or early 2005, and was hotly debated. I found a quote from The American Donkey and Mule Society, yes there is such a thing, that said, without commenting on this particular incident, that mules will fight cougars and can kill them in this manner.

Take it for what it's worth.

[mescalero1]

I never saw the old forum, but I saw this on email a long time ago, it said the incident happend in Wyoming?
I remember thinking, that sure looks like Apache country.
So a question for forum members from that part of the world, do you have Spanish Dagger cactus in Wyoming?

[Griff]

Mules & donkeys are great livestock guards due to their willingness to fight. But, like OI said, true pics, inaccurate description.

[Doc Hudson]

Those photos and a version of the story appeared in this forum a few months ago.

The general consensus was that even if not true, the photos were really impressive.

[Rexster]

If sheep ranchers use donkeys to protect the sheep from coyotes, it stands to reason a big Jack or a mule would be a handful for a cat. When I retire, if I get back into a rural area, I think mules, or a big Jack, are going to be on my short list if I decide to be a slave to animals again.

[Doc Hudson]

If sheep ranchers use donkeys to protect the sheep from coyotes, it stands to reason a big Jack or a mule would be a handful for a cat. When I retire, if I get back into a rural area, I think mules, or a big Jack, are going to be on my short list if I decide to be a slave to animals again.

Some of my old insurance customers tried using a couple of donkeys to ward of the local coyote and feral dog population. It didn't work out too well. The donkeys killed more goats than the coyotes did. So they disposed of the donkeys and bought a pair of Great Pyrenees dogs.

[FWiedner]

From what I've heard, mules will fight predators, and apparently they get ornery.

If I recall the story from this series of photos, the people involved had shot the cougar and it was already dead. When the mule got close enough it attacked and worked the dead critter over a little more.