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CPW investigating self-defense claim in killing of mountain lion in Fremont County

FREMONT COUNTY, Colo. (KRDO) - Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) is investigating the recent killing of a mountain lion by a man in Fremont County.

According to CPW, an officer responded on Saturday, September 26, to a report that an aggressive mountain lion had been killed by a man with a shovel. The officer found a man with a dead mountain lion on the hood of his jeep in a campground west of Canon City, in Fremont County.

The harrowing confrontation happened on the banks of the Arkansas River, not far from the Royal Gorge in Fremont County.

KRDO13 exclusively spoke with Andrew Johnson who says he had never hunted or killed a wild animal before now. But he says he was forced to kill the big cat to protect himself and his dog. 

"It was a pretty jarring experience," recounted Johnson.

He says he got home around 11:30 at night. He was relaxing outside of his RV near the Royal Gorge Bridge when he says he saw the mountain lion approaching them from about 20 feet away.

He says he had a shovel near his RV door and he quickly grabbed it as the lion started to get closer.

"As it approached us it went after my dog first," said Johnson.

That's when Johnson jumped into action.

"My dog was able to get under the RV, and then I was able to get the first shot. I got him and it was good. And then I got it again. And it ran behind my jeep and then eventually came back. And that's when I, you know, I killed it," said Johnson.

After it was over he hid in the RV for some time until he was sure it was safe. 

"I go out there to check it out and I’m looking around I opened its mouth and it exhales real hard and I just about did a backflip thinking it was still alive," Johnson remembered.

Johnson said he was so shaken up after killing the 95-pound cat he couldn't sleep that night. 

He got in contact with Colorado Parks and Wildlife who came and met him to take the lion away.

CPW said the man told the responding officer that he was sitting outside his recreational vehicle with his dog the previous night when a mountain lion approached them. The man said his dog, a husky, began growling and barking as the lion approached. When the lion got within about 10 feet, the dog engaged it and the man grabbed a shovel, which he used to strike the lion in the head and kill it, CPW said. The officer described the lion as a female that weighed about 95 pounds.

According to CPW, the officer's preliminary finding was that the man was in fear of his life and acted in self-defense when confronted by a lion acting unusual and extremely aggressive. Further inspection of the lion revealed it had an injury to its front right paw and scratches along its back. The lion’s body was shipped to a CPW animal health lab for a necropsy.

Courtesy of Andrew Johnson

The agency said that because the man suffered no injuries and was never touched by the lion, this incident does not qualify as a mountain lion attack under CPW guidelines. The investigation remains open and CPW will make not make further comment.

CPW said mountain lion attacks are rare in Colorado. The agency has recorded 25 lion attacks on humans since 1990. 

For more information, visit CPW's page on living with mountain lions.

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Tyler Dumas

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