Author Topic: What Handi to use for cougar? (Read 2761 times)

petemi · « **on:** July 05, 2010, 07:13:48 AM »

My neighbors informed me last evening they found cougar tracks within 400 yards of my front door. The tracks were large and 11 feet apart in places. They tracked him a half mile to another neighbor' place and lost him. I need this like a double hernia. I don't have enough problems with wolves, coyotes and fox. We always carry a big gun out back during bear time....now I guess we'll do it all year long.

I think the .445 ought to be adequate.

Pete

Lefty Dude · « **Reply #1 on:** July 05, 2010, 07:28:25 AM »

Sneeky Devils;
Watch you back, Pete.

44 is a very good Puma round.

spikehorn · « **Reply #2 on:** July 05, 2010, 07:47:23 AM »

Might want something thats more than a single shot, cause I bet they can sneak up on you alot better than you can sneak up on them.

gendoc · « **Reply #3 on:** July 05, 2010, 07:52:40 AM »

pete, thats a good choice, i would sight in the 39 for a good distance away.
if yours is anything like mine, its the most accurate "handi" i have every time i grab it, consistantly
any of the many you have will do.....shot placement really is the thing with a man kill'n critter !!!

PHATINJUN · « **Reply #4 on:** July 05, 2010, 07:58:36 AM »

Pete I know ya got plenty of calibers that will more than work ......But if it was me and it sounds more like personal protection than anything I would seriously consider either a 12 or a 20ga with the triball loads and as much as I love my H&R's I would prolly carry my dbl 16ga or the model 11 auto loader lots can go wrong real fast in a panic situation. Problem is if you got one stalking you you are prolly not even going to know its there. Just a thought. Kurt

petemi · « **Reply #5 on:** July 05, 2010, 08:09:00 AM »

gendoc hit it on the head....."a man kill'n critter". It really changes things around here. We never really sweated the possibility of a wolf or bear attack, but we were always cautious. This guy is a whole different story. I think they view people as two legged deer. He's been seen twice at a farm about 5 miles down the road, and he's obviously living in close proximity to humans. That has got to mean his fear of humans is diminished, making him even more dangerous.

Kurt, I thought seriously about carrying the .12 ga pump loaded with 00 buck and slugs interspaced.

Like the wolf, this guy is on the "You Can't Shoot It" list.........Yeah

Pete

necchi · « **Reply #6 on:** July 05, 2010, 08:19:56 AM »

Don't figgur you'll have trouble from that critter,,least how in this neck of the woods (I'm in Minn)

Their pretty people shy,,sure they've had trouble in Califorication, but that's cause people moved in on'm and "pet's" are an interesting prey. They become acclimated to people being around.

11' feet apart means it was runnin

Lived in Wyo for awhile years back, I usta go deep off the trail BLM land northside Laramie peak, only seen one,,an that was the hind quarter's an tail leaving.

petemi · « **Reply #7 on:** July 05, 2010, 08:26:24 AM »

11 feet apart means he was just cruising....running they're 20 or more feet apart.

Here, we didn't move in on them, they moved back in on us, and it is quite evident they don't avoid human habitation.

Pete

oldsoldja · « **Reply #8 on:** July 05, 2010, 08:35:52 AM »

30-06 and a colt python. cougars say we taste like chicken.

briannmilewis · « **Reply #9 on:** July 05, 2010, 09:01:18 AM »

I am no expert but here is the most important stuff I have learned about our friend the cougar.

People are two legged deer regardless of how man-shy the beast is.

They will always attack you from behind and bite you in the back of the neck and head and hold on tight.

Plenty of folks have talked about coyote hunting and cougars, pumas, mountain lions sneaking right up to them and they did not notice.

A trick that Asian tiger and big cat handlers do is wear a halloween type mask with big eyes and big teeth backwards, so the cat thinks you are looking at them even with your back to them...the idea is they will not attack you if you are looking at them, they only attack from behind.

The most universal thing I have read everywhere is a single shot anything is a gamble with your life.

Good luck. Also we need photos when you get him.

Lefty Dude · « **Reply #10 on:** July 05, 2010, 09:15:29 AM »

We had a Turkey Hunter here in Northern Arizona shoot his Cat with a 12 ga.

He was stalking a big Jake Turkey in a meadow and sitting behind a stump. He heard a slight noise to the rear, 20 yards behind him was a Big Tom-Cat sitting on a log watching him. He shot the Cougar with BB shot and killed him on the spot.

Yep; A Shotgun, just may be a good choice.

S.E.Ak · « **Reply #11 on:** July 05, 2010, 09:30:42 AM »

When hunting with hounds many use a 22mag.Shotguns are hard to beat up close. One could do like those in Tiger country in India and wear a mask on the back of your head so there is no rear to sneak up on.

Sourdough · « **Reply #12 on:** July 05, 2010, 09:35:55 AM »

The most freighting experience I have ever had, and I have had some hair raisers, was with a Couger in New Mexico. I was hunting turkey during the spring hunt. I had walked in several miles up a canyon. I was set up under a big tree, sitting on the ground, with my back to the tree. I had been working the call for about 20 minutes, when suddenly all the hair on my neck raised and I got this panic feeling. I looked around, but could not see anything. Then there was a scream, sounded just like a woman, and it was close. I spun around, coming up on one knee. There was a Couger, 15 feet away. It had snuck up using the tree as cover. We just stared at each other. I'm sure it was only a fraction of a second, but it seemed like and hour, sitting there staring into each others eyes. The Couger blinked, turned, and was gone. I left in a big hurry.

I could never go back into that canyon without feeling uneasy after that. I hunted and rode horse back in all the canyons in that area. But that one canyon always made me nervous after my experience there.

manatee1947 · « **Reply #13 on:** July 05, 2010, 10:31:49 AM »

we have a few here , the conservation dept finally could no longer deny it. My neighbor has seen one several times within a half mile from my house, but in 40 + years of hunting, I have never. I would say get a 5 pound bag of catnip in an airtight container- break glass in case of emergency.

Just toss it in one direction and leave in the other.

dangerranger · « **Reply #14 on:** July 05, 2010, 10:34:09 AM »

I never realised how big they were till I came up on one face to face. I was feeding horses and this one group would not come up to the barn. so I go out and find them in a 20 acre pasture huddled up in the far corner. I try to chase them up but they wont go. so I halter the boss mare and am leading her up with the others following when she plants all four and wont move. by this time Im looking for whats wrong and I see a BIG cat laying on a rock behind the barn watching me bring up her dinner. once she knew I had seen her she got up and casually walked off. later I measured the rock she had been on and guessed she was at least 5' from head to butt. I know what others mean about that creepy feeling. DR

Spanky · « **Reply #15 on:** July 05, 2010, 10:51:31 AM »

That close is TOO close... you know what you need to do Pete... whether he's on the no-no list or not.

Spanky

hunt-m-up · « **Reply #16 on:** July 05, 2010, 10:54:30 AM »

I'd second the shotgun and get a hunting partner you can outrun...problem solved.

billy_56081 · « **Reply #17 on:** July 05, 2010, 11:01:29 AM »

Pete are you a concealed carry guy? Because if you are worried about being attacked by a cougar you need to really worry about the 2 legged predators.

kevinsmith5 · « **Reply #18 on:** July 05, 2010, 11:06:43 AM »

ONce they lose the fear of humans (which this one sounds like it has) cougars are pretty dangerous. Their more likely to attack than any other large predator in the Continental US (any predator with the exception of coyotes, but I don't count them as large). More people die annually of cougar attack than bears and wolves by far.

I'd go with at least a double load of double 00 if you're looking to defend yourself against a potential attack. But I'd also contact the local authorities and explain the critters behavior to them. THat way when you drop it they can't say you didn't warn em.

lucky guy · « **Reply #19 on:** July 05, 2010, 11:19:36 AM »

My buddy shot one with a 22-250, 62 gr power point at about 100 yds, knocked it out but did not penetrate and 30 minutes later it woke up as they were walking in on it. Bullet glanced off the breast bone and stayed under the skin as it slid along the rib cage. If you're gonna carry a rifle and not a shotgun with 00 buck, I'd go at with at least a 243 with 90 - 100 gr hunting bullets, open sights or very low power scope, and not varmint bullets or other frangible pill. I agree with the comment about not relying on a single shot if protection is the concern.

If one surprises you and gets you down I think handgun is your only chance. Good news is you're probably more likely to get struck by lightning.

If you want to get rid of it find somebody that knows calling or has hounds if they're legal where you live, or call the state trapper to bring in dogs. Really the only ways to reliably locate and kill them.

Check this out. These two came through my place a few months back.

petemi · « **Reply #20 on:** July 05, 2010, 11:27:35 AM »

This whole episode has given me the same feeling of insecurity that I had for a long while after a .357 was stolen out of the barn a couple of years ago. Everything looks and feels different. We're not afraid, just more cautious. I haven't a clue what this sucker is going to do to the deer hunting around here, the wolves were bad enough. I got skunked last year for the first time in 19 years.

Jim, my Appaloosa ran off a wolf last week.....I worry about how he'd fare against this guy.

Kevin, the DNR is well aware of this one. He's been reported many times and they have pictures to prove it. They, it, whatever have never been this close to my home before. I told the DNR quite a while ago, I was defending my critters and property against wolves and this guy is no different. If I have to dump it, they can come get it.

Lucky, if I shoot him, it ani't gonna be with my .22-250. It'll be the shotgun or .445, .45-70, .308 or '06. I don't have a problem with single shots in any situation. My first shot's gonna be on target.

Pete

lucky guy · « **Reply #21 on:** July 05, 2010, 11:32:58 AM »

Hey Pete, just curious where you live?

Frank V · « **Reply #22 on:** July 05, 2010, 11:34:08 AM »

I have two choices, both are pretty plain. Offensive, the .30-06, Defensive 12 bore (gauge) shotgun W/#4 buck.
The plain old .30-06 will handle almost any chore, & the 12 Bore will really shut down a thin skin medium size dangerous animal. It's what a LOT of PHs use in Africa to settle a Leopard in thick brush!
Frank

GreenMachine79 · « **Reply #23 on:** July 05, 2010, 11:47:25 AM »

Just remember its legal to shoot them if they are in the process of killing live stock or attacking you, for some reason dogs don't count as live stock.

clearwater · « **Reply #24 on:** July 05, 2010, 12:11:49 PM »

Quote from: petemi on July 05, 2010, 07:13:48 AM

My neighbors informed me last evening they found cougar tracks within 400 yards of my front door. The tracks were large and 11 feet apart in places. They tracked him a half mile to another neighbor' place and lost him. I need this like a double hernia. I don't have enough problems with wolves, coyotes and fox. We always carry a big gun out back during bear time....now I guess we'll do it all year long.

I think the .445 ought to be adequate.

Pete

Can you get a depredation permit where you live? Friends of mine in northern california have
sheep and end up shooting cougar that are stalking their sheep pretty often. Once they find
evidence of the cougar taking an interest in their animals, they go get a permit. It is
open land there so they often see them at a distance and shoot them with a rifle.

If peoples pets start being taken by the cat, it is time to get rid it. They are getting too bold.
If they are just leaving tracks, I wouldn't worry to much about it, but would probably have
a sheathknife or sidearm handy if out by myself.

bikerbeans · « **Reply #25 on:** July 05, 2010, 01:06:01 PM »

Pete,

I think a shorty shotgun w/buckshot and a large caliber revolver are the way to go. The cat ain't much of a threat at 200 yards but @ 200 inches things get kinda serious.

BB

yooper77 · « **Reply #26 on:** July 05, 2010, 01:52:59 PM »

12 gauge pump or semi with buckshot if you are lucky enough to see it before it gets you. Most likely you will not have anytime to react. If you are able to react first then the cat is not a threat too you therefore not legal to take. Be careful and know the laws before you shoot.

yooper77

Couger · « **Reply #27 on:** July 05, 2010, 02:05:12 PM »

Quote from: yooper77

12 gauge pump or semi with buckshot if you are lucky enough to see it before it gets you. Most likely you will not have anytime to react. If you are able to react first then the cat is not a threat too you therefore not legal to take. Be careful and know the laws before you shoot. yooper77

Indeed! I like the idea of buckshot for close range fast shots, the bigger the pellet THAT WILL PATTERN WELL IN YOUR GUN - THE BETTER!

The MORE HITS THE BETTER!

Otherwise a Mini14 or AR15 can direct a lot of hot lead at a sneaky lion. I've heard of treed cougars being dispatched with .22rimfires, M1911's and many other gun choices but 99% of killed lions I heard about were chased with dogs.

petemi · « **Reply #28 on:** July 05, 2010, 02:14:55 PM »

Yooper, you know where I am. About seven miles north of Engadine on Da U.P. I know the laws.....and frankly I don't give a crap. If I think something is a threat.....it's gone. At this point, so close to residences, I believe it is a threat. My dog lays out in the driveway sunning himself and snoozing. He's a 90 lb. whimp. He'd be cougar bait in a heartbeat. My chickens run around the lawn all day, like more bait. My horses are out just about always, and the beagle is just a short jump over a fence. If I have to go look for him, it'll be the .445 and the .357 Blackhawk.

The thing that really bothers me is that DNR and other government agencies can make regulations at their discrection that can put you in jail. No due process, no representation. To me, that is B.S. I never voted to protect cougars or put wolves on the endangered list.

Pete

PHATINJUN · « **Reply #29 on:** July 05, 2010, 02:39:16 PM »

"If I have to go look for him, it'll be the .445 and the .357 Blackhawk." Nothing wrong with that combo Pete if ya go looking... if you get enough folks looking for it you may just find him or at least push him out of your area. Kurt