Cat defense?

[yesterdaysyouth]

http://www.wcpo.com/news/2004/local/06/26/boonebear.html

im trying to find the article where the farmer shot a black bear that was eating his cattle... there's a copy of it at work, i'll see what i can do...

 

[mrstang01]

Cool deal. Wonder if the bear made it?

 

[jercamp45]

Good advice hereabouts!

I saw a cougar on a hike in Arizona along time back, and a black bear at close range on a hike in the Washington Cascades, each time I had a Colt Commander loaded with warm 215 gr SWC and did not feel undergunned. The Commander went on so many climbing/hiking/camping/canoe trips I lost count. In all cases the critters vanished as soon as they realized I was there.
I almost ran into a Moose in the fall darknes near Fairbanks, we each screamed and ran in opposite directions...had an 870 with brenneke slugs then...Government model on my hip.
Now when venturing out I take a Colt CCO loaded with plus P....if in Alaska or more northern mountains, I'd get a .460 Rowland kit for my Government model(and another rifle!). But I would not be adverse to a 10 m/m 1911 properly set up.
Jercamp45

 

[agtman]

 

[mrstang01]

I've gone to a Glock 20 in 10mm for my around the ranch carry myself.

 

[Marcus]

I think it`s pretty cool that predators seem to be making a come back. Here in SE Pa. we`ve seen some suprising things in the last few years. A full grown female mountain lion with young (a game warden friend showed me plaster casts of the tracks),many coyotes and now an est. 450lb. black bear just last week. All within 1/2 mile of my house! I only hope I get to see the bear. I`d never shoot it unless it was intent on making lunch of my wife or I but it was still a good excuse to keep the Super Blackhawk handy stoked with 300gr.XTPs. If I were worried about the big cats my 1006 10mm would most certainly get the nod. I can put good accurate shots on target much faster than comparable loads in a .357 revolver,plus it holds 9rds. If I cared for Glocks a G20 or G29 with hi caps be great. Marcus

 

[halvey]

I'd think those new lightweight Smith .45 ACP revolvers would do the trick.

 

[Vern Humphrey]

Quote:
--------------------------------------------
I only hope I get to see the bear.
--------------------------------------------

If you want to see the bear, get rid of your dogs and get a beehive. The bear will follow a bee right back to the hive. I had one knock over my hive one rainy morning. I put it back together, not knowing what knocked it over, and made it a point to come out and check the now-soaked hive about once an hour. About noon, I came out and found the bear standing next to it.

We moved the hive and put it next to the neighbor's goat pen -- he keeps a couple of Great Pyranees to protect the goats, and the bear didn't come back.

 

[Dr.Rob]

Lions and Tigers and Bears...

If a lion is making itself heard it's being defensive, or it's in heat. If it's hunting it won't make any noise and it will attack from behind.

Remember that while we are hiking, fishing and hunting we are in their back yards and not the other way around.

My knockaround "fishing/backpacking" gun is a stainless Colt Magnum Carry in .357 loaded with 158 gr hydrashocks. I'm far more concerned about 2 legged predators than 4 legged ones.

 

[rolltide]

Cats are thin skinned and not particularly heavy boned either. A 357mag of your choice with a 3" or 4" barrel and loaded with 125gr JHP's would serve as well as anything bigger, if not better. Auto's make poor field guns IMHO due to the possibility of debris being in the gun at a crucial time. Unless I am in bear country, my 4" Dan Wesson revolver is my hands down favorite trail gun. Easy to carry and will take care of any defense situation better than almost anything else until you get to bear size or bigger. For black bears the 44 mag gets the nod with 240 JHP. For really big bears, a shotgun with Brennekke slugs or preferably a 338 magnum or larger rifle with appropriate partition slugs.

For hiking in cat country alone, I recommend carry a old fashion back pack with a frame that extends above the neck/head to protect from initial attacks from behind (even carrying the frame without the pack would be OK.) Then carry a 4" 357mag with 125gr JHP. You will be about as well prepared as is practical. If there is at least 2 of you and both are armed, then the pack frame would not be needed.

 

[sgt127]

"If there is at least 2 of you and both are armed, then the pack frame would not be needed."

Just stay behind me hon....I'll carry the pack and take the lead to watch for big cats...

 

[yotehunter]

While this is a good subject to go over, unless you are in bear country almost anything will bring down a Mt Lion. They are very soft skinned.
I feel shot placement is the most important thing in this situation. Weather its a 44 or a 22 mag, if the shot doesnt hit any vitals then the animal will not die immediatly.
The bigger calibers are what I would carry just because they make me feel better. My philosaphy has always been that if the claiber doesnt start with a 4 then I wont carry it. A revolver is a good choice, I carry a S&W 629 with a 3 inch barrel. I carry it stocked with Corbon 44SPL and a speed load of Winchester Silvertips in 44Mag.
The most important thing here is carry what you can handle the best in all situations and feel most comftorable with. My friend who guides MtLion hunts carrys a Taurus 22Mag revolver and has taken many MtLions with it with no problem, granted he takes his time with shot placement which must be done even if he carried a large caliber.

 

[Andrew Wyatt]

most mountain lions around here weigh less than a normal adult human.


anything you'd use on a person should be fine. (i use a 20 gauge loaded with number 3 buck)

 

[rolltide]

I am certainly no authority on the subject, but as I understand it, the reason they use the 22 mag on the lions is because it will not blow them out of the tree. If you lung shoot a treed lion with a 22 Mag they will usually sit there until they bleed out. If you hit them with something heavy enough to blow them out of the tree, they are liable to hurt you or your dogs in their death throws. While the 22mag makes a lot of sense to shoot a treed lion, it is not a good choice for defense in my opinion. I don't think a predatory lion in a charge is going to be deterred by a 22 mag. I would not trust my life or anyone elses to the 22 mag for lion defense unless there were simply no larger options.

I have heard of people carrying 22's for bear defense. They just shoot their buddy in the knee cap with the 22 and run. The moral to that story is NEVER walk in bear country with anyone who carries a 22 for bear defense.

just my $.02

Roll Tide

 

[jc2]

You use a .22 Magnum because it is very accurate (you can place your shot very precisely), and you don't tear of the hide--and no it is not a defensive weapon but a harvesting tool.