What caliber for bobcats?

[rhubarb]

Last week I went to the shooting range one evening. The gate has a padlock that must be unlocked and re-locked upon entry. I unlocked the gate, pushed it open, and got back in my truck. A bobcat stepped out on the road halfway between me and the firing line 200 yards away. The firing line where there were people blasting away. The cat sat down in the middle of the road and watched the shooters. If he hadn't moved at the last moment, he'd have been taken down by a 5000lb bullet.

 

[achildofthesky]

Why would you want to hurt meee?

 

[paintballdude902]

i use either a .30-30 or a 12guage

then again all of my bobcat kills have been out of luck i was always out deer hunting and it was a slow day and the little guys walked out

except 1 when a friend and i were dove hunting and one ran out put 2 barrels of bird shot into it then 1 more of double 00buck that little kitty wont go any where near the chickens again

 

[wolf_from_wv]

Something that uses a .224" diameter bullet, or has enough pellets to cover a bobcat sized area...

 

[smokingun45]

You can killem with a .22 RF, just perhaps not too fast, I shot one here at the ranch last month that was stalking my Jack Russell out by the corrals. Hit him with a .223 (40gr HVMX @3400) and vaporized him.....he expired instantly. Scared the s**t out of the dog, however, & it took a little time & coaxing before he wanted to come inside...

 

[Orthonym]

Oh, c'mon, as I wrote above, non-rabid bobcats tend to avoid teh danejeruss hyumins.

I mind a guy I used to know, very slightly, who somehow managed to get possession of a bobkitten. It was a sweety-pie of a kitten, but then it grew up, and decided to go off on its own.

Hint: grown bobcats can't stand the presence of other bobcats, let alone humans.

Well, this guy figured the kitty was still hanging around, and put out food for it. It came back, once, and allowed him to pick it up in his arms.

It then proceeded to use its special cat nerves in its fangs to feel for one of the joints in his thumb, and bite down hard, and chew, all the while looking up at him cheerfully and happily.

Reminds me of the time I got my ear bit by a margay. I think he liked me, but he was a wild animal, and I spooked him, so he bit me.


All the above is aside; If a bobcat approaches you, it is not a normal bobcat, and probably rabid.

 

[DZL HOG]

Most of the folks Ive heard of hunting cats, hunt them like hunting coons. .22lr is a plenty to get em out the tree, then if its still alive when it hits the ground, the pack of hounds will finish the job.

Matt

 

[BamaHoosier]

12ga,7.62x39,22lr,.308...my varmint apothecary

 

[3pairs12]

Thats all you need is that rabbit. Thats good stuff there.

 

[FALZOO-XD]

We had acouple that were rabid down here in Carolinas

 

[Timthinker]

While a 12 gauge shotgun is overkill for a bobcat, the 12 is an all purpose gun in my book. Yes, it can protect against bobcats or varmints that walk on two legs. The beauty of the 12 is it will do the job on smaller animals.


Timthinker

 

[retrieverman]

I have seen several bobcats over the years but only killed a couple, and the last one was this fall. I was hog hunting and had a big cat come by me, and I shot him at 80 yards with a Blaser R-93 308 using handloaded 165 gr Corelokt bullets.

 

[BIGR]

Shot one with a 20 gauge shotgun with no. 6 shot (I was crow hunting)in 1981. First shot knocked it down and had to finish with 2nd shot. Shot another one (28 LBS) a few years ago with a 12 gauge 7/12 shot (I was bird hunting and it came sneaking through the woods). I have to say they are not the easiest thing to kill with bird shot.

 

[marksman13]

Anything that would kill a coyote will kill a bobcat. Given my choice I'll take a 223 or a 12 gauge with 3 1/2" #4s.

 

[Savage Shooter]

if youre looking to save on fur damage go with .22mag
If youre looking to stop the thing dead in its tracks 12 00 buck shot to the head bye bye kitty

 

[pat86323]

i cant believe no one has suggested 17 hmr, it is actually a devastating round, i have personally seen coyotes die in rapid fashion at approaching 200 yards with pretty much no fur damage.