Cougars

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cougars really aren't that big. 150 lbs is a good size for one. any handgun caliber 9mm or better should stop one.
 
A recent issue of OUTDOOR LIFE had an article about a 160 lb cougar in Utah or Nevada. Went around killing lots of sheep. It was finally killed by a hunter armed with a .357 magnum revolver. Two shots. First shot to stake it in place, the 2nd to finish it off.

People have hunted leopards which weigh about 120 lb. with shotguns loaded with #4 shot.
 
I think this thread works better in the hunting forum.

What kind of handgun you may use to legally take a cougar depends on where you live.

Here in Colorado it must meet the muzzle energy standards that apply for other big game.

IE a 357 might do, it's not legal.

357 Max, 41 and 44 mag are legal.
 
I was more thinking along the lines of walking in the woods and being stalked by one. I imagine anything that will work would be legal if you were defending your life. Is that right? I just read a book on Cougar attacks and one lady purchased a .380 after she was stalked by one. I thought the .380 might not be powerful enough to stop one. I imagine the ammo would be kind of important too, or would hollowpoints work? I thought more penetration might be in order, but I don't know.
 
We start the possible vs appropriate discussion again. The big bores work the smaller ones might work. Appropriate are 10mm,41mag, 44mag whether for hunting with dogs or defense. If you are attacked by a cougar he will most likely come from behind unannounced with bites to the head and neck. The man who recently killed an attacking cat on Vancouver Island with a pocket knife survived because his blood coagulated faster than normal blood!!
 
I would say that if you are talking about defending yourself against a cougar the gun that you can get out the fastest or get out and use even while having a 100 - 150 pound animal hanging on your back is going to be the most effective.

I think that most cougars are going to figure out that you're not the whitetail they mistook you for once you start blazing away into their face with whatever you've got.
 
I hope to not allow it to jump on my back. THere have been some incidents of Cougars stalking humans and killing them as food. I would hope I could see it coming, but they are stealthy animals.
 
My thoughts here

Funny you would ask this.

This is one of my main concerns as I Turkey Hunt here in Southern California. The forests here are TEAMING with big cats.

California is where the leftists have sucessfully duped the populace into banning ALL take of Cougars. The results have been people and pets being killed, the distruction of the BigHorn herds and an over population of the big cats. Until some left wing enviro-terrorist or hollywierd wacco is mauled, the law will remain as it is now!

That said...

The people that have been mauled and killed by these cats have been taken from BEHIND! The cat pounces and swiftly clamps it's powerful jaws around the neck of it's victim and kills it in moments. This is nearly impossible to defend against.

In the forest, I always put a tree up to my back both for cover and defense.

I carry a Glock 23 (.40 S&W) for attack and my 12 Gauge for Turkeys.

I have a 380.
I would not hesitate to recommend it as a great self defense weapon if you did not have anything larger or if it was for a small person. Remember that 3 well placed small rounds are much better that one LARGE miss. Hollow points YES!! For the .380 I recommend Gold Dots. 7 in the mag, 1 in the chamber, Cocked and locked.

As far as using a .41 or .44 mag revolver, I wouldn't recommend it for defense against a cat! Use it for hunting! Remember that you are NOT hunting cats here, you are defending your life! You will ONLY pull the auto if attacked, just like on the street.

This season I caught up with a couple California Fish and Game wardens on my way back to my car after Turkey hunting. They looked at my Glock and asked what I had it for. I simply said "Cats" at which time they knew exactly why I was packing. Nothing more was said.

I have no interest in killing a Mountain Lion. I have no intention of being the guest of honor at his dinner party either.

I was in HIS Mountain and he IS a Lion. Get it?

I'll HUNT with a .41, I defend myself with an auto and hollow points.
 
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