Mountain Lion Defensive Pistol

[The Heretic]

 

[Idaho44]

Interesting reading and interesting comments. Lots of mountain lions have been dispatched over the decades with a .22. However, a can of Bear Spray AND a handgun (minimum) Plus a stabbing instrument preferably a fixed blade or pen is nice to have. For an interesting read check out the book "Beast in the Garden". Mountain Lion sightings are becoming more and more common in urban areas including places like So. Cal, cities in Idaho and Montana. So one should always be aware that daylight encounters do occur and stealthy stalking is how they get to eat. Do you want to be on the menu? They have been displaced by rural developments and do follow the 'food'. They are first and foremost a predator and are good at it.

 

[best defense]

There are at least two cougars here on the mountain - a female and her cub. when was the last cougar attack in Orygun?

I am not particularly threatened by them - if they attack at all, it is either in self-defense when cornered, or when stalking a small child. At 6'6" and 260#, no thing would mistake me for a small child.

Just the same, I do carry a 329 PD in the woods. Sometimes you do surprise wild animals at a kill, and then there is the real threats: humans and feral dogs.

The 329PD is light enough you don't regret bringing it along, has a 4" barrel, and can handle most anything on the continent if you do your job.

I was stalked by a cougar years ago. I could have shot it, but didn't have a cougar tag, so I chased it off. I don't mind admitting I was plenty scared at the time.

As far as what kind of gun to carry goes, I feel that larger is better. If you are just out for a walk in the woods and you don't want to carry your hunting rifle or shotgun, I would say that a 9MM would be minimum and 44 magnum would not be too much.

 

[revjen45]

<broken link removed>

How about a boar spear?

 

[evltwn]

4 inch gp100 .357 with 180 grain xtp daily carry when walking my dog. Cougars and bears are common up here waay up the creek road...near by help, not so much

 

[Certaindeaf]

 

[salmonriverjohn]

View attachment 284796

Bigfoot hunting a cougar hunting a deer?

 

[bbbass]

Nah, Bigfoot has the cougar on a camo leash.

 

[ZS27]

I have owned a lot of guns, was never happy with any of them. I am not a glock person but I ended up picking up a glock 20 (a close friend bought a 40 and convinced me) and I have to say it's my favorite gun I have ever owned. 16 rounds on tap of 357 magnum balistics is really hard to beat plus faster follow up shots, a 44 magnum may be a hotter round but when I can shoot more rounds on the target quicker than a couple rounds out of the revolver I say more is better. But that is just my opinion

 

[The Heretic]

I have owned a lot of guns, was never happy with any of them. I am not a glock person but I ended up picking up a glock 20 (a close friend bought a 40 and convinced me) and I have to say it's my favorite gun I have ever owned. 16 rounds on tap of 357 magnum balistics is really hard to beat plus faster follow up shots, a 44 magnum may be a hotter round but when I can shoot more rounds on the target quicker than a couple rounds out of the revolver I say more is better. But that is just my opinion

The reason I have a .44 Mag as a "field gun" is that it can handle all different kinds of ammo, from really light handloaded rounds to really heavy bear defense rounds. It is a very versatile cartridge. My 329PD is not a gun for plinking or fast follow up shots, but it is a good all around gun for just being out in the woods.

 

[Kid@Heart]

Just give your hiking partner an open can of sardines to carry.

 

[bbbass]

I have owned a lot of guns, was never happy with any of them.

 

[ZS27]

I would always find faults with them or some silly reason to sell it and get something else

 

[bbbass]

I would always find faults with them or some silly reason to sell it and get something else

My weapons are unlike my ex-wife... I regret and terribly miss every one I've gotten rid of.

 

[revjen45]

Indeed. I too weep at the memories of the guns I used to own. Learned my lesson though. Guns are not seen as liquid assets any more.

 

[bbbass]

I can imagine. One of my old friends keeps his savings in classic or collectible firearms... Pretty tough to part with a Sako, Kleingunther, Python, Gold Cup, etc.

When I haven't used a firearm in a long time, I still git a wild hare. But somehow I manage to look ahead to how badly I will feel once it's gone. So, if I want somethin else, I just gotta git out and make some extra dough!

 

[Craig O]

I always ensure I am faster than my hunting partners and ensure they have a pocket full of beef jerky.

 

[Sgt Nambu]

I do my share of hiking and was just wondering.
Considering that a mountain lion around these parts might weigh up to 120lbs, what would you suggest for an occasional day hike?

If it's the one that showed up on this forum yesterday.......an
8" Howitzer!

 

[BillGabby1]

Here is a cat taken right here in the Illinois valley 6 years ago, we get lion depredation here quite often.
I also saw my first bobcat a couple weeks ago. We get everything but elk on the property, since we are backed up to Kalmiopsis Wilderness area with 50 miles of it between here and the coast.
The worst pests are the turkeys and foxes crapping everywhere.
I used to take my exercise walking our 1/2 mile driveway thru the woods, but I don't do that anymore since so many were seen withing a mile of our place, it one wants you they will hit you too fast to do anything but kick and scream, maybe a knife would help but if you are as unsteady as I am you may as well kiss your but goodbye, I doubt very much I could hear one coming anymore, if I ever could have that is!
Poor hearing is another reason I don't walk in the woods anymore, and I'm armed every day all day, and still don't feel I would have a good chance against a big cat if he was stalking me, a bear is another story, I doubt they do much stalking of humans, coming across one while camped out or hiking is another story. A really good large dog is a nice companion to have with you, they can hear and smell so much better than we can. I've had the occasion to be thankful I had a great dog with me as I would have walked right into a sow and cub, but my dog sensed them first and ran them up the mountain and saved my sorry but for me.
Gabby

 

[U8395279]

4 inch gp100 .357 with 180 grain xtp daily carry when walking my dog. Cougars and bears are common up here waay up the creek road...near by help, not so much

I had a rancher southeast of Tiller swear to me years ago that he put 6 357 Magnum rounds into a large cougar at point blank range ( the cougar was caught in a trap ). He told me that it simply would not die. He had no extra ammo on him, so he had to go back to his ranch house to get more shells. He told me that the cougar was still alive when he finally returned, although it was panting badly.

It was a huge male lion. He had to get two of his oxen and put it on a sled in order to haul it out.

He told me that a herd of elk likes to winter just east of his property, near the southern end of the Umpqua National Forest, and that brought the cougars every winter.



.

He was only eventually able to put an end to his cougar problem a few years later by buying two massive Hungarian Kuvasz guard dogs. They were easily the largest dogs that I have ever seen in my life, and had the deepest, most resounding bark I've ever heard from a dog as well.

Apparently the cougars don't like their bark either, as he has lost no further animals since. They are reportedly very protective, and can be very aggressive animals.