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Sounds to me like he wasn't hitting a lethal spot, either poor aim or too excited to aim well.
I trapped coyotes for a time and used a small 22 to pop them with. This time the yodel dog was wrapped around a big bush and I got up close to him and fired several shots point blank between his eyes. He would yelp and go down but bounce right back up. I've always practiced humane kills and this was getting me flummoxed. Finally I figured it out and moved to the side of him and popped him between the eye and the ear, one shot did the trick.
Since I was able to get quite close to the dog I was shooting downward between his eyes and completely missing any vitals, so shot placement is vital I don't care how big the bullet, short of a .50bmg round that is.
Gabby
 
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Sounds to me like he wasn't hitting a lethal spot, either poor aim or too excited to aim well.
I trapped coyotes for a time and used a small 22 to pop them with. This time the yodel dog was wrapped around a big bush and I got up close to him and fired several shots point blank between his eyes. He would yelp and go down but bounce right back up. I've always practiced humane kills and this was getting me flummoxed. Finally I figured it out and moved to the side of him and popped him between the eye and the ear, one shot did the trick.
Since I was able to get quite close to the dog I was shooting downward between his eyes and completely missing any vitals, so shot placement is vital I don't care how big the bullet, short of a .50bmg round that is.
Gabby


Well, but that is a hunting scenario, where an animal is trapped and unable to move. The OP for this discussion asked about defending himself from a Cougar.

Although I think that the whole premise of a Cougar stalking and/or attacking a person in Oregon is extremely remote, to say the least. There have been a few isolated cases of human attacks in California where Cougar hunting has been banned for many years. But those have been very rare too. Here in Oregon Cougars are still being hunted, and I believe that they pretty much still recognize man to be dangerous here in our state, and thus stay clear of us. ODFW is also much more aggressive about killing problem cougars, than California's Dept of Fish & Game is.

Only 12 people have been attacked in California by Cougars in the past 25 years, and only 3 of those incidents were fatal. That is not that many, for a state with 9.7 times the population of Oregon.

.
 
Apparently, we don't need no stinkin firearms to stop a Cougar attack...

Colorado mother fights off mountain lion that attacked 5-year-old son | Fox News (http://www.foxnews.com/us/2016/06/18/colorado-mother-fights-off-mountain-lion-that-attacked-5-year-old-son.html?intcmp=trending)

BTW @Lance: There are some pretty aggressive cougars right here in Oregon, despite their being hunted. Dogs and cats are being taken in rural Eastern Oregon and in Bend. One charged the boy of a friend of mine here locally during a hunting trip. Cougars are seen regularly out in the woods and near towns. I guess they don't know they are supposed to be scared.
 
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Well, but that is a hunting scenario, where an animal is trapped and unable to move. The OP for this discussion asked about defending himself from a Cougar.

Although I think that the whole premise of a Cougar stalking and/or attacking a person in Oregon is extremely remote, to say the least. There have been a few isolated cases of human attacks in California where Cougar hunting has been banned for many years. But those have been very rare too. Here in Oregon Cougars are still being hunted, and I believe that they pretty much still recognize man to be dangerous here in our state, and thus stay clear of us. ODFW is also much more aggressive about killing problem cougars, than California's Dept of Fish & Game is.

Only 12 people have been attacked in California by Cougars in the past 25 years, and only 3 of those incidents were fatal. That is not that many, for a state with 9.7 times the population of Oregon.

.
I had a cougar stalking me several years ago. I know darn well that they will stalk humans. When she got close I saw her and was able to chase her off. The only reason I didn't shoot her then and there is that I knew there was a game warden in the area and I didn't have a cougar tag.
 
Stay home.

We had one in the neighborhood, here in NW Oregon near Hillsboro. One of my neighbors, who are shooters, must have taken care of him, because after a while he wasn't seen any more.

If I hiked a lot I might rig a pack with something to shield my neck.

In the area where we had our guest ranch in Wyoming, I used to do some target shooting on the off season. The animals there (esp. grizzlies) were trained to come running at the sound of a shot, to get a free meal. I ended up shooting at targets with a cliff behind me so I could not be approached from the rear.
 
Yes, about a year ago there was a cougar prowling around that golf course just south of Hillsboro. I talked to a dairy farmer out there. He told me he was not too worried about it because there was a creek between his farm and the golf course. H did not realize that cougars are not afraid of water and would easily cross that creek if it thought there was an easy meal on the other side. It is amazing how little most people know about cougars or wild life in general.
 
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?

A suggestion would be something you are comfortable carrying, shooting and can hit a target within at say 30 feet away or even more. Since you specified that you hike, I suppose you would want the weapon to be as light as possible. Some of the Taurus revolvers fit that bill, and some of them have a soft rubber grip that soaks up recoil fairly well. For me, something in either .357 or 44 would top the list. Ammo would be either a flat point or hollow point bullet so that most of the energy from the shot goes into the animal and expends very little making an exit wound. Keep in mind that this is supposed to be a defensive weapon, not a hunting weapon, so you really don't care if there is a blood trail going away. The intention is to stop or drive the critter away. Not to make a trophy to hang on your wall.
 
Yes, about a year ago there was a cougar prowling around that golf course just south of Hillsboro. I talked to a dairy farmer out there. He told me he was not too worried about it because there was a creek between his farm and the golf course. H did not realize that cougars are not afraid of water and would easily cross that creek if it thought there was an easy meal on the other side. It is amazing how little most people know about cougars or wild life in general.

No it is amazing just how little people know about life in general!
Ever watch Jay Leno's show "jay Walking"? That is pretty eye opening.
Gabby
 
Thought I'd bump this little gem because.
Oh, and I was hearing just last week here in Oregon they're trying to pass a bill requiring trappers (not that mountain lions are generally trapped) to check their traps every 24 hrs and to document and make public each and everything caught.. along with their names and addresses, and and and... Code for there will be zero non-government trappers soon if this passes.
There's gonna be a lot less big game to hunt (as if that's possible).. as bobcats and yotes kill a heck of a lot of cud chewers.
 
I'm trying to think of any laws enacted since I've lived in the PNW (close to 20 years) that have benefited sportsmen. Certainly not any gun laws.

On the original thread discussion: Here's an option; aptly named from the '90's by S&W:

WIN_20170205_10_58_02_Pro.jpg
 
I'm trying to think of any laws enacted since I've lived in the PNW (close to 20 years) that have benefited sportsmen. Certainly not any gun laws.

On the original thread discussion: Here's an option; aptly named from the '90's by S&W:

View attachment 340449
Huh, neat.. never heard a those.
I'd think that a .44 Magnum throwing 180gr sjhp's at proof load pressures would probably skin a cat pretty good. lol
 
Although I think that the whole premise of a Cougar stalking and/or attacking a person in Oregon is extremely remote, to say the least. There have been a few isolated cases of human attacks in California where Cougar hunting has been banned for many years. But those have been very rare too. Here in Oregon Cougars are still being hunted, and I believe that they pretty much still recognize man to be dangerous here in our state, and thus stay clear of us. ODFW is also much more aggressive about killing problem cougars, than California's Dept of Fish & Game is.
I agree - carry on your hike as self defense against ANY eventuality as opposed to just worrying about cougars. Heck In the last couple weeks five have been shot by ODFW in my neighborhood (mostly due to so much snow impacting their hunting) but no one is getting too concerned. Be vigilant of course but don't let the thought of cougar stalking or attacking ruin your hiking. Been hunting, fishing hiking etc. in the forest for over 35 years in Central Oregon and I have YET to see a cougar - heck I almost went out a few nights with a flashlight in the woods around my area to try to find one. My cat started going crazy a few days ago running from window to window to get a look at something outside but it was just feral cats - no cougars.
 
Sounds to me like he wasn't hitting a lethal spot, either poor aim or too excited to aim well.
I trapped coyotes for a time and used a small 22 to pop them with. This time the yodel dog was wrapped around a big bush and I got up close to him and fired several shots point blank between his eyes. He would yelp and go down but bounce right back up. I've always practiced humane kills and this was getting me flummoxed. Finally I figured it out and moved to the side of him and popped him between the eye and the ear, one shot did the trick.
Since I was able to get quite close to the dog I was shooting downward between his eyes and completely missing any vitals, so shot placement is vital I don't care how big the bullet, short of a .50bmg round that is.
Gabby

Yes - it is all in where you hit them.

Although, with some large game or certain animals, you need to have enough power to overcome certain anatomical features. I once read of a guy who put six 44 mag 240 gr. JSPs into the skull of a brown bear that was attacking his fishing partner and every one literally bounced off. Another animal I have read about is feral hogs - that they have a gristle "shield" that needs power to overcome, although I have seen vids of smaller adults taken with a .22 rimfire rifle.

A cougar, while being dangerous, is not a heavily built animal, and a stout .357 mag load should be able to find a vital organ if the shooter is doing his/her part.
 

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