I stock our .38's with 158 grain buffalo bore standard pressure 158 swc HP. It seems that might be good for a large cat at very close range.
I say that because one probably would not know they are being stalked until the cat is almost on top of you.

John!

quote:

Originally posted by robertrwalsh:
Cats are hard to hit but easy to kill. Also, unless they are VERY hungry, fairly easy to scare. Loud noises (bang bang) bother them. That is effective, IF you see them before they see you, or at least IF you see them at enough of a distance to discourage them.

Yeah, I was thinking while reading this thread, whether it's really necessary to kill the critter. I was thinking that if you stuff your J frame with .38 CCI shotshells, that might be sufficient to run 'em off. Of course you could put their eyes out with those things, so killing might be more humane. But I'm thinking the flash-bang coupled with lots of stinging pellets might do everything you need.

Um, just another word from a New Mexican . . . creating a wounded cougar is really not considered neighborly.

It makes me sound disturbingly close to being a toadying "yes" man but I have to concur with Erich's Original and latter postings. I too carry cast SWC for bear and cougar preparedness but would choose the "FBI Load" purely for the felines. They simply don't require lots of pentration and have a reputation for giving up the ghost MUCH easier than a housecat.

No one who knows you would ever accuse you of being a "Yes Man". Glad to hear your concurrence.

I think the Halloween mask on the back of your head is just as important as the load your running for them? Think about the number of examples you've seen in nature where the use that little camouflage caper helped something to stay breathing? Anything that would help to abort a charge, or cause hesitation (and thereby noise) during a run up, might give someone that precious half second extra.

Illegal to shoot ML in PRK (CA).
So here is what you are supposed to do when hiking, and hiking with children.

Yeah D/V,
Only problem is, my kid is 2 inches taller and 35 pounds heavier now? He'd just kick my ass, and leave ME for the kitty!

quote:

Originally posted by Desert Viper:
Illegal to shoot ML in PRK (CA).

You CAN NOT tell me you are required to die rather than protect yourself in CA., seriously!!

[QUOTE]Concur. Mountain lions are ambush animals. So are tigers, which is why east Indian woodcutters often wear masks on the backs of their heads to seem to be looking backwards.[QUOTE]

Does it work???????

That trick has been used buy native tribe all across the America's to prevent attacks, yes it works.