Cougar hunting caliber conundrum

If it were Me I would take the 30-30. I hunted lions with a g friend when I was working in CO Springs. He had dogs and horses and always wanted a handgun instead a rifle. This was early 70's and all I had was a 7 mag and a SBH. So I took the SBH. Never failed to anchor one. Have fun and good luck.
 
We had a hunting lease on a ranch in Central Cali. We had a lion problem and one night (after one horse was attacked), we heard the other horses all excited and my wife and I went out to see what was happening. A cougar had gotten between the horses and the gate to the much larger lower pasture. Wife had my S & W 15 and I had a Ruger 22 mag.

My dad had a buddy who had a Walker hound and ran lions and bobcat. He used a 22 Mag Ruger Single Six. His thought was, with a chest hit, the cougar would hang on until it was too weak to rip up the dogs.

Check with your guide and practice with his recommendation!
 
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I've treed a few cats with my friends that go all the time and most cats are under 10yrds. I would forget the scope and use a small caliber like a .243 To lesson the damage to the pelt.


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Hey,

My guide recommended a 270 or similar. I've talked to a few people who say that's way over kill for a cat. The guide also said I could use his 30-30. So he figures 30-30 is plenty. I do have a 686 no dash and a 657 no dash that I could take but from what you guys are saying, the 280 is going to be too much. From what he has said to me, we will be using trucks, snow machines, or possibly atv to get into the general area then let the dogs do their thing. Depending on how far, more atv/snow machine action and a hike in to the treed cat. I'm leaning to the 30-30 not only for nostalgia purposes but also because I want to keep the hide, and I predict the 280 would have an explosive effect. I shoot 160 accubond out of it at about 2950fps. It anchors anything I've shot with it, including a 375lb southern Oregon bear. Now to throw another wrinkle into this... maybe my cz 527 in 7.63x39? My buddy coming along is taking his great grandfather's Winchester 71 in 348, with some very downloaded rounds we are working on. Talk about nostalgia!!!
 
zoom in on the hound on the right in the front. He is saying "kitty stop climbing these hill!"

He is what I would look like assuming I made up that incline!!!
 

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Me personally, I use iron sights for 100yds or less.. Makes it a LOT easier and more accurate to "Snap Shoot" a target if needed at 50yds or less! I've never done that type of shot while hunting but there is a Ton of empty cans that have met their end when I was shooting like that both with my .22LR Glenfield and the .308 Remington Woodsmaster I owned that had a Weaver Flip mount with a Bushnell scope!

Lot's of people told me that the scope would lose center from being flipped back and forth but it never happened as she was always "On" when I used the scope! I guess the scope was made on a Wednesday!! :D

I'd take that 94 Winchester with a revolver in a vertical shoulder rig for backup in a Heartbeat for close in hunting like that!! :cool:
 
Had a friend I accompanied on his first wild hog hunt. As we left camp, a nice "trophy" boar ran about 50 yards in front of us (a trot not a full out run). He couldn't find it in his scope which was set at 9x instead of 3x. He then missed another shot because he hadn't loaded his rifle before leaving camp. Both hogs had 2"+ tusks. Then, he had the gall to complain that, out of six hogs shot that day, his was under 200 lbs. and 2" tusks!

Hint: BE PREPARED.
 
No location posted but if I was concerned about the finish of a nearly new 30-30 I would look for another even in these times. It will cost less than airfare to Spokane from most places.
 
I found large lion tracks a couple hundred yards from the cabin yesterday. My pup has been spotted turning tail on a moose that stood it's ground and also when two larger dogs approached, then ran home. I'm pretty sure he would avoid a big kitty if possible, but those things are sneaky. A determined cat could probably catch a border collie without a big head start. So, Marlin 30-30 loaded by the door. There's my answer.
 
I'd take the 94, make a memory with a classic rifle. It's just "appropriate" for your intended purpose. To me, the .280AI is not. If you're worried about scratches on the nice 94, get a scabbard that will accommodate it and carry it slung on your back till you need it. I have followed the dogs chasing bear and lion in New Mexico, although I was never the shooter, just along for the "fun." I always just carried a sixgun.
 
I took my son on a cat hunt in Northern ID with Clark Fork Outfitters and while he wanted to use his Ruger 41 mag there was not a good shot for the revolver as high as the cat was up the tree. He used a Remington model 7 in 7mm-08 and it died as soon as it hit the ground.
 
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