Cougar: 308 or 243 ?

[FLATHEAD]

Thats a big ole cat.

 

[freddyG]

Most hound hunters I know use 22lr. Cats die super easy. If one can’t hit a treed cat in the right spot, stay home.

 

[redneckbmxer24]

9mm pistol with good hollow points.

 

[Goose71]

243 with nosler partitions

 

[mlchase]

45 long colt or .357 mag are easy to pack and meet Wyomings overall cartridge length requirements. I packed a crossbow and wanted to do it that way, but the cat I ended up taking was straight up and didn't leave much of a hole to thread a bolt through so switched to .45.

 

[long hunter]

Feeling onery tonight, all the cougars I hunted you just needed a fat bank account.

 

[eddielasvegas]

Feeling onery tonight, all the cougars I hunted you just needed a fat bank account.

I thought you were the prey for those kind of cougars!????


Eddie

 

[Woodsman1991]

243 with a copper solid is pretty decent all-rounder. That'd be my choice of the two you asked about.

 

[tkhuntsman]

Between 308 or 243 for cougar/mountain lion when using dogs? What bullet? Only these two please. I’m trying to be deadly without destroying the fur for a mount.

I’m thinking a monolithic bullet.

Over dogs .357 mag or 10mm, glassing whatever is in my hands, and calling 22-250. Lions aren't hard to kill and over dogs your gonna be fairly close I carry a pistol because it's easy and the country is always rough and the race could be long. I did it for a living and when a client would ask my answer was whatever your the most comfortable carrying through rough country or bring something cool.

 

[SwiftShot]

Out of the choices you gave. 308 subsonic FMJ and dont hit bone. Should punch a nice clean hole.

22LR if you have it.

 

[DHoover]

I just used a .243 and my buddy on the trip with me used my .243 for his lion. His hit the ground dead, mine ran about 50 yards.

 

[roosiebull]

I have never hunted them with dogs, I personally am ok punching a big exit hole in exchange for them dying fast, because I don’t like wondering when I’m tracking a lion in dog hair reprod or salmonberry when you can’t see your feet because it’s thick. I have shot them with 7rm, 7-08, .223, and the gender bender (6.5 creed)

I agree with others, they have no will to live with a well placed shot. I have also noticed that even a softer bullet doesn’t seem to really grenade on cats if you aren’t hitting heavy bone, they are soft, thin ribs and very thin hide

If it were legal, I think a 17hmr would be a great option for a cat in a tree, but of your 2 choices, I would take whatever rifle is lighter to pack

 

[dkart004]

I’ve never shot one out of a tree but I’ve got a buddy that runs hounds and he knows a lot of guys that’ll kill them with 22lr/22mag. I’ve always thought a .22 hornet would be great for those states that require a centerfire for lions.

 

[K Luper]

Over dogs .357 mag or 10mm, glassing whatever is in my hands, and calling 22-250. Lions aren't hard to kill and over dogs your gonna be fairly close I carry a pistol because it's easy and the country is always rough and the race could be long. I did it for a living and when a client would ask my answer was whatever your the most comfortable carrying through rough country or bring something cool.

357 works great my old buddy used a old single shot H@R no Hyde Damage!

 

[Reddish]

I've never hunted lions, but I'd use a .308 to make sure that thing is dead before it hits the ground...I don't want to be that close to a live cougar lol.