My Cousin wants to go Mountain Lion hunting. What caliber gun does he need to take for the hunt?

Question

My cousin is planning a Mountain Lion Hunting trip. He has a guy with a pack of dogs trained for hunting lions, taking him. He's not sure what caliber gun he needs for the hunt. The guns he has are....

Remington and Marlin 22lr (We both agree that these guns would never do on a trip like this.)
Smith & Wesson .40 semi-auto handgun. (He's thinking of taking this gun only as a back up.)
Ruger Hawkeye .204 bolt action rifle with a Leupold scope.
Remington 710 .300 Win. Mag. with 3-9x40 Bushnell scope.
Benelli Nova 12 gauge pump shotgun.

Which one of these guns would do for his trip? Or does he need another caliber gun for the hunt?

James S : You have been reported, don't insult me or anyone else. By the way, its NOT illegal to hunt moutiain lions. Get your facts straight before you answer a question.

I should state that we live in Nevada, Where it is LEGAL to hunt mountain lions.

Forgot to mention, my cousin also has a Winchester Model 94 Ranger .30-30 lever action.

Answer 1

Most of the old farmers where I hunt deer usually use their 30/30 for pest control when needed so pretty much anything other than the .22 should be fine. If you are using dogs, you are going to end up treeing them and shooting from a distance of 20 - 30 yards max. BTW - Tie up the dogs BEFORE you shoot, a wounded cat will take a few dogs with them if they get a chance.

For those that don't know Wa state has cougar season from Aug - Mar with a bag limit of 2. We've outlawed hunting with hounds, so you have to do it on foot. These are not nice cute cuddly animals, they are top of the food chain predators who do kill cute little animals like deer to feed upon. They also kill any farm animals they can get, and will quite often stay in one area and feed exclusively off of calfs, sheep, goats, etc. at which time the farmers have to kill them.

Answer 2

Well,
I have only been on a few lion hunts. About 6 or 8. Thus certainly not an expert on the best caliber.

However friends of mine whom I hunt with out west, and who hunt them often with dogs
Use two types. One will carry a .357 pistol for close shooting. Another will have a 30-30.

.357 has been very adequate when I have hunted with them.

And the 30-30 when distance is a factor. Sometimes they will make a stand on a steep cliff. Difficult for dogs to get close (not that you want them too) and the tried and true little 30-30 does a good job.

Based on the guns you have mentioned. For close shooting his 12 gauge with 00 buck will be more than adequate when close.

Answer 3

Mountain Lions really aren't that hard to kill. Many professional hunters use .22 LR pistols to shoot treed mountain lions, I don't think I'd trust a caliber that small myself. One guy who used to hunt nuisance lions for the State of Montana used nothing but a Colt Woodsman .22 LR semi-automatic pistol.

Considering the amount of running, climbing, and stream crossing your cousin is apt to do following the hounds, a handgun would be a better idea than a rifle.

I'd suggest a .357 Magnum, or .44 RemMag, or .45 Long Colt revolver, carried in a good holster with a good retaining strap. That will give him sufficient power to stop an attack, and still have both hands free to work through thick brush and up steep slopes.

Doc

Answer 4

I wish there were something on this list between the .204 Ruger and the .300WinMag, something like a real hunting rifle.....

That said, the lever gun in .30-30 and the .300WM are the best choices.

Tell him to do some running every day between now and then. Chasing dogs after a big cat will cover some territory.

Also, good advice on tying the dogs before taking a shot. I saw what a little bobcat did to a couple of hounds my cousin owned and it was not pretty, one lost an eye.

Answer 5

Yeah, those mountain lions are AWESOME!!!! They are really magnificent animals.

Your cousin should just take a really good long look at it once the dogs get it treed.

He may decide not to shoot it.

If he does, he should use a 30-06 or 270 for this. I hope he has a great time. I sure hope he doesn't regret it later. I do have some lingering regrets about the ones I took.

Or........... he could just get some really good video of the hunt, then call the dogs off and go home. Just as much fun without the ambush ending. Also, won't need any gun, permit, license.

Former lion hunter.... I certainly do not mean any offense to the hunter. These lions are certainly legal to hunt in some states for sure. I guess I just don't like to shoot 'em any more.

Answer 6

Lion Hunting Rifle

Answer 7

The 300 Winchester Magnum will do for that hunt, however a 30-30 or 30-06 would be plenty enough to harvest the Mountain Lion.*

Answer 8

I cannot elighten you on any techinques, but from what I have heard, people who have problems with mountain lion predation on their livestock think highly of the 22-250 and 60 or 70 grain bullets. You can get 3500 fps and 3300 fps respectively out of those two, this allows for a very flat shooting rifle, great because you never know where that first flicker of cougar is going to show up. I am sure the 243 would work equally as well, but I am just saying no need to buy a new rifle, 22-250 with proper bullet selection and you are golden

Answer 9

In general, for big game any rifle above .270 Winchester will do fine as long as you a) use the best quality bullets available; and b) are comfortable and competent with the weapon; and c) the rifle you use is within your state/country's legal requirements.

For the .270 I would lean toward the heavier end of the bullet weights available.

If you have a 300 Magnum of any type from 300 WSM to 300 Dakota that would be preferable on large game such as Mountain Lion.

Coolio gal >>> FYI, it is legal to hunt mountain lion in the state of Montana.
"Mountain Lion Hunts
The ultimate trophy for many hunters, the mountain lion's stealth and stamina make it a worthy prey. This hunt can be physically demanding, requiring you to be able to cover a mile or more of snow covered ground to track the hounds to the lion. The remoteness of the area we hunt and the relative lack of hunting pressure combine to produce large, even record book sized, animals. You should feel at ease in snowshoes as well as on a snowmobile."
http://www.diamondrranch.com/montana_big_game_hunting.php
This leads me to believe it is also legal in other states. Best to do your research before sticking your foot in your mouth...

Answer 10

.204 or benelli.Personally I would take the benelli with slugs or shot,depending on which he is more effective with.And use some hollow points for the .40 pistol,although a S&W semi auto is hardly an effective trail/hunting gun.and be carefull with the dogs.They are pretty much walking snacks to cougars.I advise He doesn't go alone,mountain lions's hunting method is sneak onto a tree branch and jump onto a person,biting a hole in their neck.Very effecient.I also suggest he carry a knife and a flare gun in case he is wounded and needs medical attention.The smallest round I would take to hunt cougars is a .22 mag,with a backup revolver in .22 mag.And also some sort of neck armor.It could save his life.Then again I like to be overprepared