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I joined this forum in June this year. One of my early posts subjects was about carrying a 44 Mag concealed while walking in a wooded canyon near my house. My concern was, there was and is, a Cougar/Mtn Lion prowling these parts.

Update: Last evening about 8 pm my wife and I were walking down a country lane in this canyon about a mile from our car when we heard a crash in the brush in a small ravine next to the lane. At first I thought it was a cow or other bovine creature.

Out of the direction of the crash trotted a Cow alright- a Cow MOOSE and with her were twin calves. She sauntered up onto the hillside about 40 yds away and began giving my wife and I "the ole evil eye". That 44 Mtn Gun felt reassuring but slghtly insignifigant at that moment.

My wife and I turned around and quietly left mom and kids to their evening without any further disturbance.

On the way back to the car I'm thinking about an adrenalene pumped 700 lb cow moose and the capacity of a 44 Keith driven at 1100fps + to stop such an animal. It would eventually stop the moose but would it stop it soon enough. Ah, back to Shot Placement and having the stones to stand, aim and shoot.

We in the 21st century have little respect for men like Lewis&Clark, Bridger, Crockett, Carson, Pike, Fremont, Bell, Ruark and others who helped subdue continents with courage and daring.

It's easy to condemn behaviour from a recliner chair.

We're going back this evening with a camera and a Mtn Gun but the camera has a good telephoto.

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Look up your redemption draweth nigh.

Well, my aunt shot a moose with a .280, and my uncle fired six rounds of .240gr @1400 fps .44 magnum right behind its ear at contact distance...and the thing walked off!

I suspect it wasn't penetrating. I have seen a behind the ear shot on a moose with a .375 at 20 feet, and I must say, hydraulic pressure is.....an interesting visual experience.

NO! but its better than a sharp stick, bad language or pepper spray.

A guy here in my town killed a Griz that was eating on him with a 44Mag. He pushed the 44 into the bear's left eye socket and fired killing the bear. He had previously shot its jaw off and it continued to stab him with its top fangs causing enough damage to require around 10 surgeries to repair. They said the bear never actually bit him because it didn't have a lower jaw and it still would have killed him if he didn't make the eye-socket-shot!

In bear country I carry a 44Mag on my hips and a prayer on my lips! I use the prayer 1st!

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God Bless
45Fundi

45 Fundi: Appreciate your story about the Griz. Nasty creatures when they take a mind to. Think of those old mountian men who crept into their dens in the middle of winter to kill the griz while they hibernated.

It's understood that they would rather take their chances with a Griz when she was asleep than with one fully aroused in the spring.

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Look up your redemption draweth nigh.

Yep, those guys were tough alright. But not quite as tough as someone using the name "Bronco45" up there in Vandal country....

I'm going to assume that my 44 mag is big enough until I get a .50 S&W mag...

Huevos: Ola, it's Vandal country and our pride isn't what it used to be. I still carry my Mtn Gun and keep it stoked with Keith handloads but when you're standing less than 100ft from a mama Moose and her twin calves and the hair on the back of her neck is starting to stand up. One should and usually does realize that in a heartbeat I would trade that Mtn Gun for a 30-06.

She's still there saw her a couple of days ago but didn't see either of the calves. Possibly the wolves that the Gov't says we have to have has caught up with the calves. Or just that old Cougar.

Bronco in my case stands for: Colt not those guys who play on Blue grass.

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Look up your redemption draweth nigh.

Get a 4" .500 S&W. If you are only carrying a handgun, might as well make it the most powerfull!!!!

You better go a bit bigger. I've heard tell the squirrels need a 44 mag to put them down out there in them mountains.!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Gary

Don't fret Bronco45, I'm sure the Vandals will be a Bronco nemesis again before long. It's just too big of a state rivalry. As for dealing with Moose/Bears, I think a 44 mag would feel a little inadequate staring one down face to face. But if you're thinking long guns then I'd go with something like this. It's faster and would stop about anything around here with slugs or 00 buckshot......

Huevos: That 870 will deliver the knock out punch. As a young Deputy Sheriff 30 years ago I was sent to guard a plane crash where the pilot who didn't survive the crash was eaten by a bear.

Never met that Bear but I had an 870 police version( not a nice custom unit like yours) filled with slugs and was ready. Spent three days there but no human flesh preferring bears showed up.

An ounce of lead at 12-1400fps can solve a lot of problems if well placed.


Tom

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Look up your redemption draweth nigh.

To your original question: .44 Mag is more than enough for a cougar, IF you can get a shot off. Cougars are ambush predators, and if they attack are highly likely to jump you from behind, aiming for your neck and head. Most big cats are, for that matter -- that's why folks in India in areas with tiger problems wear masks on their heads backwards, with eyes painted on them. Doesn't work forever, but it apparently works sometimes. Just keep glancing at your backtrail, like a deer would, and if one is there you stand a good chance of seeing him. If he sits there instead of retreating, pop him while he's stationary -- he's probably calculating his odds with you.

I spend a lot of time on my land in NE WI, and there are cougars up there along with wolves and black bears. The wolves evaluate from a distance, and look for signs of weakness before they do anything, usually confronting you at least once first. Haven't seen a cougar, just their sign -- tracks, poop, and the occasional stashed-and-covered prey. I carry a 5" S&W 629DX Classic for all those reasons. I've run into two bears up there, and both high-tailed it out of there. Going turkey hunting in a few weeks -- let's hope I don't see one with cubs! Hope this helps -- good luck!

Specialized

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Specialized

I guess I like to go into the woods with the biggest and badest pistol I can shoot well. For me this is a .475 or .500 Linebaugh or the smallest thing I carry is a S&W 629 customized by Bowen in 44 Paradox. The Paradox allows heavy hard cast bullets for two and for legged predators and the shot loads for rattle snakes; this time of year I carry it with three and three. Humans, couger, black bear, and rattle snakes are the most frequent "varmints" here in Central Oregon. LIke the fellow said, keep your eyes on your back trail as you hike. Gary...

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It is Persistence, Not Perfection, Which Achieves Results