Gun/caliber for Lion Calling

W

Wolfer

New member
I have called and taken predators for many years, including bear.

But have never save once called in a Cougar and didnt get that shot, I was too shocked to see the thing! and Only had a split second.

But I have lined up a calling trip this coming fall in lion rich country with this as the target animal!

I realize that Cats are all mostly thin skinned and if I were hound hunting Id probably take a 44 and call it good as I have both a carbine and revolver.

But with No hounds to follow up a wounded lion, And calling in Arizona the shots could be a bit further than what these could handle.

In the closet are, my varmint rig a .223 in Mod 70 westerner, A accurate Rem .308, my trusty old M77 3006, a 300 H&H and .338 Elk rifles.

I dont have a 243 or 2506 and wish I did for this hunt.

I am leaning on taking the 308 and using light bullets that are supremes that wont blow causing lots of pelt damage.

Out of this list what would you fellas that know more about lions use?

Thanks

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Invest in the future of Our Sport and Heritage,
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Wolfer,
Lions are not hard to kill. Leave the 308 at home and take the 223. I've had clients blow large holes in their lions with a 243! Shoot for the boiler room and you will have your lion. I would reccomend 55gr PSP's bullets though, and leave the v-max and balistic tips at home. Have fun on your trip and good luck.
Steve

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www.azpredatorhunts.com
 
Steve,
how does .223 with 55 grain FMJ work on lions? I was having similar reservations about a 22 caliber centerfire on lions, but now I think I will use .223 also.

AND.........(this may be a seperate topic).....I know that the chief prey for lions around here is deer/fawns. Do you recommend using a fawn decoy w/fawn distress sounds, or using cougar vocalizations when calling?

Thanks
Muss
 
.223 with a 55grain softpoint
1 shot to the head and dropped her like a bad habit.
Did not blow her head up, clean in and out.
Lung shot would be the same
 
In my opinion, stay away from the FMJ's too many times you'll get a .22 hole in and a 22 hole out, very little blood, lot's of running before it goes down. Or it hits a bone and drives something like a shoulder blade out the other side, (can we say volleyball size holes) Steve is on the money. A good PSP, one of my favorites in the factory loading is the Remington 55 grain pointed soft point. If it exits, it will be about golf ball size. That can be fixed.
 
Sure, a 22-250 is plenty, maybe a little much. Lions we think of as "tough" and they are an animal that is capable of hunting and killing big game, but they are also in fact a "cat" thin skinned, not a lot of excess fat. They are fairly easy to kill. They are no doubt, excellent predators, they are one of natures most efficent predators.
 
I just wanted to add that out here we are using a 6mm Rem with a 100grn Nosler Partion
with good results on cat's.
I used to use a 22-250 calling coyotes years ago till the cat population went sky rocketing here and we started calling a lot of cats. And they are good sized here.
So i went with the 6mm .
And is it just me, or do you guy's get alot of frontal shot's?
Anyways i like too shut down the Cat's engine in a hurry .
Just my thought's
Mike
 
Interesting opinions. I have not killed many lions, and observed a few shot by others. All that I remember were hit with 243s and 6mms and 22-250s. Two of the 22-250s I remember very well as fussing quite a bit, requiring another shot.

The thing is, this caliber selection is what you have in you hand, at the time. But, depending on the range, I'm siding with the twenty-four caliber crowd, thank you.

As I recall, Steve made a post a while back where he stated that he was killing coyotes with his WT at pretty fair distances. Now, it may be just me, but I consider the 223 to be marginal on coyotes, and a "little" light for long tails....at considerable distances. Ideal circumstances, etc. anything will work, if that's what you happen to have available. But shooting lions at widely varing distances, I'm not sallying forth to specifically hunt lions with a 223 when I have something else available; and I do. Personally, with what the man has available, I would think the 308 is a good choice, and I'd consider perhaps a 165 to 180 grain bullet. Wolfer isn't a seasoned lion hunter, but he has much experience, and an accurate 308. He is going on a "calling trip" no dogs, so hard to say at what range he will be forced to take a shot? A heavy 308 might just blow right through without substantial damage?

Anyway, with the choices he has, that is what I would do if it were me.

Good hunting. LB
 
The cat I got by calling, I shot at 10 yards with a scoped 30.06. I was wishing that I had a 12 gauge with 00 buck.

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PETA-People for the Eating of Tasty Animals
 
Thanks Leonard!

I understand the smaller calibers and so on especially with hounds when you can retree your game.

And of course the weapon of opportunity is the one in your hand.

But I am going with Lion on the menu, Attempting to call one within range and that could be up to 300 yards I hope not but possible.

Id feel real good with the 223 at 100 to 150 but am afraid the light pill will lose a lot of energy way on out there.

Im thinking the 308 with a well constructed bullet that wont make too big of an exit might be my choice.

However I havent totally made up, My mind after all the 308 is a 30 cal and Ive got a couple others that will shoot flatter and may go with a handload in them with a 165 Grand Slam and I figure Ill get just a little larger entry than exit unless I take a shoulder blade out and Ill try to prevent that.

But my hope is a lion (DRN) dead right now when and if the opportunity happens.

Ill be working finger ridges and some timber above a basin in arizona where there are supposedly large numbers of lion.

Thanks all for your views and keep em coming
Ive got till Dec to change my mind lots of times and ILL JUST HAVE to develop some loads!

I still havent ruled the 223 out but want another gun along till I see the terrain for myself!

Thanks

Wolfer

------------------
Invest in the future of Our Sport and Heritage,
Take a Youngster Hunting!
 
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