Big Cat

[pavman]

Let me ask you FAC holders out there, put yourself in the shoes of the game keeper who chances across a big cat on your beat out foxing, what would you do……..Not an easy answer I hazard

 

As far as I know, the gents concerned where not deliberately stalking the cat, and I guess my question to the FAC boys is quite simply, If out Foxing your scope picks out a big cat, that is most defiantly not a fox, or domestic cat standing on a box next to a low hedge, and having a good idea of the interest that would be generated maybe good maybe bad would you pull the trigger and tell, would you pull the trigger at all or would you pull the trigger hide the body knowing you had rid yourself of a stock killer and avoided any potential repercussions?

 

I know very little about Rifles but there appear, from other posts to be some very hot shot Rifle boys on here and I for one would not dispute there ability to take out a big cat if they choose to do so, the question is would you?

 

just poked about on the net for 5 mins and found this

 

http://www.scottishbigcats.co.uk/englishnews80.htm

Edited November 2, 2005 by pavman

[Highlander]

I for one am (as usual) sceptical. Look at how many of you on here are out at night and then take all the keepers and country people out and about and has anyone ever admitted to seeing one let alone shooting one. Have we any pics. Damn sure one of you'd be posting them if there were.

 

Don't know about halloween, April fool more like

 

As for shooting it, a pal of mine, a professional hunter in SA regularily shoots leopard on his ranch with a 12 bore shotgun. Reckons a rifle is useless in dense bush when those boogers are most likely huntin' you not you them

[Ferret Master]

Hi,

 

I rest my case... They are there. I have never been more sure on anything in my life. Lots have been shot but the marksmen don't want publicity. I do wish that picture of one or better a clear video of one in the wild being shot to prove they are there.

 

FM

[Gemini]

Leopard with a 12g shotgun and #6 shot.

Shades of Earnest Hemmingway methinks

G.M.

[NorfolkBoy]

Hi,

 

I rest my case... They are there. I have never been more sure on anything in my life. Lots have been shot but the marksmen don't want publicity. I do wish that picture of one or better a clear video of one in the wild being shot to prove they are there.

 

FM

 

 

 

Thats all great FM.........

 

 

BUT........ Where's the hard evidence?

[Ferret Master]

Hi,

 

Get a truthfull politician to be a first hand witness

 

FM

[Highlander]

Leopard with a 12g shotgun and #6 shot.

Shades of Earnest Hemmingway methinks

G.M.

Maybe I should have qualified that statement a bit more. No suggestion that you should actually tackle the 'beast' with a shotgun especially with only #6 shot. Far from it BUT use it to scare the booger away if it looks like taking an interest by firing in the air. Last resort if you're attacked (highly unlikely) and then only at very very close range. If you want to shoot something like that then it's gotta be done properly with a big rifle. A wounded booger is only gonna be more dangerous, if not to you then some other poor unsuspecting person.

 

All of which assumes the existence of such a beast...Loch Ness springs to mind

[Gemini]

Actually Highlander I was being perfectly serious. Ernest Hemmingway was a prolific big game hunter who used to hunt Leopards in thick scrub.

He recounted many of his hunts in which he used a shotgun loaded with #6 shot for use as a “Back-up gun” if the Leopard attacked whilst in very dense undergrowth.

At a distance of @ 6 feet, the shot would still be in a cluster, and would be absolutely devastating; almost like a solid slug.

Than man knew a hell of a lot about hunting big game, and wouldn’t have described this technique unless it worked.

G.M.

[hawkeye]

Actually Highlander I was being perfectly serious. Ernest Hemmingway was a prolific big game hunter who used to hunt Leopards in thick scrub.

He recounted many of his hunts in which he used a shotgun loaded with #6 shot for use as a “Back-up gun” if the Leopard attacked whilst in very dense undergrowth.

At a distance of @ 6 feet, the shot would still be in a cluster, and would be absolutely devastating; almost like a solid slug.

Than man knew a hell of a lot about hunting big game, and wouldn’t have described this technique unless it worked.

G.M.

Who's going to let one of these so called big cats get within 6 ft i certainly would not i bet i could out run it.

[Highlander]

Actually at short range a shotgun would be pretty devastating for any creature. I digress but another pal of mine (yes I do have a few think it must be this shooting world of ours) is a surgeon specialising in gunshot wounds (USA of course) and he reckons if you want to put someone down quick & permanent, even a crazed druggy, use a 12 gauge. Can't repair that damage but he's taken damn great slugs out of peoples vitals one day and seen them walk out of hospital the next.

 

As for running away...hey you only need be quicker than the next man

[whippet.22]

Lad's, there has been a lot out there that have been shot. Some documented (they're there if you look for them), most not. Think about it, you are a busy 'keeper with a lot on your plate, the last thing you would do if you shot a big cat is make it public. you'd get loads of attention from wannabee cat photographers, press, anti's etc.

 

I know of a 'keeper who has several times found people who have committed suicide on his estate, but doesn't tell the police until the end of the day. Reason being that if he informs the fuzz in the middle of the day, that's his working day screwed up.

 

There's a saying in the countryside, Shoot-Shovel-Shut up.

[Cranfield]

Some documented (they're there if you look for them), most not.

 

I think thats the main problem, I have never ever seen a record of a confirmed kill of a "big cat" species in the UK.

A few fuzzy, grainy videos is about all.

Any links to documented "evidence" would be appreciated.

 

Whilst I believe that there are/or have been escapees in the wild, they are not breeding and so their presence is for a limited time.

I also believe they are very few in number.

[Lurch]

Actually at short range a shotgun would be pretty devastating for any creature. I digress but another pal of mine (yes I do have a few think it must be this shooting world of ours) is a surgeon specialising in gunshot wounds (USA of course) and he reckons if you want to put someone down quick & permanent, even a crazed druggy, use a 12 gauge. Can't repair that damage but he's taken damn great slugs out of peoples vitals one day and seen them walk out of hospital the next.

But, but, but...

 

Jack Sugden took a shot to the chest from about four foot away and was up and about in no time. I saw it on that documentary series Emmerdale.

[Highlander]

There's a saying in the countryside, Shoot-Shovel-Shut up.

Pity Tony Martin hadn't heared of that one. Who'd 've been any the wiser then

[Bazooka Joe]

 

There's a saying in the countryside, Shoot-Shovel-Shut up.  

Pity Tony Martin hadn't heared of that one. Who'd 've been any the wiser then

Highlander,

The only thing Tony Martin done wrong, Was Miss The Second One.

 

Then nobody would've be any the wiser.

 

Bazooka Joe

[BountyHunter]

New Big Cat Story

 

In todays paper.

[Highlander]

Sgt Mobbs said: "All calls are logged, any action we would take would depend upon circumstances but if it is in the woods we would not go looking for it. Historically, those that we have followed up and traced have tended to be domestic animals."

 

and that about sums it up :thumbs:

[Whitebridges]

Got the sucker.Rest easy lads. He pestered my bantams once too often.

 

[henry d]

: "It was huge, much bigger than your average pet cat - about five feet long and three feet high

A caller rang Gemini Radio to say he had seen the big cat.

 

These 2 quotes say it all -5"x3" thats an odd shaped cat?did he mean without the tail as most IMO would not.

"the big cat" not a big cat or another big......

see what I mean,or is it hysteria,or too much cyder at the "Pasty and mangoldwurzel"

[beezer]

If they're not vermin what are they?

[P03]

Lurch, I read somewhere that the 12g shotgun was the most effective short range (16 yds) weapon ever devised and is the short range weapon of choice of your friendly neighbourhood special forces (and bank robbers!!!). Of course this could be total sh1t3 cos my memory is not as g.... , what was I sayin'? :thumbs: Anyway when I did my CPSA Safety Officers course we were told that a full choke 12g loaded with 8's would put a hole through 18mm marine ply at 16 yards (beware all ye trappers), so I don't think it'll have much problem with a kitty. You have got to hit the bu66er though and I think I'd be to busy runnin' to shoot straight.

P03

[Lurch]

Lurch, I read somewhere that the 12g shotgun was the most effective short range (16 yds) weapon ever devised

Indeed it is, at extreme short range the shot hardly disperses at all.

The Emmerdale thing isn't the first time firearms/ballistics have been fairy tale stuff by any means but come on lads! 12g to the chest from four feet? No chance of getting up from that.

[Gemini]

Saw this many years ago in “Z cars” or “Softly, Softly”, (I think it was one of them).

Someone tried to pull a 12 gauge out of another mans hands, and received a charge straight in the chest from @ 12 inches.

Now in theory they should have been picking his lungs up from the pavement. But instead he made a remarkable recovery, due to the fact that he was wearing a leather bikers jacket which prevented most of the pellets from hitting him.

Great stuff for the uninitiated.

G.M.

[SNAKEBITE]

The 12g is a good room clearer for those in the "security" buisness.

 

What choke would you use on a Spas 12? (I believe that is what they were called)

[whippet.22]

I believe that most combat shotguns are chambered in cylinder as it's mostly very short range shooting and it allows the use of slugs. I've heard that you can use slugs with full choke, but the accepted norm is no choke for slugs so I wouldn't recommend otherwise. Especially as I've never even fired a slug so can't say I have any first hand knowledge.