buckshot for cougar

[J-Bone]

Curious if anyone has any thoughts on using a 12 gauge with buckshot on a cougar. I wouldn't shoot over 75 yards, but maybe that is even too far?

[callturner]

I have used it crawling thru the brush after a wounded one, but never to hunt with.

[boneaddict]

It would work, preferably up close.  Skin is thin, but their muscle us ungodly tough.   

[nwwanderer]

Pattern with your chosen load, should be able to figure effective range easily.  At 35 yards many loads are not tight enough for cat sized critters.  Hunt on

[Woodchuck]

I've hunted deer with buckshot back east, 50 yards was my limit. It worked but they all ran and very very little blood trail.

[92xj]

I've been on countless deer drives, in South Carolina, and seen more deer die than you can imagine.  All of them dying by buckshot on these drives.  Ranges are normally around 10-70 yards, with the longest kill being 128yards, personally witnessed.  That deer had 3 pellets in it, cheek, heart and rump.  All that being said, a cougar will die just the same when hit with buckshot.  I'd personally not shoot over 50 yards on a moving target and not over 75 on a stationary cat that I know I could get a second shot off right after the first. Hopefully you accomplish this and post up a sweet story.  Good luck!

[Call em in]

There are some interesting TSS loads out there for deer and predators now.  Salt Creek Ammunition makes one called Triple Threat for hogs, deer and coyote.  I imagine it would be an excellent load for cougars if it patterned well out of your gun.

[boneaddict]

All that being said, a cougar will die just the same when hit with buckshot.

I very much disagree with this comment

[92xj]

All that being said, a cougar will die just the same when hit with buckshot.

I very much disagree with this comment

Sure, anyone can come up with one off random scenarios that would cause a cougar not to die and a deer to die when shot with the same projectile.
But, for generalizations and the most common/normal scenarios in a hunting situation, when a deer is shot and killed with buckshot, a cougar replacing that deer, in that scenario will also die when shot with buckshot.  0-75 yards with pellets hitting kill zones on a cougar will penetrate just fine and kill it.

And for the OP, blood trails on buckshot kills when shot are very minimal, unless close range and they blow through the animal; be aware of where they run after the shot, you will be doing grid searches over blood trail following most likely. 

[duckmen1]

There are some interesting TSS loads out there for deer and predators now.  Salt Creek Ammunition makes one called Triple Threat for hogs, deer and coyote.  I imagine it would be an excellent load for cougars if it patterned well out of your gun.

Although I am a huge advocate toward TSS and its lethal power on game I believe size wise on shot that this state has a minimum requirement for shot to use on big game. Now although the TSS has the power in available shot size and more shot density due to size of shot, it falls short of the legal requirement based off old technology.

Now for a small game hunter this stuff would be awesome such as coyotes. And they are a bit more reasonable on price compared to other manufacturers.

[Call em in]

There are some interesting TSS loads out there for deer and predators now.  Salt Creek Ammunition makes one called Triple Threat for hogs, deer and coyote.  I imagine it would be an excellent load for cougars if it patterned well out of your gun.

Although I am a huge advocate toward TSS and its lethal power on game I believe size wise on shot that this state has a minimum requirement for shot to use on big game. Now although the TSS has the power in available shot size and more shot density due to size of shot, it falls short of the legal requirement based off old technology.

Now for a small game hunter this stuff would be awesome such as coyotes. And they are a bit more reasonable on price compared to other manufacturers.

Good catch!  I didn't check the requirements before I posted and I should have. 

If the legal requirements were ever updated to include current technology, I would imagine that TSS in T or BB would be a good load at reasonable distances.

[duckmen1]

There are some interesting TSS loads out there for deer and predators now.  Salt Creek Ammunition makes one called Triple Threat for hogs, deer and coyote.  I imagine it would be an excellent load for cougars if it patterned well out of your gun.

Although I am a huge advocate toward TSS and its lethal power on game I believe size wise on shot that this state has a minimum requirement for shot to use on big game. Now although the TSS has the power in available shot size and more shot density due to size of shot, it falls short of the legal requirement based off old technology.

Now for a small game hunter this stuff would be awesome such as coyotes. And they are a bit more reasonable on price compared to other manufacturers.

Good catch!  I didn't check the requirements before I posted and I should have. 

If the legal requirements were ever updated to include current technology, I would imagine that TSS in T or BB would be a good load at reasonable distances.

For sure. The intention of the thought of using TSS is of best interest. And would be amazing. Our state gets very picky on small detail and I read and catch those small details and happy to be of help in such case. But for sure for small game coyotes and bobcats it is an awesome choice. I can say the TSS penetration is like nothing I have ever seen and the marketing explaining it is spot on. For example 410 #9 shot reloaded lighter than factory loads getting complete pass through on chest cavity of geese. And knocks coons stone dead. Which is amazing performance. And larger shot sizes have real potential on larger animals.  And another example of ballistic gel test penetration. Steel #2 penetrates 1.5 inch at 56.8 yards. Number 8 TSS penetrates same amount at 86 yards. Now bringing that into larger shot sizes. Deadly. Patterns well because it is so perfect on shot and density making it hold energy at longer distances for good penetration. Lead has a shot density of 11.35gcc. Steel is roughly 7.4.  Tss is the highest at 18gcc on the chart. This topic of TSS gets me really excited as I use it a lot and have first hand experience. And would love to see and hear more people use it when they can. But I know I am a little off topic for the OP oringinal post so my appologies there. Best of luck on the Cougar adventures.

[buckcanyonlodge]

I have shot bear at 40 yds and they dropped like a ton of bricks and did not move.

[7t9cobra]

Keep in mind that cougars have small lungs. I have no experience with buckshot but the last thing you want is to have to track a wounded cougar in thick brush. Not just because it's dangerous, but they are super narrow animals and can easily hide somewhere you'll never look. The cat I killed this year took a .300WSM frontal and still managed to run directly into blackberry brush as thick as it gets. There was blood where he was standing but nothing leading into the brush. If I didn't see him run into it (from 35 yards away) I would never have guessed he went into it. It left almost no evidence it went in there. So be aware of that if you're hunting thick terrain.

[NOCK NOCK]

It would work, preferably up close.  Skin is thin, but their muscle us ungodly tough.

 

I shot a good sized Tom at 75yards with a 140g PSP in .280 cal. Hit him just behind front shoulder, broadside, no major bone hit, bullet expanded perfectly and was found between muscle and skin on exit side.  Tough critters! I've put the same bullets thru multiple deer, hitting some good bone at times, and they always exit.