What would you rather carry hunting alone in cat country?

[Killercolin]

I carry my XD .40 for hunting and personal defense. I love the gun and its just as reliable as my wifes glock 19. IMO

[carpsniperg2]

You don't need huge stopping power for a cat. You are fine with a 357 or 40. If you are in bear country even a good load in a 357 will do the job, trust me I know Cats are not hard to kill, they have a very low pain tolerance and a lot of my buds that ran cats back when it was legal shot them with 22 mags.

[Antlershed]

S&W 500

All I ever carry is my XD in .40S&W (only pistol I have). I carry it even when I am rifle hunting. If a cougar ever did attack me, I am guessing it will come from behind, and I am pretty sure it would be easier to get a shot off with a pistol than my .300RUM with a 26" barrell 

[buckfvr]

I seldom pack when carrying my bow, but when I do. its a .44.........

[Atroxus]

I seldom pack when carrying my bow, but when I do. its a .44.........

LOL that so reminds me of the beer commercial...."I don't always drink beer, but when I do..." 

[Skillet]

I'll save the weight and carry the knowledge that the odds of getting hit by a cougar that I could have better stopped with a holstered pistol vs. a long gun already in my hands are far less than getting hit by lightning just after walking alive out of plane that crashed onto a tiny speck of an island in the middle of the Pacific Ocean.
But I'd bet I'm not as quick on the draw as some of you gunslingers.

[pianoman9701]

Sorry, none of the above. I like my XD in .45, 13+1, 230gr ball ammo. Do I think that I will ever get attacked, not really. Have an issue with a drugged out whacko..maybe. I just like having it really.

  XD .45 HP

[Button Nubbs]

Glock 20 10mm. 15+1 should get it done! The +1 would be for me after the other 15 are gone tho!

[WAcoyotehunter]

I'll save the weight and carry the knowledge that the odds of getting hit by a cougar that I could have better stopped with a holstered pistol vs. a long gun already in my hands are far less than getting hit by lightning just after walking alive out of plane that crashed onto a tiny speck of an island in the middle of the Pacific Ocean.
But I'd bet I'm not as quick on the draw as some of you gunslingers.

   That's why I said a hound dog. 

[Helix]

1911,  It's what I carry and I have other options, including .357 taurus, FNH .40, Para ord 9mm. 

It works,  Its not the lightest but it points a shoots where you want it to.  The target in my avatar was the first shot I ever took with it.  Love at first shot you might say.  No need to carry anything else when you need knockdown power and realiability.  If I was in Grizzly country (seen one here in Snohomish county but not likely to encounter) or hunting bigger game I might think about a wheel gun in a major caliber but since I'm in western WA it's enough gun for what we are likely to encounter here. 

[westsideoutdoorsman]

My xd-40 with hollows is what I carry wherever including cat country.

[Ridgeratt]

I don't see my choice!

I have been in the woods on the weekends since mid August reconing for my Buddies Multi season elk tag.  Which means I may get back to my rig around midnite or back in the brush usually around 3 or 4 am. This has all been done in areas that I know have cougars and bears as well as a comfirmed quantity of wolves.

So far the largest defensive tool I have carried has been a 5 foot ultra light spinning rod   ( My choice) when I walked into a couple of beaver ponds.

Not once yet have I felt I have been in great peril from any attacks.
Guess maybe I'm not a NBFC! 

The only time I was a bit nervous was when he and I were in a Cedar bottom in the dark timber and we ran into a young Moose and was wondering where Momma was, hoping we didn't get between her and the little one. Then all I had was him to use as a shield. Thats only if he was between her and I.

[CAMPMEAT]

I don't see my choice!

I have been in the woods on the weekends since mid August reconing for my Buddies Multi season elk tag.  Which means I may get back to my rig around midnite or back in the brush usually around 3 or 4 am. This has all been done in areas that I know have cougars and bears as well as a comfirmed quantity of wolves.

So far the largest defensive tool I have carried has been a 5 foot ultra light spinning rod   ( My choice) when I walked into a couple of beaver ponds.

Not once yet have I felt I have been in great peril from any attacks.
Guess maybe I'm not a NBFC! 

The only time I was a bit nervous was when he and I were in a Cedar bottom in the dark timber and we ran into a young Moose and was wondering where Momma was, hoping we didn't get between her and the little one. Then all I had was him to use as a shield. Thats only if he was between her and I.

Real men don't need a weapon..........................

[scudmaster]

So here is the philosophy I would follow. If it is for self defense, carry in a holster, the biggest caliber you can accurately shoot.  Cats don't need much so the mag revolvers seem a bit short on firepower.  If you have actually trained on fast moving targets, i.e. simulated dogs charging at you, they are very difficult to hit and 6 rounds will go too fast and you will likely hear "click click click" as the animal closes on you.  As for the long gun in your hands, try to shoot it with the long gun first of course, but then a transition to your pistol will be much faster than trying to work a bolt gun under stress unless you have actually trained it under time constraints for simulated stress.  Bravado will not get your through.  Training and skill and a bit of luck will.

[MikeWalking]

ummm several burlap bags, baseball size of  Catnip??