This is a bit embarrassing, shooting a lion

[tsprink]

This is a bit embarrassing, I have shot a lot of stuff but never a lion. I have the gun (well lots) but where do I shoot it? when I coon hunted we tried to make sure the coon was a live still but i was 15 that was 15 years ago. I cant imagine that you want a cat to come out alive? so where do you aim to still be able to mount it?

[Mike Leonard]

I advise my shooters to take the cat right tight behind the front shoulder assuring a double lung hit.With an expanding bullet of fairly decent velocity death is almost instantaneous. Lions have very small lungs and this will prove a quickier death than a deer of similar weight. I generally recommend a rather moderate round because most shots are at close range. I do not recommend a rimfire for novice shooter and it is unlawful in many states. Stay away from the neck and ear region of a cat if you wish to measure for record purposes. This however is a quick kill area and little problems with wounding. Just do what you Dad said hold tight behind the shoulder and squeeze don't jerk. This is the easiest part of a cat hunt.On a rather nervous lion last week I told the shooter to step up a few feet and make sure of his hit as the lion decided to leave the tree. He did and made a perfect shot. A tail wringer as we call them. When that tail goes round and around it is all over but the photos.

It does not take a large caliber or magnum velocity to down even a 150 pound cougar. Just a cool head and a sure shot. My first ever cougar many years ago was taken with a 38 Special. A 140 Gr. Speer half jacket hollowpoint and 12.5 Gr. of Unique proved a deadly combination. An old Skeeter Skelton reload and I used it for years in my Officier's Model Match Colt. What a sweet memory that old shooter is!