I would like to find out what calibers/loads people have actually used to take dangerous game with. I am guessing that the 375 H&H and 458 Win are the most used calibers with factory ammo. With the 416 Rem & Rigby running a distance 3rd & 4th place and almost no one using anything else. But maybe I am wrong and some of you have used more interesting calibers?
Dangerous game you have taken, what caliber & load did you use?
- Thread starter Glamdring
- Start date
Glamdring. I suppose "dangerous" game should be qualified. I'm sure you mean critters like the big five of Africa, but other animals can be dangerous as well. On a church camping trip, a woman was attacked by a black bear. The only gun in the camp was my 38-44 Outdoorsman, a forerunner to the .357 Magnum, shooting a load that would be a bit hotter than +P+. Two quick ones behind the ear. One dead bear. BTW, the woman required over 100 stitches in her leg. Just a small 150 pound black bear, but dangerous all the same.
Paul B.
Paul B.
Ive never been to africa, so those DG are out. In AK, the most DG I hunt is the black bear. I dont really have any interest in shooting a brown/griz, but I do plan for the worse. I always pick up a brown bear tag and carry a 458Lott w/500gr hornadies, a 45/70 w/400gr cast, or a 338 w/250gr X's.
If I run into a really nice brownie and its legal, I'll probably drop it, but I'm not gonna go out solely for them.
If I run into a really nice brownie and its legal, I'll probably drop it, but I'm not gonna go out solely for them.
bou3: 500 grain hornady fmj's or softs?
Paul B: To me dangerous game would be big bears, african lion, buff, elephant, rhino, and tigers. I know that the last two probably are not legal game animals any more. Thought they are probably still shot for control and such from time to time.
Paul B: To me dangerous game would be big bears, african lion, buff, elephant, rhino, and tigers. I know that the last two probably are not legal game animals any more. Thought they are probably still shot for control and such from time to time.
BadMedicine
Moderator
What about mountain lion?? They're planty dangerous, expecially when wounded or hungry. How about moose? They trample people up here (AK) every year, and can be some tough costumers during the rut when they're horny and territorial. Bears I would consider too, and maybe wolverines up here. I don't have any personal stories about shooting these critters, but a friend told us about shooting a wolverine.
It crossed the road in front of him and stopped and hissed when he got out. He shot it in the gut the first shot, and it started running towards him. He was hunting bear and had his .44 which he shot it with, and his .338 in the truck, he didn't want to shoot it with that, because of fur damage. His second shot from the .44 took out a front leg. It kept pushing and dragging itself toward him, he was getting worried, this thing meant death!! so he shot it with his .338. He skinned it and was surprised that the .44 hole through the gut made a bigger mess than the .338, but that was the one that finally put it down. I've heard that wolverines weren't afraid of anything, but I didn't believe it till he was telling me about it. He got a rug made out of it, and it looks pretty good now.
It crossed the road in front of him and stopped and hissed when he got out. He shot it in the gut the first shot, and it started running towards him. He was hunting bear and had his .44 which he shot it with, and his .338 in the truck, he didn't want to shoot it with that, because of fur damage. His second shot from the .44 took out a front leg. It kept pushing and dragging itself toward him, he was getting worried, this thing meant death!! so he shot it with his .338. He skinned it and was surprised that the .44 hole through the gut made a bigger mess than the .338, but that was the one that finally put it down. I've heard that wolverines weren't afraid of anything, but I didn't believe it till he was telling me about it. He got a rug made out of it, and it looks pretty good now.
swampgator
New member
Most Dangerous?
My Wife!
Used cunning and guile and lots of personality! LOL!
Gator
My Wife!
Used cunning and guile and lots of personality! LOL!
Gator
MountainGun44
New member
I still believe that pound for pound the most dangerous animal on earth is the Grey Squirrel. I have stopped several in the middle of a charge with .22 caliber rimfire rifles. Anything but a head shot should be considered risky because of the tremendous power of these animal's hind legs.
What about pigs? Not the little javelinas of the Southwest (although they can be nasty enough,) but the big Russian boar/domestic pig crossbreeds?
300-450 lbs of pig w/3" razor sharp tusks coming at you through the thick bush found in southern swamps can get the adrenaline pumping almost as much as some of the other game mentioned.
300-450 lbs of pig w/3" razor sharp tusks coming at you through the thick bush found in southern swamps can get the adrenaline pumping almost as much as some of the other game mentioned.
Well...
I suppose this is not for everybody, but in the 20's, if I recall correctly, there's a missionary in India that shot a man-eating tiger with a 22 Savage... History says the bullet entered the stomach and caused massive hydrostatic shock that killed the critter... I wouldn't want to have this guy for a hunting partner...
Seriously, if I would hunt anything in North America or beyond, something like a 35 Whelan would fill the ticket nicely, but falling short of the big 5, grizzly or polar bear... For those, I have to admit my ignorance, but I'd take something big and bad!
I suppose this is not for everybody, but in the 20's, if I recall correctly, there's a missionary in India that shot a man-eating tiger with a 22 Savage... History says the bullet entered the stomach and caused massive hydrostatic shock that killed the critter... I wouldn't want to have this guy for a hunting partner...
Seriously, if I would hunt anything in North America or beyond, something like a 35 Whelan would fill the ticket nicely, but falling short of the big 5, grizzly or polar bear... For those, I have to admit my ignorance, but I'd take something big and bad!
Art Eatman
Staff in Memoriam
Driftin' OT a bit...
45King, I have a bit of a problem in worrying about javelinas. I think most of the "attack" stories come from events like one of mine: I walked into the middle of a bunch of them, mid-day while they were resting. They all panicked and ran, all in the same direction. I had a couple of them run darned near between my legs, but they weren't "charging". They're so near-sighted they can't see well enough to make a deliberate charge.
You can ease along quietly with a bunch of them, within ten yards or so, if you have the wind in your favor. If you don't make sudden motions or any noise, they'll never notice you.
I grabbed a baby pigelina one day; he squealed, Momma popped her jaws a lot, and the rest of the bunch ran off. When I put piggy back on the ground, Piggy and Momma left in a hurry...
They are definitely territorial, and make good "watch pigs", as a census taker found out, here.
Tasty, real tasty, too...
, Art
45King, I have a bit of a problem in worrying about javelinas. I think most of the "attack" stories come from events like one of mine: I walked into the middle of a bunch of them, mid-day while they were resting. They all panicked and ran, all in the same direction. I had a couple of them run darned near between my legs, but they weren't "charging". They're so near-sighted they can't see well enough to make a deliberate charge.
You can ease along quietly with a bunch of them, within ten yards or so, if you have the wind in your favor. If you don't make sudden motions or any noise, they'll never notice you.
I grabbed a baby pigelina one day; he squealed, Momma popped her jaws a lot, and the rest of the bunch ran off. When I put piggy back on the ground, Piggy and Momma left in a hurry...
They are definitely territorial, and make good "watch pigs", as a census taker found out, here.
Tasty, real tasty, too...
, ArtArt Eatman
Staff in Memoriam
.22 Savage Hi-Power
Thibault, I remember that story. I think it was a case of a fella using what was available, as opposed as "the" choice for a tiger hunt...
That old Hi-Power deserved its name, given the era: It could drive a 45-grain bullet to 3,800 ft/sec; a 55-grain bullet to 3,300 ft/sec, and a 63-grain bullet to 3,100 ft/sec. Doggoned good, for 100 years ago!
The Model 1899 Savage was developed specifically for this cartridge. It was only later that it was chambered for the .250-3000 and the .300 Savage.
FWIW, Art
Thibault, I remember that story. I think it was a case of a fella using what was available, as opposed as "the" choice for a tiger hunt...
That old Hi-Power deserved its name, given the era: It could drive a 45-grain bullet to 3,800 ft/sec; a 55-grain bullet to 3,300 ft/sec, and a 63-grain bullet to 3,100 ft/sec. Doggoned good, for 100 years ago!
The Model 1899 Savage was developed specifically for this cartridge. It was only later that it was chambered for the .250-3000 and the .300 Savage.
FWIW, Art
Glamdring. If you check the records, more people have been killed and eaten by Black Bears in this country that all the attacks by Brown and Grizzlies combined. We had an incident here in southern AZ about two years ago, where a lovely 15 year old girl was attacked in her tent and was being dragged out into the woods when the camp counselor shot it three times with his .44 Magnum revolver, causing the bear to let go and run off. Fish and Game officers tracked the bear down and finally killed it.
When I go hiking in those mountains, I always carry a heavy handgun due to harassment by bears. I have not had to shoot one yet, and I hope I don't have to, but nontheless, the problem exists. So yes. I consider the Black Bear dangerous game.
Paul B.
When I go hiking in those mountains, I always carry a heavy handgun due to harassment by bears. I have not had to shoot one yet, and I hope I don't have to, but nontheless, the problem exists. So yes. I consider the Black Bear dangerous game.
Paul B.
Glamdring
I've never had to take a dangerous game animal yet, but the time may come. I work in the logging industry and with the increase in Black Bear and Cougar in our area, the peaceful encounters may become nasty before long. I spend a lot of time walking in the woods looking at jobs, all alone. It's just a matter of time. There's getting to be a bear behind every tree around here and the cats are losing their fear of people since they outlawed hound hunting. Had a cat giving me a look-see a month ago. As soon as I saw it, it took off. Makes the hair on the back of your neck stand up!
Oh, I carry a cut-down Marlin 1895SS ( Wild West Guns Co-pilot) in 45-70 with either some 405 gr Kodiak Flat point FMJ solids or Garrett's 530 grain hammerheads. Either will shoot through any living thing and leave a BIG hole doing it. I carry it in a Nimrod back-pack scabbard. Really works slick. Sometimes I'll carry a Marlin .44 carbine or occassionly a 1911. Mostly the 45-70.
Zorro is entirely correct on one thing. The most dangerous thing a person is likely to come up against is a pack of feral dogs. It's the only thing that ever "treed" me. Kept me there for 45 minutes. Never left the truck without a gun after that.
http://www.wildwestguns.com
http://www.garrettcartridges.com
http://www.nimrodpacksystems.com
I've never had to take a dangerous game animal yet, but the time may come. I work in the logging industry and with the increase in Black Bear and Cougar in our area, the peaceful encounters may become nasty before long. I spend a lot of time walking in the woods looking at jobs, all alone. It's just a matter of time. There's getting to be a bear behind every tree around here and the cats are losing their fear of people since they outlawed hound hunting. Had a cat giving me a look-see a month ago. As soon as I saw it, it took off. Makes the hair on the back of your neck stand up!
Oh, I carry a cut-down Marlin 1895SS ( Wild West Guns Co-pilot) in 45-70 with either some 405 gr Kodiak Flat point FMJ solids or Garrett's 530 grain hammerheads. Either will shoot through any living thing and leave a BIG hole doing it. I carry it in a Nimrod back-pack scabbard. Really works slick. Sometimes I'll carry a Marlin .44 carbine or occassionly a 1911. Mostly the 45-70.
Zorro is entirely correct on one thing. The most dangerous thing a person is likely to come up against is a pack of feral dogs. It's the only thing that ever "treed" me. Kept me there for 45 minutes. Never left the truck without a gun after that.
http://www.wildwestguns.com
http://www.garrettcartridges.com
http://www.nimrodpacksystems.com
BadMedicine
Moderator
Oh, common Art!!
Not the ol' "I picked up a piglet and the momma popped her jaws" story again??
hehe, that's gotta be the third time I've heard it
Not the ol' "I picked up a piglet and the momma popped her jaws" story again??
hehe, that's gotta be the third time I've heard it Art Eatman
Staff in Memoriam
Well, now, Bad Medicine, my father said that *he* had done it, so naturally, anything he said he had done and gotten away with, I wuz gonna try. And after all, would my father lie to me?*
So, I did.
He wuz right--they behave just as he said, just as I just told ya.
Don't reckon I'd try that, with some of the feral hogs I've seen. But ain't bear cubs cute?
, Art
*In a heartbeat. Although, come to think of it, he might have said, "Well, what you can do, is..."
So, I did.
He wuz right--they behave just as he said, just as I just told ya.
Don't reckon I'd try that, with some of the feral hogs I've seen. But ain't bear cubs cute?
, Art*In a heartbeat. Although, come to think of it, he might have said, "Well, what you can do, is..."
BadMedicine
Moderator
...four
dreadnaught
New member
I had to use four rounds from a Winchester 1300 Defender and six rounds from my Smith and Wesson I was carrying as a backup when it became necessary to defend myself against a wounded and enraged...........wait for it.......squirrel.