Author Topic: Feral cat load coming together. (Read 2526 times)

Dusty Miller · « **on:** June 01, 2007, 02:21:17 PM »

Today I purchased a box of 50 Combined Technology (Nosler/Winchester) 85 grain Ballistic Silvertip bullets for my 15" 25-06 Encore ($21.99 + tax, OUCH!) and a pound of H4350 powder ($28.99, OUCH!!). I'm think'n this combination at about 3000 fps will be just the ticket for the overabundance of feral cats in these parts. Does anybody here have any experience with this bullet? Is it a good item for 'yotes also?

Lawful Larry · « **Reply #1 on:** June 04, 2007, 05:40:10 AM »

Too much fire power. How come you ain't using that Hornet of yours? that would fit the bill , perfect. I capped a few of those feral cats with mine out in the woods. Worked fine.

Questor · « **Reply #2 on:** June 04, 2007, 08:15:56 AM »

Feral cat shooting definitely has a regional aspect to it. If I were in the wide open spaces, I'd want the 25-06, but would use Hornady V-Max or similar varmint bullets. These bullets will give a certain, humane, and (colorfully) instantaneous death with any hit to the body. Clean-up could be a problem, if that's a consideration.

What kind of problems have the cats been causing? Around here I like feral cats because
1) They can't survive the winters and don't become a problem
2) They prey on pesky varmints like moles and gophers, so that makes feral cats a good thing.

Back in northern Georgia we used to have organized feral cat hunts. 22LR was the favorite cartridge and the "Texas heart shot" (up the rear end toward the vitals) was the favorite shot because of it was a certain killer on animals that size. There, they were really pests that harmed pets, chickens, and other valuable animals. They were about as good to have around as rabid racoons. They aren't robust enough to be truly wild and they pick up all kinds of diseases and parasites.

Lawful Larry · « **Reply #3 on:** June 05, 2007, 02:12:26 AM »

Cats are notorious for killing song birds. They are carriers of diseases and are getting bad here where I live in Virginia. I believe they became fair game in a northern tier state. It was either Minnesota or Wisconsin.

Some people really get upset when we talk about killing cats. But they have to understand that these are not house pets. Don't think you need a long range gun for them. I managed to sneak up on one and get to within about 15 yards before I whistled at him and he jumped up in the air and then took off. Didn't shoot him cause I was still hunting for deer. Not bad for this old guy.

If I see a cat without a collar in the woods, it is fair game.

SHOOTALL · « **Reply #4 on:** June 05, 2007, 02:32:48 AM »

LL you are 100% correct , i to live in VA. and can't keep the population down , its so bad you can tell where they come from by the coloration of their coats , we used a 22 and 22 mag until the 17 came out now that is a cat gun !
how bad is it , i can turn on a calling machine and have cats show up almost anytime in my driveway ! and a can of tuna fish is a magnet !

Ranger J · « **Reply #5 on:** June 05, 2007, 03:43:48 AM »

Shooting over bait, shame, shame!

SHOOTALL · « **Reply #6 on:** June 05, 2007, 04:23:28 AM »

they won't eat clover !

1894cfan · « **Reply #7 on:** August 24, 2007, 02:25:05 PM »

If the range is inside 30yds., I'd suggest using CCI 22 CB Longs. Ya gotta place your shots right, but they sure are quiet!

Davemuzz · « **Reply #8 on:** August 24, 2007, 03:37:18 PM »

An 85 grain in the 25-06 is going to quarter, skin and hang parts in nearby trees. I've seen this with the 85 grain Nosler BT from a .243. LL's right, a Hornet would be good. A 22 magnum would work well too.

Dave

cwlongshot · « **Reply #9 on:** August 24, 2007, 03:47:47 PM »

Quote from: 1894cfan on August 24, 2007, 02:25:05 PM

If the range is inside 30yds., I'd suggest using CCI 22 CB Longs. Ya gotta place your shots right, but they sure are quiet!

Isn't that what "CB" stands for?

CAT BULLET...

We are fairly built up 'round here. So quiets bullets are a good thing. I mean, I KNOW I will only shoot in a safe direction. So what the neighbors wont know really will not hurt them!!!

I have a little story about "CB's", Ground Hogs and nosy-tree hugging neighbors.

I had a small 1/4acre garden, that was a favorite of every GH in the neighborhood. Especially this really fat bugger, I named "JABA". He lived up on the hill, behind the garden. He was such a frequent visitor he had a "slide from the top of the bank down just behind the gardens rear most corner. He was SUPER lucky for most one the summer.... Any way, my back yard was about 15' below the woods in the back and one side of the garden. You couldn't ask for a safer place to shoot buggers in the garden.
One day, I was in the yard putting down seven dust for the bugs in the yard and garden. When my neighbor comes out all worried that the stuff will be harmful to all the critters in the woods and her dogs. I tell her I have used this for years and have also always had dogs. None where ever effected by this product. She didn't seem to believe me and went home in a huff.
Soon after my wife came calling me saying that she just saw "Jaba" slide down the hill!! I grabbed the 22 and a couple CB's ran out to the shed and waited. From this vantage point, I was about 30yds to the farthest edge of the garden. An easy shot, especially at such a large critter as he was. A couple minutes later I saw him, lumbering up on the far side of the garden, not yet in the garden. He pushed thru the tomato's and BANG, I shot him right in the head.... Well, he started doing the thousand mile per hour spins. to my surprise, he regained the use of his limbs and scooted into the neighbors yard and disappeared in the shrubs at the back of there yard. I figured he would die and I could go fetch him after they left later on that day. They didn't go soon enough and while doing yard work found JABA, stiff as a board yards from where I saw him go thru the shrubs. Turns out he never made it to the woods, didn't even make it all the way over the grass clippings they threw out behind there shed. That woman was convinced that this ground hog was killed by that poison I spread on my lawn!!! Funny stuff!!!

CW

nomosendero · « **Reply #10 on:** August 24, 2007, 05:07:55 PM »

For Feral Cats that eat birds, I would urge you to try the Kenny Jarret round, the 243 Catbird, it is the Cat's Meow!!!

Do a goggle on the 243 Catbird. You will see that with the 87V-Max, it is a Chinese restaurant's worst nightmare.

billy_56081 · « **Reply #11 on:** August 24, 2007, 05:40:08 PM »

LL the law you were referring to was in Wisconsin. Here in Mn it has been legal for many years to shoot feral cats. The law here was implemented at a time when people had more common sense and could see what feral cats did to the natural balance of things.

Myself I usually use my 22 hornet, but will take them with whatever weapon is in hand at the time of their appearance.

So many cats, so few recipes

Dee · « **Reply #12 on:** August 24, 2007, 06:41:40 PM »

I live in North Central Texas. Feral cats do quite well down here in the wild. They feed on squirrel (tree kind), dove, quail, song birds, cottontail rabbits, rats, mice, frogs, fish in shallow creeks in the summer, and anything else they can catch. I shoot them on sight with what ever I have, but a 22lr is more than enough. And yes a feral cat WILL come to a call, which for the cat is a mistake, if I am the one doing the calling. They are worthless, non-natives to this country, and we should slap a limey every time we see a feral cat.

Jerry Lester · « **Reply #13 on:** August 24, 2007, 06:57:39 PM »

The 22 Hornet is my caliber of choice for them, but like some of the others said, anything I have in my hands at the time will do the trick.

More than a few have been called in, and thumped with my Single Six loaded with CCI TNT HP's, or my 357 Blackhawk. As of late though, my Single Six 32 magnum gets all the action!

DDelle338 · « **Reply #14 on:** August 27, 2007, 03:45:03 AM »

What do you use to call in these pests?

SHOOTALL · « **Reply #15 on:** August 27, 2007, 03:46:40 AM »

any fox call , rabbit or mouse call !

Scarlet Pumpernickel · « **Reply #16 on:** August 27, 2007, 12:05:38 PM »

Quote from: 1894cfan on August 24, 2007, 02:25:05 PM

If the range is inside 30yds., I'd suggest using CCI 22 CB Longs. Ya gotta place your shots right, but they sure are quiet!

You gotta shoot about 1" higher than "RIGHT BETWEEN THE EYES". If you don't, you will shoot UNDER the brain. Even then, they flop around doin' the funky chicken for about ten seconds.

SHOOTALL · « **Reply #17 on:** August 27, 2007, 01:39:46 PM »

S P you say that like its a bad thing !

Jerry Lester · « **Reply #18 on:** August 27, 2007, 04:45:35 PM »

Quote from: DDelle338 on August 27, 2007, 03:45:03 AM

What do you use to call in these pests?

High pitched rodent sounds are very effective, as well as high pitched rabbit sounds. My all time favorite though is high pitched bird distress sounds. The key is to keep the volume fairly low. Kinda treat a stand like you were calling bobcats.

It also helps if you're within sight of a farm house. Just kidding! I had to say it!!

billy_56081 · « **Reply #19 on:** August 27, 2007, 04:52:39 PM »

Geez you guys are very un PC.

I think I'd get along with you all.

And questor where are you living that feral cats ( or ditch cougars as we call them) can't survive the winter? I live in the barren tundra of southern MN and we seem to have a hardier breed living here that survives the winter.

Jerry Lester · « **Reply #20 on:** August 27, 2007, 07:58:17 PM »

Quote from: billy_56081 on August 27, 2007, 04:52:39 PM

Geez you guys are very un PC.

Yes, but the mice, and other little animals love us for it.

1894cfan · « **Reply #21 on:** August 27, 2007, 09:00:34 PM »

If the range is inside 30yds., I'd suggest using CCI 22 CB Longs. Ya gotta place your shots right, but they sure are quiet!
[/quote]
You gotta shoot about 1" higher than "RIGHT BETWEEN THE EYES". If you don't, you will shoot UNDER the brain. Even then, they flop around doin' the funky chicken for about ten seconds.
[/quote]

The last one I got was angled away from me facing to the left, aimed for the heart. Cat didn't make it out of the back yard. Kitty shouldn't have been trying for the birds.

Besides, I hate cleaning up cat krap while gardening!

Scarlet Pumpernickel · « **Reply #22 on:** August 27, 2007, 09:14:54 PM »

«The last one I got was angled away from me facing to the left, aimed for the heart.»

Cat's have hearts?

SHOOTALL · « **Reply #23 on:** August 28, 2007, 01:52:39 AM »

my son had a bobcat cat cross come to his house , anyway a litter of targets later and a friend that wanted one, a cat was taken to the vet and the cross confirmed ! these cats are winter proof , most are as long as food is aval. tigers love the snow !
nothing is pretty as a shot when snow is the back drop ! the CCI22 CB LONG's work nice , as do a 22 short in a rifle , not much noise with either !
they don't have hearts just black holes so i like head shots !
NOT PC ? you with peta or something ?

Davemuzz · « **Reply #24 on:** August 28, 2007, 03:50:45 AM »

I'm always in the market for a good cat. As soon as I find one that passes my 6mm test, why I'm gonna keep it!

Dave

Lawful Larry · « **Reply #25 on:** August 28, 2007, 04:08:44 AM »

I sure hope PETA (People Eating Tasty Animals) is watching this thread.

Questor · « **Reply #26 on:** August 28, 2007, 04:28:36 AM »

Dusty Miller:

Out of curiosity, why such a tough bullet for feral cats? My preference would be a varmint bullet, like a Vmax or a TNT. But I haven't studied the question either. Of course the Vmax or TNT would be more of a cat vaporizing load that leaves the cat in multiple widely strewn pieces.

The Old Redneck · « **Reply #27 on:** August 28, 2007, 04:46:39 AM »

I grew up on a dairy, and the nice folks from town would keep us well supplied with cats. Funny how they always dropped them off at night, and never even waited for us to thank them. Every so often my Grandmother would put a box of 22's on the kitchen table, and stand the rifle by the door. I knew it was time to thin the cat population. I enjoyed the thinning, hated the part about having to clean up after. After over 50 years and the dairy being gone well over half that time, cats are still abundant around home. Now the problem is we have an abundance of neighbors that believe Fluffy should be allowed to roam free. We have cats but no quail, and very few rabbits. I think it would be good to have open season on the cats to make up for the lack of quail and rabbits. No bag limit, no closed season, any weapon could be used to take them.

darkroomdan · « **Reply #28 on:** August 28, 2007, 04:51:06 AM »

I'm with the folks that suggest a centerfire .22 or .243 caliber. My experience with a .22 LR was less that encouraging...
We had a big feral tomcat that was coming around raiding in our yard - into the trash, spraying under the house ect. Late one afternoon I saw him go under the house and ran and got my .22 bolt action loaded with CCI Stingers - 1 in the chamber and 5 in the clip. I hid at the corner of the house and waited for him to come out. When he strolled out in a couple of minutes, I put one in his left shoulder which rolled him to the ground. I ran around the bushes to see the result and he jumped up and growled at me. From about 6 feet, I took aim right between his eyes and fired again - he was stunned, but did not go down - I fired again, this time in the middle of his chest and he sagged back - I put two more quick ones in his chest area and finally he was still. I was glad he finally died because I had only one round left. When I bagged him for disposal, I guessed he weighted about 25 pounds. Pretty tough critters!
DRD

jhalcott · « **Reply #29 on:** August 28, 2007, 08:03:22 AM »

I shot a cat (one of several) at about 90 yards with a hot loaded .17 remington 700 rifle. I hit it between the eye and ear with a 25 grain bullet. THAT cat ran in a 10 yard circle and flopped a couuple times. When my neice and I got to it, both eyes were on its cheeks.and the skull felt like an egg in a sock that was dropped on the floor!The brain was gone as near as I could tell,but the cat had went the better part of 30 yards . Made me realize IF I ever hunt lions I'll need a BIG gun. Most cats hit in the chest with this gun just dropped right there!