Idjit question - turkey chokes and 00 buck

[Kilchis]

A previous thread regarding a split choke and barrel got me to wondering. 

I turkey hunt in central Oregon's Ochoco Mountains.  The cougar population is high, estimated by the Oregon Fish and Wildlife agency at 5,000+ statewide, and they are adversely impacting the deer and elk herds. (I have read that each cat consumes up to one deer/elk per week.)  In Oregon the cougar is a game animal, and tags are over-the-counter.

In six weeks turkey season opens and I will again be sitting under a juniper or up against some bitterbrush, working calls and sending out a message that says, "lunch....lunch....lunch" to curious nearby cats.

I am wondering about the wisdom of carrying a couple of rounds of 2 3/4 double-ought in a vest pocket.  Has anyone ever run 12 ga buck through a Jellyhead on the end of a 535 barrel? 

Good idea, or good way to meet new doctors and maybe buy a replacement turkey gun?

[highwaygun]

Don't think it would be a problem but if your worried get some #4 buck. It has smaller pellets and still has enough for big game at close range. Also don't think some turkey loads won't knock a mountain lions noggin off at same range as a turkey. I'm 100% sure that they will change his mind on what he wants for lunch even if it don't kill him.

[Deputy 14]

If a cat gets close enough to you to be an imminent threat a turkey load to the forehead will no doubt take care of it.

[Vabirddog]

Well I figure if a cougar really wants to eat you he wont annouce his coming so any attack will be a surprise. Whats the first thing you gonna do? start reloading?  If a mt lion attacks any 12 ga turkey load is very lethal at close range and a good deterrent otherwise. my2cts

[tomstopper]

Well I figure if a cougar really wants to eat you he wont annouce his coming so any attack will be a surprise. Whats the first thing you gonna do? start reloading?  If a mt lion attacks any 12 ga turkey load is very lethal at close range and a good deterrent otherwise. my2cts

They want a meal that won't harm them in the process. You hit him with a turkey load once or twice and he will call off the attack IMO....

[ericjames]

I wouldn't worry about a buckshot if something like that should happen just use the turkey, aim for the head neck area. I bet it kills the heck out of him also. I have dropped big coyote's with #5 lead turkey loads and a few of them was at a piety good distance.  I ain't sure it would kill a cougar but of you shoot him in the face once or twice that should chance his mind on a meal. You could carry buckshot or a side arm  just in case.

[chatterbox]

Watch out for the attack from behind. They will position themselves with the wind in their face. You would potentially never knew what hit you.
Make sure you are in a spot where your back is protected, and I agree. A magnum turkey round will change his mind.
However, if I hunted cougar country and it was legal, I would be carrying a hand cannon with me. .44 mag, .357, etc.
Good luck, and be careful!

[MuddyRiver]

+1 on what chatterbox said.

I carry concealed all of the time.  We have two legged cougars where I live. 

[surehuntsalot]

any turkey load will stop ANY close range  attack,if you are lucky enough to see it coming

[Chuck1443]

+1 on what chatterbox said.

I carry concealed all of the time.  We have two legged cougars where I live.

X2  possibly on your back , in cat country I carry strapped to my thigh

[the Ward]

Htl 4s or 5s in the mag tube, use a couple of decoys so the cat would most likely key in on them instead of you?

[beagler]

Most the guys I run coyote with use their turkey chokes in their shotguns shooting #4 buck with no issues whatsoever. Everyone gets good patterns for the most part as well.

[Kilchis]

Thanks for the comments folks!

I'm not terribly worried about getting attacked.  I can't remember the last time a cougar attacked a person in Oregon.  Even though we have a big cat population sightings are pretty uncommon.  I've seen a total of one when in the field, my buddy who retired from the forest service after 30 years saw two, maybe three, none of the people I hunt with have ever seen one. 

I am thinking more about the opportunity for a bird/big game combo hunt; and I am a believer in swift sure kills.  That's why I was asking about the 00 stuff.  I'll do some research into 4's

But for those of you who did mention the potential for a surprise attack, in addition to the shotgun I do carry an accessible sidearm, too. 

Just as an aside on cougars - before I encountered the one I saw, literally at 20 feet, I had seen cougars in zoos and thought I knew what they looked like.   Wrong!  The difference is like Danny Devito and Arnold Schwarzengger.  I saw my cat, a big mature tom - maybe 130 -160 pounds, at 5000 feet elevation the third weekend in October a few years ago.  He had his winter coat, but through the fur I could see every muscle in his haunch like it was sculpted in marble.  His tail was the diameter of a fire hose.   I was in a Suburban carrying a bunch of my Boy Scouts and he stepped into the road in front of it.  His nose was directly over the centerline and the end of his tail was in the brush well the other side of the fog line.  He stared at us for about 4 seconds and you could almost see him wondering, "How do I get to that creamy filling inside?" Then, without crouching at all, he jumped across the other lane, easily clearing the shoulder and vine maples and small firs along the road, in one movement.    I bailed out and took off after him, but my 14-year old caught up to me pretty quickly and asked just what I intended to do if the cat turned around since I was armed with only a Nikon.     Oh yeah, that.   So we went our way.