Did you hear about that pet tiger that got loose in Florida and was killed by mere shotgun blasts as it lunged at the tranquilizer guy? Nobody would dare use a shotgun on a lion in Africa. A lungeing lion can't be stopped that easy. African game is tougher.

blah. You're comparing a domesticated tiger to wild lions?

Maybe the tiger gave a half assed attack and the shooter got lucky... Did it die right away or what?

I've heard of a loose lion taken down with a 30-06.

Most likely the shooter was just lucky. I can't imagine a tiger being any less hardy than lions.

Maybe you're just biased.. I mean... look at your screen name...

A lot depepnds on what is in the shotgun. A good, stout Brenneke slug would not seem to be a bad choice for any number of animals, be they wild or "tame". They would beat the heck out of a 9 mm (even if the police do have high caps) .

Douglas Mays

Tarzan was crying on the news that they shot his pet tiger, Bobo, 5 times. I think he claimed the tiger was asleep when dispatched. That would explain it.

A shotgun with slugs or 000 buck will do a number on a lion skull at close range. Didn't George Hoffman use such even for wounded lion cleanup sometimes? Leopard sure.

That Florida ex-Tarzan of the 1960's B-movies is retarded, obviously.

You don't know if the tiger was even fully grown! People have killed lions with .22 hornets, that doesn't make them soft! The whole 'soft/hard' debate is bs in my humble opinion.

Wally Johnson sais that a man armed with a shotgun and buckshot is a safe from lions as a baby in bed. I don't want to test that personally though.

I've often asked myself this question. Having grown up in Africa I tend to feel biased towards the African lion. Although the tiger is bigger bodied on average, i think the fierceness and competitiveness of the African bush will give the lion an upper hand. this is all academical though

It wasn't a shotgun it was an M-4 carbine 5.56mm aka .223 according to the Jacksonville Journal ( available on line) jorge

. . . and people on this forum have accused me of lacking ANY hunting experience!

I suggest you have NEVER seen what a 12 gauge 3" magnum shell can do to a target at a range of 20 feet or less! Think miniature Claymore mine!!!

I don't know what happened, but if the tiger was actually "lunging" he was most likely within 8 yards! The 12 gauge would have turned his insides into jelly in about a 12" circle.

ASS_CLOWN

A couple of things are worth mentioning here. One, the tiger was declawed, hence, while it still has teeth is not quite as dangerous. Two, tigers and lions have been killed with handguns, indeed this is the preferred way of killing caged tigers that have been illegally kept for their 'body parts". Three, as others have previously mentioned, in Roman times it was not unusual to pit tigers against lions in the Coliseum, and in general the Tigers won. They are I believe large and heavier than their African lion competitors. Both are magnificient animals. I have seen them up close at the Siegfied and Roy 'exhibit" in las Vegas
peter.

While I don't agree wiht keeping big cats as pets, I did read something interesting on www.bigcats.com about fights between Lions and Tigers. It seems that Lions mostly come out on top. A big male Lion is a fighting animal that has it's mane as much for protection as for looks.
Tigers don't keep prides of females and don't normaly have to fight other males for breeding rights.
Take a look at the site they have a picture of a Liger Lion/Tiger hybreed that must be all of 10-12 feet long. One very impressive animal.

There was a mounted liger at the SCI Convention this year. Talk about hybrid vigor! Huge? Man!

The Romans mostly used the now extinct European lion. Similar to US mountain lion.

To return to the main topic: pioneers and old timers often shot lions with scatterguns. Capstick himself says that he almost beheaded a lioness at close range. Some old hand wrote that you were safe from a lion armed with a shotgun and buckshot provided that you shoot the beastie inside 10 yards. I wonder what happens if you miss that one (and I figure only) shot.
By the way, claws or not claws if a tiger puts you a slap, you are history.
Weidmannsheil!

Crap, I just read something on another site saying that the lion was shot by the Wildlife Officer with an M4!!!11



5 shots of 223 rem > 600 lbs de-clawed "house-tiger"??!!

I talked, at length, to the owner of 7 600 pound tigers, and two giant, 600 pound, beautiful, lions.



He had a show at Marineworld in Belmont. He said he would never have another lion. Apparently, about every two months, the lions would attack the tigers. The tigers would kick the shit out of the lions, and they would have to break it up with firehoses.



Somewhere, in the US, that same gentleman has a 22 acre ranch, fenced with high fences. He's retired, and his cats have a large yard. Tresspassing is NOT advised. Apparently he now plays with slightly safer animals: elephants.



s

PS: Ray and others, have discussed this topic, at length.

The prefered round for a charging lion is 458 Lott, or bigger, with 500 grain bullets. The thread explains why.

I have never shot a tiger but I know that my friend George Hoffman used a shotgun loaded with 00 and 000 to kill charging Lions and Leopard, he swore by it and none of them ever got him...

He also told me never to use a slug in a shotgun on dangerous game, it would just get you et!!

I like a BIG gun to stop charges, however the 404 and 416s have worked fine for me, and I think that I shoot them better but were I as tough as some on this board and could handle the big bores with ease they do, then that is what I would use, why not?

Again I reiterate that being able to shoot a 458 Lott or larger off hand standing up does not mean that you can handle its recoil...If you can shoot it prone, squatting, bent over or over your left shoulder, then these are the guns for you...I cannot do that without a real concentrated effort and figure on at least 5% flenches...

I know some of the guys on this board, and they can handle about all the recoil any gun can dish out, but they are young and full of piss and vinegar, and will pay the price in the waning years but at least they didn;t miss miss the dance!

Bottom line is be honest with yourself and use the largest caliber you can...that being honest with yourself is where the problems come into play.

Mikelravy:

Thank you for a very interesting post. It gave me a new slant on lions in ancient Roman times.

Oldsarge,

Can you really shoot a 404 Jeffery prone without discomfort?

ASS_CLOWN