Bobcat/.243/full body mount

J

jacobhwrd

New member
Well for starters I love coyote hunting. I don't do it for the fur so I like the 243 since it's just lays them out. That said I do want two things from what I shoot myself. 1: a coyote skin to hang on the wall and 2: a bobcat/fox stuffed. I am always reading that fur hunters don't like a 243 because of the damage but I'm not selling the hide Can a taxidermist sew the skin so you won't be able to see it? I dont go specificly after anything but coyotes but would love to take a fox or bobcat if they show up. I just don't want to have to buy another gun and start targeting those animals specificly if a taxidermist can hide the damage.
 
Depends upon the bullet construction, bullet velocity and where you hit the cat. Some guys might have experience with the real light high velocity .243 bullets, I don't so can't offer much advice about them. Hit on the shoulder I would be worried about a fast stepping lightly constructed bullet doing a lot of damage to a bobcat. I say that because of some close range .22-250 experiences. With the .243 I've shot several cats with the older 87 gr. Hornady BTHP, quite a few with the 85 gr. Sierra HPBT GK, one with the 75 gr. V-Max and a few others with both the 100 gr. Hornady Interlock soft point and Speer 105 gr. spitzer soft point. All in hand loads running from 3,200 fps to about 2,900 fps. I've seen everything from silver quarter size exits to softball size exits. I have a cat on the wall shot with the 85 gr. Sierra. That cat was shot quartering on right on the point of the shoulder, the entrance hole was .243" but under the hide the shoulder was pure jelly. The bullet exited just in front of the opposite hip with a clean quarter size hole. The mount has that back leg pulled up as the cat is climbing up a rock so the hole is covered and was never a problem for the taxidermist. With luck and skill a good taxidermist can plan the mount around a hole in the right spot. I'd use a strongly constructed deer class bullet, maybe lower the velocity. In factory form one of the managed/low recoil deer loads might work pretty well. Believe it or not a shotgun with appropriate shot used at a decent range is excellent for the taxidermist. Another option for consideration. I've shot quite a few bobcats with the shotgun and sold every hide without a problem.
 
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I do take my shotgun every time I go. I was using DC T-shot but the cost forced me to try hornady heavy mag coyote in BB and I like it 20 times more. Guess I can just make sure I carry that on every stand just incase. Didn't even think about planning the mount to actually hide damage. I pick up my deer from last year soon so I will talk to my taxidermist then.
 
Like said above, depends. I've seen taxidermists mounting a bobcat shot with a 30-06. They can do some amazing things.
 
Problem solved itself today. A guy at work just informed me of a GREAT deal on a custom built AR and since i have never had one and always wanted one i asked about the price and looked at some pictures of it and went ahead and had him call the guy and tell him i would come and pick it up friday. Now i just have to get a new scope for it and a suppressor.
 
Originally Posted By: huntinaz

It depends but the potential for a 243 to destroy a bobcat is pretty good. Try and get 'em with the scatter gun

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Originally Posted By: jacobhwrdProblem solved itself today. A guy at work just informed me of a GREAT deal on a custom built AR and since i have never had one and always wanted one i asked about the price and looked at some pictures of it and went ahead and had him call the guy and tell him i would come and pick it up friday. Now i just have to get a new scope for it and a suppressor.

Hate to tell ya, but a .223 Vmax can blow a cat up pretty good too.
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Try the 50gr. Speer TNT and benchmark powder for the 223. And 60gr. Sierra HP Varminter for the 243 with varget, IMR 4064, or H4895.
 
Originally Posted By: fredhorace77Try the 50gr. Speer TNT and benchmark powder for the 223. And 60gr. Sierra HP Varminter for the 243 with varget, IMR 4064, or H4895.


I dont load myself but i have a few friends that do. I will write this down and try those out. Is there a specific velocity i should be going for to help limit the damage?
 
While I have never shot a bobcat with anything but a 270 (what an experience that was) I would almost think that ultramax factory 223 ammo with the 52 gr match hollow point might work ok. Again, I have never shot a cat with them, but have shot several coyotes with no exit and shot one groundhog and it just punched right through him without much damage which for my application was kind of depressing. I know a lot of guys use the match hollow points for coyotes so someone might be able to offer info on what they do on cats. Sorry I'm not much help, we can't hunt cats where I live now.

Shelton
 
I shot a large bobcat with a .308 with 150gr sierra at about 35 yards facing me. Hit it between the neck and shoulder, left a inch or so hole going in and never exited. Took a fox at 20 yards, same load, hole about the size of a 50 cent piece on exit. Just lucky with hole size I guess.
 
Originally Posted By: jacobhwrdOriginally Posted By: fredhorace77Try the 50gr. Speer TNT and benchmark powder for the 223. And 60gr. Sierra HP Varminter for the 243 with varget, IMR 4064, or H4895.


I dont load myself but i have a few friends that do. I will write this down and try those out. Is there a specific velocity i should be going for to help limit the damage? not necessarily, honestly a good taxidermist should be able to sew up any problem areas. He's for sure going to have to sew up at least one hole regardless of what caliber u use.
 
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