Zoo Carry

[RCP]

Does anyone know if the local zoos are posted 30.06? I seem to remember them being off limits due to 30.06 postings but haven't been in years so I'm not sure anymore. Are they owned by the city and if so is it even allowed to be posted 30.06? The Tiger getting loose in SanFrancisco and the gorilla here a few years back got me to thinking.

[seamusTX]

Houston Zoo is owned by the City of Houston and can't be posted. I don't recall anyone mentioning bogus signs there.

- Jim

[RCP]

The one I remember being posted 30.06 was the Dallas City Zoo

[Lodge2004]

I visit the Houston Zoo about once per year and have carried the last 5 years (since getting CHL). Have never seen a sign or anything saying that I couldn't.

As a side note, facing a hungry 300+ lb tiger with a 9mm is not something that I'd ever want to do. According to Wikipedia, male siberian tigers can get up to 800+ pounds. Brings to mind the scene in "Men in Black" when Tommy Lee Jones is swallowed by the "bug" and shoots his way out from the inside.

[KC5AV]

I'd rather face one with a 9mm than face one without a 9mm... me having the 9mm. It wouldn't do the tiger much good.

[RCP]

The tiger in San Francisco was put down by the police officers .40's from what I hear. I am surprised they didn't bring in a shotgun or an M4.

[Greybeard]

"police officers .40's"

From what little I saw on it elsewhere, there may have been 4 of 'em at once.

[Stupid]

Wouldn't it be funny if someone brought an elephant gun to the zoo? *smile

I don't pretend I know anything about hunting, but from what I read, tigers are not thick-skinned animals.

In fact, poachers regularly hunt elephant in Africa with AK47s while the gaming commission specifies 357H&H is a minimum requirement.

[ELB]

I was interested that the police used their .40s to put down the tiger.

I read there were "several" police officers -- wonder how many rounds they used? I assume the reason they used handguns instead of shotgun or rifle is that handguns are what they had on them when they responded. After all, that's why one carries a handgun instead of rifle -- you can always have a handgun on you, bit awkward to tote a longarm everywhere. Also, I saw a picture in the newspaper of policeman who were searching the zoo grounds on motorcycles -- and they were dirtbikes (complete with red/blue lights), not big road cruisers like one usually sees.

Anywho, the main reason I was interested in the successful use of handguns, is that few years ago I discovered that a tiger had passed by in the vicinity of my little ranchette on the far west side of San Antonio. I had horses, which look like tiger prey to me, and of course my chubby little body was often wandering about the place. It occurred to me that going out to feed the horses one night in the dark and being confronted with a tiger would be...exciting. I always had a handgun with me. Started wondering if I should always have a shotgun and slugs too!

The tiger escaped (or was released via sabotage according to the owner) from a cage on a wildlife refuge near Helotes and Grey Forest. It made its way south, and ended up around the intersection of Potranco and 1604, near where I lived. A straight line between the refuge and that intersection pretty much ran right by my neighborhood.

By that time, the cops and the refuge owner were hunting for it. They cornered it near the intersection, she (the owner) tried to shoot it with a dart, and it charged, knocked her down, and broke her pelvis, as I recall. The cops later cornered it again, and this time dispensed with the dart business and shot it. Numerous times, I wager.

Having a CHL to defend against tigers is probably not one of the primary reasons people get one, but you never can tell...

elb

[dukalmighty]

watcha shooting at ?Tigers ...The zoo staff said they have a shooting team to handle sucha situation but they were preoccupied with other things at the time....I'm guessing running and screaming for help

[KBCraig]

From today's Dallas news, it seems tigers can be found roaming about anywhere in the Metroplex. More reason to carry calibers starting with ".4"

[Stupid]

What else is roaming around? I personally don't believe any handgun is enough for a tiger - not unless 4 of them firing at the same time. At bare minimum, you need a 223.

[iflyabeech]

a friend of mine in alaska killed an 8ft brown bear in one shot with a .22 mag rifle. it was eating his fish from the smoke house!

Its surprising that they didn't try to use a stun gun on the tiger since it was San Francisco!

[dukalmighty]

Its surprising that they didn't try to use a stun gun on the tiger since it was San Francisco!

I had the same thought ,famous last words,we need bigger guns

[TDDude]

I'd rather face one with a 9mm than face one without a 9mm... me having the 9mm. It wouldn't do the tiger much good.

Can anyone say "Shot Placement"??

Any deer hunter will tell you that it doesn't matter what gun is used, poor shot placement will result in an animal running off.

In the Tiger/Bear/Mountain Lion/coked up bad guy etc.. case, bad shot placement will result in a continued charge.

I'm with KC. The best gun to have in a gunfight is the one you have in your pocket and

PRACTICE, PRACTICE, DRILL, DRILL, PRACTICE, PRACTICE.