Buckmarkhunter
FNG
- Joined
- Feb 23, 2025
- Messages
- 27
I went on a mountain Lion hunt last Nov and finally getting around to posting. I went with Needle rock outfitters out of Crawford CO. James and his pack of well trained hounds could not have provided a better experience for my son and I.
On day 2 of a 5 day hunt we ended up finding a good track and the chase was on. James let the dogs go and after about 15 min we drove through the forest until we couldn’t go any further. From there we got ready and set up on foot straight up hill. It’s one of those hikes that you start to question everything half way through.
After about 600 yards we start to hear the dogs and James said he believes the cat is stopped and dogs bayed. We agreed he’d go and check it out while I, my son and his assistant guide would go as a group. I was the slow one in the group as those guys do this every day, my son does CrossFit 4 days a week but they were very accommodating.
About 10 min later we made it to the rocks where the cat was. I was hunting with my bow so James had all but 2 dogs tied that the assistant guide held. He explained he didn’t want them cut with a broad head. We got set up at 24 yds. I realize the cat had something around his neck, I asked if that was legal. James said yes, now take this cat.
The arrow left hit good and as soon as it did the cat took off. The assistant guide let the dogs go and we all take off downhill. The cat ran about 100 yds and expired in a small rock cave. James went in and pulled him out. Once out we find out the cat had double ear tags, and a tracking collar. Both James and the assistant said I might have harvested the largest cat in Co even though it’s only day 2 of season. I couldn’t help but shake their hands and give them both a hug.
We get the cat quartered, skinned loaded and pack out. James put the hide and skull around my 16 yr old son and had him pack it out. Said he should take a pic and show all the girls back at school.
Next day we make it to the game and fish to register my cat and pull a tooth. The same biologist that collared the cat is the one that checked it in. She was so pumped and explained the collar failed and didn’t fall off when it should. If someone didn’t harvest the cat they would have to go in and dart it to get the collar back. I ended up with all the stats from the cat and his range area as they had been tracking him for 2 yrs. When collared he was 6.5 yrs old and 163 pounds. When I harvested him he was 8.5 yrs old and 178 pound. The biologists said if he’d have a full belly would be around a 190 pound cat.
I can not recommend Needle rock outfitters enough for your mountain lion hunt. To have my son by my side filming and harvest a world class cat is something he or I will never forget.
On day 2 of a 5 day hunt we ended up finding a good track and the chase was on. James let the dogs go and after about 15 min we drove through the forest until we couldn’t go any further. From there we got ready and set up on foot straight up hill. It’s one of those hikes that you start to question everything half way through.
After about 600 yards we start to hear the dogs and James said he believes the cat is stopped and dogs bayed. We agreed he’d go and check it out while I, my son and his assistant guide would go as a group. I was the slow one in the group as those guys do this every day, my son does CrossFit 4 days a week but they were very accommodating.
About 10 min later we made it to the rocks where the cat was. I was hunting with my bow so James had all but 2 dogs tied that the assistant guide held. He explained he didn’t want them cut with a broad head. We got set up at 24 yds. I realize the cat had something around his neck, I asked if that was legal. James said yes, now take this cat.
The arrow left hit good and as soon as it did the cat took off. The assistant guide let the dogs go and we all take off downhill. The cat ran about 100 yds and expired in a small rock cave. James went in and pulled him out. Once out we find out the cat had double ear tags, and a tracking collar. Both James and the assistant said I might have harvested the largest cat in Co even though it’s only day 2 of season. I couldn’t help but shake their hands and give them both a hug.
We get the cat quartered, skinned loaded and pack out. James put the hide and skull around my 16 yr old son and had him pack it out. Said he should take a pic and show all the girls back at school.
Next day we make it to the game and fish to register my cat and pull a tooth. The same biologist that collared the cat is the one that checked it in. She was so pumped and explained the collar failed and didn’t fall off when it should. If someone didn’t harvest the cat they would have to go in and dart it to get the collar back. I ended up with all the stats from the cat and his range area as they had been tracking him for 2 yrs. When collared he was 6.5 yrs old and 163 pounds. When I harvested him he was 8.5 yrs old and 178 pound. The biologists said if he’d have a full belly would be around a 190 pound cat.
I can not recommend Needle rock outfitters enough for your mountain lion hunt. To have my son by my side filming and harvest a world class cat is something he or I will never forget.
