Spot and stalk mountain lion

[2-Stix]

I see tracks in so cal a lot in my back counrty. my partner saw one this year in the los padres. Very hard to find.

 

[type2bowhunter]

I see tracks in so cal a lot in my back counrty. my partner saw one this year in the los padres. Very hard to find.

Yeah it's a shame we'll never be able to hunt them in California...

 

[tkhuntsman]

I am looking for an opportunity to spot and stalk a mountain lion at some point in my life. I don't want to use dogs, so I realize the low odds of this happening. I think that the best way to get such an opportunity is to maybe get lucky during elk or deer season, or bear season for that matter.

So my question is, where do you guys suppose one could have the best odds of seeing a lion, in a state that allows it, obviously. Are there any deer or elk units that you guys may know of with high lion populations? Have you seen lions while hunting? I live in California and the only time I've ever seen one is at night while driving. I was thinking that Nevada may be a good option, being that the desert makes for good glassing opportunities.

All ideas welcome!

If I had to make a recommendation I'd go with AZ or ID both have probably some of the most liberal Lion seasons and they each have a tone of lions with good glassing country. I have glasses and actually called lions in both and as a bonus you can throw wolves in the mix in ID.

 

[WBrim]

I’ve seen plenty of tracks around Utah, but i’ve never actually seen one. The last two years theirs been 2 charges caught on video and one lady was bitten in SLC this year. All 3 were on popular hiking trails.

There are certainly more Lion sightings/conflicts around the wasatch front the last couple years. Maybe a combo of more people all around the trails and more lions around? Utah offers spot and stalk tags. But those cats can be ghosts.

 

[14idaho]

I live on Northern Idaho and kill a cat most years. Often when hunting deer or elk I see them. If I find a fresh kill I'll set up a blind. Occasionally while calling coyotes a cat will come in. If you find a fresh track in the snow you may be able to kill one. There's plenty around, but with the wolves around it's a different dynamic. A pack of wolves will kill or chase a cat. Wish you good luck.

 

[DOESLAYER]

interesting thread

 

[andyaz]

Here in AZ sometimes that happens luckily, when glassing for deer or elk people see a cat sunbathing.

That's a needle in a haystack. best best besides is befriending a rancher. either way you could probably spend a lifetime not finding one

I live on Northern Idaho and kill a cat most years. Often when hunting deer or elk I see them. If I find a fresh kill I'll set up a blind. Occasionally while calling coyotes a cat will come in. If you find a fresh track in the snow you may be able to kill one. There's plenty around, but with the wolves around it's a different dynamic. A pack of wolves will kill or chase a cat. Wish you good luck.

that's awesome, around here calling a cat is very rare. most guys go at it with dogs. not sure if we have naturally lower density of lion.

I think also, most here don't get to hunt deer and elk every year unfortunately. less chance to get lucky if you're not out there.

 

[Flazyj]

I agree with some of the above comments. Fresh kills are possible to find by spending time looking for them, especially if you follow fresh lion tracks in the snow. Many lions we track with hounds have a kill or return to a kill.
Probably the only feasible way to go about hunting them without hounds.

You would also have an idea of size from the tracks, it’s very difficult to judge a lion quickly at distance for size and gender.

 

[TheGDog]

Man... that certainly would be something to pull-off though! Stalking a Big Cat? Damn... that would be hard to pull off!

I bet Ambush sit would be a significantly higher success rate. Full leafy gear, right spot? Become like a stone. Be amazed what you see if you commit to full day sit, and being fully settled in before firstlite stay til end of light. Sit solution selection... can be critical if you have prior lowerback trauma/injuries.

 

[Weldor]

Spend between 60 to100 days out glassing ,checking country etc. I've managed to spot exactly 3 in 35 years. It is doable, but difficult to say the least. Find a friendly ranchers at calving season. Try AZ you can glass alot of country.

 

[Weldor]

Oh yea, by the way. Mountain lion Fajitas are great.

 

[TaperPin]

In Wyo and CO, when there’s muledeer winter range next to a steepish mountain, especially with rim rock and a few big boulders, there are usually cats in the area. There are some well known areas that local guys hunt regularly - very time consuming, but if you like to sit and glass for a month in between sightings it’s doable. Young me had a date with a biologist gal who studied cats and she confirmed one of the areas I had picked out was a year round hot spot. I used to enjoy looking for the areas cats would drag a deer to, but too restless to glass for them for days and weeks on end.

In Colorado there are a lot of steep narrow canyons with cats that bed down near the base of cliffish areas up high on the slopes. I imagine dedicated locals with long range rifles shoot a number of cats across canyon.

There are rocky foothills areas with cats that hunters get with calls while hunting coyotes, but I’ve never known anyone that specifically called for cats. Heck, most old timer coyote callers in these areas haven’t smashed a big cat - bobcats once in a while.

That would be very very hard to do as a nonresident - very.

 

[StupidLightweight]

Intentionally glassing a cougar would require extreme dedication or luck. It can happen, but don't bet on it. Cats live a stealthy life. Most are killed incidentally by hunters pursuing other species. Amazingly, my brother in law killed two cats in three years deer hunting in western Washington. Odds are good he'll never see another.

If I wanted to kill a cat without dogs, here's what I'd do. Echoing the above post, I'd find a winter range for deer or elk. If big kitties are there, you'll see their scat on the trails and roads. I'd take a week off work, build a stealth camp on a north facing slope, and place an e-caller and motion decoy (fawn, turkey, etc.) across the drainage within rifle range. I suggest a large battery, maybe even solar powered, because it'll take time.

Day and night, I'd call and glass, call and glass. Where legal, a thermal scope would help. If you're lucky, a cat will slip in before you die of boredom. I can't imagine a better way to kill a cat, but that would be a long, miserable week.

 

[dirtytough]

Amazingly, my brother in law killed two cats in three years deer hunting in western Washington. Odds are good he'll never see another.

Congrats to you BIL. When I lived there I saw 10 in 1 year. Last time I hunted it as a non res I saw 3 during that hunt. WA definitely has a high lion population.


There are hunters that kill lions every year without hounds specifically targeting them. There is a guy in Oregon with a few vids. There is a good sized FB group based out of the Black Hills that kill a good number of lions boot hunting every year.

Stacey Morris is another guy with good info on hunting lions without hounds.

 

[StupidLightweight]

Seeing 10 in one year is impressive, DirtyTough. How many did you kill?

I've only seen one cougar in the wild, and that was with headlights in Eastern Oregon 15 years ago. In three decades of hunting, I've seen a handful of elusive predators: one wolf, one lynx, and two wolverines. I'm due for another cougar spotting. When I do, I hope I have a rifle, and I hope it's a big tom.

 

[dirtytough]

I killed one. A buddy killed one. Same buddy messed up on one 2 days before the day he killed one. He had a special permit. I wasn’t packing a rifle since I didn’t have a special permit. He didn’t realize what it was. I was telling him to shoot and he’s looking at me like I lost it since he was deer hunting.

Another buddy missed one sitting in a snag. 128 yards, probably 15’ off the ground in a clear cut. That one hurt a little.


I shot 4 while living in Washington.

 

[StupidLightweight]

You, sir, are a hunting God. I'd love to hear those stories.

 

[dirtytough]

Definitely not a god. Used to spend a good amount of time hunting/scouting and got lucky occasionally.

Time, being in shape, good optics, and decent shooting has led to decent success for myself and the people I hunt with.

 

[TheGDog]

Seeing 10 in one year is impressive, DirtyTough. How many did you kill?

I've only seen one cougar in the wild, and that was with headlights in Eastern Oregon 15 years ago. In three decades of hunting, I've seen a handful of elusive predators: one wolf, one lynx, and two wolverines. I'm due for another cougar spotting. When I do, I hope I have a rifle, and I hope it's a big tom.

Ugh.. the first.. no wait.. second time I've seen Mtn Lions out in the wild? Ugh... it was 7 of 'em at once! 3 were Adult sized, 4 were juveniles. When I had to go back in and fetch my tent out. After a kill, so pack was all bloodied up still! Dang I did not like having to hike past them! (maybe 50-60 yds below trail line at bottom of a waterfall features that barely had any puddles left at the bottom of it, it had been soo Hot around this time. At top of the falls? (as very very last light) thought I saw maybe be pup coyote? But then "The Big Ears" rose up from hidden view beside it! Oh! It's Mama Doe and her Fawn! DING! DING! DING! NOW I know why there were 7 MtnLions down below that place! Probably caught their scent on the wind and were waiting for nightfall before they stalked in? Anyway when Mama Doe stood up and I figured it out... I was like "See Ya! Wouldn't Wanna Be Ya!" and proceeded to put distance between me and that spot. Looking over my shoulder every 30 secs the whole way back in! Was super hot that day, so I decided to wait until sundown before gong back in to fetch the tent and stuff.

 

[Rich M]

Would you be satisfied with calling one in? That might be the best alternative. Sot and stalk - would be a real challenge.