Mountain Lion Hunt-without dogs

[uplander01]

Does anyone know of any outfitters that hunt mountain lion without the use of dogs?

 

[Cam300]

I am not aware of any. Keeping up with the dogs and watching them work is half of the fun.

 

[JimP]

Without dogs your chance of getting a lion are close to zero. That along with not being able to correctly sex it is even closer to zero.

With dogs you can see the cat and decide it it is the best one that you want to shoot.

In all 60 of my years of wandering around in the backcountry of the western US I have only seen 4 mountain lions while hunting, and only positively identified on as a male.

 

[Hillcountry63]

You can call them in just like any other varmint, feline in heat works.

 

[BourbonTrail]

I called them for several years, it just takes patience, luck, and a high density area. I have about 6 years of tag soup in a drawer around here somewhere. I have only seen one at night, several tracks though over the years.

 

[fourfive8]

Outfitters? Kind of hard to be in business and charge enough for something that time consuming and with that low of success rate. Calling is about the only way and your chances would be as good as a guide’s. I’ve successfully called bobcats quite a few times. I’ve tracked down bobcats and watched them and watched how they hunt. But the conditions were absolutely perfect. I’ve tracked/followed mountain lions all over the place, even in perfect snow, but never closed on one to get a look. They are extremely secretive and, like all cats, they are somewhat nocturnal, which may further complicate things legally depending on jurisdiction.

 

[gillettehunter]

A fellow AH member and I were talking about Cougars a couple of days ago. A fellow he was hunting with just spent 20-21 days trying to fill a California Bighorn tag in Idaho. My friend helped him the last few days of the season. The sheep hunter saw 8 Cougars in that 20-21 days.. I would wager that calling there would get results if 5-7 days were dedicated to it.
I can facilitate contact with the AH member should you decide to investigate that route further.
Bruce

 

[shotgungibbs]

I've never heard of one, but there sure could be. I don't believe the success rate would be very high. Watching and following the dogs is amazing!

 

[TKessel]

Hunted and guided in cat country for 30 years. I’ve only laid eyes in one cat without the use of hounds.

 

[DonPablo]

You can call them in just like any other varmint, feline in heat works.

View attachment 568777

There was a guy in West Texas who did this but I don't know if it was with a guide or DIY. I'll try and find out.

 

[HankBuck]

Does anyone know of any outfitters that hunt mountain lion without the use of dogs?

UPlander, i’ve Never heard of any and I’ve done 4 guided hound hunts for cats (Idaho & BC) and only treed/tagged one...if you are picky and want a really good Tom (vs. any. Legal cat) it’s a low percentage hunt - even with Dogs. If you will shoot any legal cat and you have snow or great dry ground area & dogs - 50%-80%+....but who wants an 80 lb cat?? Most guys kill only one cougar then move on to another type of trophy so feed back will vary from “got mine first day” to my experience 1 for 4 but it was a great cat, my friend shot it. The shot is usually nothing (with a rifle) like a big squirrel out of a tree. The “chase” is exciting and can be physically grueling for the hunter.
I’d be very careful with any guide claiming they can get you a cat without dogs - it’s got to be a low success rate, I don’t think bait is legal and “predator calling” them can work but its tough (tried that too). My guide in Idaho had been doing this for 20 years and said he’d only ever seen one cougar “that wasn’t being chased by hounds” = they are elusive. Let us know how you make out.

 

[HankBuck]

A fellow AH member and I were talking about Cougars a couple of days ago. A fellow he was hunting with just spent 20-21 days trying to fill a California Bighorn tag in Idaho. My friend helped him the last few days of the season. The sheep hunter saw 8 Cougars in that 20-21 days.. I would wager that calling there would get results if 5-7 days were dedicated to it.
I can facilitate contact with the AH member should you decide to investigate that route further.
Bruce

Was he hunting in CA or Idaho where he saw all the Cougar? If it was CA I’d bet you’d have your best chance at a cougar in California- hasn’t it been illegal to hunt them for 20 years in that State? Maybe do a Cougar/Condor combo hunt —- and use lead slugs too....for maximum fines & jail time.

 

[SETH RINGER]

I'D GIVE MY LEFT N** (NOT THAT I USE EM ANY MORE) TO BE ABLE TO RUN AFTER A PACK OF HOUNDS AGAIN!

 

[HankBuck]

I'D GIVE MY LEFT N** (NOT THAT I USE EM ANY MORE) TO BE ABLE TO RUN AFTER A PACK OF HOUNDS AGAIN!

WeSETH, you don’t have to RUN - thats what the hounds do....you just walk, huff & puff, gasp, try not to have a heart attack, and keep telling the Guide “go on, I’ll be right behind you”... That’s what I did, and after a mile + walk, crawl, limp...by the time I got to the tree - Cat had jumped and never got treed again. My 2nd Hunt - my friend won the coin toss to shoot the Cat (that chase was only 100 yrds DOWNHILL !!) that Tom was Big and sat on a limb 12’ off the ground and held for an easy 30 Foot shot.

 

[gillettehunter]

Was he hunting in CA or Idaho where he saw all the Cougar? If it was CA I’d bet you’d have your best chance at a cougar in California- hasn’t it been illegal to hunt them for 20 years in that State? Maybe do a Cougar/Condor combo hunt —- and use lead slugs too....for maximum fines & jail time.

Idaho

 

[Philip Glass]

Does anyone know of any outfitters that hunt mountain lion without the use of dogs?

No because they are very unlikely to ever get one.

 

[Uncontrolled_round_feed]

A young friend of mine baited in cougars regularly. Apparently bottles of rosé and healthy bank statements work pretty well.

 

[M70375!]

Does anyone know of any outfitters that hunt mountain lion without the use of dogs?

I much prefer calling them instead of using dogs, when you see one looking at you from 30 yds that you never saw coming is very exciting, I am addicted to it. Extremely low chance of getting one, but when you do, it makes up for all the failures.

 

[hoytcanon]

Go into the bush and start meowing and screaming, in a couple or three years when you get tired of that, walk out of the bush and find a cougar man with a good pack of hounds and go shoot a lion.

 

[M70375!]

Go into the bush and start meowing and screaming, in a couple or three years when you get tired of that, walk out of the bush and find a cougar man with a good pack of hounds and go shoot a lion.

not nearly as much fun