quadracer70

I am going to try hunting Mountain Lion this year and I am looking to see if anyone has any good tips on the best way to hunt them. What is the best terrain to look for that they like? Anything will help thank you.

121553

Where and how and when do you plan on hunting them?

Bobby

quadracer70

My friend and I are going to hunt them in Southern Nevada. I am not sure how to start hunting them so any tips will be appreciated.

charlie brown

Well, the most popular and successful way to hunt the critters is behind hounds. Better not get a hound, because then you will be hooked for life, lol. I just got my first two dogs this last summer. Have well over a grand tied up in them now, and not a lion track to speak of. My advice would be to find someone who has been successful in the past in the area and spend some time with them. A good person can teach you a lot more in a few days then you can figure out on your own. I thought I was doing good, then I met some people who have been willing to help, and they have taught me quite a bit.

Another way to hunt them would be to call for them, but I wouldn't bet that you could be successful on a regular basis with that method.

Either way, if you do end up with hounds, don't just plan on finding a hound, throwing it out on a track, then shoot the cat, fill the tag and wait until next year, especially in southern NV. It is a year long ordeal of working with your dogs and letting them do what they were bred to do. Getting a cat is hard enough in snow, even thougher on dry ground.

Good luck.

quadracer70

Excellant advice thank you.. Is there anyone else out there that might have some good advice on what to look for to start the hunt?

game4lunch

Check your state regs. If hunting with dogs is allowed, hunt behind them. ALSO . . . See if Neveada allows baiting.
If dogs are allowed, there are probably more than a handfull of dog owners who rent themselves and their dogs out to cougar hunters.
Check for them at hunting/sporting goods stores.
Also! Check with local ranchers or rancher organizations. They often times beg hunters to shoot cat on their property, especially this time of year because their cows are calving. Cats love calves!

charlie brown

Being from NV, hunting behind hounds is legal. Baiting is not.

As far as starting the hunt? Bot 100% sure what you mean there, but I will give it a shot.

Up north, we look for a track in the snow, see if the dogs will take it, and let them go until there is a cat under the tree, or they can't trail it anymore. Dry ground is a whole different story, which is what you will be hunting in southern Nevada. Heck, dry ground is all that it seems we have had this year up north, lol. Dry gound, you can't see tracks most of the time, unless you have real soft sandy soil that will show a track well. It usually consists of putting a completely broke dog out and start walking. It has to be DEAD BROKE, so when it opens up, you know it is chasing nothing but a cat. Lots of training, or lots of money, or both. Don't expect to get a pup this spring and be running cats on dry ground this winter, just won't happen.

racowboy

Dogs are your #1 bet and often people who have dogs are plenty willing to take other people out to get the dogs more experience. Finding tracksis the hardest part of running them with hounds and I am happy to take anyone out who finds a fresh track and can hunt them legally.Without dogs find tracks and follow untill you find a kill to watch. Lions ussually won't come to a bait unless sick, kittens, or injured, but generally will return to a kill. You might check to see if that would still be considered baiting in your state. You better have a great pair of legs if you want to take the dogs out of the job.

ShatoDavis

The best advice I could give you and your friend is to find a mentor. Find a local lion hunter who has success on a regular basis and ask him if he would help you get started. Most hunters will be happy to get you started. The trick will be finding this feller. Go to the local gun store and ask, go to the local feed store and ask.....

Short of that, buy a good coon hound, redbone/bluetick etc put him on house cats. When he gets good at tracking and treeing house cats go to the woods and try to find a fresh track. Again, there are better ways of geting your feet wet than jumping directly in.

erock69a

I am just curious if one were to try baiting a mountain lion what would you use to bait with? Also if one were to call a lion would you recomend just using standard prey in distress sounds or something more specific like a mountain lion mating call? thanks