Cougar Calling Help

[blacktail slayer]

Is there anyone that has had luck calling in cougars with calls. We can't use dogs here in Oregon, but I would love to try and call one in. I have a perfect spot for a tree stand and know this is where a couple of cougars hang out. I just need to figure out what would be the best hand or mouth calls and get a decoy. I have never tried predator hunting before, but have seen several tracks in this area and finally got pictures of a big Tom on my trail cam. Thanks for the help.

[bigdawgwill44]

You would be wasting your time trying to "call" a cougar, it just won't happen. In any event, they will be hunting you as you walk to your treestand. You must hunt them with dogs or be one of those guys truely in the right place at the right time and just happen to see one and take him down. I live in Oregon and i know your pain, cougars are decimating the deer and elk population and the liberals at the capital know nothing about management. I will shoot one even without a tag if i saw one ( i do have a tag though, lol) and the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife even condones it to an extent because the bureaucrats have strong armed them on cougar regulations.

[blacktail slayer]

Well I would have to say that you are right except for the part you can not call in cougars. I know of several people that have used fawn in distress and cow elk calls to call in cougars. This has happened to people I know who were trying to hunt cougars and to people who were trying to hunt deer and elk. I was just wondering what other calls people would recommend and which brands. I know calling in cougars can happen. It is probably easier in our state, because they have not had to worry about dogs for over 10 years.

[Howler]

You would be wasting your time trying to "call" a cougar, it just won't happen.

A few cougars are called and killed every year through out the western states. It can be done for sure. A freind of mine called and killed his mtn. lion two winters ago using a simple rabbit distress. Others prefer to use an Ecaller to get the sound away from them and use mtn. lion sounds on the caller, along with distress. However, Ecallers aren't legal here in CO. for calling mtn. lion.
The hardest part will be getting close enough to a lion to call it. Mtn. lions are widely dispersed, when compared to coyotes for instance, so the success rate of calling a lion is very low, when compared to calling coyotes. To up your odds, get out and scout after every fresh snow, cut a fresh set of tracks and work them. The fresher the snow, the fresher the tracks, the better chance of being close enough to call that lion.

[salukipv1]

I also want to hunt a cougar with a call.......from the info I've gathered, an electronic caller, set away from you is ideal/safer, also cougar in heat is suppose to be a great sound......vs. distressed animal etc.....I think being in a high cougar area is key though, also with lots of mule deer....or food/game, maybe woulded/fawn/deer something to consider.

[jhtrapper]

A few years back one of my dads buddy was bow hunting for elk in Idaho and while trying to call in a bull he had heard with a cow call he got the supprise of his life when a lion came in on him full bore with only a bow in his hand he booked it out of the woods back towards the guy he was hunting with, once the cat got a look at both of them it took off. Point of the story is that cats CAN be called in if every thing is perfect, in this case the cat was probly already stalking the herd of elk that my dads buddy was hunting...

[englum_06]

thats ballsy, lol

[Snooky]

It is done quite often. One fellow locally has called in several with rabbit calls. If hunting alone, be sure your back is protected. Also plan to call for at least an hour before relocating. Calling near a fresh kill seems to work well. The magpies will show you the kills.